As much as I love a nice lipstick a beautiful compact is its essential companion. After all, how can you apply your lip color without a mirror? Doable with sheer shades but as soon as you go for a more pigmented formula you have to see what you're doing otherwise you'll end up looking like my aunt Marie-Louise! A lovely woman bless her heart but, sometimes, her bright red lipstick ended up just below her nose. Not very elegant!
With Christmas just around the corner some of us are struggling with the lack of gift ideas and this is not because there are not enough "gift suggestion lists" out there. They are in fact everywhere at this time of year. Kitchen gadgets for the foodie, "At Home Pedicure Kit" for the beauty geek, teapot or salt & pepper shaker for the collector, hmmm! Been there done that maybe?
A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous. - Coco Chanel
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Avène Redness-relief Dermo-cleansing milk / Review
This is my favorite Winter/cold weather cleanser. Creamy without being greasy it removes everything and is even gentle enough to use on the eye area.
I started to use it last year when I realised that even the gentlest foam was slightly drying my skin, my cheeks especially. I have combination skin, meaning in winter my t-zone tends to be on the normal side and the rest of my face and neck who are usually normal, get dryer.
I started to use it last year when I realised that even the gentlest foam was slightly drying my skin, my cheeks especially. I have combination skin, meaning in winter my t-zone tends to be on the normal side and the rest of my face and neck who are usually normal, get dryer.
Illamasqua's Christmas 2012
I must admit that I was stunned when I saw this image on British Beauty Blogger this morning and can understand the reactions.
The black and white idea is very interesting and in all honesty stunning but I believe, had they simply chosen a different color lipstick for the "Black" model the reaction just might have been quite different. The light lip shade is what I think makes the reference more obvious. There's the idea of color "on skin" not "of skin" but like it was written on British Beauty Blogger, they could have gone with any other color for this campaign.
Had they chosen the same beautiful red lip color for both models, the link and the contrast would have been even more obvious in my opinion, without being so reminiscent of images many would rather want to forget.
If some are offended I totally understand why. Like I said, I was stunned when I first saw the image. Still, the more I look at this Illamasqua ad and the more I appreciate and admire the artistry behind the makeup. After all it is, just a makeup.
Here is what Illamasqua had to say on their facebook page:
Our statement on the recent #ImDreamingOf campaign. Illamasqua is an independent British colour cosmetics brand founded on the principles of fairness, self-expression and delivering customers professional quality make-up. We embrace the div
ersity of humanity and feature people of all colours, ages and genders in our campaigns.
Today, illamasqua has received some negative attention on our Australian Facebook page in regard to one particular image from our Christmas 2012 campaign launched earlier this month. It features a model theatrically painted white juxtaposed to the same model painted black. The model painted black has been interpreted by some as "black face". This was certainly not our intention nor inspiration.
Given that our objective with this imagery was to be playful, striking and fresh with the creation of mirror images in white and black, using colour ON the skin it is very saddening that those making negative comments are focusing on colour OF the skin. The colour of the skin didn't come into it at the time we created the imagery so we are shocked by the cynicism behind some of the comments.
The Huffington Post wrote about our campaign yesterday and a lot of the comments were very positive...
"Super dark girls look great... As such if a woman who knows this wants to achieve that sort of look, it's cool ... She can wear darkening make-up... It's her body (as the feminists love to say) ... I say, go for it!"
"Oh come on, this isn't racist. I'm a black woman saying this. It's obvious this is art. There's more than enough real racism in this country to deal with without attacking legitimate art"
We have already issued the following statement on our Australian Facebook page:
"We thank and acknowledge your comments regarding the Christmas imagery. Obviously it was never our intention to cause offence; Illamasqua has always celebrated the right to self-expression and we continually push creative and artistic boundaries, priding ourselves on working with models of many ethnic backgrounds to reinforce this point. We emphasise that this campaign is about colour ON the skin not colour OF the skin, depicting polarity between the two images (both images are the same model) not race."
Today, illamasqua has received some negative attention on our Australian Facebook page in regard to one particular image from our Christmas 2012 campaign launched earlier this month. It features a model theatrically painted white juxtaposed to the same model painted black. The model painted black has been interpreted by some as "black face". This was certainly not our intention nor inspiration.
Given that our objective with this imagery was to be playful, striking and fresh with the creation of mirror images in white and black, using colour ON the skin it is very saddening that those making negative comments are focusing on colour OF the skin. The colour of the skin didn't come into it at the time we created the imagery so we are shocked by the cynicism behind some of the comments.
The Huffington Post wrote about our campaign yesterday and a lot of the comments were very positive...
"Super dark girls look great... As such if a woman who knows this wants to achieve that sort of look, it's cool ... She can wear darkening make-up... It's her body (as the feminists love to say) ... I say, go for it!"
