Thursday Poll

image from kissandmakeup.tv

 

Thursday! Poll Time. Sorry I missed it last week. Sometimes life get's in the way, ya know? So I have Friday off and I'm thinking of returning my Chanel Mirage Glossimer and Crystal Dusk duo for In Love Blush. What do you think? Sacrifice a taupe for a peachy blush? Humm. I'm still on the fence. But for sure Mirage Glossimer is going back. It is really pretty, it's just not for me. Anyway. Enough about me. How about you read some more stuff about me! ME ME ME! On to the Poll...where I hope to learn more about YOU YOU YOU!

1. Blush Of The Day? - Chanel Joues Contraste in Tea Rose! Thanks Cecilia! I love this Euro/Asia only shade. It's a light warm pink, but very sheer. It almost feels peachy but it isn't.

2. I am on an endless quest for the perfect _________. - Foundation. Color Match, control oil, good coverage and right price. If only.

3. If you could spend one month in any one country in the world. $20,000 to spend. Where do you go? - That's Easy. Japan! Think of all the makeup I could buy!! All the Wonderful food I could eat and all the awesome pictures I could take of people, buildings, and scenery!

4. What lipstick/lip gloss is in your purse right now? - It's getting close t the end of the week so it's a lot of stuff right now. But here goes. 3 Chanel Glossimers - Cosmos, Mirage and Blizzard. Mac Dazzleglass in Comet Blue (Don't ask), 2 Chantecaille Lip Chics in Tea Rose and Dahlia, Dior Addict High Shine lipstick in Chestnut chic #629 and finally Bobby Brown Creamy Lip Color in Berry Mauve. And I'm not counting the mini palette melted MAC Viva Glam V and Rubia into. (I have issues)

5. If money were no object, what kind of career would you have? i.e. What is your dream Job? - I used to think I wanted to be a Baker. Baking bread is really rewarding and fun, but the hours suck. Then I had this run in witha crappy makeup artist so now I think i might like to do that...but Baker is still my top dream.

Purchase - My Chanel Haul - Crystal Dusk Irreelle Duo and Cosmos and Mirage Glossimers

Even though my makeover with Chanel was a complete bust, I went in knowing that I wanted 2 Glossimers and at least a blush or eye shadow. Since the MA butchered the blush application and flat out refused to put the new In Love Joues Contraste blush on me (WTF?) I opted for the Crystal Dusk Irreelle eye shadow Duo.

Let’s start with the Glossimers, Shall we? The two Glossimers that I got are from the new collection for summer. All with an Astronomical theme they remind me of a collection from a few years ago in which I picked up Equinoxe, Constellation and Galactic. While those were full of chunky glitter, this new collection is still glittery but not as chunky. That being said, if you don’t like glitter, you need to skip this collection entirely. It’s not as glittery as MAC Dazzleglasses but it’s still pretty glittery. Thankfully I must have been a drag queen in my former life because I LOVE glitter!

Before I start opining on the merits of the 2 glosses let me say how annoyed I am that Chanel has stopped printing the Glossimer name on the sticker at the bottom of the tube. Now I must memorize the name before I toss the packaging and then associate the name with the number on the bottom of the gloss. I have enough useless information in my head…now I have to memorize numbers & names of Chanel Glossimers? What will I do with every episode of Gilligan’s Island I have memorized? Do I really give up the professor making a radio out of a coconut in order to remember that 129 = Cosmos and 132 = Mirage?
Anyway.

Mirage is a cool toned rose gloss with blue, pink and yellow micro glitter. I don’t know if I’m in love with it. But I guess it’s OK. I might return it.

Cosmos is a warm toned berry red with gold, red and blue glitter. It’s very pigmented and looks particularly pretty with Chanel Nude Lip Liner. This one is a keeper!

The Irreelle eye shadow duo I purchased is Crystal Dusk.

OMG it has a TAUPE in it! Can you believe it? Me, Taupe? I know. I’m as shocked as you are. It’s nice and unlike Chanel Irreelle blushes, the shadows are nicely pigmented and go on fairly well. I don’t find them chalky but they are a bit more powdery than the Chanel singles. There is a bit of fallout but nothing terrible. I did take the wretched MA advice and mixed the 2 colors together then used the taupe in the crease and the vanilla color to highlight. The vanilla color in the picture is overexposed and I apologize for not having a better shot of it. I will say that if you thought you liked the Dior Silver Look Duo, but found it too frosty for your liking this Chanel Duo is an amazing compromise.

While the taupe has some sparkle to it, there is literally no frost unless you mix it with the vanilla color, and even then, it’s not even close to the frostiness of the Dior Silver Look Duo.

The lovely SA I mentioned in my makeover post, pulled me aside before I left and said that I should call her and she would do my makeup for me. She said I would be very pleased with her skills as a MA. I believe her, as she has always recommended wonderful colors for me and have never pressured me into buying something that didn’t suit me. If I have time this Friday I might go back and have her do my makeup. I plan to return the Glossimer in Mirage and possibly the Crystal Dusk duo if I fall in love with the Chanel In Love Joues Contraste blush. Get it? Fall in love with In Love!? HAHAHAHAHA.
Ahem.
It’s late and I’m punchy. What do you want?

My Chanel Makeover - Not a life affirming moment.

