Chantecaille Centifolia Lip Sheer

I've had this lipstick on my wishlist for ages now. I hadn't purchased it mainly because it looks just like all of my other lipsticks--a sheerish peachy pink with a hint of shimmer--but caved on a recent trip to Bergdorf's. Centifolia is very sheer, more so than my other Chantecaille Lip Sheers. It provides just a hint of color along with a moisturizing shine. Is it remarkable? No. Worth $28? Probably not. But it's the kind of lipstick that can live in your purse and work with any look on days you forget to bring your lipstick of the day or want to switch things up. I also prefer this newer formula in the skinny tube. It's paraben-free, unless the prior incarnation.

Here are swatches in different lights:

Quelle Horreur!

Horror of horrors, I arrived at work yesterday and promptly realized that:
A. I had become a human popsicle, and
B. I left my lipstick at home and somehow had no other lipstick or gloss in my purse

While the former probably won't change until the weather warms up in March, across the street from my office is a Company Store, one of the 'By Invitation Only' Cosmetic Company Outlets. I picked up a Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Color in Blush Rose, a soft warm pink. While I generally dislike lip products in pots, this was the best color choice available.

My very favorite lipstick is Bobbi's Creamy Lip Color in Baby, and this is a few shades brighter and pinker. It applies sheerly, as you can see in the swatch. I'm not terribly fond of this formulation in pan form--the product is just too soft. I only applied it twice and you can see the dent that it has made already--pan is visible! If you're the type that can never finish a lipstick and want to experience that satisfaction, I highly endorse the Creamy Lip Color. I go through tubes of it extremely quickly.
Blush Rose is no longer available on the Bobbi Brown site, but check your local CCOs. Here it is compared to Bobbi Brown Baby and Gilded Pink (yes, the majority of my lipsticks look similar to one another).
Baby, Blush Rose, Gilded Pink:

A Small Pink Haul

I stopped by the Bobbi Brown counter at Saks this afternoon intent on getting a Pot Rouge. MY cheeks have been dry, my complexion sallow, and I felt I needed something a bit brighter and pinker for blush to help take me through the winter. The makeup artist suggested Powder Pink and it took me all of 3 seconds to say "yes." While there, I also picked up a replacement Creamy Lip Color in Baby and a Metallic Lip Color in Gilded Pink. I've gone through two tubes of Baby already, quite a feat for someone who never uses up a lipstick. Baby is a sheerish, natural peachy pinky beigey lip color. I adore the shade, but am less fond of the formula which I find the be quite thick, so much so that my hair sticks to it when the wind blows. I've been looking for a duplicate and found that Gilded Pink is the most similar shade in the line, albeit a touch sheerer and less brown. Nonetheless I had to pick up an additional Baby. I tried to purchase a Pale Pink Lip Liner but the counter was out.

The closest item I have to Powder ink Pot Rouge (on the left, below) is Julie Hewett Destiny Cheekie (on the right). Destiny is a bit "sandier" and warmer.Here is Gilded Pink (left) compared to Baby (right). You can see how close they are in the tube and when swatched. Gilded Pink is surprisingly sheer.
I then came home and was cooking dinner when I must have leaned too close to the stove (and not realized how long my hair had gotten) because all of a sudden my hair was on fire! The flames quickly shot up my hair and in the millisecond it took my to put out the fire, I'd managed to singe off quite a bit, necessitating an emergency hair cut (which is hard to do on a Monday since salons are generally closed). That's the great thing about New York though--something is always open. $90 later I have cleaner ends and a bottle of It's A 10 Leave In Product since I'm a total sucker when at the salon and the pink bottle pushed me over the edge. Now if only there was something that could get the odor of burning hair out of my apartment...

My Favorites of 2010 Part One

Somehow I managed to both pare down and buy a lot in 2010. I thought I would share some of my 2010 favorite.
NARS Turks and Caicos Multiple Tint- scary orange in the tube, gorgeous peachy coral flush on the cheeks. I'd buy a backup if I didn't think this would last forever. Has anyone ever finished a NARS Multiple?
Origins Multigrain Bronzer, Julie Hewett Goldie Shimmy and Benefit High Beam- all the essentials for naturally bronze, glowing skin.
Paul and Joe Face Color 16 Canyon- my powder blush pick of the year. Perfect blend of bronze and peachy pink.
Aveda Juneberry Lip Shine- a few shades deeper than my lip color with a hint of shimmer.
Paul and Joe Lipstick 17- a real my-lips-but-better shade. Goes on sheer and luminous.

