What Women Want
February 16th, 2007
According to Women’s Wear Daily, Avon is teaming up with designer Cynthia Rowley to create a limited-edition color cosmetics line called Cynthia Rowley for Avon Fall 2007 Color Collection.
This collection will include a finishing powder, all-over face powder, blush stick, eye shadow quad, lipstick, lip gloss, nail polish and brush set with a clutch.
Cynthia Rowley for Avon Fall 2007 Color Collection will be available for two months beginning in September.
February 14th, 2007
Better late than never, right?
Autumn/Winter 2007 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is over, but thanks to MAC Cosmetics and photos from Style.com, here is the fourth and final (also? totally late!) installment of runway beauty trends.
Badgley Mischka:
This season marks the first ready-to-wear collection for the Boys of Bling. And the duo proved that they were just as masterful with suiting as they are with sequins. Because they were showing both groupings, makeup artist Tom Pecheux created a neutral daytime face that easily transitions into evening. “There’s nothing aggressive about this look,” he said. “It’s soft and elegant.” Pecheux started with matte skin on the pale side. No contour. No blush. He defined the brows, but didn’t go overboard. Next, he worked with nudes and shapers in hues of ivory, dark brown, taupe and tobacco to smoke out the eyes. He finished them with MAC Loud Lash Mascara in Noisy Black and white pencil on the inner rim. Lips stayed rather nude with a swipe of High Tea Lipstick. The finishing touches: black liquid liner and hair swept casually into a soft, looped bun. “It’s very classic. Very Audrey Hepburn,” Pecheux said.
Zac Posen:
“This season, I balanced femininity with structure,” said Zac Posen, “This collection is for a woman who’s real and who’s smart. She’s an eyebrow!” Charlotte Tilbury got the message. She created groomed arches filled in with MAC Lingering Eye Brows eye pencil. The eyes she kept neutral, applying Taupe Eye Shadow all around, curling lashes and coating them with Zoom Lash in Zoomblack. Lips were a bigger focus. Tilbury layered three hues: Laid Back Blushcreme, Ruby Woo Lipstick and Media Lipstick to effect a berry stain, which she also patted into cheeks. A swipe of Matte Bronze Bronzing Powder across the cheeks and then models were ready to jump into the Baltic ballgowns. “They look healthy,” Posen said, “I’m not interested in women looking like droids.”
Y & Kei:
For Max Delorme, the Y & Kei woman this season is “not cute.” But the French makeup artist did not mean anything negative by his comment. Au contraire. To counterbalance the tight ponytails and geometric collection at Y & Kei, he designed a face that was “dreamy but strong, not cute.” “The most important thing is the skin,” Delorme continued, “It needs to be somewhat matte, but also satiny and transparent.” To achieve these qualities, he took his time working in a dot of liquid foundation and melting it into the skin with the heat of his fingers. That was the hard part. The rest, as he put it, was “kid stuff.” With a large brush, Delorme swirled together three shades of Powder Blush- Harmony, Deep Plum and Dame- which he swept liberally across the mouth before concentrating it on the inner and outer corners of the eyes. He accented the outer corners of the eyes next with a black pencil. Finally, Delorme swiped a bit of black and gold powder on the center of the mouth before adding gloss to give the lips a sense of dimension and volume. “That’s it. It is just a soft wash of makeup,” he said. Definitely not cute.
Anne Klein:
Echoing the “couture haberdashery” in soft wood, blonde and camel tones that Isabel Toledo turned out for Anne Klein, makeup artist James Kaliardos went for “an exaggerated version of no-makeup makeup” by using beige tones to accentuate the natural architecture of the face. “It’s a neutral face,” he said, “but it’s a built face. It’s graphic, but minimal.” Kaliardos started with a base of foundation and then “carved out” the eye socket by brushing on Taupe Eye Shadow all around the eyes. Next, he lightly traced top lash lines with Fluidline in Blacktrack and applied Zoom Lash Mascara. A dash of Brow Set on arches, a touch of Medium Dark Blot Powder/Pressed on cheekbones, and a dab of Uncommon Blushcreme on the lips and models were good to go.