I was so excited. I was getting a makeover from Chanel! I’m a huge fan of Chanel makeup. I have a ton of Joues Contraste Powder Blushes, lipsticks, Glossimers, some miscellaneous eye shadows and other powders. Let’s just say I have a lot of Chanel makeup. When my favorite Sales Associate (SA) told me that one of Chanel’s alleged top Makeup Artists (MA) was coming to do makeovers, I got an appointment! Oh wait….you just read the word “alleged” perhaps, you think to yourself, PinkSith’s experience with the MA wasn’t as nice as originally thought. With that thought you have solved the mystery. The MA wasn’t just bad, she SUCKED.

Let’s start from the beginning shall we? I arrived on time for my appointment. The wonderful SA I go to at my local Nordstrom was there to greet me. She really is a doll. I love her to death. She’s always nice, isn’t pushy and gives me samples all the time. What’s not to like? Exactly. She had no control over the Mary Kay commando that was disguised as the Chanel MA who did my makeup.

Actually, there were 2 MAs and they worked in a typical tag team. One did skin the other color. The lady doing my skin was nice enough but had no idea what a blog was or how or why people wrote them or read them. My attempt to explain that I’m incredibly narcissistic, like to hear my own voice, and have nothing better to do with my time didn’t seem to get to her. I think I lost her at the word narcissistic. After the Skin MA did her “Magic” The Color MA started on foundation matching. She decided to use the lightest (Porcelain) Mat Lumiere foundation on me…the next shade up (Claire) was too yellow, the porcelain was too pink, but they used it anyway. Whatever. It’s not Chanel’s fault for not having a perfect shade match…is it?

Then she started to pencil in my brows. As you can see from my before picture. My eyebrows are non existent. Well. They exist there is eyebrow hair there, but it’s so blond you can’t see it. I normally use a combination of pencil and powder to sculpt and shape the brows. What this SA did to my loverly eyebrows was obscene. I had to ask her to darken them in a bit more because they looked like two light brown blobs on top of my eyes. Bleh.

She started to work on my eyes. I told her I normally wear taupe (duh) shadows but I was open to color. I also told her I favored the Chanel singles but I also liked some of the quads so either one would be fine. She noted my eyes looked green and that using purple would really bring them out. Ugh. The whole “Wear purple so your green eyes look green.” is annoying. I was willing to experiment and agreed to purple shadow. What did she reach for first? The Chanel Irreelle Duo in Orient Express. It’s an eye shadow duo with a blue based purple and a light baby pink. So NOT my colors. She combined those two heinous shades with Chanel single eye shadows in Island (a frosty peach) and Cinnamon (a warm brown). Ummm OK. A pencil liner in Violine (Warm Purple) was used under my eyes followed by more of the purple part of the duo. Viola! She was finished! When I looked in the mirror I almost laughed out loud. The application was a mess…sloppy and the colors were so muddled on me I looked like I was sick. The purple liner was a red based purple and the blue based shadow looked so awful together it made me look like I had the flu!

While I hated to do it, I had to ask her to start again, I seriously looked like such a fright that I was embarrassed to even pretend that it looked good. I asked if maybe she could just do a neutral taupe eye. I hated having to direct her, but upon telling her 3 or 4 times that I really liked neutrals and taupes she wasn’t getting it. Finally she reached for the Crystal Dusk duo and started to do my eye again. She started with the same Chanel single in Island as a base. (whatever) and then mixed the 2 colors from Crystal Dusk together, explaining that Chanel wants you to mix them. (OK sure) She said she used that in the crease and then took Chanel single in Ivory to highlight, Chanel Ecriture liquid eyeliner pen, and a Chanel Pencil in Denim to line the bottom of my eyes. She finished with a less than spectacular application of the Chanel Inimitable Mascara in black on the top and BOTTOM lashes! Yikes!

But the piece de resistance was the blush and application. This demonic and inept MA applied a thick layer of Rose Bronze blush from the apples of my cheeks up to past my temples. Helloooooo 1986 is over lady! I don’t know if she was mad at me so she made me look like a clown or if she really was just bad at applying makeup. I should have been concerned when her own makeup, while applied better on her than on me, looked like it was layered on with a trowel. Ugh. She put on Meteore Glossimer from the new collection and just called it a day.

Funny thing about the whole experience, The MA, Vicki*, knew I had a blog and I told her I was going to be writing about this. When asked if I could take her picture she said no. (I'm OK with that), she said she had been working as a MA since she was 16 and she was over 40 now. She said she worked for Shiseido. When I mentioned that I love Cle de Peau she had no idea what I was talking about (CdP is a higher end brand owned by Shiseido). Nor did she know anything about the Shiseido brands in Japan. I asked how you pronounce Joues Contraste and she said she didn't know and just referred to it as powder blush. That "none of us use the French names for the makeup". Lastly when I asked if it was harder to apply someone elses makeup she said. Not at all. "I've been doing it so long it's really easy." OK. Vicki! Whatever you say!

I did purchase a few things 2 glossimers and the Crystal Dusk duo. I got a nice little GWP which you all will see tomorrow, with the items I purchased and a review. For now, take a look of the Before & After photos AND photos of my own makeup application with the items I purchased and with some of my existing Chanel
collection.

Me sans any real makeup. I'm wearing BB Cream, Concealer and Chanel Wild Rose Glossimer
Note the non existant brows and invisible eyelashes.

