ProductWhores

Meet Stila's Sarah Lucero

Stila Celebrity Makeup Artist and Global Creative Director Sarah Lucero will be stopping by two Sephora stores in Los Angeles tomorrow and Saturday to share her favorite tricks and tips on creating everything from the perfect cat eye swoop to how to most effectively use BB creams during the summer. 

Here are the details:

Friday, May 25th - Sarah will be at the Sephora in Manhattan Beach (in the Manhattan Village Shopping Center on Sepulveda Blvd.)

Saturday, May 26th - Sarah will be at the Sephora in South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa

Sarah will be doing personalized makeup consulations, which is super cool because her work has been featured in so many fabulous places (on the runways at Fashion Week, on your favorite celebrities...)  She's also Stila's Global Director of Education, which means that she spends half her time traveling and training Stila's field team on how to use and sell the latest Stila products.  (Sounds like a dream job, right?)  The other half of her time she spends as the lead artist at top fashion shows and acts as a beauty expert for both TV and print and is the Stila spokesperson on HSN.  Stop by and see her if you can make it!

Shenae Grimes Tries ELLE Cosmetics

A new cosmetics line?  Sign me up!  I'm all about trying new brands, so I'm really interested to check out ELLE Cosmetics, which is now available at Kohl's stores.  (I'm also interested in finding out where a good Kohl's store is in Los Angeles.  Someone tell me which is a good one to go to.  I'm willing to drive a little!)  Also, I have to admit that I watch 90210 and totally covet Shenae Grimes' hair (both cut and color) so I was interested to find out what cosmetics she picked up.  In case you're wondering too, she bought the Eyeshadow #4 and #17; Lip Gloss #4 and #11; and Nail Lacquer in “Surfer Babe” and “Some Like it Lilac.”  Has anyone tried ELLE Cosmetics yet?  Let us know what you think!

Dreaming in Portofino

Ooh, what is this limited edition fragrance from Dolce and Gabbana??  Light Blue Dreaming in Portofino sounds like it will be my fave new perfume, I can't wait to run to Sephora to check it out!  I am such a huge fan of Light Blue so I just know I will be a fan of this.  And since it's Limited Edition for summer, I need to get to the mall stat.

Go on a sensual journey through dream locations of the Mediterranean. Named for the picturesque fishing village and resort of the rich and famous on the Italian Rivera, this spellbinding fragrance, Dreaming in Portofino, bursts with an utter feeling of summer, precious pastimes, and true delight. Notes of sweet litchi and musky ambrette seed join with rich floral tones of soft iris and exhilarating osmanthus, bringing to mind summers filled of relaxing getaways and vivacious voyages. 

Notes:
Citrus Accord, Pink Pepper, Crisp Aquatic, Geranium, Amber, Patchouli. 
Style:
Sensual. Adventurous. Fresh.

Run Away With Me

Orange is everywhere this season and I have to admit, while at first I was a little skeptical, I've really loved a lot of the products I've tried in this color scheme.  Now I can add Clinique's Runway Coral Long Last Lipstick to that list. Created by Jenna Menard, Clinique's Global Colour Artist (seriously, how can I get that job?) it was used in Karen Walker's Spring/Summer 2012 runway show and is now available exclusively online.  It's SUCH a pretty shade.  It gives a nice pop of color, but it's not so bright that you have to look in a mirror to put it on.  (Am I the only one who uses this as a criteria when I buy lipstick?)  It's just a gorgeous, feminine shade that's right on point with the trends this season.  It's a limited edition, so make sure you grab it before it's gone!

...And just now, after I wrote that, I looked closer at the page for it on Cliniqe's site and apparently, it's already sold out.  Well, that was fast!  Maybe it'll come back in stock soon, so keep checking, or you can always scope out eBay. What would we do without eBay?

Note:  A sample of this product was sent to me by a PR representative working with Clinique    

The Big Pony Collection

Ralph Lauren is launching a fun new initiative called The Big Pony Collection for Women.  It's a 4-piece fragrance wardrobe that consists of a collection of scents, each designed to match different moods, personalities or occasions.  The bottles are bright and eye-catching with their neon shades - perfect for summer!