Daryl K:
At Daryl K, MAC makeup artist Bianca Alexander was channeling Bond girls. “She has to be ultra sexy, but not overly done-up. The Daryl K woman doesn’t try too hard.” To give eyes that downtown edge, Alexander lined the underside with Taupe Eye Pencil and Patina Eye Shadow. She dabbed Copper Sparkle Pigment on the lids and then also glossed them with Clear Lipglass. Strobe Cream, a sheer, iridescent moisturizer, was dabbed on to bring out cheekbones, and then this little rock chick was ready to roll.
Costello Tagliapietra:
Makeup artist Polly Osmond was in a Roxy Music mode. “There was a lot of deep metallic green in the clothes, and I started to think about a modern-day Jerry Hall type,” she said, “a glamorous girl who could grace Bryan Ferry’s albums today.” Again, eyes were the focus here. Osmond began by working Sumptuous Olive eye Shadow into the lids, highlighting the brow bones with Nylon Eye Shadow and working that into the inner corners. Next, she blended Deep Blue Green Pigment, a darker hue, into the center of the lids. She traced Smolder Eye Kohl along top lash lines and then blended Green Smoke Eye Shadow along the bottom. The rest of the face remained quite matte, but lips did get a boost of color. Osmond chose a shell-pink lipstick, which she layered with a peachy gloss for a mouthwatering effect.
February 13th, 2007
If this isn’t the Queen Bee of all palettes, then we don’t know what is.
Bobbi Brown Exclusive Face Palette for the pros is making us feel faint.
Not that we would ever use all of these Correctors, Creamy Concealers and Foundation Sticks, but this palette would sure make for a fun slumber party, no?
February 12th, 2007
Achieving a natural, flawless complexion regardless of age or ethnicity is BECCA’s philosophy. “It’s really about skin looking amazing,” says BECCA founder Rebecca Morrice Williams, “everything else is secondary.”
Next month, we’ll see the latest collection from the cosmetic industry’s darling called Go Nude. This collection is the ultimate in barely-there nudes and soft, romantic hues to transform you into a more perfect version of your natural self.
Here’s what we have to look forward to:
Soft Touch Blush in Wisp, a soft peach/pink wash with a hint of gold shimmer, gives cheeks a celestial-like glow with its semi-matte formula and sheer, silky texture.
Lip & Cheek Creme in Blossom, a soft caramel nude color created to suit any complexion and can be applied over or under other makeup for an effortless finish. Conveniently packaged with a travel-friendly mirror for tinting lips and cheeks on the go, this richly pigmented creme formulations is the ultimate multi-tasker.
Glossy Lip Tint in Bellini, a subtle nude peach/pink, is perfect for a hint of barely-there color. This long lasting translucent gloss delivers a radiant shine without being sticky. (Yay!) Can be worn over lipstick or alone for a subtle tint of color.
Eye Tint in Baroque, a rich fleshy beige color, is an eye creme with a unique formulation that glides on as a creme and sets to a powder. Eye Tint glides on effortlessly for highly pigmented color and is long lasting, water-resistant and crease-resistant.
Nude Liner Pencil in Nougat, a light skin toned beige color on one end and a darker lip toned shade on the other, is a convenient dual-ended pencil used to plump and define lips. With an ultra-soft formulation, the slim pencil is easy to use and creates a natural, timeless look.
Come March, this gorgeous collection will be gracing your local BECCA counter.
Will you be going nude?
February 11th, 2007
After reading the article on Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare in the February issue of Vogue a few weeks ago, we immediately logged on to her website and ordered a variety of producs filled with unusually high concentrations of antioxidants and botanicals.
We were especially interested in Superbalm Concentrate (which our friend and fellow beauty blogger Blogdorf Goodman talks about here) because according to Liz Earle, after using this intense overnight nourisher “you wake up looking about twelve.”
Um. Pinky promise, Liz?
