NARS Holiday 2010 Collection- Have a Berry Francoi

NARS Holiday 2010 Collection: Have a Berry Francois Christmas and a Happy NARS Year,coach handbags sale

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Holy wow, pumpkin! All I have to say is werk!

I’m not talking work like cubicles, time sheets or lame vacation requests,Red Bottoms Shoes, but the neck swerving, hair flipping, three snaps in z-formation kinda work — the kind of work NARS obviously put into their holiday 2010 collection.

For the holidays, it’s nice to see something almost traditional — with lots of golds, silvers, berries and plums — from such an untraditional brand.

But I did say “almost.” After all, this is still NARS we’re talking about. The colors are a casual affair, many of them shimmery and saturated but not heavy or foreboding.

Francois usually likes to throw in a few quirky shades,Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, September 1, but this time he shows some restraint to tell a tightly woven color story. He still cuts loose, of course, with unexpected pops of taupe, peach and blue, but it all just fits together.

With the exception of sheer Sex Appeal Blush and Little Darling Lipstick,Cheap Jerseys, the lip, eye and nail products burst with color. Francois, inspired by Irish heiress and fashion icon Daphne Guinness, aimed for seductive, audacious and bold, and dagnabbit, homeboy nailed it.

The company’s trademark quality is evident throughout the release, from the pigments to their application and smooth textures.

Oh, yeah. The new eyeshadow trio in the pic at the top is a first for NARS. They’ve never done an eyeshadow trio before, and I like it (doesn’t it look like a Rothko painting?).

If you’re afraid the eye colors might be too intense, don’t worry; I think they’re still work friendly. Just use a light touch when you apply them, and dilute,Cheap NFL Jerseys, dilute,Coach Outlet, dilute.

Okinawa Trio Eyeshadow (limited edition), $45

Melusine Duo Eyeshadow, $32


Etrusque Single Eyeshadow (limited edition), $23

Sex Appeal Blush, $26

Petit Monstre Lipstick on left (limited edition) and Little Darling Lipstick on right (limited edition), each $24

Downtown Lip Gloss on left (limited edition) and Bougainville Lip Gloss on right, each $24

Pokerface Nail Polish (limited edition), $16

Bad Influence Nail Polish (limited edition), $16

Swatches on NC35 skin

Okinawa Trio Eyeshadow

Melusine Duo Eyeshadow

Etrusque Single Eyeshadow (left) and Sex Appeal Blush (right)

Little Darling Lipstick (left) and Petit Monstre Lipstick (right)

Downtown Lip Gloss (left) and Bougainville Lip Gloss (right)

Pokerface Nail Polish

Bad Influence Nail Polish

Bougainville Lip Gloss

Downtown Lip Gloss

Petit Monstre Lipstick

Little Darling Lipstick

Wearing Okinawa Trio Eyeshadow, Melusine Duo Eyeshadow and Etrusque Single Eyeshadow

Sex Appeal Blush on cheeks; Petit Monstre Lipstick and Downtown Lipgloss on lips

Is it just me,The Bronze Goddess Is Back- Estee Lauder Summer 2010, or does it seem like Francois was listening to a lot of Lady Gaga in the workroom this time around?

Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

WOW! Aren’t these pigments off the chain? Can you tell I’m excited? NARS took what we usually expect to see for the holidays and NARS-ified it. These won’t be the budget-friendliest products under the Christmas tree at from $16-45 apiece, but one thing’s for sure: the quality’s there. I think it might be the best NARS collection of the year. Available October 15 at NARS counters and online.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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I Could Kiss Benefit for Bringing the Ultra Shines

I Could Kiss Benefit for Bringing the Ultra Shines Lip Shine Glosses into the World

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Remember when Benefit discontinued their line of OG glosses last year? Man, that made me grumpy… Creamy purple Kiss Me was a staple o’ mine for years (I always wore it on first dates,MAC Cosmetics Face of the Day- Hot Pink and Silver, heh!). The shade, pigment and non-sticky texture made it the stuff of lipgloss legend, and I’ve been mourning the loss ever since.

But Benefit didn’t leave us hanging for long. They promptly replaced the OG line with a new collection of super sheer glosses that I thought were a’ight, but they didn’t really make my heart flutter in that “I NEEDS IT!!” kinda way.

I was down to the last dregs of my last tube of Kiss Me earlier this month (all set to pour a 40 in my front yard in memoriam) when Benefit introduced the new Ultra Shines Lip Shines, and all I gotta say is, “OH, YEAH, b*tchezzz!”

Benefit glosses are BACK in the building.

Benefit Ultra Shines Lip Shines

The B-babes pumped up the pigment of these five ultra shiny shades, making them as richly colored as the old school glosses (if not more), and one of them even resembles Kiss Me,coach factory online sale,Cheap NFL Jerseys, yay,Cheap Jerseys!