Here are descriptions of the four shades:

The Sporty Fragrance - Bottle #1 - This Flora Citrus scent features Grapefruit & Blue Lotus for a vibrant energetic fragrance that evokes confidence and energy while awakening the sense.  Confident and fearless, the sporty woman is a natural born leader and ready to take on the world. 

The Sensual Fragrance - Bottle #2 - A Floriental Fruity with the key ingredients of Cranberry & Tonka Mousse, this fragrance is for an alluring flirt with a romantic spirit. Playful and irresistible, this modern woman follows her heart…and she just might break yours.

The Free-Spirited Fragrance – Bottle #3 - Eccentric, rebellious and independent, this Floral Green fragrance highlights Pear & Mimosa.  The crisp, bright scent represents ultimate optimism and natural feminine radiance for a woman who dances to the beat of her own drum. 

The Stylish Fragrance – Bottle #4 - Edgy and refined, with a flair of the exotic, this Oriental Floral contains key ingredients of Wild Cherry & Purple Amber.  Designed for the stylish woman, she catches the eye and imagination of anyone who crosses her path. 

They all sound really pretty, don't they?  I can't even decide which one I like the best from those descriptions.  I kind of want them all!

To celebrate the launch of The Big Pony Collection for Women, Ralph Lauren created the “Life in Color Quiz,” a short, simple interactive online quiz to define your personal fragrance style.  You can take the quiz here.    

Each scent retails for $70.  They're available exclusively at Bloomingdales, RalphLauren.com and Ralph Lauren retail locations right now, and will be at most fine department stores later this month.

Skip To The Escentuals

I'm having an eyeshadow moment.  I've been buying a ton of it lately and playing around with the ones I already have to find new combinations.  (That's a good thing to accomplish on your vacation, right?)  Most of my new favorites are the color combinations available in bareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 2.0. The duos aren't new, but they've just recently released a bunch of new shades and out of the ones I've played with, they're all winners.  The formula is just great - the colors are pigmented and easy to blend, plus they last all day on me when layered over a primer. They also contain bareMinerals' special SeaNutritive Mineral Complex and antioxidants, cold-pressed borage oil, caffeine and cucumber, which are all known to have anti-aging benefits.  I mean, it's not a requirement for me in a shadow, but it's definitely a nice benefit!  I also like the wide range of different shade pairings - there's everything from neutrals to more fun colors (the one above is The Grand Finale), so there's really something for everyone. Love!  

Note:  Samples of this product were sent to me by a PR representative working with bareMinerals    

Start Over with a Clean Slate

Looking back, I don't remember the moment when I said "huh, I should use primer" but man, am I glad I did!  Seriously, primers are the most amazing invention and every single woman should use one (even if she doesn't wear make up).  I mean, primers, well, prime but they can also smooth skin, color correct and hid wrinkles so what's not to love!  Clean Slate Poreless 12-hr Perfecting Primer is the latest one from Tarte and after using for just a week it's quickly shot to the top of my list (right there along with the good 'ol classic Smashbox one).  I love how smooth my skin feels and how great it works to make my foundation stay all day.  This stuff is mattifying (adore) which is especially important if I don't want to call attention to my imperfections.  As far as dimishing fine lines and pores, I don't see anything spectacular but it does such a great job of holding my foundation that my skin looks flawless!  Retails for $30.00 and they also released a brightening primer - Clean Slate Flawless 12-Hr - which I'm definitely gonna check out when I finish off my Poreless one.

Note:  A sample of the above product was sent to me by a PR representative working with Tarte.

Great Gifts (To Maybe Keep For Yourself)

So before I decided to get my mom a day out together instead of a gift, I did a lot of looking around for the perfect gift for her.  She's a hard one to buy for and I wanted to pick up something special for her.  One of my top choices was a gift set from Pacifica, mainly because I'm a huge Pacifica fan and I like to get my mom as excited about brands I love as I am.  I got a chance to try out two of the different gift sets in my favorite two scents and for those of you who still have time to shop before you see your mom in person, they're great choices.  