Me with my horrendous Chanel Makeover. (All times Chanel) Mat Lumiere foundation in Porcelain, Poudre Universelle in Translucent 1, Rose Bronze Joues Contraste Blush, Island Eyeshado, Crystal Dusk Duo, Denim Liner, and Inimitable Mascara. Note the dark curcles under my eyes from the mascara already starting to transfer, the bad color match between my neck and face, and the heinous blush application.

My full Face makeup done by ME! I used. Fresh Umbrian Clay Foundation in 7th Veil, Cle de Peau Conceaker in Ivory, La Mer Translucent loos powder, Chanel JC Blush in Rose Petale, Chanel Irreelle Duo in Crystal Dusk, Chanel Ecriture Liquid eyeliner in Noir, Shu Uemura The Basic Mascara, Maybellibe Colossal Volume Mascara, Chanel lip liner in Nude, Chanel Glossimer in Cosmos. Note. Better brows better lighting...sorry but I didn't feel like running out to my car to take a picture this time.

The Chanel MA Blush application. Notice it goes past my temples and is very heavy handed.

What NORMAL blush application should look like. Notice the red mark from an old pimple is concealed. Yeah. That foundation/concealer they used sucked.

A close up of the Crystal Dusk Duo appled by the Chanel MA. Look at that liner! She should be ashamed. This was taken literally 5 min after the makeover. Look at the mascara! Yuk!

A close up of the Chanel Crystal Dusk Duo applied by me. Yes. Better lighting, but still you have to admit, the liner is better. :-)


*names have NOT been changed to protect the inept.

Press sample - KenzoKi Skincare - Energizing Bamboo Leaf!

I was fortunate enough to be given a chance to try out a new skin care line by KenzoKi. I have been using the line for over a month, as I wanted to make sure I could see any immediate and long term problems before posting about it. I’m happy to say I had no break out as a result of using any of the KenzoKi products, but I didn’t fall in love with the entire line either. Here is some background

As a brand that is French, it is owned by LVMH, Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy; it has its start in Japan. Kenzo Takada created the first fragrance "Kenzo de Kenzo" in 1988, the brand has evolved since Kenzo Takada has left, and in 2001 it saw the creation of KenzoKi, skincare based in large part, on a sensory approach to cosmetics. Tagged as “skincare that makes you feel good,”, KenzoKi offers several face and body care items such as cleansers, moisturizers, anti-aging products, exfoliators, masks, lip treatments, and eye creams. According to KenzoKi, these items do not contain chemicals, (a-hem. Fail. Yes they do but they are not harsh chemicals that you may associate with some other skin care lines out there) but instead use natural ingredients such as lotus plant water, essential oils, and mineral salts. Skincare products by KenzoKi are based on inspiration from ancient Asian philosophies and are made from four plants: Bamboo Leaf: Energizing; Ginger Flower: Euphoric; White Lotus: Relaxing; and Rice Steam: Sensual. I tried the bamboo leaf or energizing line of the brand as it is formulated for oily skin.

While KenzoKi offers a wide range of day and night treatments I used only the day treatments. I kept my night routine the same as I knew it wasn’t causing my any problems and would be able to identify if the KenzoKi items were the culprit if new pimples or irritation formed. Thankfully it did not.

What I used:

image from kenzousa.com

CHILLY FOAMING CLEANSER
KenzoKi Claims it will
- Cleanse
- Remove Makeup
PinkSith says it:
Effectively cleansed my skin but since I used it in the morning I have no idea on its ability to remove makeup. I use an oil based cleanser at night to remove my sunscreen and other waterproof makeup. I do not trust traditional cleansers to do this alone. Your Mileage may vary.
KenzoKi says this is:
“A vibrant, beautifully tinted gel to apply to damp skin. Make a clean sweep with this cleanser that foams upon contact with water to purify your skin.
PinkSith says this is:
A heavily scented gel cleanser that effectively cleans my skin in the morning, leaving it free of the night's yuk and evening moisturizers. It smells like….OK not many of you will understand this, but here hoes….It smells like the ice cream parlor in Bethany Beach, DE from the 1980’s. It’s Sweet and simple but definitely does not have a green type scent to it. It’s nice and pleasant but I do not recommend it for those that are sensitive to scented products. It’s a highly foaming cleanser and does seem to leave my face feeling a bit tight but not as tight as Philosophy Purity Made Simple cleanser. I much prefer it as I feel it does not overly strip my face of oils but does a good job at removing any unnecessary chemicals or moisturizers I used the night before.
The Verdict:
Do you NEED this cleanser? Yes. 5.1 oz will run you $28 USD. That’s pretty hefty for a cleanser, but after almost 50 days of use I am barely though half of the container. I expect this cleanser to last me another 50 days if not 2 more months. It’s a good value as a little goes a long way. The container is a bit odd. It’s in a plastic container with a flip top cap. It’s oblong and very sleek & modern looking. The plastic is a bit too rigid for a squeeze type cleanser as I think getting the last dregs out may prove a challenge to me. I like things like cleanser to some in a tube I can cut and ½ and scoop out every last drop (I’m cheap that way) or in a container which I can stand upside down so gravity can play a role in getting the entire product out. This design prohibits me from securely storing the item upside down.