"Oh come on, this isn't racist. I'm a black woman saying this. It's obvious this is art. There's more than enough real racism in this country to deal with without attacking legitimate art"
We have already issued the following statement on our Australian Facebook page:
"We thank and acknowledge your comments regarding the Christmas imagery. Obviously it was never our intention to cause offence; Illamasqua has always celebrated the right to self-expression and we continually push creative and artistic boundaries, priding ourselves on working with models of many ethnic backgrounds to reinforce this point. We emphasise that this campaign is about colour ON the skin not colour OF the skin, depicting polarity between the two images (both images are the same model) not race."
Monday, November 26, 2012
EOS the "In" lip balm of the moment / Review
It would seem that last week I became a "cool mom" without knowing! I purchased an eos lip balm for my daughter and apparently almost all the girls have one. Now that's a lot, considering that she goes to an all girls school.
Evolution of Smooth is what "eos" stands for. This brand which is new to me, makes lip balms, hand lotions, body lotions and shaving creams. Their lip products are the most known probably because of the egg shaped container. Made of a rubber like durable plastic with a twist-off top, it's easy to hold and easy to find if it falls on the floor. This is a good thing considering all the lip balms my daughter has lost over the years.
The one I got for her is the honeysuckle/honeydew flavor in the light green container. I picked it up for $2.99 (on special) at my local drugstore. In fact, most brands of lip balms are on special at the moment which is not surprising considering the weather is getting colder. Gotta love Canada!
It smells amazing!
Does it moisturize? Apparently not that much. Since last Thursday when I gave it to her, it's almost always in her hand and she keeps reapplying it. It seems that the taste as well as the moisture don't last very long.
Does she care about this? I think not. She loves the container and since she's one of only a few who has the green one she thinks it's pretty cool. She has more than a few lip balms. Caudalie, Avène, Nuxe, Kariderm, a ton of Avon's as well as almost all the Nivea's available. She doesn't care about those, this little egg is it..... for the moment at least.
If you want to be cool too and have a Costco membership, they have a set of 4 for under $10.00 at the moment. I plan to get her one next time I go. Since I took her to see Twilight's last installment, Breaking Dawn Part 2 yesterday, it may at least give me even more "extra cool" points!
Reviews:
MakeupAlley, 3.5 / 5 lippies for 316 reviews
Beauté-test, there are no reviews yet for this product.
Ingredients from eos
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax (Cire D'abeille)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Cucumis Melo (Honeydew Melon) Seed Extract*, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract*, Limonene, Linalool. * Organic. Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth.
Evolution of Smooth is what "eos" stands for. This brand which is new to me, makes lip balms, hand lotions, body lotions and shaving creams. Their lip products are the most known probably because of the egg shaped container. Made of a rubber like durable plastic with a twist-off top, it's easy to hold and easy to find if it falls on the floor. This is a good thing considering all the lip balms my daughter has lost over the years.
It smells amazing!
Does it moisturize? Apparently not that much. Since last Thursday when I gave it to her, it's almost always in her hand and she keeps reapplying it. It seems that the taste as well as the moisture don't last very long.
Does she care about this? I think not. She loves the container and since she's one of only a few who has the green one she thinks it's pretty cool. She has more than a few lip balms. Caudalie, Avène, Nuxe, Kariderm, a ton of Avon's as well as almost all the Nivea's available. She doesn't care about those, this little egg is it..... for the moment at least.
If you want to be cool too and have a Costco membership, they have a set of 4 for under $10.00 at the moment. I plan to get her one next time I go. Since I took her to see Twilight's last installment, Breaking Dawn Part 2 yesterday, it may at least give me even more "extra cool" points!
Reviews:
MakeupAlley, 3.5 / 5 lippies for 316 reviews
Beauté-test, there are no reviews yet for this product.
Ingredients from eos
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax (Cire D'abeille)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Cucumis Melo (Honeydew Melon) Seed Extract*, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract*, Limonene, Linalool. * Organic. Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
My favorite blogs / Part 1
If you're wondering what I'm reading, here goes.
For the past few months I've been following and appreciating several beauty blogs. They are a great source of information as well as inspiration.
Gingerrama's The Praise of Folly
My friend Gingy is the first I started to follow. Based in Vancouver, her writings are quite unique and often very entertaining. Green she is (which goes well with her red hair) as well as opinionated. When she selects a subject, she does a grand educated tour of it. Oh and she looooves chocolate! My kind of girl!
Beauty Reflections
Tracy is a self proclaimed blush addicted Canadian Girl. Great posts, often about products I've totally forgotten about. For instance she often visits Avon products and recently wrote about Yves Rocher. I just can't remember when was the last time I went in one of their boutiques. These past few days she lent her platform to friends which I found quite fun, One wrote about skin care and the other about hair. Oh and recently on a post about Korres mascara, showed how it looked on her and I am now totally jealous of her super extra long lashes. In a good way, I swear!
