ProductWhores

Love at First Blush

I have a ton of pink blushes, but far be it from me to resist one as good as Stila's new Love at First Blush.  (See?  Even the name is cute!)  I didn't even have any intention of buying it, but I was picking up something else at Sephora this weekend and it was right there in those little bins they put by the register to tempt you to buy more stuff and I saw it and knew it was coming home with me.  (So well done, Sephora marketing team!)  It's a gorgeous blush with three different shades of pink and a little shimmer to it in certain places, but the best part about it is the design on the powder.  Seriously, how adorable are the overlapping hearts?  It's almost too cute to use because I don't want them to go away.  I feel like for $14 it was an easily justifiable purchase since I use a lot of pink blush and when I'm putting on makeup at 8am all tired and annoyed that I have to work for a living (because I'm terrible at picking lottery numbers) seeing the cute design will make me moderately more cheerful.  (Well, that and the jumbo-sized Cafe Mocha that comes out of my Keurig every morning.  God bless that hard-working machine).  Do you think if I asked nicely, Stila would make these in a few other shades?  Maybe a nice plum, coral and light red?  Pretty please?

Leap Day Giveaway - Merle Norman Heavenly Blush!

Hey everyone!  In honor of Leap Day, we thought we would celebrate with an awesome giveaway!  Sweeeeeet!  Merle Norman Cosmetics is releasing a gorgeous new blush called Heavenly on March 1 and 10 lucky PWs readers will be able to brag to their friends that they own it!  This limited edition blush is downright stunning - a beautiful deep rose with gold overspray - and definitely suits all skintones.  I love the way it brightens my pale face and how the gold specks add a bit of shimmer.  So, you want to celebrate Leap Day with Heavenly Cheek Color by Merle Norman?  Post a comment and let PWs know your go-to cheek color for Spring '12.  (Of course Heavenly will become your new fave as soon as you can get your hands on it!) 

The Leap Day Giveaway will run from February 29th, 2012 through midnight PST, Wednesday, March 7th, 2012.  We will choose a winner at random using random.org and that winner will be contacted by email.  You will have 72 hours to claim your prize.  Entrants must live in the U.S. and be 18 or older.

True Hue

I've said it here a bunch of times before, but I normally think that blush is the most boring makeup item to buy.  I don't know why, but I do.  It's just... there.  But recently I've sort of softened my stance on that because I've tried a bunch of different blushes that I like a lot, so picking up more shades of them has been (dare I say it?) almost fun.  (I know!  Who am I?!)  The latest one I've tried out is Buxom's new True Hue Blush.  Available exclusively at Sephora, there are eight shades ranging from Seduction, a bright pink, to Tryst, a shimmering clay.  I tried out four different colors - Seduction and Tryst, plus Shangri La-La, a deep berry, and Breathless, a bright peach, and I'm really liking them.  The color is easily buildable, so you can use a light touch for a natural look or go heavy for a more diva-like appearance, and they last a good 8 hours or so on me before I notice them fading.  They're kind of expensive at $24 apiece, but you do get a lot of product in the pan for that amount, so it's not as much of a splurge as it seems like at first.  I may turn into a blush convert yet!   

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

Bouncy Blush

When I started seeing the advertisements for Maybelline's new Dream Bouncy Blush I got super excited - who wouldn't want a blush named "dream bouncy?"  I quickly ran out and had to hit up three Rite Aids to even find one (geez, must already be popular!)  I did manage to grab Rose Petal (a delicately irridescent light pink) and Orchid Hush (light lilac).  First of all, the blush has an awesome creamy texture that goes on so smooth it's ridiculous.  Both of the colors I have are pretty, but honestly, I wish I had one of the darker ones because these are both so light I have to layer on a few swipes before I can see it on my pale skin.  My recommendation - go out and buy Dream Bouncy but opt for one of the darker hues (there is a beautiful vibrant coral, but I can't seem to get my hands on it... yet!)

Grab Hervana Before It Goes

Okay guys, act quickly on this one.  For today only, Benefit is previewing their newest blush, Hervana, on their website.  It's a gorgeous four shades that blend together for an orchid-blossom blush with a soft satin finish.  Love this one!  If you don't buy it today, it won't be available again until 2012, so if you want to make all your friends jealous when you whip it out, grab it before it's gone.  Go now!