The second item I used in this line was

image from kenzousa.com

SMOOTH BAMBOO WATER
KenzoKi Claims it will
- Complete cleansing
- Purify
PinkSith says it:
Left my skin soft and hydrated but seemed an unnecessary step in my cleansing routine
KenzoKi says this is:
An energy-charged lotion for clear, soft skin. Removes impurities and light makeup, gently purifies and softly moisturizes. Use morning and night to complete cleansing and moisturize skin.
PinkSith says this is:
A nice toner that seems to soften my skin but it’s ability to prevent oil or do anything other than add an extra 10 seconds to my cleansing routine has yet to be shown effective. It smells similar to the cleanser but has an earthy scent to it as well. It’s a liquid but somewhat viscous feel to it. It’s not runny but it’s not a gel either. It’s hard to describe. It left my skin feeling soft and primed for the next step but using too much leaves a sticky feeling to your face and you definitely want it to fully absorb before putting on the serum or moisturizer that follows.
The Verdict:
Do you NEED this toner? No. I don’t find it useful and I find it sort of delaying my whole routine. For starters, I wish it came in a different container. The toner comes in the same container as the cleanser. Pouring it out into a cotton pad is not as easy as I would like…perhaps a pump bottle would have been better. For $28 USD you will get 5.1 oz…after 50 days of use I am more than half way through my bottle. This is due to over pouring a few times and generally a bit more product is needed if you use a cotton pad. I guess you could pour a tiny amount into the palm of your hand and pay it gently on your face, but I really can’t be bothered so I say skip this.

The next product in my morning routine

image from kenzousa.com

FACE PHENOMENON
KenzoKi Claims it will
- Deeply hydrate
- Stimulate
PinkSith says it:
Hydrated my skin well and absorbed quickly so no waiting.
KenzoKi says this is:
A potent serum that deeply hydrates from morning to night. Bamboo plant water carries the active ingredients directly into skin cells. Smooth on before your day or night cream for maximum effect.
PinkSith says this is:
A nice serum to use pre moisturizer. One of the great mistakes people with oily skin do is under moisturize it. Drying out oily skin only makes it oilier. You skin tries to over compensate for the dryness and starts to push oil production in overdrive. The end result? An oil slick by 10AM starts to form on your face! I felt that this serum really was an integral part in moisturizing my skin. I know a lot of beauty experts out there that claim “Serums” are bunk, that a good moisturizer will do its job without a serum. Well, This may be the case but I found that my skin felt and looked better on the days I used this versus the days I didn’t.
The Verdict:
DO you NEED this Serum? Yes. While it’s on the very pricey side, $65 USD for 1 oz, it comes in one of those Air tight pumps that pushes up the product from the bottom s you get all of the product out and your fingers never touch the actual product to contaminate it.. It’s a nice light gel consistency that is also scented with the Bamboo Leaf water, but this is the one product I tried whose scent is the least offensive or strong. The serum absorbs quickly into my skin and one little pump is the perfect amount for my whole face. I gently pat this on and my face feels soft and moisturized but not greasy. After 50 days of use I have more than ½ of the product left. Granted, the product carries a hefty price tag, but I loved the results I had when I wore this serum. My face felt moisturized and fresh, it didn’t feel or act overly oily and seems to do a very good job at reducing the amount of oil I produced on my face in a given day. This was the real gem out of the 4 products I tried.

The last item I used was

image from kenzousa.com

CREAM WITH A ZING
KenzoKi Claims it will
- Fortify
- Stimulate
PinkSith says it:
Hydrated my skin, kept is soft throughout the day and smelled lovely!
KenzoKi says this is:
Small yet power packed: this day cream tones, stimulates, regenerates and moisturizes all at once. Can be used morning and night.
PinkSith says this is:
A nice moisturizer. It’s very thick. Heavy, like La Mer cream, but not greasy like La Mer. It has a gel like texture to it, but it still feels really emollient…almost too emollient, if over applied. My face seemed sticky for a while if I used too much. It did not leave me feeling oily during the day but didn’t make my face feel time like some moisturizers for oily skin tend to do.
The Verdict
Do you NEED this moisturizer? Maybe. I wish they packaged it differently. The open faced jar really turns me off. I don’t like dipping my fingers into the product and the jar does not come with a spatula, however there is enough room under the lid for one to fit. (I had a small one from Sephora that I clipped the end off & it fit well. But still I shouldn’t have to improvise like that. The packaging would do so much better in a squeeze tube or the pump dispense like the serum has. That way I would know the perfect amount to put on my face. $58 buys you 1.7 oz. After 50 days of use I have barely made a dent in this cream. There is a ton left. I’m quite sure it will last me a good 4 months or more. When you break it down to cost per use, the cream is a great deal. You notice I said Maybe. The cream is great, it leaves my skin moisturized and does not break me out. It seems to moisturize enough that I’m not as oily during the day. My main gripe is the container. So if you are one of those people that aren’t bothered by my OCD ranting then go for the cream. If you are like me, and start thinking about germs, then skip it. Or buy a spatula and use it with the cream.

In summary, (heh. I sound like a douche lawyer don’t I?) I found the KenzoKi items to be quite nice. They seemed to slow down the oil production over time and didn’t break me out. The fragrances were a bit strong but nothing offensive or chemically for what it’s worth. It’s a rather pricey line of skincare but compared to some other high end brands it’s not out of line. When I run out will I buy replacements? Yes on the serum and moisturizer, maybe on the cleanser, and no on the toner.

