cosmetics – Page 18 – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Give The Gift of Too Faced This Holiday Season

Too Faced is that rare type of makeup company that makes products that are a combination of coolness — colors, packaging, even the product names — and really good quality everyday (and special occasion) cosmetics.

On of my favorite Too Faced products is the Primed & Poreless Skin Smoothing Face Primer ($30.00 USD). It is a makeup primer scientifically formulated to achieve the look of flawless skin without makeup. I don’t usually wear primer unless I really love how it makes my face look and feel. This primer has a nude tone that melts into the skin, so ladies with all skin shades can wear it. It includes Vitamins A & C, Mulberry extract, and a powerful dose of Retinol to make pores appear smaller and hydrate skin.

I like wearing Primed & Poreless with just a little concealer and powder, because on its own, my face looks smoother and I don’t need full makeup. But, it would work well with liquid or powder foundation.

LASHLIGHT ($25.00 USD) — is an innovative mascara formula containing millions of microscopic mirrors that bounce light off lashes for a super-glossy, jet-black finish with an exclusive light up wand to spotlight each lash for the most precise application possible. Cool huh? LASHLIGHT is “formulated to thicken, lengthen, and condition while coating lashes with the glossiest of jet-black finishes to make eyes look brighter, whiter, and camera ready. A combination of Panthenol and Vitamins C and E keep lashes healthy and Red Algae increases Keratin resistance for maximum lash flexibility.”

I like this mascara, but don’t love it. It does make my lashes longer and thicker, but it clumps a bit and I have to work at it to get the clumps out. I do love the light and the mirror on the side of the tube — great for nightclub touch-ups!
Glamour Revolution ($39.50 USD $100 Value) is a limited-edition makeup book that includes everything a to keep you beautiful this holiday season!

This set contains:
– Milk Chocolate Single Eyeshadow
– George & Weezie Single Eyeshadow
– Boy Toy Single Eyeshadow
– Label Whore Single Eyeshadow
– London Calling Single Eyeshadow
– Glamazon Single Eyeshadow
– Dirt Bag Single Eyeshadow
– Party Girl Single Eyeshadow
– Neptune Single Eyeshadow
– 3 Lip Glosses
– Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
– Brightening Blush in La Vie En Rose
– Shadow Insurance (colorless application)

What can I say? This is a fab kit that has everything you need to look stunning! I love the blush and bronzer — pretty together, and the eyeshadows and lip glosses include enough colors to make everyone happy!

Visit www.toofaced.com to purchase. You can also find Too Faced at Sephora and Ulta. Enjoy!

Fab Holiday Sets from Urban Decay

Urban Decay always releases really cool holiday makeup sets, and this year is no exception! I’ve sampled a few of the sets and I think that all of the products aren’t only fun, but they are quality cosmetics that really last. Some of my favorite sets are:

24/7 Sets — do you like Urban Decays long-lasting eye liner? You will love the new 24/7 Sets ($29.00). These each include an exclusive shade of 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil, 3 best-sellers, and a Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner. The sets are:

Hi-Fi : new shade, Mildew, a deep green inspired by one of their best-selling eye shadows and exclusive to this set. Also included are Zero (black), Flipside (teal) and 1999 (plum), and Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Distortion, an iridescent sparkle.

Stereophonic: new shade, Crash, a rich eggplant inspired by another eye shadows and exclusive to this set. Also included are Zero (black), Underground (metallic taupe) and Gunmetal (like it sounds!), and Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Midnight Cowboy, a beige sparkler.

I love how creamy and blendable these liners are. Long gone are the old days of heating your liner with a lighter to get it soft! And once it sets, it stays on. The set is cool because not only do you get Zero, a great black, you get to try other shades as well. Plus the glitter liner is great for a night on the town!

Smoke Out Kit ($34.00 USD) — I realize how daunting creating a smoky eye can be. It is not an ever day look that we are used to doing. This fab kit not only gives you all of the tools that you need, but step-by-step instructions and a face chart, too!

Included in the kit are 4 shadows, a shadow brush, travel size versions of 24/7 Eye Pencil in Zero (black), and new Skyscraper Mascara. Adorned with exotic wisps of smoke, the kits feature a swiveling mirror and swinging layers, kept shut with magnets.

Remember that smoky eyes don’t have to be black! The kit comes in 3 palettes; black/grey, plus brown and deep green kits. And I LOVE the Skyscraper Mascara. True to its name, you get very long lashes with this mascara. But, they are also very thick, as well. I had a lot of fun playing with the looks with the instructions. You can vary the intensity of the smoky eye, which is great!

Show Pony Shadow Box ($30.00 USD) Is a fun shadow kit that includes a primer and liner for great eye looks! Urban Decay chose Kime Buzzelli, darling of the LA art scene, to illustrate this amazing Shadow Box inside and out. Kime’s paintings feature wickedly fashionable women… often with brightly colored makeup running down their cheeks. Inspired by these characters, Urban Decay has filled this palette with 6 shadows… all totally wearable, and 2 exclusive to this set: Snatch (peachy-pink with glitter) and Painkiller (turquoise shimmer).

