ProductWhores

Stuff it!

I'm pretty sure I don't need to remind you that Christmas is quickly approaching.  In case you need some sort of a cheat sheet for some great stocking stuffers, thought I'd pull together my 5 faves (in honor of the fact, well, you only have 5 days to finish that shopping!) for gift-giving this holiday!

1.  Laura Mercier Illuminating Eye Colors which were released as part of the Art Deco Muse Collection for this holiday are so spectacular you'll have a hard time choosing which color to get.  Gilded Platinum and Gilded Rosegold are my two favorites - think holiday glimmer without looking cheesy!  Love the formula (stays the better part of the day) and goes on smooth.  Be forewarned, however, that I'm not the only one passionately in love with them  -they are practically sold out everywhere so you'll need to do some searching but it's oh-so-worth it.  Or, just order on lauramercier.com and skip those crowds anyway!

2.  Stila's Written in the Stars Eye Palette is a must-give!  Super cute palette shape, wearable colors and a price you can't beat ($12.00).  I love all the color combos and am in awe by how compact it is - perfect for anyone who loves to travel but can't be without a selection of shadows (like myself).

3. From the makers of Burt's Bees, GUD hand cream is a really great handcream for a fantastically affordable price.  I love the formula - super-hydrating without feeling greasy or sticky.  I also love you can get at all drugstores so if you're like me on Christmas eve frantically trying to piece together some gifts, hitting a CVS is an easy no-brainer. 

4. Josie Maran makes a killer lipbalm - Argan Lip Treatment.  Yeah it's a bit pricey at $18.00, but whoever you give it to will be so thankful you thought of them that you won't mind shelling out the bit extra.  The formula is very softening, smells sweetly of green apple and comes in the cutest little pot!  Extra score is it's all-natural so no icky chemicals drying out your lips.

5.  Surprisingly great considering the price, The Natural Palette from Jane cosmetics is a definitely great palette for this holiday season!  Wearable shades of light and dark brown along with a lovely shimmery-bronze and a rose blush make this the perfect go-to for everyday wear.  At $9.99 it's a total steal.

Note:  Some of the above products were sent to me by PR representatives.

Holiday Lip Glosses

Okay, I loooooooove the holiday mini lip glace collections by Laura Mercier and I'm totally bummed that both are out of stock online at Laura Mercier!  The Rich Berries collection is my absolute fave - the colors are stunning, the formula isn't drying at all and they smell delicious - I can't figure out if it's caramel or sugar cookie, but either way it's addicting!  I strongly believe Laura Mercier makes the best lip glosses because they offer a nice pigment and are not sticky at all -one my absolute biggest pet peeves when it comes to glosses.  The Rich Berries set comes with the following shades (Sangria - a shimmery, deep red my go-to this holiday season!)

• Violet
• Rose
• Cerise – Limited Edition
• Sangria – Limited Edition
• Bare Beige

Okay, let the hunt begin to find the collection!  I'm thinking you'll need to check out Sephora or a department store maybe  Don't you hate it when I tell you about something fabulous you're going to have a hard time finding?!

Note:  A sample of this set was sent to me by a PR representative working with Laura Mercier

Pixi Holiday Collection 2012

Pixi Beauty has released their holiday collection online and at Target stores nationwide and there are some definite goodies perfect for holiday giving! 

The Early Bird Kit (love the name) is a stunning palette that contains a serious amount of makeup - all in a cute little two-doored case.  You get three cheek colors, two bronzers, one face glow (my fave), four eye base shades (LOVE they include these as most palettes don't), and sixteen eye shadows.  The base shades are amazing and actually help to keep your eye makeup in tact the better part of the day, which is a great thing as you'll love how pretty the eye colors look!  The sixteen shades range from pale champagne and pink shimmers to deep green and blue shimmers.  All have a lovely subtle glitter to them which is especially perfect for the holidays.  Plus, at $34.00 it doesn't kill your wallet.