KenzoKi can only be purchased on line in the US http://www.kenzousa.com/
and in Australia http://www.kenzostore.com.au/
I’m not sure where you can get it anywhere else.

Shipping is free for orders over $75 USD and $100 AUD, Free samples are included (well I should hope so) and the website (US) seems fairly easy to navigate. KenzoKi will accept returns but only on unused items. Sadly this does not give anyone a chance to get their money back if they have a bad reaction to the product and with a lack of retail outlets to try before you buy (via samples) I don’t see this stuff “flying off the shelves” in the near future.

For the future I would love to try the
ENERGETIC FACE MASK
- Rehydrates
- Softens
This high-energy mask brings freshness and vitality to skin, while a cocktail of hydrating agents softens and improves firmness.

MELTS ON CONTACT FACE GEL
- Mattifies
- Moisturizes
This gel glides over and into the skin to moisturize, making it soft to the touch in no time at all. A long-lasting matifying agent completes the formulation. Particularly suited to oily skin.

NIGHTWATCHER
- Purifies
- Rebalances
A clever detoxifying serum to moisturize and refresh your skin. While you rest, it purifies and rebalances your skin so you can wake up to a bright, clear complexion and a refined skin texture.

And
ICE-COLD EYE CREAM
- Smoothes
- Illuminates
Say goodbye to puffiness and dark circles and wake up even the sleepiest eyes every morning. Keep in the fridge to maximize its decongesting and firming properties.

Anything from KenzoKi sound interesting to you?

Thursday Poll

image from kissandmakeup.tv

Lull. A lull in cosmetics is quite awful. It's like having to watch American Idol without the power to fast forward through all the BS (in most cases that's the entire show...I haven't watched AI in a few years now) You know what I mean? It's that odd period between spring and summer and the fall fashion collections are starting to pop up and with that comes fall collection makeup and it's only April!! So here I sit. Bored with the spring collections, only because I have seen them all, anticipating some summer collections and wishing for sneak peaks at fall. WTH? Can't I just stay in one season and enjoy it? The answer is no. I am never satisfied. I am always looking for something bigger, better, newer, sparklier, taupe-y-er.

So on to the poll


1. Lip of the day? - Chanel Glossimer in Blizzard. Frosty goodness!


2. Is there a Zoya nail polish shade with your name? Do you like the color? Do you own it? Click HERE to see an alphabetical list if the shades – No, I wish there was one. I bet it would be a vampy color since my name is Elvira but I would like a shimmery taupe…of course!


3. Most recent beauty acquisition - Uber inexpensive Kevyn Aucoin eye shadow palette from evilbay. $9.99!! Whoot! Gotta love a good deal. Sadly my Awake eyeliner never showed up. It's lost in the mail and I'm debating getting it for retail or buying a Cofret D'Or liner instead.


4. Do you twitter? - No. I don't. I just don't think I have enough time in the day let alone an interest by other people to know what I'm thinking all the time. I do worry about the twitter craze and think it's gonna cause even more ADD and misunderstandings...but that's just the old woman afraid of technology that I am. PinkSith = Luddite!


5. Next planned beauty acquisition? - A Chanel Glossimer. I'm not sure if I can wait until the new Celestial Lights Collection comes out (as I read HERE) or if I might break down and get a classic shade. My current glossimer count is a woeful 10. I NEED more. NEED NEED NEED!

Purchase - L'Oreal Beauty Confidential inspiried by Diane Keaton Eye Shadow Palette - Diane's Mauves

On to part 2 of my foray into L’Oreal makeup inspired by Diane Keaton. I think I already told you how I feel about Ms. Keaton’s acting ability so no need to beat a dead horse. Let’s just say that the eye shadow quad from her L’Oreal collection is a good analogy to how I feel about her as an actress.
Dull
Muted
Unsatisfying
Yup. This quad was all that and a bag of chalk.
Chalky texture, muted/almost invisible pigmentation
Disappointing taupe. Need I say more?

Oh yes. I need to say more. The darn palette is called DIANE’S MAUVES!!! I see no MAUVE in this damn palette! I guess that’s beside the point.

First of all, that taupe-y looking shadow looked champagne on my skin. It was silvery shimmer. It was OK but not what I wanted. I’m not sure why it was even in the palette. If your eyelids look like Diane Keaton’s they are crepe-y and shimmer is the last thing you want. TRUST ME. (My eyelids are going to look like this one day...it runs in the family)

Secondly, the pink shadow has glitter in it. Not subtle glitter, this was in your face, silver glitter. Used all over my eye it looked like I had sparkly allergy eyes.

Thirdly, the white/bone highlight has so little pigmentation and was so chalky I wondered how anyone could get this to look good?

Lastly the reddish color confuses me. Is it a liner? Is it a crease color? Is it both? I used it as a liner under my lower lash line and I must say that it’s a look I don’t wish to repeat. I used it as a crease color and it was OK, and worked well with the pink but it’s not a favorite look for me.

All in all, this palette was a total and complete FAIL. I should have known I wouldn’t like it because I had a L’Oreal Show Stopping Taupes palette a few years back that I thought I would adore…hello an entire palette of taupe! It turned out to be a total suckfest! I swapped it away. I’m picky about eye shadow I guess. Skip this newest LE palette from L’Oreal. You’ll be glad you did.

