Author: fortyflirtyfabulous

China Glaze Up and Away Collection for Spring 2010

China Glaze Up & Away Collection

 

Looking for fun, new polish shades to brighten your spring? If you’re not into serious, boring colors, China Glaze’s Up and Away Collection is perfect for you. 

If you haven’t tried China Glaze polish before, this is salon-quality fantastic lacquer that stays a fairly long time on the nails without chipping. They have a huge color range and introduce new collections each season. 

The Up and Away Collection includes these 12 Shades: 

Grape Pop — Bright deep purple creme 

Sugar High — Nearly-neon bright pink 

Something Sweet — Soft lilac pink creme 

Light As Air — Very light lavender creme 

High Hopes — Bright coral creme 

Flyin’ High —  Bright bluish teal 

Four Leaf Clover — Bright teal green creme 

Re-Freshmint — Pale mint green 

Peachy Keen — Light peach creme 

Heli-Yum — Bright pink creme 

Happy Go Lucky — Bright taxi yellow creme 

Lemon Fizz — Pale lemon yellow creme 

All of these shades are a perfect wake-me-up from that long, long, winter! Visit www.chinaglaze.com to find a retailer near you. Enjoy!

Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Forever Stay Eye Pencil

Forever Stay Eye Pencil

 Trusted cosmetic company and television makeup artist Carmindy have combined forces to creat the Sally Hansen Natural Beauty collection. I have only tried their Forever Stay Eye Pencil ($7.99 USD), but I really like it.  

The first great thing that I noticed about this eyeliner is that it glides smoothly across my lids, not tugging. This is especially important for aging skin, as pulling around the sensitive eye area only causes problems. Then second thing I noticed is that you don’t have much play time with this liner, because it dries quickly and stays on, well, forever (or at least all day)!  

 There are 5 fabulous, rich shades to complement any eye color and if you choose opposite shades to your eye color your eyes will really pop! The shades are:   

Pure Plum for Green Eyes
Chocolate Brown for Blue Eyes
Blue Indigo for Brown Eyes
Deep Jade for Hazel Eyes
Deep Black is versatile for all eye colors   

Some of Carmindy’s tips are: To use small connecting dashes across the upper lash line to create an easily lined eye, apply the pencil under your lower lashes for a thicker-looking lash line, apply one shade of liner on the top lash line and another smudged underneath for a modern look, and line the upper lash line and then trace over it with a cotton swab for a soft-looking smudge.   

Visit www.sallyhansennaturalbeauty.com to learn more about these products that are available at most drugstores.    

Get a Matte Pout with Smashbox Lip Tech

Lip Tech

I love to try different lipsticks and glosses, but recently I’ve been using a lip product that is like nothing that I have ever tried. It is called Lip Tech by Smashbox ($24.00 USD).  

This cool little pot of product is touted as “an innovation in lip color”.  It is a lightweight satin-matte formula that has Vitamin E and emollients to protect and make lips soft, but the finish is definitely matte.  

This is packaged in a a little mirrored compact with a silicone applicator that looks like a plastic eye shadow wand. I brush it across the lip color and it applies just enough product to my lips. The applicator is really pliable and is fun to use. Lip Tech is available in 4 shades: Nude (creamy nude), Peony (rosy pink), Sangria (berry fuchsia) and Maple (deep warm nude). I really love the Peony and the Nude. They are soft and pretty for spring. I also like the matte finish, it is so different from the shiny gloss that I usually wear. and gives me a whole new look!  

Visit www.smashbox.com or run into your nearest Sephora or Ulta and try it out. Enjoy!

Essie’s The Art of Spring Collection

The Art of Spring Collection

I love the mixture of soft and bright colors that are coming this spring. Inspired by the colors from the Art-deco era, Essie’s new Art of Spring Collection is ripe with 4 pretty pastels and 2 fun, bright colors.

The shades in this collection are:

Lilacism — satiny smooth lilac

Neo Whimsical — rose plum

Pop Art Pink — sheer chiffon pink

Red Nouveau — fiery hot red pepper

Tart Deco — creamy coral

Van D’Go — ripe melon

I think these colors are so pretty and are making me wish for warmer weather so I can paint my toenails Red Nouveau or Tart Deco. I have worn the colors on my finger nails and really love the Neo Whimsical and the Van D’Go. The colors are soft, but unusual which makes them fun and easy to wear.

Visit www.essieshop.com to learn more and to purchase these beautiful polishes.

Paint Your Face Beautiful Naturally, with Josie Maran Cosmetics.

I have been wanting to try and to review Josie Maran’s Natural makeup for a while, because it is glamorous as well as great for you and the environment. Josie Maran is a former top model who had a contract with Maybelline that lasted 10 years — which is amazing. She loved learning makeup trips from the artists, but decided to make a cosmetics line that complimented her natural and organic lifestyle. Thus Josie Maran Cosmetics was born!

I have tested ( and love ) the following products:   

Mascara ($22.00 USD) — First of all this is a great mascara. It lengthens and defines my lashes without clumping or smearing. Plus it is paraben and fragrance free and contains organic ingredients like Jojoba oil, Argan oil and Beeswax to condition and strengthen. I love the fact that my lashes are being treated as I am wearing one of my favorite types of beauty products (I never leave the house without mascara).  Available in Black and Brown.