Beautiful With Brains
Lovely Gio! Ingredient savvy, well researched historical posts and great books recommendations. Her Sunday Random Ramblings are always smart and fun!
Chic Profile
Tavia's posts are always well presented and informative. What's fun is that she can go from a $2.00 Essence nail polish to Armani colors in the same week. Chic but not snob!
MakeUp4All
Beautiful and smart, Marina. Following the trends, she too will go from drugstore lipsticks right into luxury fragrances.
Musings of a Muse
A lovely beauty junkie living in New York. She must be tired these days for she has written so many posts in recent weeks, her fingers must be numb!
For the past few months I've been following and appreciating several beauty blogs. They are a great source of information as well as inspiration.
Gingerrama's The Praise of Folly
My friend Gingy is the first I started to follow. Based in Vancouver, her writings are quite unique and often very entertaining. Green she is (which goes well with her red hair) as well as opinionated. When she selects a subject, she does a grand educated tour of it. Oh and she looooves chocolate! My kind of girl!
Tracy is a self proclaimed blush addicted Canadian Girl. Great posts, often about products I've totally forgotten about. For instance she often visits Avon products and recently wrote about Yves Rocher. I just can't remember when was the last time I went in one of their boutiques. These past few days she lent her platform to friends which I found quite fun, One wrote about skin care and the other about hair. Oh and recently on a post about Korres mascara, showed how it looked on her and I am now totally jealous of her super extra long lashes. In a good way, I swear!
Lovely Gio! Ingredient savvy, well researched historical posts and great books recommendations. Her Sunday Random Ramblings are always smart and fun!
Tavia's posts are always well presented and informative. What's fun is that she can go from a $2.00 Essence nail polish to Armani colors in the same week. Chic but not snob!
Beautiful and smart, Marina. Following the trends, she too will go from drugstore lipsticks right into luxury fragrances.
A lovely beauty junkie living in New York. She must be tired these days for she has written so many posts in recent weeks, her fingers must be numb!
RoC Energizing Cleansing Mousse / Review
This is a very nice, gentle, non stripping cleanser. Formulated to lower risks of allergies, even if it's very mild it still contains a light fragrance which could be an issue for some.
How to use?
Although RoC recommends to use it on damp skin, I personally find that using it on dry skin first worked better. Using it on damp/wet skin somehow makes the foam dissolve too fast. Two pumps, spread gently on skin and then wet your fingers to increase the amount of lather. Massage gently on face and neck, rinse and your done. So gentle I could even extend the lather to my eye area without any irritation.
If you wear heavy makeup, sunscreen and water proof mascara/eye liner, you will probably need another cleanser to make sure your skin is perfectly clean. For this you could consider a micellar cleanser that can be used like a toner. Quick and effective, RoC makes a good one for which you can read my review here.
Reviews:
Now this is surprising, I don't understand why there are so few reviews of this cleanser. I used it last year so it's not what I would consider a new product. The price, around $18.00 is more than reasonable so could it be that RoC is loosing it's popularity? Too much competition? There are so many good options out there, but RoC's Energizing Cleansing Mousse should definitely be considered as one of them.
MakeupAlley, 5 / 5 stars for 2 reviews
Beauté-test, 4 / 5 stars for 17 reviews
Ingredients from Well.ca:
INCI formula: Water, glycerin, polysorbate 20, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium lauroamphoacetate, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium, magnesium aspartate, zinc gluconate, copper glucconate, lauroamphodiacetate disodium, xanthan gum, Lauric acid, lauryl hydroxyethyl imadazoline, disodium EDTA, citric acid, sodium glycol, sodium benzoate, phenoxyethanol, fragrance.
How to use?
Although RoC recommends to use it on damp skin, I personally find that using it on dry skin first worked better. Using it on damp/wet skin somehow makes the foam dissolve too fast. Two pumps, spread gently on skin and then wet your fingers to increase the amount of lather. Massage gently on face and neck, rinse and your done. So gentle I could even extend the lather to my eye area without any irritation.If you wear heavy makeup, sunscreen and water proof mascara/eye liner, you will probably need another cleanser to make sure your skin is perfectly clean. For this you could consider a micellar cleanser that can be used like a toner. Quick and effective, RoC makes a good one for which you can read my review here.
Reviews:
Now this is surprising, I don't understand why there are so few reviews of this cleanser. I used it last year so it's not what I would consider a new product. The price, around $18.00 is more than reasonable so could it be that RoC is loosing it's popularity? Too much competition? There are so many good options out there, but RoC's Energizing Cleansing Mousse should definitely be considered as one of them.