Purchase - L'Oreal Beauty Confidential inspiried by Diane Keaton Lipstick - Diane's Rose

I saw a picture of this new L’Oreal Lipstick on blogdorfgoodman. I saw it, and instantly wanted it. I then had to take my temperature to see if I was sick with fever because it was a) L’Oreal (Drugstore) makeup and b) Dianne Keaton? Ummm. I am SOOO not in her demographic. But that rose colored lipstick was calling to me.

I happened into Wallgreens one rainy Friday and saw the display featuring a squinty eye’d, neck covered Dianne Keaton hocking her new line of “inspired” makeup by L’Oreal. I’m not really a fan of Ms. Keaton. While I find her to be a decent actress she always seems to play the same character. Wishy-washy, whiny, doormat that triumphs in the end with her lips pouted in a sideways smirk and her fisted hand going across her chest in an upward “we did it” type movement. It’s just not for me. I am a bit harsh, so consider my remarks hyperbole in order to get my point across.

So why did I buy that lipstick? I think it was a moment of weakness. Some sort of switch in my head flipped on when I found out this line was hard to find and limited edition. I think it’s a limited edition switch. I must learn to turn it off. Thankfully the lipstick color is very pretty so it wasn’t a total loss.

The color is called Diane’s Rose. It comes in a white and silver plastic tube (Which, may I comment, it’s amazing they have not changed the design in over 30 years!) In silver Ms. Keaton’s Autograph adorns the bottom of the tube! How “special”. The lipstick has “L'OREAL” stamped onto the product….similar to what Chanel does for their Rouge Allure lipsticks. Nice touch I guess. The scent? OMG! The L’Oreal lipstick scent is the biggest turn off. I can’t stand it. I can’t describe it. Maybe you readers can help??? It’s awful and overpowering. I can taste it when I inhale while wearing the lipstick. Ugh! I hope I get used to the scent as I do love the color so very, very much…but that scent brings me back to days of High School wearing L’Oreal lipstick in a frosty pink with a blue duochrome, navy blue eyeliner and my asymmetrical haircut and one earring different than the other…let’s not even talk about bleached out jeans that were pegged at the end….::shudders::

I digress.

So Let’s see. So far I have told you
I’m not a big fan of Diane Keaton
I hate the Scent of the lipstick
I LOVE the color of the lipstick

Ah yes. The wear! So if you love a color you hope that it wears well too. I must say that yes. L’Oreal lipsticks do wear well. It has a great slip (the way it glides over your lips) and seems to be pretty moisturizing. The lipstick isn’t too soft but definitely has a slick quality to it. The color is not as pigmented on the lips as it is in the tube. It’s a bit more sheer than I would like, but it’s buildable. The color match for me is a perfect “My Lips But Better” (MLBB) shade of rose. I have been infatuated with rose colored and pink lipsticks lately. Thankfully I think I have convinced myself that I am now merely chasing down dupes of colors I already own so no need to buy more.

This is a super shade if you can find it, an easy, no fuss, slick on and go, instant pretty lipstick. You can’t go wrong with it. This is a limited edition, limited release item. You butter run to your local drugstore to see if they still have this in stock.

Tomorrow I will tell you about the eye shadow quad that they sold with the lipstick. It had taupe in it so I “had” to buy it…but don’t get too excited. It’s not all that.

Exciting News about Besame Cosmetics!!!

Finally after much rumor and innuendo...OK maybe not so much innuendo, Besame has finally released more information about their revamped line of cosmetics.

For those unfamiliar with Besame Cosmetics. They are a niche cosmetic line sold mostly in boutiques and largely on line through their main website. Besame means "Kiss Me" in Spanish. The creator, Gabriela Hernandez, is Argentinian by birth, but has the American Spirit and Ingenuity to create her own line of cosmetics. Besame was only launched in 2004, bust since then they have created quite a cult following. Their unique formulas and packaging hearken back to an era of simplicity when it comes to cosmetics. The Art Deco Period. But the line also draws inspiration from such 1950's/60's starlets like Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn! Who doesn't want to look like Grace Kelly? The elegant packing and classic colors make this line a truly unique and simple luxury.

According to Besame, a new look is coming to Besame in May. Apparently the site will be taken down after April 16th and their limited supply of their "Classic Line" (Original line) will only be available at a few select stores and retailers. I believe Zappos.com has the full "Classic Line". Besame will be coming out with their long awaited FULL SIZE lipstick! It's called Voluptuous! In May the Besame site will re-open and we all can get our greedy little paws on this, what I hope to be, new Holy Grail lipstick!

Fortunately for those that wish to purchase a few items from the "Classic Line" you won't have to wait! Starting April 8 through April 16th you will receive a deluxe sample of Voluptuous in Red Velvet with your purchase of $30 or more from the Besame "Classic Line". The fine print is:

Limit one deluxe sample per order while supplies last. Deluxe sample only available with purchase. Orders that receive Voluptuous deluxe samples may not be returned. All sales will be final. Voluptuous Deluxe Sample provides enough product for 4 full applications and includes a full color brochure with photos of the Voluptuous Lip color Set.