More favorites coming soon! Also, I've added some new items to my blog sale below. Please scroll down and take a peek!

L'Occitane Fleur Cherie Makeup Collection

When L'Occitane released their Peony fragrance line in the spring, it was accompanied by a complementary capsule makeup collection. Though the fragrance remained part of the line, the cosmetics disappeared. With the debut of the new Fleur Cherie products for the holiday season L'Occitane has again released a small group of makeup that will only be sticking around for a limited time.

The fragrance and shades are not exactly reminiscent of the season. The fragrance is a light floral and the makeup in shades of coral, rose and pink. Even the peach and white packaging connotes spring in my opinion. Nonetheless, some of the products are lovely, particularly the sheer coral lipstick I picked up, Corail Brocart. The lipstick is semi-sheer and quite smooth and moisturizing. It contains orange blossom extract, ostensibly for softness. The packaging is a paper tube evocative of the early Stila lipsticks and the lipstick itself has a light, non-offensive fragrance. There are 5 shades from which to choose t $14 each, though my store only had 3.

Other products include a highlight powder a la Guerlain Meteorites (image below. This item had already sold out at my local boutique), blush duos, eye shadows, a lip gloss compact, eye liners and wand-style glosses. Again, while the website has 5 shades available for purchase, my boutique had only 2 remaining. You view the full collection online or stop by your local shop to see them in person for a limited time!

FREE Chantecaille Tea Rose Lip Chic!

Okay, so it's not totally free--you do have to make a purchase. But Tea Rose is a gorgeous shade and at least Chantecaille isn't going all Neiman Marcus on us and requiring a $300 minimum purchase or something! On Friday, November 26th, every purchase of the Fall 2010 Tiger in the Wild Palette from Chantecaille.com will score you a free Tea Rose Lip Chic if you enter code TIGERS at checkout!

Face of the Day!

I unearthed an old(er) MAC Quad today and wanted to use it!

Eyes:
MAC Blanc Type lash to brow (over Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Linen)
MAC Naked lunch in and above the crease
MAC Copperplate in the outer corner
Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Bourbon
Korres Mascara
(The other MAC shadow in the Quad is Sensualize)

Cheeks:
Rock & Republic Rumor
Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzer in Maui
Julie Hewett Goldie Shimmy to highlight the tops of my cheekbones

Lips:
Laura Mercier Tiger Lily Stickgloss

Plummy Beige Lipstick

Too plummy to be a true neutral, too neutral to be a true plum hue, not as cool as mauve and yet not quite warm...I love plummy beige lipsticks! The shades are complex and interesting yet still flattering and wearable for everyday. Here are some of my favorite plummy beige lipsticks:
From left to right: MAC Sharp Beige, MAC Midimauve, Paul and Joe 17, Lancome Beauty's Eve, L'Oreal Aishwarya Beige, Benefit Make Nice, Laura Mercier Brown Sugar Stickgloss, Tarte Champagne Brunch

Up Close:


Swatches:
From left to right: MAC Sharp Beige, MAC Midimauve, Paul and Joe 17, Lancome Beauty's Eve, L'Oreal Aishwarya Beige, Benefit Make Nice, Laura Mercier Brown Sugar Stickgloss, Tarte Champagne Brunch

A Drugstore Haul? Me?

I am not a huge fan of buying makeup at the drugstore. Come to think of it, the only item I do have is L'Oreal Aishwarya Beige lipstick. It's not that I have anything against it per se, I just really prefer to swatch shades before I purchase as I've been disappointed countless times in the past when a drugstore shade appeared completely different once they were home and unsealed.

On Friday afternoon I was meeting a friend for drinks in Penn Station (not my first choice locale but he had a lot of luggage of had to make a connecting train) and due to a combination of my hyperpunctuality and a miscommunication about arrival times, I found myself with 20 minutes to kill in one of the most hateful, crowded places in all NYC. Navigating Penn Station on a Friday afternoon at rush hour is the equivalent to being dropped unsuspectingly into the riding of the bulls, except these bulls are vastly greater in number, in a bigger hurry and have commuter rage. My best option was to duck into the Duane Reade in the station and bide my time.

I have to say, for being in a dirty, crowded train station, this Duane Reade is remarkably clean and very well stocked. I saw displays for new makeup collections out and none of the items I looked at had the seals already broken and items tested. The Jane Naturals lines intrigued me, and then in the New York Color main display I saw the Blushable Creme Sticks I've read raves for on Makeupalley. At just $3.99 each I couldn't resist and picked up three: Big Apple Blush, Urban Spice and South St. Seashell. It was difficult to discern the true color through the plastic seal but given the price I thought they were worth the risk for a Friday afternoon pick me up.