MakeupAlley, 5 / 5 stars for 2 reviews
Beauté-test, 4 / 5 stars for 17 reviews
Ingredients from Well.ca:
INCI formula: Water, glycerin, polysorbate 20, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium lauroamphoacetate, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium, magnesium aspartate, zinc gluconate, copper glucconate, lauroamphodiacetate disodium, xanthan gum, Lauric acid, lauryl hydroxyethyl imadazoline, disodium EDTA, citric acid, sodium glycol, sodium benzoate, phenoxyethanol, fragrance.
Best to stay quiet?
It's no secret that I'm new to the blogging world. In fact, this blog is not even a year old and not only that but I've only really gotten into it this past July. Twitter and facebook, I'm still trying to figure those out. Instagram is the newest "gadget" and so far I haven't figured out how to put the "button" on my site. Technologically challenged you think? Absolutely, but I'm learning and even if sometimes the "tech" side brings a little frustration here and there, I'm enjoying it a lot.
Everyday there's something new and this is what makes the whole process fun. So many blogs, so little time! In fact there are only about ten that I do follow, that I've subscribed to. More would prevent me from writing my own posts.
What do these blogs have in common? Great information, beautiful writing style and professional presentations. I'm always looking forward to their new posts. Who needs a magazine subscription when you have all these beautiful ladies keeping you informed about beauty things directly in your in-box everyday?
So what happens when you disagree with the information given? *sigh* I don't know!
This morning in my in-box, a notification for a new post was waiting for me from one of my favorite blogs and this time it was about skin care. I was quite excited to go and have a look but by the time I finished reading I was floored! The information was totally wrong!
What does one do when this happens? Is there a "blog etiquette" out there?
I need one of those:
I didn't leave a comment. :(
So what happens when you disagree with the information given? *sigh* I don't know!
This morning in my in-box, a notification for a new post was waiting for me from one of my favorite blogs and this time it was about skin care. I was quite excited to go and have a look but by the time I finished reading I was floored! The information was totally wrong!
What does one do when this happens? Is there a "blog etiquette" out there?
I need one of those:
I didn't leave a comment. :(
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Rimmel London Kate Lipstick Collection
Buying cosmetics at the drugstore can be a pain! Either the displays are empty or they don't have testers to swatch the colors. No wonder I rarely buy any. This week I ended up going on a quest to get my hands on a Rimmel lipstick from the Kate Moss Collection!
Yes a lipstick!
I know these have been available for a little while now but I wasn't expecting the run around. Walmart, the displays where empty. The first drugstore, they didn't have any. Second drugstore, they had the display but no testers.
Grrrrr!
I still bought one on an act of faith, color 08. I guess it was on special since it was $4.49. A steal! The presentation, a black sleek case with Kate's signature in red on the cap. Fun and elegant.
08 is a soft muted pink that when applied lightly looks very natural on me. I'm pleasantly surprised by the texture. Had I known or had I been able to swatch them I would have purchased one or two more. Shades 01 and 12 where quite tempting, especially at less than $5.00.
At least on the Rimmel website we can get an idea of what they look like.
Shade 08, looks more pink here than on me.
Shade 12
Shade 01
Again, the tube is elegant and fun and another surprising thing, it's quite sturdy and the cap fits tightly.
If you're looking for a good inexpensive lipstick look these up they are truly a good value. I believe their regular price is $7.49. Cheap to get the "London Look"!
Hitchcock Leading Ladies
As you may already know, Hitchcock, a movie based on the making of Psyco is coming out this weekend starring Anthony Hopkins in the title role and Helen Mirren as his wife Alma Reville. I thought this might be a good opportunity to have a quick look at the style of a few great leading ladies who appeared in some of my Hitchcock's favorite movies. With the links provided, mostly from Wikipedia, it may be a starting point, inspire you to learn more about them.
I started this off by trying to figure out which of the great director's productions was my favorite. I ended up sitting front of a blank screen a long time thinking about this. Choosing one? Not possible! I then asked myself what are my favorite Hitchock movies? *relief* I do have several but probably not the obvious ones.
I was still a teenager when I first saw The Birds (1963) and I remember finding the idea of birds suddenly turning against humans slightly over the top. Tipi Hedren had such a disconnected demeanor that the whole movie didn't do much for me. Psycho (1960) with Janet Leigh, well, not much more. I understood the importance of "the shower scene" after reading what critics of the time wrote about it but again for me it was meh... That remained the case even after learning more about the technical side of the movie in a Cinema class at university.
I know, I probably deserve to be stoned at this point but I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking this. The fact that these movies left their mark historically is undeniable and my views might have been different had I seen them when they first came out in theatres but I wasn't around back then.
In this new production, Scarlet Johansson plays the role of Janet Leigh. As you can see from this picture below, the transformation is perfect.
What are my favorite Hitchcock movies?