The Tuscan Wanderlust Gift Set is chock full of products in my all-time favorite Pacifica scent, Tuscan Blood Orange.  All fans of orange-scented products need to pick this one up immediately because the fragrance is so, so great.  It's so juicy and fresh and energizing - I love using it in the shower in the morning to get my day going.  The gift set is a great value at $28 because you get over twice that in products - a Color Quench Natural Moisture Lip Tint in Blood Orange, a Body Butter, a Body Wash and a bottle of Spray Perfume.  You can layer it all together to give yourself a scent that lasts all day.  My mom actually was with me when I was playing around with the products and she immediately claimed the Body Butter as her own.  (What could I say?  It was almost Mother's Day!)

The other gift set I got my hands on is the Indian Coconut Nectar Wanderlust Collection.  Indian Coconut Nectar is one Of Pacifica's newest scents and it's rapidly become one of my favorites.  Using coconut products always instantly transports me to a tropical vacation instead of, you know, my same old bathroom in Los Angeles and this one smells fabulous, all exotic and delicious.  It makes me seriously crave a big blended drink and a beach (and I don't even like the beach!)  For $34, you get a Body Butter, a huge 17 ounce Body Wash and a Perfume Roll-On, which is perfect to slip into your purse when you're on the go.  I particularly love them on days when I'm going straight from work to something fun and don't have time to stop home to respritz my earlier scent.  My mom also grabbed the Body Butter from this set and made off with it because she couldn't resist this one either and I'm a bad daughter and wouldn't hand over the Body Wash (I know, I know, but I love it too much).  Well, thanks to Pacifica, she'll definitely be well moisturized and smell fabulous.  You're welcome, Dad!       

Note:  Samples of these products were sent to me by a PR representative working with Pacifica  

Truth Or Dare

I have to admit, recent Madonna music isn't really blowing me away, but old school Madonna was fabulous.  Crazy for You is still one of my favorite songs of all time.  I always forget how much I love it and then it'll randomly shuffle on on my iPod and I get excited every time.  I never really thought she'd come out with a fragrance though - I don't know why because every celebrity does - but once I heard the description of Truth or Dare, I was definitely intrigued. This is how it's summed up on Macy's website:

Truth or Dare by Madonna is a contemporary and sexy reinvention of a classic, robust signature white floral.  The unique blend of narcotic florals, balanced with addictive woods and vanilla, create a scent that is timeless yet modern, simultaneously dark and light.  The addition of gourmand notes such as Vanilla and Caramelized Amber makes the fragrance stand out from traditional floral fragrances and gives it a contemporary edge.

After wearing it around for a few days, I'd say that's a pretty accurate description, although the phrase "narcotic florals" makes me giggle every time I say it because it totally makes me picture a bouquet of roses stuffed with cocaine or something.  I'm normally not a big fan of florals, but this one is interesting and I think it's the addition of the Vanilla and Carmelized Amber that makes it sweeter and warmer than a lot of the florals I've tried.  It's very feminine and sophisticated, plus I'm really liking the bottle - it's kind of funky and cool and seems worlds away from the cheap bottles a lot of celebrity fragrances come with.  Overall, I'm digging the scent way more than I ever thought I would when the words "Madonna has a new perfume" first came to my attention.  How cool is it that decades after she first became famous, Madonna can still surprise me?  Time to dig out the iPod and start playing Crazy for You again in appreciation!

Note:  A sample of this product was sent to me by a PR representative working with Truth or Dare  

Grab Your Too Faced Favorites

I love a good Friends & Family sale AND I'm really digging Too Faced's new summer collection, so this is a win-win.  From now until May 16th, just enter the code FFSPRING12 at checkout to get 20% off on everything on toofaced.com.  I'm coveting the new Summer Eye Summertime Sexy Shadow Collection, but I'm sure a few other things will find their way into my basket.  What are you eyeing?