ProductWhores

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    

One Stop Shopping

When I was packing for my trip two weeks ago, I was trying super, super hard to pack lightly.  It did not go well.  I somehow managed to wedge 4 pairs of boots and sneakers into my suitcase for a 10 day vacation (and that's not even counting the sandals for the warm weather later in the trip).  It all started out so promisingly and ended with me paying $75 to get my bag onto the plane.  So when it came time for me to pack makeup, I was determined to at least not add to the weight and brought only products that could do double-duty.  Instead of packing numerous bottles of face products, I only packed one - Clinique's Age Defense BB Cream SPF 30.  I haven't tried a lot of BB Creams and hadn't even opened this one before, but I love that it's one product that does everything you need.  It has an SPF in it for sun protection, antioxidants to keep your skin healthy, and slightly more coverage than a tinted moisturizer.  Plus, it acts as a primer too.  It's actually the perfect product to take on vacation with you because you need all of 30 seconds in the morning to be done with that whole part of your routine.  I also really like the coverage - it feels really light on my face, but it covers enough so I feel like it hides the few freckles I have and such.  I like it so much that I've reached for it both mornings (okay, fine, I'm jet lagged and sleeping at weird times, so afternoons) since I've been back. It's vacation-worthy AND regular life-worthy.  I love it when that happens.     

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

Clinique Teams Up With Tracy Reese

All of you Tracy Reese fans should be extra happy about this.  For a limited time and available exclusively at Nordstrom, Tracy has joined forces with Clinique to bring us this one-of-a-kind gift with purchase.  It'll be available with any Clinique purchase of $25 or more and will include must-have beauty essentials that were hand-picked by Tracy herself.  They'll come nestled in a colorful, flowery cosmetics bag that was also designed by Tracy.  The gift has a $75 value, so now is definitely the time you'll want to head over there if you're ready to stock up on any of your Clinique essentials. 

The gift is available from now until November 20th, so all you new iPhone owners tell Siri to remind you this weekend or mark it on your calendars yourself now.  You don't want to miss this one!

Grab Yourself A Smoothie

Clinique's new Lid Smoothie Antioxidant 8-Hour Eye Colors are the perfect makeup antidote for this ridiculously hot 100 degree plus summer weather.  (Although the word smoothie is currently making me crave a visit to Jamba Juice and I really don't need another one of those this week.  They may be fruity and delicious, but they're also like, 500 calories).  The Lid Smoothies are cream shadows that go on with a cooling touch, due to the metal tip applicator.  It's kind of a delightful way to start your morning, although I have to give a word of warning - a little goes a LONG way with these shadows (especially with the darker shades) so be careful how much you squeeze out or you'll just end up wasting it.  (And who wants to waste a smoothie?)  You can blend the shadows with a brush or with your fingertips, but even though it's messier, I like using my fingers better because I feel like these are the kind of shades that look best on me applied that way.  They were made to be worn alone or layered underneath powder shadows, and I think they look good either way - obviously you get more pigment and deeper color when they're layered, but for a casual Saturday running errands around town, the Smoothies alone were enough for me.  There are twelve shades available - everything from a light nude beige to a dark blue - so you can create all sorts of shade combos.  I wore them over a lid primer and they seemed to last into the late afternoon for me, but I was in the air conditioning all day, so you might get a little less wear out of them if you're running around in the heat and sweating a lot.  (Air conditioning is saving my life right now.  Seriously).  Now if they could only create a makeup that could somehow fan you as you walked, my life would be complete. 

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

Go Straight To The Bottom

Clinique's new Bottom Lash Mascara is such a genius idea that I can't believe no one's done it before.  (Unless they have and I just haven't stumbled upon it, which is totally possible).  It's a mascara designed solely for bottom lashes.  Genius, right?!  I'd basically given up on wearing mascara on my bottom lashes since I get them tinted and most mascaras I use on them end up smudging anyway, but with this new discovery, I'm all over it again.  The tube is small - it almost looks like a mini-size of a regular mascara - and the brush is really tiny, but that's what's makes it work so well.  The small size makes it perfect for applying on your bottom lashes - it's easy to get in there and put it on without accidentally smearing black gunk all over your face (a common problem for me, especially since I seem to sneeze almost every time I put mascara on, which leaves me looking like a deranged circus clown).  The brush is also great at depositing color and thickness onto the lashes without leaving them all stuck together, and best of all, it's only $10 (cheaper than some drugstore mascaras).  Definitely worth picking up on your next trip to the mall!  

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

Nude Perfection

 I have been looking for the perfect nude lipstick and gloss and have spent waaaaay too much time scouring the shelves at department stores and at my home-away-from-home Sephora.  Side note:  I DO have all my Christmas shopping done so I am allowed to selfishly search for my own stuff, right?  After testing way too many to count I have found two that I absolutely adore and would look great on most skintones.

Clinique's Butter Shine Lipstick in Baby Baby is so gorgeous, I can barely contain my excitement.  It's a delicate beige-y, pink with a slight shimmer.  The formula is so wonderfully creamy you'll forget you're wearing lipstick and you can wear alone for a delicate nude color or wear on top of lip liner for a darker nude.  This is my favorite lipstick formula because it actually hydrates rather than dries out lips and Baby Baby is simply perfection in a nude lipstick.