If I go according to leading ladies I will have to say the ones starring Ingrid Bergman, Kim Novak and Grace Kelly. I could live with the 7 the director did with these beautifully talented actresses.
Ingrid Bergman
Hitchcock recruited her 3 times: Spellbound (1945) with Gregory Peck, Notorious (1946) with Cary Grand, Under Capricorn (1949) with Joseph Cotton. Fabulous at portraying vulnerability, her beauty, unique!
I started this off by trying to figure out which of the great director's productions was my favorite. I ended up sitting front of a blank screen a long time thinking about this. Choosing one? Not possible! I then asked myself what are my favorite Hitchock movies? *relief* I do have several but probably not the obvious ones.
I was still a teenager when I first saw The Birds (1963) and I remember finding the idea of birds suddenly turning against humans slightly over the top. Tipi Hedren had such a disconnected demeanor that the whole movie didn't do much for me. Psycho (1960) with Janet Leigh, well, not much more. I understood the importance of "the shower scene" after reading what critics of the time wrote about it but again for me it was meh... That remained the case even after learning more about the technical side of the movie in a Cinema class at university.
I know, I probably deserve to be stoned at this point but I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking this. The fact that these movies left their mark historically is undeniable and my views might have been different had I seen them when they first came out in theatres but I wasn't around back then.
In this new production, Scarlet Johansson plays the role of Janet Leigh. As you can see from this picture below, the transformation is perfect.
I wasn't able to pin point who exactly is responsible for the makeup. Costume design, Julie Weiss. Here Johansson is seen under a large sun umbrella. No wonder her skin is so luminous!
What are my favorite Hitchcock movies?
If I go according to leading ladies I will have to say the ones starring Ingrid Bergman, Kim Novak and Grace Kelly. I could live with the 7 the director did with these beautifully talented actresses.
Ingrid Bergman
Hitchcock recruited her 3 times: Spellbound (1945) with Gregory Peck, Notorious (1946) with Cary Grand, Under Capricorn (1949) with Joseph Cotton. Fabulous at portraying vulnerability, her beauty, unique!
Ingrid Bergman's publicity shot for Spellbound (1945)
Vertigo (1958) with James Stewart. Stunning! Her mysterious beauty combined with her sexy voice where more than captivating. I wanted to look like her.
Kim Novak, 1958 from the Vertigo shoot,
makeup Benny Lane, clothes Edith Head, photo: ALAMY
Like Bergman, Kelly also appeared in 3 Hitchcock's movies, Dial M for Murder (1954) with Ray Milland, Rear Window (1954) with James Stewart and To Catch a Thief (1955) with Cary Grant. This last one is his most stylish production. With Monaco as a backdrop, the clothes and the makeups where just remarkable. Every picture frame, perfect! Grace Kelly, the strong willed woman personified.
Grace Kelly, 1955 from To Catch a Thief,
makeup supervised by Wally Westmore, clothes Edith Head.
The makeup and the clothes adorn by these great actresses could still be worn today. Seeing Scarlet Johansson in her "retro look" demonstrates that. Makeup and clothes are fun to play with but if you want the pictures taken of you to still look good in 20 years, best go for a classic style. Now if only we knew what this was for hair....
So much has been said about Hitchcock's relationships with his leading ladies all I will say is that he knew how to choose them!
Hitchcock's official trailer
Friday, November 23, 2012
There's always room for lipstick!
Recently I emptied my purse for all of you and made a shocking discovery about myself. I'm a lipstick addict!
Hmm, my excuse, it IS the one makeup item we use most. Isn't it?
I guess I've known all along but after emptying my every day bag I went to have a look in the closet where I keep all my makeup. I didn't count them but I still have many. Shocking since last May, I did a big Spring cleaning and got rid of about half of what I had at the time.
When you look at makeup in general especially when browsing new collections at department stores, all the eye colors, powders and blushes are so beautiful one would think they are like precious gems encased in beautiful compacts that when you purchase you wish you could keep in your hands at all time so people could see what gorgeous taste you have.
Not too practical. Eye shadows, we leave at home. Blushes, well, some of us do reapply during the day but this has never been my case. Compact powders, now you're starting to get warm. I do love beautiful compacts. Isn't it nice when out somewhere you discretely take out a beautiful compact to see if your makeup is still in place and make sure your nose hasn't become a shiny beacon?
Now combine this with a beautifully encased lipstick and boom!!! Instant joy!
Is there anything more beautiful than a shiny new lipstick? I'm not talking about the ones in liquid form or lip glosses that we put on with an applicator, I'm talking about a real lip"stick". High end, low end, I don't really care as long as I like the color of course, but if the case looks good it's hard for me to resist. After all, regardless of our means, a nice lipstick is an indulgence most of us can afford, isn't it?