When we received our box from the UK last week we were so impressed with the careful wrapping of each individual item, the personalized letter from the customer care manager asking us to call her with any questions or feedback, and the packing slip signed by ‘Sue’ telling us that she carefully packed our items in biodegradable chips and she hopes they arrived safely and in perfect condition, that we seriously wanted to place another order immediately, before even trying any of the products.
Every company (beauty or otherwise) should look to Liz Earle and her team for their impeccable customer service standards.
After using Liz Earle products for the past week, we are surprised to find that it’s not the Superbalm Concentrate that makes us weak in the knees (not that Superbalm Concentrate isn’t incredibly fab because it totally is) but the Instant Boost Skin Tonic, a soothing, reviving, floral-scented tonic that instantly moisturizes with nourishing botanicals. Misted onto our skin after cleansing but before moisturizing gives us a fine layer of hydration that’s ’sealed in’ by moisturizer.
Instant Boost Skin Tonic is particularly beneficial to help calm sensitive skin with ingredients including organic aloe vera juice, anti-inflammatory calendula, calming cucumber extract, balancing geranium, uplifting rosewood essential oil and natural vitamin E.
We’ve also been using Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser which is making our skin squeaky clean with the help of the super thin muslin cloths that exfoliate while washing away makeup and impurities.
We haven’t been consistent with the Superbalm Concentrate this past week because we’re loving the New Shiseido Skincare Night Moisture Recharge, but we’ll be back soon with a thorough review of the best-selling Liz Earle product.
February 9th, 2007
Women’s Wear Daily announced today that come May, we’ll see a Guerlain limited edition color cosmetics collection from the Emilio Pucci fashion house.
The collection will feature an Eye Set in a zip-up case inspired by a scarf Pucci created specifically for the project that contains a four-color eye shadow palette and a “kohl & eyeliner” mascara.
Also in this collection is Meteorites (shown below) a Guerlain signature product.
“This collection was produced in limited quantities to make it the ‘It color collection’ of the summer season,” said Pamela Baxter, president and ceo of LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics, North America.
Gah! This means we’ll never see a speck of meteorite dust from this collection.
We may as well get used to it, as there is no end in sight to these ‘limited edition’ collections popping up everywhere.
February 9th, 2007
One thing we are not guilty of is under-moisturizing our feet. We must have six different butters, creams and lotions specific to the needs of the feet in our nightstand and we use them all on a regular basis.
No amount of moisturizing, however, can make up for a good sloughing of the heels. We’ve been faithful to our Tweezerman Pedro Callus Stone which has kept our feet soft and smooth between pedicures since we discovered it five years ago, but when we saw this Artemis Woman Heel Smoother we couldn’t resist giving it a try.
This handy little device is waterproof, so you can use it in the shower, and comes with two attachments (one for heels and a smaller, pointy one for around the toes.)
While the battery-operated smoothing stone spins at two levels, we found the ‘High’ setting to be less powerful than we expected, even slowing to a near stop when pushed too hard against our skin.
Overall this seems to be a handy tool (it is the first product of its kind to be selected to wear the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance), we just wish the smoothing stone were larger so we could cover more area in less time.
February 8th, 2007
Thanks to MAC Cosmetics and photos from Style.com, here is part three of beauty trends straight from Autumn/Winter 2007 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.
Michael Kors:
“With Michael, bronzer is a given,” said makeup artist Dick Page as he dusted MAC Bronzing Powder in Golden on models in ladylike dresses and long blond extensions, courtesy of hair wizard Orlando Pita. “Michael’s been growing this woman in a test tube for years,” Page continued. “He has a pretty good idea of who she is.” And while Kors’ muse has always been a jet-setter, there was an added twist to her story this season: “She’s the love child of Donatella Versace and Bill Blass!” Page revealed. “I’m not kidding! That’s what Michael said! That’s why I’m adding smoky eyes.” Expertly blending two new dark shadows- a silvery taupe and a black embedded with flecks of gold, he created an elegant “gunmetal” effect on the lids. A stroke of Smolder Eye Kohl along the top lash lines coupled with some false lashes and… Voila! Donatella Blass was born.