Stay On Cheeks

Blush is kind of my least favorite makeup item to buy.  I don't know why - it's just kind of... boring to me.  But I love this new Danmari All About Cheeks Palette from NARS.  It has six different cheek colors in it -Hungry Heart (a gold ivory), Super Orgasm (a peachy pink with gold glitter), Desire (a cotton candy pink), Casino (a dark brown with golden shimmer), Orgasm (a peachy pink with golden shimmer), and Sin (a berry with gold shimmer).  It's a little pricey at $65, but I feel like if I had it, I could just pack this one palette when I traveled and not think about blush again for the whole trip.  (Plus there's that whole Sephora Friends & Family coupon that I'm still holding onto because I just can't decide what to use it on).  This palette is definitely a contender for it...

Ultimate Beauty Kit

'Tis the season for holiday palettes to start making their way into stores and Pixi's Ultimate Beauty Kit is definitely one to get excited over.  It has 32 eye shadows, 16 lip colors, and 8 blushes, so you get a ton of different shades to choose from.  Everything from cool to warm, matte to shimmery, neutral to dramatic...  It's like a full makeup wardrobe in one $40 package.  The only drawback is that it's a little too big to be easily portable, so I probably wouldn't pack it for a weekend away, but I would tuck it in my bag for a longer vacation since it would replace a lot of other palettes I usually drag with me.  I can't wait to play around with it and try out some of the color combos.  And as all good Product Whores know, Pixi is not only available at pixibeauty.com, but also at Target stores everywhere and on target.com.  How much do I love that I can get toilet paper, TGI Fridays Potato Skins AND this palette at one single store?  So much!

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

Self-Adjusting Coral

Are you kidding me, Stila?  How the heck do you do it?!  This is the best blush I've ever owned and I am absolutely fascinated by the formula.  Stila's new Custom Color Blush Self-Adjusting Coral works with each skintone to give the perfect flush, without looking cartoony (don't even think about those one-for-all products from the 80s which never looked good on anyone).  This blush is the real deal and the coral is beautiful, with an ever-so-slight golden glow to it.  The formula feels great on skin (not chalky at all as some powdered blushes can be) and is definitely buildable color so you can go light or darker for evening.  I squealed with delight when I noticed just how much the coral really wakes up my face.  Such a fantastic product - love you, Stila... mean it... Retails for $20.00.

Pivoine Flora

I took ballet when I was a kid and was actually SO terrible that in a country dance where all the aspiring ballerinas were milk maids, they made me a freakin' robot.  Yes, my parents have video of all these little girls prancing around while I stood in the back, hunched over until they "wound" me up.  I remember thinking I was so magnificently special for having the prized role of Robot, that I failed to notice that this ballet studio in Vermont was clearly not the place for the likes of me.  I came away with an understanding I would never be a ballerina (and, really, I could never commit to not eating) but have always thought ballerinas to be still so beautiful (even though they are rarely robots).  When I saw the new cosmetics collection by L'Occitane, I was giddy over the packaging.  There is a beautiful watercolored ballerina on the top of the Pivoine Flora cream blush duo which, actually, is not even nearly as gorgeous as the blushes themselves!  I have been using the Abricot one every day and it's the most amazing shade of pinky/peach.  The darker shade goes on and gives you this amazing flush and then the lighter highlighter accents the apples of the cheeks.  The creams are smooth, blend in beautifully and actually have a slight rose scent which I adore. An all-around fabulous product.  But here's the catch - much like my ballet career - this is short-lived.  Limited Edition people, so stock up now!

Note:  A sample of this product was sent to me by a PR representative working with L'Occitane.  

Summer Overture

I am so excited that I got to take a sneak peek at the goodies from FACE Stockholm's upcoming Summer collection!  The entire line is described as "The dulcet bliss of the first scoop of sorbet, the passionate exhilaration of a Baroque concerto...our look for Summer 2011 is subtle, sweet and deliciously different."  I can’t wait to see the entire collection, because if the other products are even half as good as the two amazing items I had the pleasure of checking out, I will need to own everything!   Sun Kissed Blush is a delightful powder blush that is such a light and fresh pink color, it actually makes me look more awake than I ever really am.  I thought when I saw it in the compact that it would be too bright on my skin, but I was so wrong.  It's so beautiful and would be perfect on any skin tone.   The other product, which is now a staple in my bag, is their Nektar gloss in Nypon Ros - an amazing pinkish/peach color with flecks of tiny glitter.  It’s shimmery and is the absolutely perfect Spring/Summer color.  The formula is hydrating and not even the tiniest bit of sticky-ness.  Even though the collection isn’t available until May (boo!), here are the highlights:

• Mineral Powder Foundation SPF 15
• Sun Kissed Blush
• Dignity Highlighter
• Kiki Pencil
• Angel Pink Matte Eye Shadow
• Clear Mascara
• Nypon Ros lip gloss

Available on facestockholm.com on May 1!

Note:  Samples of selected products were sent to me by a PR representative working with FACE Stockholm