Lid Last Shadow Pen Duo contains two of their fantastic shadow pens (which glide on so smooth it's insane) in glittery shades perfect for the holidays!  I LOVE this set more than I can put into words.  First of all the colors are perfect for anyone (a shimmery shell pink and a shimmery greyish/brown) and are all you need for a pretty daytime smokey eye.  The shadows go on easily and stay the better part of the day.  Oh, and if that wasn't enough, they're super-inexpensive ($12.00 for the set) and are really portable (perfection for airline travel).

Nail Color Trio retails for only $12.00 and is such a cute stocking stuffer or gift for friends!  The three colors are great - glittery silver, glittery red and glittery white - definitely holiday themed but oh-so-wearable.  Such a cute set and one any girl would be psyched to receive!

Note:  Samples of the above were sent to me by a PR representative working with Pixi Beauty

The Ultimate Holiday Palette

I can't even begin to tell you how absolutely phenomenal the new Dream In Full Color palette is from Stila.  This amazing disc is set up so brilliantly even a complete newbie to make-up can manuever their way through all the beautiful colors.  In the center of the palette is the tried-and-true Kitten and out from there spans 29 eye colors and 7 cheek colors, all organized into complimentary color combos.  If you follow   the swirled pattern, you'll find the colors are delightfully matched - taking all the guesswork out of which goes with what.  Seriously, whoever thought this design up is a pure genius!  And the best part, even if you decide to sway from the arching color swirls, you can come up with about a hundred different combos so your look can change every day.  Sometimes I'm lazy and it's just Kitten - other days I've gone bonkers and have used seven shades, perfectly blended.  Somedays I'm using the darker center shades as liners, and other days I'm using the classic smudge stick which comes with the palette (bonus!)  Whatever your passion, this palette has everything and at only $39.00 it feels like you're ripping off Stila by buying it.  But, with good news often comes bad - this amazingness is for Holiday which means "limited edition" so you better act quick.  Lucky for you, the internet is so convenient.  Heck, I even linked this bad boy for you - you're welcome.

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

Passions Of Red

 

Yay!  The MAC holiday collections are finally here!  Every year, I eagerly await their release and count down the days, and then panic that I won't be able to get to the mall or a MAC store in time and they'll all be sold out already (seriously, you'd be surprised how fast they go!)  I especially love their holiday palettes and that's what Passions of Red is all about.  Palettes, palettes, and more palettes!  Here are the details on all the limited edition goodness :

Lip Palettes ($22.50):

• Devoted Poppy: 3 Coral Lips - This compact is made of red-orange snakeskin-embossed metal with a lavish faux jewel. The two lipsticks in it are Devoted and Soft Talk; the gloss is Transparent Love. The compact also includes a black-handled 316 SE Lip Brush.
• Fascinating Ruby: 3 Plum Lips - This compact is made of ruby snakeskin-embossed metal with a lavish faux jewel. The two lipsticks in it are Marvel and Insinuate, and the Lipglass is Mutual Attraction. It also comes with a black-handled 316 SE Lip Brush.
• Intriguing Scarlet: 3 Cool Pink Lips - This compact is made of red snakeskin-embossed metal with a lavish faux jewel. The two lipsticks in it are Make Me Melt and Overjoyed, and it also has a Lipglass in Sheer Vision. It also comes with a black-handled 316 SE Lip Brush.

Eye Palettes ($38):