Richard Chai:
James Kaliardos is feeling blue… Yves Klem blue, that is. “I’m stamping Mineralize Skinfinish Natural on the corners of the eyes with a sponge wedge but not blending it in, so it’s a bit Impressionistic, raw and innocent.” To balance Chai’s delicate collection, the makeup artist defined the rest of the face with neutral tones. Top fashion photographers, not painters, were his inspiration here: “I used a spicy brown color on the cheeks and all around the eyes to make it a smoky Peter Lindberg eye,” Kaliardos said. “Then I applied a little gloss under a beige lip tint so that the mouth wouldn’t look too dead. Richard Avedon taught me that!”
Tse:
“I’m going for a cold look,” said makeup artist Aaron De Mey backstage at Tse. The effect was less corpse bride and more ethereal, ghostly beauty (think Cate Blanchett in ‘Lord of the Rings’). The key: Luminous skin achieved by stippling on the most minute amount of concealer in a “seamless” fashion. “This face is hyper-natural, not shiny, not matte,” he said. To further reduce the temperature, De Mey toned down the lips two shades with Soothing Beige Tinted Lip Conditioner SPF 15. Finally, he glazed the eyes with Lusterglass in Lusterwhite. The result was so cool that it’s a good thing those boys and girls were modeling sweaters!
Malandrino:
Catherine Malandrino is obsessed with Zizi Jean Maire. Zizi who? “She’s a Sixties singer who embodied everything chic and masculine,” said the designer, who paired chunky cashmere sweaters with tailored pieces and sprinkled touches of feathers, mirrors and crystals throughout her magenta-dominant collection. “There’s a sense of humor to everything,” she said. Judging by the black bob-style wigs and the wig-like black felt chapeaus worn by all the models, it’s true. Makeup artist Diane Kendal took the cue, going for doll-like appeal. She defined the brows, blended soft gray shadow into the crease of the eye and created flushed cheeks with the softest hint of MAC Pink Shock Cream Colour Base. Malandrino summed it all up: “This girl has an edge, but not a hard edge.”
February 7th, 2007
Thanks to Lancôme and photos from Style.com, here is a recap of beauty trends straight from Gucci Westman Neville backstage at Autumn/Winter 2007 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.
Rag & Bone:
Backstage at Rag & Bone the look was “‘My Fair Lady’ meets street urchin with a little biker chic thrown in,” said Lancôme’s artistic director, Gucci Westman Neville. “I balanced a wet, almost greasy eye with a matte, fresh, angelic face and lip.”
For this look Gucci used Lancôme Color Design Lipstick in Enigma (new for Fall 2007), Lancôme Magique Blush in Pink Softness, and Lancôme Color Design Eyeshadow in Backstage Pass and Pose.
Thakoon:
In keeping with Thakoon’s wishes for an eye with a feathery line and floaty feel, Gucci used pink and brown shades from Destiny Cube, a new shadow palette from her fall collection. In addition, she used Lancôme Color Design Artist Palette in Stylish Neutrals, and Lancôme Magique Blush in Pink Parfait (a Makeup Bag favorite!)
Behnaz Sarafpour:
The focus was on the eyes at Behnaz Sarafpour Fall 2007 runway presentation. For eye drama that picked up the color of each model’s eyes and the textures of the collection, Gucci used Lancôme Color Design Eyeshadow in Ciel du Soir and Style Section. The rest of the face was simple with a beautiful complexion, healthy cheeks (again Lancôme Magique Blush in Pink Parfait) and almost nude lips (Lancôme Color Design Lipstick in Pale Lip mixed with All Done Up).
February 7th, 2007
Are you on the waiting list for spring’s hottest new lip color?
The chicest lips this spring will be sporting Lancome Le Rouge Absolu in Proenza Pink, a milky pink shade inspired by the one seen on all the models at the Proenza Schouler Spring 2007 runway presentation last fall.
Proenza Pink will be available in limited quantities this March at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Lancome’s four US boutiques and lancome-usa.com.
Call now and get on the list!
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