Swatches from left (for reference, I’m an NC35): Spiked Punch, Back to the Fuchsia, Wild Child (aka the Kiss Me dupe!)

Smooooove…

Just a wonderful texture. All three of the colors I’ve tried (creamy coral Spiked Punch, shimmery Back to the Fuchsia and light violet Wild Child) feel like a slinky silk cami against my lips. I’d describe it as a slightly thicker texture than the MAC Cremesheen glosses, one that may help to improve their wear time, which I clock at about four hours. Even adorably named Back to the Fuchsia, loaded with glitter, still feels creamy.

Wearing Wild Child… uh, I have NO IDEA what the hell’s going on with my hair

Thirsty?

If your pucker likes moisture, then the Ultra Shines are up to the task. I wore them all weekend long and didn’t feel the need to touch a tube of lip balm at all.

Back to the Fuchsia!

Smell that?

Benefit likes to perk up their glosses with fragrance, and these have a short-lived (about three minutes to fade) fruity vanilla scent that reminds me of raspberry Creamsicle. I like it,Cheap Coach Purses, but my sensitive nose wouldn’t mind if they toned it down a tad. For what it’s worth, at least they’re unflavored, so it’s not a strong one-two punch.

Spiked Punch (pic from the NARS Cactus Flower Cream Blush review)

On balance I think Benefit did an *awesome* job with these new glosses. They might be a little pricey at $18, but that gets you a generously pigmented, easy-to-wear gloss with a silky smooth texture to boot. Look for them on Benefit counters beginning next month. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

You might like the Benefit Ultra Shines Lip Shine Glosses if

• …you love a shiny, mirror-like finish
• …you like pigmented glosses
• …you prefer brush applicators
• …you want something that doesn’t feel sticky
• …you don’t mind a strong scent

Memories

Thinking about Kiss Me gloss got me thinking about first dates and makeup and holy shizz! — I just realized I haven’t been on a first date in eight years! Wow,cheap louis vuitton,Skin Care on the Cheap- 5 Tips (and a Giveaway!), but I can still remember the makeup I was wearing on my first date with El Hub.

Do you have a set look that you like to wear on first dates? OOH! And if you’re already attached, can you remember what you were wearing the first time you and your boo went out?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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MAC Unsung Heroes- MAC Iridescent Powder-Loose in

MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Iridescent Powder/Loose in Silver Dusk

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Remember MAC Golden Bronze, that savant of shimmer,How To Make Money Online,The New LORAC Holiday Lip Gloss Collection Is Tie Dye For, and maestro of multitasking, that helps you get your shimmer on in multiple ways?

Well, Golden Bronze has a cool cousin, MAC Iridescent Powder/Loose in Silver Dusk ($23),Cheap Coach Purses,Cheap NFL Jerseys, a shimmery, silvery pinkish beige that likes to party with cool skin tones.

Like Golden Bronze, you can use it as a highlighter, and for that I usually apply it with the MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush on my upper cheekbones,Christian Louboutin Sale, down the bridge of my nose, on my cupid’s bow and in the center of my chin; or, mix it with your favorite foundation, moisturizer or body oil for a glint of extra glow.

With my warmer skin tone (NC42), I reach for Golden Bronze more often,Topshop Cheeks in Luminescence Is Sticking It to MAC Nymphette, but I still have mad love for Silver Dusk, especially when I wear smokey eyes with black, gray or dark brown eyeshadows.

Whenever I do, after I’m done with my blending, I dust a small amount of Silver Dusk all over my lids with the MAC 224, making them twinkle,Cheap Jerseys, twinkle, like little stars.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The MAC Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorite products from MAC’s permanent collection

• MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Iridescent Powder/Loose in Silver Dusk
• MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Iridescent Powder/Loose in Golden Bronze
• MAC Unsung Heroes: C-Thru Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Loud & Lovely Cremesheen Glass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Breezy Sheertone Shimmer Blush
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Care Blends Essential Oils, Grapefruit + Chamomile
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Modesty Cremesheen Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Double Dare Cremesheen Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Sandy B Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Club Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Uniform Technakohl Liner
• MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Red Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Tempting Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Phloof Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Cr��me in Your Coffee Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Paramount Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Mocha Blush
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Oh Baby Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Mulch Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: The Cremestick Liners
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Sable Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Soft Ochre Paint Pot
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Ricepaper Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: This Cremesheen Glass Is a Veritable Deelight
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Lipglass in Spite
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Impassioned Lipstick (and Watermelon)
• MAC Unsung Heroes: This Lip Pencil Is In Synch
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Soba Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Bombshell Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Sunbasque Sheertone Shimmer Blush
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Clear Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Humid Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Naked Lunch Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Russian Red Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Syrup Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Blushbaby Blush