I know I'm excited. Check out the Besame Website here http://www.besamecosmetics.com/

Want to know what some of the colors look like? Take a look at my poorly lit collection of eye shadow, blushes, lipsticks and glosses. I have a few more blushes and a few more glosses & lipsticks that aren't pictured here. In addition I have the loose powder, foundation, mascara and Rose Moisturizer. All excellent values and wonderful products. P.S. Plum Dandy is a loverly Plummy Taupe eye shadow and Red Velvet is a classic Deep Red lipstick

lip gloss (Click on picture to see full size)


lipsticks (Click on picture to see full size)


lipstick and lip gloss swatches (Click on picture to see full size)


eye shadows (Click on picture to see full size)


eye shadow swatches (Click on picture to see full size)


eye shadow size comparison (Click on picture to see full size)


blush (Click on picture to see full size)

Sadly I have my fill of the "Classic Line" so I won't be partaking in the "order $30 and get a deluxe sample" deal. I'll have to wait until May to partake in a full size Red Velvet lipstick...which, by the way, is my HOLY GRAIL Red colored lipstick!

Promo pictures of Classic Line from besame.com

Alluring Eye Shadow (a.k.a. eyeshadow)


Boudoir Rouge (a.k.a. blush)


Enchanting Lipstick (a.k.a lipstick)

Enriched Lip Glaze (a.k.a. lip gloss)

Thursday Poll

image from kissandmakeup.tv

Sorry for the delay on the Thursday poll. I went to a Seder last night and didn’t get home till late. My Father In Law was leading it and he is long winded as heck! ANYWAY I managed to stub my toe and I think it might actually be broken. It’s not super painful but it is all purple and swollen. Whoopie! LOL. Thank goodness it only hurts a little bit and it’s not a main toe (umm if you could call it that. It’s the ringer finger toe? Right next to my pinkie toe.) So that being said, broken toe, late night, Darthypie cranky because he didn’t get his full 10/11 hours of sleep it’s been a fun morning already. So ON TO THE POLL!!


1. Blush Of The Day? – Chanel JC in Caprice. I just got it last night in the mail. It’s a warmer less pinky version of Narcisse but VERY pigmented. It looks very natural. A new love. I’ll post pictures soon!

2. When you are in a rush (Like I was this morning) what one m/u item do you skip? – Eyeliner (liquid). I just use an eye shadow that is a darker shade of the crease color as a liner.

3. What film won Best Picture the year you were born? Click HERE to search the Oscars Database. Input the year and scroll down to select Best Picture….or if you don’t want to do that you can click HERE for the Wiki page and just scroll down to your year. [EDIT] -- I forgot to put in my answer! It's The French Connection. I saw this movie & I love it!

4. Latest makeup acquisition that you love? Or What are you waiting for in the mail? – Well I love the Chanel blush but I will write about that later. Right now I’m STILL waiting on the Awake Liner. I sure hope I love it b/c it’s taking for freakin’ ever to get to me!

5. What are the names of all the toes. I know Big Toe and Pinkie Toe but what about those 3 neglected ones in the middle? – No seriously. What do you call them?

I have no self control

I went to Adambeauty.com to order a refill for my beloved Sofina Lucent sunscreen. While I was there I decided to look at the "specials" and "what’s new" sections.
BIG MISTAKE.
I loaded my cart with all sorts of items. From face masks to eye shadow to mascara and lipstick. I then, before clicking "check out" had a brief, flickering moment of rational thought and whittled down my basket to JUST the sunscreen and a mascara. Fairy Drops mascara, to be exact.

image from sasa.com

I had read about it on Musings of a Muse last year and I kinda wanted it, but I never got around to ordering it. Well, Damn Adam and his Beauty! He lured me into it. I’m not even so mad that I got it, I’m mad that I didn’t price comparison first. I paid $17 USD on adambeauty.com and today, (while doing an image search on google) found it for only $13.90 USD on sasa.com! That’s what I get for impulse shopping.

Next time I order from Adambeauty I’m JUST getting the sunscreen. Nothing else!

So how often do you set out to buy one beauty item, but look at your lonely item in your on-line shopping cart and feel the need to add more to your order?

Purchase - The Icing Nail Polish In Metalhead. Mirror Mirror On My Nail!

What can I say about Icing nail polish in Metalhead? Well It’s IN YOUR FACE SILVER. It’s like having little mirrors on your fingers (or toes). The only thing I don’t like about this nail polish is having to go into The Icing store in the mall to buy it. Ugh. I get this tweener high pitched whine stuck in my head along with whatever is that latest Jonas Brothers abomination they call a “Song”. Then the smell of angst and ignorance is stuck on my clothes for a good solid hour, or until I walk into a Williams Sonoma…whichever comes first. That’s it. That’s the worst thing about this nail polish.

The polish bottle looks exactly like the China Glaze polish bottle so hey, at least I’ll have consistency in my polish box. Ummm yeah. Whatever.

The Polish applies nicely. 2 coats and this sucker is opaque and shiny. It has some glitter look to it but it didn’t really translate once applied to the nail. It is truly a great metallic polish. Not too frosty, very little as far as brush marks, dried well and lasted for an entire week. (Using my Seche Top Coat of course)

I highly recommend using a base prior to application. My makeup shopping buddy tessa form Makeupalley.com went with me and got the exact same polish. They were having a buy one get one ½ price deal at The Icing so basically I paid $3.50 for this polish. Anyway, she put hers on without a base and it had flaked off in an awful mess within a few days. So that being said, Creative Nail Design Sticky is a great base and Seche Top Coat is an awesome top coat and well..

What else is there to say about this? If you like Silver you will love this nail polish!