I was surprised at how incredibly well these blushes blend on the skin. They are smooth and creamy but with none of the stickiness from a MAC Blushcreme or a Tarte Cheek Stain. Big Apple Blush in a rosy pink. It looked a bit more soft and warm in the tube with the seal on (I've since come to learn that the limited edition Pink Flash is the coral pink one) and is not my ideal color but I think I can blend it with other items to make it work. Urban Spice is a shimmery bronze. Perfect for those interested in the new MAC Cream Bronzers but who do not want to spend as much. It is not too dark but definitely has pigment to it and some shimmer. South St. Seashell is a warm browned tawny peach. Definitely a warm shade. Again, incredibly blendable (even over sunscreen), and no fragrance or parabens either.

Big Apple Blush, Urban Spice, South St. Shell (click to enlarge):

I next found the Wet 'n' Wild display and the Natural Wear Lip Shimmers jumped out at me. I have a weakness for tinted lip balms and one that promised to be natural? I was a goner. Don't be misled by the name and packaging--these colors pack a punch. They are definitely more akin to a lipstick than a sheer balm. The shade I have is 101 and is a noticeable peach with a slight pinky undertone, veering towards coral but not quite there. The packaging is completely opaque and while the caps are colored to give an indication of shade, they are not at all accurate. I like that the tube is thicker than most tinted balms (like Origins and Burt's Bees) and after wearing it all day yesterday, I found it to be moisturizing and long-lasting, but goop-free. They are only $1.99 and the ingredient list looks pretty good to me:
Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Beeswax, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Tocopherol, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Sorbic Acid, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Hydrastis Canadensis (Goldenseal) Root Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Extract, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide/CI 77891, Carmine/CI 75470, Iron Oxides/CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499.



Overall I am very impressed with the products and formulas I bought (enough that if I come across the Pink Flash New York Color stick I would pick it up) but wish I could have tried the colors before buying since they weren't exactly what I was expecting when I got home. Not bad for $14.

NARS Angelique Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment

Backed when I owned NARS Exhibit A blush, I always had the most difficult time coordinating a lip look with it. On my the blush had rosy, red, and peachy orange tones that harmonized well, but were difficult to replicate in a lipstick. For those that have and wear Exhibit A, NARS Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment in Angelique is the perfect counterpart.

The Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatments are slim, waxy tinted balms with SPF 15 and moisturizing mango butter. All of the shades (there are 6 total) are quite sheer, with Angelique having the most color. It's described as sheer strawberry and to me is a rosy red with just a hint of orangey coral. It's perfect for summer! The downside is that it is quite sheer and quite expensive for a tinted balm at $25. Sephora only seems to have 4 of the 6 shades, but Nordstrom and Blue Mercury have the full lot.
And just for fun, here is my eye look of the day:

• Becca Satin lash to crease
• Becca Tweed in the outer 3/4 of the crease
• Lancome Black Coffee to line close to the lash liner and on the waterline
• Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara

Edward Bess Mini Review

During the Bergdorf Goodman Beauty Event I picked up Edward Bess Eye Shadow in Intimate and Lipstick in Pule Impulse.

I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed in the eye shadow ($30) when I got it home. It wasn't that it's not a fabulous color (Intimate is a golden taupey brown with a hint of khaki), its just that no matter what I did, I couldn't get it to look like the murky grayed green it appeared when applied on me in the store. I tried different bases, different brushes, read different blog reviews...and then I realized that it was Dusk applied at the counter, not Intimate, and I came home with the wrong shadow! I quick pop into the store later, I had Dusk shadow in my hands and am a happy camper!

Dusk is similar to Intimate in that it's a complex blend of shades, but leans more towards the cooler, grayer side. A taupe-infused gray with shimmer in the pan, the shadow's clean undertones come out when applied. It blends wonderfully and looks great alone lash to crease or used with other colors. The shimmer is sophisticated but keeps the lids looking luminous and not crepey. A deep color can easily leave my eyes looking bruised, but this is the right mix of tones to create deep color without leaving me looking like I've lost a fight.