This is not a review of formulas or colors. This is a showing of some of the most popular lipsticks and in my opinion, the most beautiful looking.
The Classics
Clinique
One of the first I really fell in love with. The silver art-decoish presentation is just stunning. When you see it you know it's Clinique. It's so nice and in a way, comforting that they've kept it all this time. After all, it doesn't seem to go out of style.
Estée Lauder
Although they have come out with other stylish presentation, this one has almost always been around. I remember my mom had many of them and having worked for Estée Lauder I ended up with an extended collection myself. Not my favorite but it holds tons of memories for me
Lancôme
This tube has been revamped through the years but in all fairness it hasn't changed much. It's still as beautiful as ever and the rose, the Lancôme emblem, is what makes it so recognisable.
Chanel
A thing of beauty! Timeless! Whether you're wearing jeans or a little black dress, this lipstick looks good every time you take it out of your purse or even, dare I say, your pocket. This one is, I believe, my all time favorite! Simple, classic.
The Jewels
These lipsticks have evolved to become true fashion accessories. Not only are you influenced by the colors they hold but depending on what you wear you might go for a Dior instead or a Guerlain. They are little objects of beauty that one might even feel intimidated to use, well almost!
Guerlain, Dior and YSL have other very beautiful tubes but these are the ones that I find have the most jewel-like qualities and they fit so nicely in a little evening bag.
Guerlain Dior YSL
Following the times
Lise Watier
Now our very own Canadian Lise Watier has evolved with the times. Long gone is the little simplistic burgundy tube, now it's a gorgeous metallic tube that goes with everything.
Marcelle
Looking less like a drugstore brand than ever, this lipstick is really stunning. I was quite surprised when I saw it. Another great Canadian company.
The Newcomers
These are amazingly beautiful tubes. Unfortunately they are not as readily available as the ones mentioned so far. I haven't tried any of them and have only seen Clé de Peau at Ogilvy in Montreal. It might be easier to find them in Vancouver, Toronto or even online. Of these I find Burberry to be the most original with it's minimalist simplicity.
The Stunner
Givenchy
Now this is what I call a beautiful tube. Leather covered steel, this is one outstanding presentation. The international launch date for this new line of lipsticks is February 20th 2013. This is the tube that inspired this post. When I saw it on Chic Profile I was positively blown away. Not only is the leather fabulously chic but it should enable this tube to look good for as long as you own it. A good thing since we all know that they all end up looking a bit dull after time spent in our hand bags. This one looks elegant and sturdy at the same time. Quite a feat when you think of it. Fashion forward, it's also Art Deco inspired like the Chanel tube as well as Clinique's, but in such a different and rather innovative way.
So, are you in the mood for a new lipstick?
Hmm, my excuse, it IS the one makeup item we use most. Isn't it?
I guess I've known all along but after emptying my every day bag I went to have a look in the closet where I keep all my makeup. I didn't count them but I still have many. Shocking since last May, I did a big Spring cleaning and got rid of about half of what I had at the time.
When you look at makeup in general especially when browsing new collections at department stores, all the eye colors, powders and blushes are so beautiful one would think they are like precious gems encased in beautiful compacts that when you purchase you wish you could keep in your hands at all time so people could see what gorgeous taste you have.
Not too practical. Eye shadows, we leave at home. Blushes, well, some of us do reapply during the day but this has never been my case. Compact powders, now you're starting to get warm. I do love beautiful compacts. Isn't it nice when out somewhere you discretely take out a beautiful compact to see if your makeup is still in place and make sure your nose hasn't become a shiny beacon?
Now combine this with a beautifully encased lipstick and boom!!! Instant joy!
At the end of the 1900s Guerlain was one of the first to manufacture lipstick.
This ad is from 1935.
Is there anything more beautiful than a shiny new lipstick? I'm not talking about the ones in liquid form or lip glosses that we put on with an applicator, I'm talking about a real lip"stick". High end, low end, I don't really care as long as I like the color of course, but if the case looks good it's hard for me to resist. After all, regardless of our means, a nice lipstick is an indulgence most of us can afford, isn't it?
This is not a review of formulas or colors. This is a showing of some of the most popular lipsticks and in my opinion, the most beautiful looking.
The ClassicsClinique
One of the first I really fell in love with. The silver art-decoish presentation is just stunning. When you see it you know it's Clinique. It's so nice and in a way, comforting that they've kept it all this time. After all, it doesn't seem to go out of style.
Estée Lauder
Although they have come out with other stylish presentation, this one has almost always been around. I remember my mom had many of them and having worked for Estée Lauder I ended up with an extended collection myself. Not my favorite but it holds tons of memories for me
Lancôme
This tube has been revamped through the years but in all fairness it hasn't changed much. It's still as beautiful as ever and the rose, the Lancôme emblem, is what makes it so recognisable.