Thursday Poll

image from kissandmakeup.tv

So have we all survived the conflicker virus and April Fools Day? Yes? Good. now we can move on with our lives. Speaking of moving on. I need to get off my butt and write a review for the KenzoKi products I have been using for the past month. I promise to have something for you by next week. I have been awful with motivation lately. I have a ton of nail polish that I need to send out, some other random packages and I haven't done a darn thing. This Friday my goal is to mail packages, write reviews and maybe hit up a CCO. It's been a while since I have visited. I'm sure the evil women that work there are missing me and my credit card. OK. On to the poll.

1. Mascara Of The Day? - Shu Uemura The Basic Mascara and Maybelline Colossal Volume Mascara

2. What are you waiting for in the mail? - Awake Gem Glint Liner-Stardom Liquid Eye Liner in 02 Palmetto Brown. I hope it's shimmery, I have a sinking feeling it isn't. I purchased it sight unseen. But I paid $8 so I can't complain.

3. I am a ____ ho. I am a ___ hater. I'll wear/use anything by____, but nothing by______. - Taupe ho, Frosty Light Blue eyeshadow hater, Wear/use anything by Guerlain, Nothing by Max Factor

4. a) For Non Vegetarians - If you had to give up eating meat, what would you miss most? - BACON
b) For Vegetarians - If you were to start eating meat again, what would you want to eat first?

5. Ancient product you still use? - OPI Russian To A Party nail polish. It must be at least 6 years old and some Lancome GWP makeup brushes I got back in 1993. Still perfect! I used to have an ancient MAC eye shadow from 1996 but I dropped it :-(

Purchase - Laura Mercier Topaz Eye shadow. A basic taupe for a basic eye

Since I taunted you all yesterday with a discontinued eye shadow from 3 years ago I thought I would be nice, no matter how much it pains me to do so, and post about a lovely taupe eye shadow that you can still purchase.

Laura Mercier Topaz
It’s Taupe
It’s Basic
It’s still available!

I was fortunate enough to buy this little gem off of evil bay for $9.99 + s&h. The shadow normally retails for $22 USD. This shadow could be a close color dupe to that Chanel Vega but without the shimmery-ness. It’s more of a satin finish and makes a lovely base eye color to build upon and also can work nicely as a crease color. Although Laura Mercier has this Topaz color in its “Luster Eye Colour” range (There is that darn U again!) which it describes as:

“...pure dynamic iridescences with a sophisticated frost finish providing amazing adherence for a freshly applied look throughout the day.”

Topaz is not as frosty as Chanel Vega or Safari for that matter. It’s still beautiful, don’t get me wrong. It’s also not as frosty as say, Bobbi Brown Metallic Shadows. When dealing with any Laura Mercier eye shadow product, be prepared for subdued color.

Bold eye color girls may want to stay away from the shadows in this line. Sorry. The shadow itself is a little harder than Chanel or Dior shadows but does not leave any powdery fall out like some Chanel shadows do.

Topaz comes in a square compact with no applicator, so if you love sponge applicators you are SOL (Sh*t otta luck) but I personally never use them so I couldn’t care less. The color is a nice neutral brown taupe. It is slightly warm and does not turn plum on me at all. It’s a great every day shade. With a primer it lasts all day with no fading or creasing.

I personally find the retail price of this shadow to be a bit on the high side but when compared to Chanel, Dior and Bobbi Brown it isn’t, so I guess it’s all relative. Still though. Great deals to be found on evilbay for Laura Mercier shadows.

Now that I have posted a new taupe eye shadow that is within your grasp I hope you will all put down those pins you have been sticking into voodoo dolls of me and stop cursing my name.

Is this a taupe you MUST own? No. You won’t die if you don’t have it. But when you buy Laura Mercier’s 3 pan custom palettes for only $10 USD what else are you going to put in there? You might as well right? I think that Topaz Luster eye shadow with Coffee Ground Matte eye shadow and Guava Sateen eye shadow would make a loverly 3 pan palette! Just saying!

Here is my eye of the day. Apologies for the fuzziness. I think something is wrong w/ my camera's macro feature. I used Laura Mercier Topaz as a base color, MAC Mineral eye shadow (from the Ungaro for MAC Collection) in the crease and MAC Phloof to highlight. I also used Bobbi Brown Black Mauve Shimmer gel liner to line upper eye and waterline. I finished it off with my normal Shu Uemura The Basic Mascara and Maybelline Colossal Volume Mascara layered over top.

Just so you know I am also looking at putting this Topaz eye shadow in a 3 pan palette. I haven't decided if I want to pair it with Stellar and Black Plum or Coffee Ground. Either way it will be a "can't miss" taupey smokey eye.

No "April Fools" on this beauty blog

Nope. I will not be blogging about how I hate taupe eye shadow or how I mistakenly pierced my lip applying lip gloss. I won't trick you with some tale about Neiman Marcus giving away free jars of La Mer or Saks Fifth Avenue dropping bottles of Bond No. 9 perfume. I won't bore you with stories about foundation that cures crows feet or lotion that actually melts off pounds of fat (however that would be nice). Nope. I'm not a trickster. I don't like being duped. I love to laugh but not at my own or someone else's expense. So, enjoy your day of April the first knowing full well that while I might be sarcastic, bitter and maybe a bit funny at time I will never try to fool you.
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What? You were really expecting a joke? Fine. Go to This late breaking story