• Devoted Poppy: 6 Classic Eyes - An Orange-red aluminum compact with an embossed snakeskin pattern.  Coated in a glossy resin.  Finished with a faux jewel.   It comes with a 213SE Brush with black handle and ferrule. The shadows include: Young Thing (light creamy peach), In Awe (intense black with gold pearl), Fall Deeply (frosty bright blue with white pearl), Amourously (frosty antique gold), Sweet Eyes (shimmery muted golden beige) and Awaken (frosty light green with golden pearl ).
• Intriguing Scarlet: 6 Warm Eyes Red - A red aluminum compact with an embossed snakeskin pattern.  Coated in a glossy resin.  Finished with a faux jewel.  It comes with a 213SE Brush with black handle and ferrule.  The shadows include:  Warm Suede (frosty antiqued golden olive), Grand Entrance (dirty deep green with green pearl), Real Drama (dirty burgundy with red pearl), Gentle Heat (light muted grey taupe), Well Spiced (frosted warm peachy brown) and Sweet Joy (frosted creamy pale gold)
• Infatuating Rose: 6 Cool Eyes - A purple-red aluminum compact with an embossed snakeskin pattern.  Coated in a glossy resin.  Finished with a faux jewel.  It comes with a 213SE Brush with black handle and ferrule.  The shadows include:  Platonic (frosty greyed perwinkle), Cavort (cool dirty lavender orchid), Satisfy (lightly shimmery pale ballet pink), Bonfete (frosty neutral mid-tone pink), Deep Feelings (dirty deep violet indigo) and Feast (frosty pink plum).
• Fascinating Ruby: 6 Smoky Eyes - A burgundy-red aluminum compact with an embossed snakeskin pattern.  Coated in a glossy resin.  Finished with a faux jewel.  It comes with a 213SE Brush with black handle and ferrule. The shadows include:  Scant (creamy white with pink pearl), Satin Taupe (taupe brown with silvery bronze shimmer), Dark Devotion (black brown), Gorgeous (light silver with white pearl), Ambience (cool mid-tone grey with silver sparkle, and Carbon (intense black).

I mean, it goes without saying that I could easily buy them all, but I'm really coveting the Fascinating Ruby palette based on the pictures I've seen.  I've been all about the smoky eye lately and the colors look gorgeous.  Plus, how gorgeous are the compacts?  I usually hate people who put makeup on at dinner, but they practically beg to be taken out of your purse and shown off at inappropriate moments.

Photos courtesy of MAC Cosmetics

More Holiday Goodness

It's really kind of crazy how early all the holiday stuff starts now.  We're still two weeks away from Halloween and I feel like I'm already thinking about Christmas.  And as much as I like Christmas, I'm just not quite ready to think about braving the malls and traveling back to the east coast and finding the perfect gift for every person on my list, etc...  What I am ready for is all the recent holiday makeup collections.  And I know I keep saying that about all of them, but seriously, the new Bobbi Brown palettes are amazing.  I might've squealed a little when I opened them.  That's the nice thing about being a Product Whore - no matter how much makeup I have, new stuff still always makes me happy.  Here are the three palettes I've played around with so far...

The Velvet Plum Eye Palette ($45) is a chic little case that houses four shadows, Bone, Naked, Velvet Plum Metallic Eye Shadow, and Espresso.  Velvet Plum is my favorite shade in the bunch - it's a gorgeous, shimmering purple/brown that's guaranteed to make your eyes stand out.  You can use the palette to create both daytime and nighttime looks.  As Bobbi suggests, "For day, try Bone Eye Shadow from lashline to browbone, Naked Eye Shadow on the lower lid and Espresso Eye Shadow along the lashline. To glam it up for evening, simply dust Velvet Plum Metallic Eye Shadow on lower lids."  I'm heading back to NJ in a few weeks and this palette is definitely going to be tucked into my carry on.  (No way am I putting it in my luggage and taking the risk of a makeup thief making off with it!)

The Night Sky Long-Wear Eye Palette ($55) is a little different from most of the other Bobbi palettes I have.  It's a limited edition with two Long-Wear Cream Shadows (Rockstar and Ocean Storm) and two Long-Wear Gel Eyeliners (Black Ink and Thunder Storm).  The colors are beautiful and last forever (they really live up to the Long-Wear promise), and I love the convenience of having both shadows and liners in one package.  And each of the shades comes with its own little cover, which I really like because it means less chance of me accidentally ruining one of them when I inevitably trip or otherwise manhandle the palette.  (I'm a total klutz - no makeup is safe around me...)  I'll use this to make a blue smoky eye with silver accents when I'm heading out on the weekends. 