Chanel
A thing of beauty! Timeless! Whether you're wearing jeans or a little black dress, this lipstick looks good every time you take it out of your purse or even, dare I say, your pocket. This one is, I believe, my all time favorite! Simple, classic.
The Jewels
These lipsticks have evolved to become true fashion accessories. Not only are you influenced by the colors they hold but depending on what you wear you might go for a Dior instead or a Guerlain. They are little objects of beauty that one might even feel intimidated to use, well almost!
Guerlain, Dior and YSL have other very beautiful tubes but these are the ones that I find have the most jewel-like qualities and they fit so nicely in a little evening bag.
Guerlain Dior YSL
Following the times
Lise Watier
Now our very own Canadian Lise Watier has evolved with the times. Long gone is the little simplistic burgundy tube, now it's a gorgeous metallic tube that goes with everything.
Marcelle
Looking less like a drugstore brand than ever, this lipstick is really stunning. I was quite surprised when I saw it. Another great Canadian company.
The Newcomers
These are amazingly beautiful tubes. Unfortunately they are not as readily available as the ones mentioned so far. I haven't tried any of them and have only seen Clé de Peau at Ogilvy in Montreal. It might be easier to find them in Vancouver, Toronto or even online. Of these I find Burberry to be the most original with it's minimalist simplicity.
Armani, Chantecaille, Burberry, Clé de Peau
The Stunner
Givenchy
Now this is what I call a beautiful tube. Leather covered steel, this is one outstanding presentation. The international launch date for this new line of lipsticks is February 20th 2013. This is the tube that inspired this post. When I saw it on Chic Profile I was positively blown away. Not only is the leather fabulously chic but it should enable this tube to look good for as long as you own it. A good thing since we all know that they all end up looking a bit dull after time spent in our hand bags. This one looks elegant and sturdy at the same time. Quite a feat when you think of it. Fashion forward, it's also Art Deco inspired like the Chanel tube as well as Clinique's, but in such a different and rather innovative way.
So, are you in the mood for a new lipstick?
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Over The Top Skin Care Sets
There was a time when I used to spend a lot of money on skin care. No more! I now prefer to keep my money for makeup. Having a nice lipstick and compact are my sweet little indulgences.
Are super high end skin care lines better than what you'll find at your local drugstore? In my opinion, no. Especially here in Canada we are, as I've said before, spoiled. We have access to several outstanding brands from which we can pick an choose what agrees with our skin. Performance? They have it.
Still, I know it's always nice to have a look at what's out there, especially at those extremely expensive brands. I thought I would show you a few.
Sisley
The set includes:
Sisleya Global Anti-Age Cream, 50mL/1.69 fl. oz.
Sisleya Concentrate Firming Body Care, 50mL/1.69 fl. oz.
La Mer
The set includes:
Crème de La Mer, 2 oz.
Regenerating Serum, 5 oz.
Lifting Intensifier, 1 oz.
Eye Concentrate, 5 oz.
Estée Lauder
From the ends of the earth, an astonishing discovery. This day and night anti-aging ritual helps create and sustain a remarkably more youthful, revitalized appearance.
From the pristine depths of the Antarctic Ocean comes the inspiration for our exclusively refined, sustainably cultivated Glacial BioExtract™, proven in vitro to help skin boost its natural elastin production. Re-Nutriv Life Re-Newing Molecules™ help repair, recharge, and restore skin's energized, radiant appearance.
The set includes:
Face Creme, 1.7 oz.
Serum, 0.5 oz.
Guerlain
The set includes:
A full size Orchidée Impériale cream.
Eye cream and the Longevity Concentrate
La Prairie
All presented in a beautiful silver jewelry box, this extraordinary collectible includes full sizes of three of our most precious formulas to empower your most precious asset—your skin.
The pure Platinum in this collection maintains an unparalleled buffer zone of moisture and protection and enhances the skin’s receptivity to nutrients.
The set includes:
Cellular Cream Platinum Rare 30ml / 1.0 oz
Cellular Serum Platinum Rare 30ml / 1.0 oz
Cellular Eye Cream Platinum Rare 20ml / 0.68 oz
So, if you have a lot of...
What will it be?
If some of these interest you, you might be able to find them at Holt Renfrew, Ogilvy and The Bay.
Are super high end skin care lines better than what you'll find at your local drugstore? In my opinion, no. Especially here in Canada we are, as I've said before, spoiled. We have access to several outstanding brands from which we can pick an choose what agrees with our skin. Performance? They have it.
Still, I know it's always nice to have a look at what's out there, especially at those extremely expensive brands. I thought I would show you a few.
Sisley
$475 USD at Neiman Marcus
The set includes:
Sisleya Global Anti-Age Cream, 50mL/1.69 fl. oz.
Sisleya Concentrate Firming Body Care, 50mL/1.69 fl. oz.