This is the first time I have tried the Primer Potion. It is such a great idea, since shadow never seems to stay on all day. The primer potion goes on creamy, not greasy and seems to help shadow stay put.

Visit www.urbandecay.com to learn about these kits and more.

Sue Devitt Creates Exotically Beautiful Makeup

Australian makeup artist and cosmetic creator Sue Devitt’s personal mantra is “Beauty is an adventure”…with endless destinations. She is inspired by the natural beauty of the many exotic places that she has traveled such as India and Tanzania. Here cosmetics are exotic, but very wearable!

I really love the Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier Pencil ($22.00) This is a thick, smudgey pencil that glides on easily and makes a great smokey eye. The pencil can be drawn on with a thick line for high drama or smudged into a sexy, smoky look. There is a built-in smudger on the end of it that is tapered and can be used to soften the line of the pencil. I found that it lasted all day and stayed put. This great pencil is available in 13 shades.

I have also tried the E-Z Eye Roller Ball Eye Shadow ($18.00), a pure-pigmented roller ball shadow. It is unusual for a roller ball to go on with so much color — this is definitely not a delicate product: not for the shy! It is very shimmery and although it can be blended for day use, I highly recommend it for the evening. This shadow is available in 10 shades.

Visit the new Sue Devitt website to purchase these fab products and to check out the entire line!

Bobbi Brown Holiday 2009

Bobbi Brown says, “A well organized makeup bag is the key to a beauty routine that’s simple and quick”.

This holiday Bobbi Brown makeup palettes have just what you need to customize your look or are a wonderful gift to a lady who loves her makup pretty and organized. Some of the sets from Bobbi’s holiday collection are:

Glitter Lip Balm Palette ($40.00) — All of these kits are packaged in sleek, chrome-accented palettes. This one is filled with four lovely shades of Glitter Lip Balm. The formula is infused with a mix of pearls and glitter so it moisturizes, comforts, and gives lips a glowy sheen. The palette includes a Lip Brush and includes these shades: Crystal Rose (rosy pink), Crystal Diamond (icy white shimmer), Pink Crystal (icy pink) and Crystal Gold (warm gold).

Velvet Plum Eye Palette ($40.00) –This elegant eye shadow palette is perfect for day-to-night holiday makeup. It includes an all over base shade, a lower lid shade, a crease shade, liner and a dual-ended Mini Eye Shadow/Eye Liner Brush. The shades are Bone Eye Shadow (off-white), Naked Eye Shadow (medium neutral pink), Velvet Plum Metallic Eye Shadow (shimmering black plum) and Espresso Eye Shadow (dark chocolate brown).

Earth Metal Lip & Eye Palette ($60.00) — This is my favorite palette because you can make so many different eye and lip looks. The shadows are metallic and the lips are creamy and mostly matte. The shades are — For eyes: (Autumn Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow (light golden green), Earth Metallic Eye Shadow (rich plum), Zinc Metallic Eye Shadow (medium golden green), Black Spruce Metallic Eye Shadow (evergreen), Sunset Gold Metallic Eye Shadow (gold brown), and Antique Gold Metallic Eye Shadow (gold bronze). For lips: Paisley Rose Creamy Lip Color (pink beige), Rose Garden Creamy Lip Color (rosy nude), Rose Bud Creamy Lip Color (warm brown) and Barefoot Shimmer Creamy Lip Color (golden pink).

All of the colors in these kits are beautiful for fall and winter. Visit www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com to purchase these palettes and to see what other goodies you can get for the holiday season! Enjoy!

Bobbi Brown Rich Color Lip Gloss

Bobbi Brown Rich Color Lip Gloss ($20.00) is the newest addition to Bobbi’s lip color line. Bobbi says, “The colors are rich enough to make a statement, yet absolutely wearable — and the texture is amazing.”

Rich Color Lip Gloss is a mint flavored gloss that Bobbi’s website touts “offers the look and benefits of three products in one: the full color coverage of a lipstick, the soft shine of a gloss, and the luxurious feel of a balm.” I agree that you do get full coverage, shine and it feels like a minty balm, as it is a bit tingly on. The colors are soft and pretty, very nice.

The gloss is available in a range of eight shades: Naked, Ruby Red, Pink Raspberry, Merlot, Dusty Rose, Melon, Tutu, Pink Buff — there is a color for everyone.

Visit www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com to learn more about and purchase this luxurious gloss. Enjoy!

Hard Candy Arrives at Walmart!

Remember the Hard Candy nail polishes sold at department stores with the plastic ring on top? There back and for sale (at great prices) at Walmart! Crazy, but true!

I think that it’s cool that prestige cosmetics, Sephora or Ulta worthy, are being sold at a store — and a price — that is affordable for everyone.It’s the first time a prestige cosmetics collection has gone mass and features unique, specialty products. And the selection is fabulous! From Lip Sticks, glosses to lots of eye products to bronzers — yes, even the polish with the cute rings on top — fun products for many occasions.