Pure Impulse ($32) is a great compliment to Dusk. It's a nude that leans slightly pinky peach on me. The closest shade I have to this is Bobbi Brown Blush (on the left below) which is inker, cooler, and has more beige. The lipstick has no shimmer but doesn't look thick and heavy on the lips the way some cream formulas can. It lasts decently well, leaving a slight stain behind, and smells of figs but I don't find it overwhelming or cloying. The case is a chic black that snaps closed well. I've worn the lipstick several times and it has not dried out my lips, though I would not describe the formula as slick or glossy. Pure Impulse is a great basic lipstick on days I want that "my lips but better" look.

Bobbi Brown Blush, left; Edward Bess Pure Impulse, right:

Shimmery Complex Roses

I tend to gravitate towards interesting colors. No straight pinks or greens for me! I like complex, multidimensional colors--murky taupey browns, iridescent pinky browns, luminous reddish pinky peaches. These shades are all what I'd considering interesting. They're all a blend of several tones and are of varying depths. If pressed for a one word description I'd use "rose," but that would belie the complexity of the shades.

From left to right: Origins Rose Gold, Shiseido SL13, Dolce and Gabbana Naked, Julie Hewett Nude Noir, Clinique Gingerfrost, Lancome Rendez-Vous

Same order as before: Origins Rose Gold, Shiseido SL13, Dolce and Gabbana Naked, Julie Hewett Nude Noir, Clinique Gingerfrost, Lancome Rendez-Vous

Face of the Day

It was rainy and gloomy when I woke up this morning so I opted for brighter pink cheeks and lips. They were just as appropriate in the afternoon when it had turned sunny and cheerful (though I was too chained to my desk at work to enjoy it).

Eyes:
Lancome Erika F
Jane Iredale Eye Highlighter on brow bone (I use this all the time)
Laura Geller Baked Cake Eye Liner in Key Lime/Dark Green Apple (I usually use the dark wet to line the top and inner rim and the lighter dry to line the bottom)

Cheeks:
By Terry Blush Veloute in Apple, topped with a mix of
Trish McEvoy Sunkissed All Over Face Color and Perfect 1 blushes (the 2 colors in the middle. The others are Jolie and Weekend)

Lips:
Sephora Nano Liner in Queen Quartz
YSL Rouge Veloupte #2
Hourglass gloss in Origami

Close up of the eyes:
Close up of the cheeks:
Close up of the lips:

Face of the Day

I haven't posted a Face of the Day in a while, but I received so many compliments on my look today that I thought it was worth sharing, especially given how simple it was.

I used Bobbi Brown Champagne Quartz Metallic Shadow lash to brow, Rock and Republic Diffused Shadow in the crease and lined with Sephora Nano Liner in Glitter Brown. Cheeks were MAC Lilicent topped with the last dregs of the Chantecaille Lumiere de Rose Highligher I dropped and destroyed a few weeks ago and I wore Bobbi Brown Berry Shimmer (decidedly not berry colored) and MAC Gingerroot to line. Usual underpinnings of Jouer concealer, True Cosmetics mineral pressed powder, Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Linen and Korres black mascara.

Bobbi Brown Blush vs. Blush

Last week I spotted Bobbi Brown Lipstick in Blush at The Company Store and put it on my wish list. The line to check out was long and I need another lipstick like I need a hole in my head, but it looked like a pretty neutral for everyday. A few days later I spotted her Blush Lipshine SPF 15 in a different store and snapped it up, but I still had the original lipstick on my mind and bought it today. I'm a big fan of the Bobbi Brown lipstick formulation--I find that it last well and I actually like the scent.

Lipstick left, Lip Shine right:
So I went from no new lipsticks to two in the span of a just a few days!

Mini The Company Store Purchase

The Company Store is just like the Cosmetic Company Store, only the doors bear the words "By Invitation Only," which makes it seem much fancier than it actually is. In reality, the ability to shop at one is determined by whether your company is on a allowed access, and it's pretty location driven. Employees of most companies in the area surrounding a store can shop there.

I wanted a brush that would deposit less color than my Bobbi Brown Face Blender Brush for my new Nude Shimmer Brick, and picked up a Prescriptives fan brush. It's larger and denser than my Becca fan brush, which I use primarily for a light dusting of highlighter on my cheeks.

Becca vs. Prescriptives Fan Brush:
You can see how much larger and denser the Prescriptives (left) brush is. A total bargain at $12.50!

I also bought Bobbi Brown Lip Shine SPF 15 in Blush. One of the few lipsticks I've used up in its entirety was Bobbi Brown's Nude Pink Lip Shine, and so even though this product has been discontinued, I bought it. It's a sheer pretty nude pink that goes with everything. Sunscreen in lip products usually makes my lips peel, but so far so good.