 My other favorite nude is Origins Liquid Lip Color in Lotsa Luxe.  The Origins site makes it look like a pale pink but it goes on delightfully beige with a sparkly shimmer to it.   If you haven't used Origins Liquid Lip Color you've been missing out because this stuff is creamy, moisturizing and has a minty scent which I adore.  Lotsa Luxe looks great by itself or over a pale pink lipcolor (if you want to keep the nude effect).  Now, I really need to get my act together and wrap all the stuff I've bought for family and friends...

Best Cream Blush

 

On one of my last online Sephora binges, I decided to purchase one of the Blushwear Cream Sticks by Clinique in Rosy Blush.  Despite my horrifying attempts at making a cream blush work without looking like a freakish old woman, I saw that others were giving it good reviews, so I had to give it a go.  And all those reviewers were right on - this stuff is seriously the best cream blush I've used!  The color is amazing (the perfect rose which makes me look like I just had a few glasses of wine, but not enough to go home with the bartender) and the formula is so creamy there's no way you'll be left with any streaks.  I love this so much, I carry it in my purse so I can touch-up throughout the day (no, it doesn't last all day, but who cares when it's so small and easy to carry).  Retails for $18.50 and would be the perfect holiday gift.

De-Puff In Style

How did no one ever think of this before?  (Or, uhm, maybe they have and I just haven't seen it.  That's certainly possible).  Clinique's new All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage is such a great idea.  It's an eye serum that comes packaged in a slim wand - you apply it by using the rollerball at the top to smooth it on under your eyes.  There are so many good things about the application process - for one, your fingers never touch the product, so it's a lot more hygienic.  And it's so easy - I usually don't even think about taking any eye-related product with me during the day, but I've tossed this into my bag a few times this past week when I knew my day was going to be especially long because it's just so portable.  The product inside is great too - when you rollerball it on (is that a phrase?) there's a cooling effect that's so calming and refreshing.  It's especially great if you're one of the people who sits in front of a computer all day because I know when I do it, my eyes get really, really tired and this is a quick pick-me-up that you can even do at your desk.  The product promises to de-puff your eyes and I definitely think that it accomplishes that.  When I used it for four days in a row, I could see a clear improvement under my eyes.  (It did not, however, have much of an effect on my dark circles, but to be fair, I haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately, so I'm not sure that anything would).  You can even layer it under your makeup in the morning.  I usually don't get too excited about eye serums because, you know, boring... but this one's impressed me enough to recommend it to my mom and a few friends.  I definitely recommend picking one up on your next jaunt to the mall.  (And make sure to check all the department stores because you can usually find a GWP at one.  I live for GWP's). 

Go To Great Lengths

When I first opened Clinique's new High Lengths Mascara, I totally thought that I'd gotten one with a broken wand.  (And then I spent about 10 minutes contemplating whether or not mascara wands could even break, which should tell you a little bit about how exciting my life is these days).  The wand is a bright neon green and black and it's really skinny, with a fine-toothed comb at the end.  (It looks kind of bizarre, like a mascara aliens would use).  I was definitely skeptical, probably because it also looks slightly like a weapon and since I have the tendency to trip even when there's nothing in front of me, I had visions of slipping on a wet bathroom floor and poking my own eye out.  Luckily, the wand may look weird, but the mascara works great once you get a little application practice in.  The fine-toothed comb is especially great for keeping the mascara clump-free and it really separates and defines every single lash, especially those little baby ones that sometimes get left behind.  On me, it's not a heavy dramatic look, it's more of a natural appearance, but it definitely adds length to my lashes.  I think it's a perfect daytime mascara, especially since it has good staying power and it doesn't give me the dreaded raccoon eyes.  Also, it's only $14, which is pretty close to drugstore mascara prices.  Definitely worth checking out on your next trip through the mall.

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

Clinique Pays It Forward

Clinique has partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters to help spread good cheer on Happy Day, December 11th.  (Don't you think that more companies should branch out and have a Happy Day?  I nominate The Coffee Bean who can give out free lattes and Bloomingdales for free bags and shoes.  I know that would make me happy).   
 
Happiness is contagious evoking feelings of universal joy.  In a tough economic climate, it's even more important to spread happiness and give back in meaningful ways.  For the third consecutive year, Clinique is partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, the largest youth mentoring organization in the country, to continue its tradition of engaging in random acts of happiness.

Help spread holiday cheer by creating one-of-a-kind holiday cards for all your Facebook friends using Clinique's Happy Day Card Designer, a customizable e-card application on Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/clinique_happyday/fb/welcome.  It's easy - simply select pictures from your Facebook albums, choose a pattern, background color, Big Brothers Big Sisters icon and greeting and you're ready to go. 

Clinique has also teamed up with children from Big Brothers Big Sisters to create personalized holiday cards which will be available complimentary at Clinique counters nationwide and at Clinique.com with a $30 purchase.  In addition, to help support Big Brothers Big Sisters initiatives, Clinique has made a cumulative donation of $350,000.

Reward yourself, stop by a Clinique counter on Happy Day and pick up your free gift.  Happy-To-Go fragrance pencils will be given out at Clinique counters nationwide.