The limited edition Lip and Eye Palette ($60) is the palette you'll want to throw in your bag when you're running around from holiday party to holiday party.  With four Metallic Eye Shadows (Champage Quartz, Gold Dust, Golden Bronze and Galazy) and four Creamy Lip Colors (Berry Mauve, Pink Sequin, Dusty Mauve, and Ruby), you'll be set for the whole night.  The Metallic shadows practically scream, "Kiss me under the mistletoe!"  The double-decker palette will slip easily into even the smallest holiday clutch.  Add a gorgeous dress and a pair of 5 inch heels and even your office holiday party will seem exciting.

To check out Bobbi Brown's entire holiday collection, go to bobbibrowncosmetics.com.  (I dare you to resist the Tube Tints Set.  Dare you!)

Photo courtesy of Bobbi Brown

NARS Holiday Collection

As much as I love the summer makeup collections, I think the holiday ones are still my favorite.  They're just festive and sparkly and gorgeous.  NARS' Holiday 2008 Collection is definitely all of those things.  The collection is available starting today at NARScosmetics.com.  (I haven't seen any of them in person yet, but how ridiculously much do I want all three of the shadows?  A lot.  A whole, whole lot.  If only I didn't have a job, I could be at Sephora right now.  Right now, people!  For the millionth time, why am I not independently wealthy?)

Here's a complete listing of all the items in the collection and how NARS describes them:

Holiday Gifts!

I seriously cannot believe that it's already Holiday Gift Set time.  Where did the year go?  I'm torn between thinking I should've accomplished WAY more than I have and being slightly giddy because it's almost the holidays and the holidays mean presents!  If you have a makeup junkie to buy for, bareMinerals has tons of great sets this year.  I'm seriously loving the two above. 

The Ruby Collection is a limited edition kit that's infused with authentic ruby powder (it's meant to inspire passion and beauty in whoever wears it!)  At $54, it's a great bargain - you get 6 colors, 2 brushes and an adorable little faux-crocodile clutch in Ruby to store it all in.  The Eyecolors include Golden Ruby (a peach gold) and Vintage Ruby (a rose-tinted fawn), the Liner Shadow comes in Wild Ruby (a plum chocolate), and you also get bareMinerals' famous Mineral Veil and their Ruby Radiance powder.  The brushes that are included with this set are the Soft Sweep Cheek Brush and the Double-Ended Tapered Shadow & Eyeliner Brush (a great addition to my brush repertoire!)  I think my favorite item in the collection though is the Ruby Buxom Full Color Lip Polish.  It's a shimmering mauve and looks gorgeous on, plus it acts like a lip plumper, so you get bigger lips AND great color.  (Can you tell I'm kinda obsessing over the Lip Polishes right now?)

The Topaz Collection is another great set that would make a perfect gift.  Topaz is known for its natural beauty and is believed to enhance well-being (and who couldn't use THAT around the holidays?)  For $59, you'll get enough colors to play around and create different looks with, all perfect for the many holiday-themed parties you're sure to be rushing off to.  The kit contains: Topaz Eyecolors in Luminous Topaz (a vanilla champagne), Smoky Topaz (a mint chocolate hue - my favorite ice cream AND my favorite product in the collection), Liner Shadow in Lush Topaz (a smoky forest green), Rosy Topaz blush (a dusk rose), Mineral Veil, and a Full Color Lip Polish in Tempest Buxom (a wine rose).  You'll also get the Tapered Crease Defining Eye Brush, the Precision Liner Brush, and the Soft Focus Face Brush.  (I love that the bareMinerals kits come with brushes - it's the makeup item I least like spending money on and I always get a lot of use out of theirs).

The Ruby Collection is available now exclusively at Sephora stores and Sephora.com.  You can find the Topaz Collection exclusively at Ulta and Ulta.com.   

Photos courtesy of Sephora and Ulta