I have received samples of the Just Nails Nail polish ($5.00) with the ring (a cool red heart and yes, I am wearing it), Glitz Stick Glitter Pencil ($6.00), a thick glittery eye pencil and Plexi Gloss ($5.00) a supper glossy lip gloss. They all are really fun and will be great for a night out. And don’t forget the teenagers in your life. With these prices, stock up for stuffing stockings (I am always thinking ahead).

Visit www.walmart.com to browse the selection, or walk in to your local Walmart and see what fun products are there. Enjoy!

Three Custom Color Specialists’ Crème Concealer/Foundation

Three Custom Color Creme Concealer — Crème Concealer/Foundation

A great concealer is hard to find! I have recently tried Three Custom Color Specialists’ Crème Concealer/Foundation (Singles $22.50, Refills $15.00). This is a buildable concealer that allows you to create tailored coverage, from to sheer to full.

This is touted to have a rich and creamy texture that is appropriate for all skin types and is formulated to provide the most effective coverage for redness and dark circles. I have been using it under my eyes and on blemishes. I really like how it instantly covers the discoloration and doesn’t settle in fine lines. It is very creamy and easy to blend.

Use this with a brush or fingers or it can be used all over the face as a foundation. It can also be blended with a face cream to create a tinted moisturizer. This is available in 10 shades, which is a lot of variety for concealer! A custom blending service for the Creme Concealer/Foundation is also available.

Three Custom Color Specialists’ products are available at select beauty boutiques worldwide, via the hotline at 888.262.7714 and online at www.threecustom.com. Contact them to purchase the products as well as ask about custom blending.

FACE Stockholm’s Dramatic Fall 2009 Collection

Face Stockholm Fall 2009

I love FACE Stockholm’s exciting seasonal looks. For fall, they have come out with a collection that is as wearable as it is dramatic. The products used on the model in the photo are:

COLOR ESSENTIALS
Beloved Lipstick — deep, berry-red
Tuija Lip Pencil — dark red
Generös & Utsökt Matte Eye Shadows — Generös is a soft terracotta, and Utsökt is light cream
Myrrah Brow Shadow — a beautiful dark warm brown
Rome & Hudson Crème Blush — Rome is a matte pinky-bronze and Hudson is a soft shimmery peach.

To achieve the look in the photo, FACE Stockholm suggests:

For flawless porcelain skin, start with FACE Stockholm’s Picture Perfect Foundation in your favorite-skin flattering shade. Use Rome Crème Blush as a contour below the cheekbones and Hudson as a highlighter on the top of cheekbones. A little Myrrah Brow Shadow helps to create full, but groomed brows. Generös Matte Eye Shadow is best applied with our #39 Blender Brush in the crease of the lid, while Utsökt can be applied to the whole lid up to the brow. Our Lash Curler and Volumizing Black Mascara complete the eye. And for the all- important lip, apply Beloved Lipstick with our #18 Lip Brush over Tuija Pencil.

I think that the lipstick is beautiful, but more of a night color, unless you blot it and wear it as a stain. My favorite product is the brow powder as it is the perfect shade for me.

Visit www.facestockholm.com to purchase the products to replicate this fab look. Have fun!

Perfekt Beauty Skin Perfection Gel

Are you a busy woman? Do you have time in the morning to produce a flawless face with primer, foundation and powder — as well as all of the other makeup that you need to look your best? Well, join the club! But there is help for us!

I have been using the Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel ($57.50) over my moisturizer every day. It is a gel-mousse that works as a foundation, primer, color corrector and powder all in one. I apply a small amount with my fingers all over my face. It gets rid of the redness and is a great sheer foundation. If I want more coverage, it is completely buildable to get the effect I need. It also makes my skin appear very smooth and has a great matte finish. I do use a little powder to set it, but then my skin looks flawless!

This product is available in 5 shades: Translucent – clear, Luminous – light , radiant – medium, Rich – tan and Decadent – mahogany. I use Luminous, but Translucent would make a great primer or just for a natural look.

Visit www.sephora.com to purchase this product.

Laura Geller Full-Figured Volumizing Mascara

If you have read my blog before, you know that I LOVE mascara. I think it is the perfect finishing touch for any look. So I am always looking to try a mascara that is new, or at least new to me!

Laura Geller Full-Figured Volumizing Mascara ($23.50) — I was excited to try this mascara since I haven’t tried any of Laura Geller’s cosmetics before. (Please leave a comment to recommend any other of her products that you think I should try). This volumizing mascara is touted to magnify and extend lashes. It combines two lengths of nylon fibers in a creamy, water-resistant formula. Cellulose and amino acids work to strengthen lashes, while rice protein adds shine. Ophthalmologist-tested, the formula is suitable for contact lens wearers.

The first thing that I noticed about this mascara is that it both lengthens and thickens my lashes. Many mascaras do one or the other, so this is very nice. I think this is a great day look, with one coat, or night look, with 2 or more coats. It layers very well. The only thing I didn’t like is that it flaked and smudged on me after a few hours. I still wear it, but I have to check under my eyes periodically to fix the smudges.

You can purchase this plush mascara, and many other products from Laura Geller, at www.qvc.com.