• MAC Unsung Heroes: Pink Poodle Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Fresh Flare Pro Longwear Eye Shadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam V Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam VI Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Prep + Prime Vibrancy Eye Primer
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Right Image Cremesheen Glass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Bamboo Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Speak Louder Cremesheen Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Sweet Satisfaction Pro Longwear Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Lady Danger Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Ruby Woo Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Retrospeck Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Twig Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Party Line Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Melon Pigment
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Sumptuous Olive Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Vex Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Costa Chic Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Fast Response Eye Cream
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Strobe Cream
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Blot Powder/Pressed
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Subculture Lip Pencil
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Soft Brown Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Hero: Woodwinked Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Hero: Powersurge Eye Kohl
• MAC Unsung Heroes: All That Glitters Eyeshadow Is Not Just Another Gold
• MAC Unsung Heroes: The Technakohl Liners
• MAC Unsung Hero: Groundwork Paint Pot
• MAC Unsung Hero: Nymphette Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam V
• MAC Unsung Hero: Blacktrack Fluidline
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Lychee Luxe Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Hero: Gorgeous Gold Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Hero: Patina Eyeshadow

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MAC Unsung Heroes- Melon Pigment

MAC Unsung Heroes: Melon Pigment,Christian Louboutin Uk

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Here in Marin County — how should I put this? — tie-die is the new black. I joke, but this area is a mecca for different ways of thinking, and while my younger self probably would have giggled at some of the self-improvement techniques I’ve been trying lately, my older self has more of an open mind.

One of my new favorite things is to sit on my deck at sunset and mentally list all of the good things that happened that day. Some days the list is shorter than others, but I can usually come up with at least one or two things.

Plus, there’s a great side effect of catching a good sunset: makeup inspiration.

Yesterday,Kissing You Again- The Benefit Ultra Shines Lipgloss Line Brings Back a Cult (and Personal) Fave,Wholesale Jerseys Cheap, right as the sun dipped below the horizon,Cheap Jerseys, the sky turned a golden cantaloupe that looked just like today’s Unsung Hero, MAC Melon Pigment ($20 for a 0.15-oz. jar).

Sometimes the mess factor keeps me from playing with loose pigments. Maybe I’m just a klutz, but I always find a way to get loose shadow in the sink,Cheap NFL Jerseys,21 Ways to Store Your Makeup, on my clothes, on the cat and in my hair. Even so, I regularly make exceptions for Melon.

Like a slice of sweet, ripe cantaloupe sprinkled with golden glitter, it looks peachy gold from some angles and pure gold from others.

Delish!

It loves lids, too, making them look all shiny and perky, like one of those hella annoying people who gets eight hours of sleep every night (you know who you are!).

For a fast, fresh look, I like to wear it with Blacktrack and a couple coats of mascara. Then I’ll add a peachy golden blush like MAC Margin or Sunbasque and a layer of Nympehtte or Evolution Revolution Lipglass.

Improv pasta,Coach Handbags!

Until I make it to the grocery store this week, the pickin’s around here are pretty slim, but I did have enough pasta left in the cupboard to make this little dish with crimini mushrooms, spinach, garlic and parmesan cheese. It wasn’t bad, but I could have eased up on the EVOO.

What was on your plate this evening (both food and otherwise)?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The MAC Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorite products from MAC’s permanent collection

• MAC Unsung Heroes: Oh Baby Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Mulch Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: The Cremestick Liners
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Sable Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Soft Ochre Paint Pot
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Ricepaper Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: This Cremesheen Glass Is a Veritable Deelight
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Lipglass in Spite
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Impassioned Lipstick (and Watermelon)
• MAC Unsung Heroes: This Lip Pencil Is In Synch
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Soba Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Bombshell Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Sunbasque Sheertone Shimmer Blush
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Clear Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Humid Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Naked Lunch Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Russian Red Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Syrup Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Blushbaby Blush

• MAC Unsung Heroes: Melon Pigment
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Sumptuous Olive Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: MAC Vex Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Costa Chic Lipstick
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Fast Response Eye Cream
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Strobe Cream
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Blot Powder/Pressed
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Subculture Lip Pencil
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Soft Brown Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Hero: Woodwinked Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Hero: Powersurge Eye Kohl
• MAC Unsung Heroes: All That Glitters Eyeshadow Is Not Just Another Gold
• MAC Unsung Heroes: The Technakohl Liners
• MAC Unsung Hero: Groundwork Paint Pot
• MAC Unsung Hero: Nymphette Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Viva Glam V
• MAC Unsung Hero: Blacktrack Fluidline
• MAC Unsung Heroes: Lychee Luxe Lipglass
• MAC Unsung Hero: Gorgeous Gold Eyeshadow
• MAC Unsung Hero: Patina Eyeshadow

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Product Reviews, Fragrance- Demeter Fragrance Libr

Product Reviews,Cheap NFL Jerseys, Fragrance: Demeter Fragrance Library – Crayon, Pure Soap, Egg Nog, Humungous Minis

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Earthworm. Dirt. Fig Leaf. Wait, did I make a wrong turn somewhere? Is this gardening 101? Nope! These are just a few of the unique scents in the Demeter Fragrance Library, a fragrance company that creates unusual scents from everyday life.