Eye Shadow ($20.00 USD) — This is  beautiful, velvety eye color that glides on and blends so easy. The ingredients are natural plus paraben and fragrance free — and even cooler is the fact that each shade comes in a state-of-the-art biodegradable compact.  You can apply the shadows dry, or wet for more intensity.  Available in 27 shades. I have Beach (shimmery pale sand), Embrace (shimmery coppery brown), and Divine (matte medium brown). All three shades work together seamlessly to make a natural look or a pretty smoky eye.  

Lip Gloss ($18.00 USD) — I love a good, non-sticky lip gloss — and I have found a great one here! Full of natural and organic ingredients, this gloss contains no parabens. Available in 6 shades. I have Confession, which is a coppery gold. It looked very shimmery in the tube and I thought it might be too coppery for me. But it goes on sheer and very pretty.

Visit www.josiemarancosmetics.com to learn more and to purchase these fab natural products.

Lashes Lacking? Try Imju Fiberwig Paint-On False Eyelashes Mascara

Fiberwig Paint-On False Eyelashes

I love trying new mascara — especially one that gives length and volume and makes your lashes look fake! That’s what Fiberwig Paint-On False Eyelashes ($24.00 USD) mascara claims to do. 

Fiberwig is the top-selling mascara in Japan, and it is easy to see why. It contains  micro-fine interconnecting fibers which creates a long-lasting film coat around your natural lashes. This is what gives the false eyelash look. 

I have noticed that not only does it make my lashes long and lush, it is water-resistant and clump-free. I hate the spider-eyes look, and this gives great separation. And it is very easy to remove. A little warm water removes the fibers from your lashes.      

You can learn more about the mascara at www.fiberwig.com and can purchase through www.sephora.com and www.amazon.com. Enjoy your lashes!

Japonesque Ergo-Grip Eyelash Curler

Ergo-Grip Eyelash Curler

I am a regular user of eyelash curlers. I have to use them or no one will see my short stubbly lashes — even with mascara. 

I was excited to try the Japonesque Ergo-Grip Eyelash Curler ($13.50 USD) because up to this point, I have only used drugstore brands. Also, I love trying new beauty tools. 

The Japonesque website describes the curler as: 

“Designed with the professional makeup artist in mind, the JAPONESQUE® Ergo-Grip Eyelash Curler creates a sweeping, eye opening curl with ease. The unique handle is designed to be gripped in a variety of ways for control and comfort. The smooth grip action and ergonomic handle makes the curler comfortable in hand, even for extended use. The longer curl surface and rounded silicone pad produces a true, soft curl. The grip-locking device maintains tension while curler is not in use.”

This curler is different than others I have used in that the opening is not very wide. I have had to practice to get a good curl, but I have figured it out. And I do like the handle, it is very  comfortable.  I’m okay with my drugstore curler, but if you want to try something different, check this one out! 

Visit www.japonesque.com to learn more about this curler and more products by Japonesque.

Achieve Flawless Skin From NP Set by Napoleon Perdis

“NP Set is my spirited new makeup collection for glamour on-the-go. Think rich colors, cool trends and fix-it products that are easy to use. Are you ready to get Set?”
– Napoleon Perdis

Napoleon Perdis is an Australian makeup artist who launched this more affordable line of cosmetics in the United States at Target stores in August 2008. What’s cool is that you can try these on at the store to see if the colors and formulas work for you. I love the following two face powders products because they help me achieve a flawless face.

Pasarella Powder Foundation ($30.00 USD) — Contains pomegranate extract, shea butter and vitamins A & C and is paraben free.   This gives minimum to maximum coverage and sets liquid foundation well. The double layered compact contains a mirror and a sponge applicator which makes it easy to travel with and touch up during the day. I really like this powder foundation. I use it over concealer and it give me good coverage plus a natural look.   Available in 7 shades to match most skin tones.

Baked Powder ($20.00 USD) This compact includes a  blusher (or bronzer) and highlighter and is baked so it can be used wet or dry. Ingredients includes vitamins A, C and E, jojoba oil, acai oil, Omega 3, Omega 6, and Omega 9, and safflower & sunflower Oil and paraben free. Available in 4 shades: Bronze Set, Blush Set, Peach Set and English Pink Set. I have the Bronze set. It is nice to have a two toned bronzer and can wear the shades mixed together or one shade at a time. Really well-pigmented, but looks natural, too.

Visit www.npsetcosmetics.com to learn more and you can also purchase at Target. Enjoy!

SpaRitual Nail Polish’s Forbidden Collection

SpaRitual Forbidden Collection

 

Want fashion-forward, but healthy nail polish? Try SpaRitual ($10.00 USD). Their nail laquers are vegan and do not contain DBP, Formaldehyde and Toluene. 

These polishes are available in great colors and are very chip resistant. I wore a pretty dark purple (Regal) all last week and they only started chipping toward the end of the week. 

The Forbidden Collection contains the following shades: 

Regal — dark purple creme 

Intrigue — tomato red creme, lots of orange in it 

Mystic — mushroom,  taupey creme 

Inner Sanctum –light peach brown creme 

Hush — warm chocolate creme 

Hypnotic — warm charcoal frost  

This is their Fall 2009 collection, but the colors are cool enough to wear all year round. I love dark colors for everyday wear. 

Visit www.sparitual.com to learn more about the products and to find out where to purchase.