“The whole idea behind Demeter was to bottle those great scents of nature that people don’t really think about,” says Mark D. Crames, chief executive officer. “We appreciate them when we are outside,On the Road Again With the Bobbi Brown Rose Shimmer Brick, a Traveling Semi-Exclusive, but we don’t necessarily think about them as being wearable fragrances. And we set forth to show that those things are beautiful in their own right.”

There are hundreds of scents in the library,Coach Factory Outlets, ranging from easily wearable (Baby Powder, Angel Food, Jasmine) to not-so-easily wearable but still fun (Funeral Home, Lobster, Play-Doh.)

The amazing thing about the fragrances is that they always hit the scent on the nose (pardon the pun), and each scent is an accurate replica of the original smell. When I got a first whiff of one of the newer scents, Crayon, it reminded me of being a kid, opening up a fresh box of crayons, and spending hours with my coloring books.

Another new scent, Pure Soap, is also delicious. It smells just like a freshly showered husband (or boyfriend,Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, July 18,Coach Outlet Online!)…ahhhh, yummy.

The time to create a scent from start to finish varies, says Crames. Some scents take a matter of weeks, while others take months or years. Sometimes it’s a matter of fine tuning the scent to appeal to an adult nose, like in the case of creating Banana Flambe,Cheap Jerseys, one of the more challenging scents. “Banana by it’s definition tends to be a more child-like scent,” says Crames. “To get a banana that was adult-oriented was hard.”

Other times it’s a matter of chemistry. Two scents that the company has been working on for years, Puppy’s Breath and Baby’s Head, are still in production because of this issue. Natural scents often involve large, organic molecules, which are difficult to replicate,Coach Purse Outlet Online, says Crames.

Stuff those stockings: Demeter saves your butt just in time for the holidays

Demeter’s got some delish fragrances for the holidays, including a new scent called Egg Nog. And if you’ve got stockings to stuff, head on over to their Web site, because they’ve got an exclusive offer where you can purchase HUMUNGOUS MINIS (a full ? oz of fragrance) of any of the scents for a mere five duckets. Can’t decide? Pick up one of my three faves: Thunderstorm, Gingerale or Kahala Hawaiian Surf.

It was so beautiful here in the Bay Area today; I hope you were able to catch some sun. I’m off to the gym right now to lift weights and hopefully burn off the gelato I ate for lunch!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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Olá, Brilhante! The Estée Lauder Brasil Dream Co

Olá, Brilhante! The Estée Lauder Brasil Dream Collection, a Macy’s Exclusive

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Do you ever dream in black and white? Apparently,Cheap NFL Jerseys, some of us do. My dreams are always in color, usually vivid color, but I think a black-and-white dream in a film noir style would be hella cool.

Methinks someone over at Estée Lauder was definitely dreaming in color when they brought the Brasil Dream collection to life (available now exclusively at Macy’s). My Brazil dreams usually involve beans and rice (Mmm…),Cheap Jerseys, but hey,Topshop Cheeks in Luminescence Is Sticking It to MAC Nymphette, I’m down with the bright blushes,Coach Outlet Online 2012, glosses, lipsticks and nail polishes in this collection, too.

How about fragrances in your dreams? Do you ever wake up breathing in the scent of fresh baked bread, your partner’s perfume/cologne or the salty sea? The collection also features a fragrance called Brasil Dream,MAC Make-Up Art Cosmetics Face of the Day with the Notoriety Quad, which I haven’t seen or sniffed since Milan in 2010.

If you haven’t tried the Pure Color Blushes yet,Louis Vuitton outlet online, give ‘em a swipe when you can. I think they’re great! Super pigmented,Fake Coach Handbags, and the pans are HUGE.

1) Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Pure Red ($19); Pure Color Crystal Lipsticks in 2) Red Tango, 3) Barcelona Rose and 4) Berry Fizz ($25 each); Pure Color Gloss in 5) Star Ruby, 6) Racy Raspberry and 7) Irresistible Pink ($22.50 each); Pure Color Blushes in 8 ) Naughty, 9) The Siren and 10) Fearless ($28 each)

I would love to visit Brazil one of these days, but for now, Macy’s will have to do. The Brasil Dream collection is available now exclusively at Macy’s stores and macys.com.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

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