La Mer
$500 USD Neiman Marcus
The set includes:
Crème de La Mer, 2 oz.
Regenerating Serum, 5 oz.
Lifting Intensifier, 1 oz.
Eye Concentrate, 5 oz.
Estée Lauder
$950 USD Neiman Marcus
From the pristine depths of the Antarctic Ocean comes the inspiration for our exclusively refined, sustainably cultivated Glacial BioExtract™, proven in vitro to help skin boost its natural elastin production. Re-Nutriv Life Re-Newing Molecules™ help repair, recharge, and restore skin's energized, radiant appearance.
The set includes:
Face Creme, 1.7 oz.
Serum, 0.5 oz.
Guerlain
$1050 USD, Neiman Marcus
The set includes:
A full size Orchidée Impériale cream.
Eye cream and the Longevity Concentrate
La Prairie
$1300 USD
All presented in a beautiful silver jewelry box, this extraordinary collectible includes full sizes of three of our most precious formulas to empower your most precious asset—your skin.
The pure Platinum in this collection maintains an unparalleled buffer zone of moisture and protection and enhances the skin’s receptivity to nutrients.
The set includes:
Cellular Cream Platinum Rare 30ml / 1.0 oz
Cellular Serum Platinum Rare 30ml / 1.0 oz
Cellular Eye Cream Platinum Rare 20ml / 0.68 oz
So, if you have a lot of...
What will it be?
If some of these interest you, you might be able to find them at Holt Renfrew, Ogilvy and The Bay.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
My Friend K in New York
K is my new "web friend" for lack of a better expression. Less than a month ago (I think) we started to exchange messages on MUA and she recently started to leave comments on this here blog. She lives in New York! Not only does she reside there but she knows how to enjoy what this glorious city has to offer. Arts and shopping! What else could a girl want? I don't know about you but for me it would be absolute Heaven!
So what did she do for me, my New York friend? She took pictures! Lots of great pictures!
Shopping at Bergdorf Goodman
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Christie's
Just the name of this great auction house evokes glamour and wealth. Founded in 1766 by James Christie it has conducted some of the greatest auctions of the past 300 years. The Park Avenue salesroom which opened it's doors in 1977 has seen some beautiful collection auctioned off and so has the new American headquarters opened at 20 Rockefeller Plaza in April of 2000.
Some recent notable auctions
1997 A Charity gala auction of 79 Dresses from the Collection of Diana, Princess of Wales, are sold for a staggering $3,258,750 (£1,960,150) in Christie’s New York. The proceeds of the sale benefited the Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Fund and AIDS Crisis Trust.
2000 The Personal Property of Marilyn Monroe goes under the hammer selling for over $13.4 million (£8.1 million). The highlight is the ‘Happy Birthday’ dress, worn by Marilyn on 19 May 1962 to sing to President John F. Kennedy, which realizes over $1.2 million, a world record for a woman’s costume and the third highest price for an item of celebrity memorabilia.
2011 The Elizabeth Taylor Collection of jewellery, fine art, fashion, decorative arts and memorabilia reaches $183.5m. It sets the new record for the most valuable jewellery single-owner collection sold at auction ($144m).
K did a fantastic job with her iPhone at Christie's! I just love to be able to see these pieces in a context other than a museum. Sadly, some will end up in private collections which means that these casual pictures may become some of the last we see of these works in a long time, actually we may not see them until they are up for auction again. This is the reason K goes to Christie's. To see and admire art that is temporarily available to the public. Of course some are purchased by museums but usually the most expensive pieces often find their way to either an Arab prince's living room or a Nouveau Riche's newly decorated office.
K took several great pictures and these below are my favorites.
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This is the one that made my day! Roy Lichtenstsein. I love, love his work and K did a marvelous job in taking this picture. I enjoy the fact that it's slightly crooked. The colors are amazing and it's really fun to see floor.
This Lichtenstein was owned by a Distinguished Private Collector since 1995. Who purchased it? If it was by another Distinguished Private Collector, well, we may not see it again for several years.
On a final note, if you thought that Koons Tulips reminded you of balloons, well, you're kind of right!
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Thank you Lovely K! xoxo H
To learn more about the history of Christie's:
http://www.christies.com/about/company/history.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christie's
I'm again dealing with formating problems. I'm sorry for the irregularities.
So what did she do for me, my New York friend? She took pictures! Lots of great pictures!
Shopping at Bergdorf Goodman
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Gorgeous!
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Estée Lauder's exclusive Re-Nutriv line
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Yves St-Laurent makeup
The new Aerin Essential Collection display
Dior
Duane Reed
Where you can find several outstanding French skin care lines. Not as glamorous as high end stores but these products are of equal quality if not superior while being less expensive.
Among these you might want to have a closer look at Nuxe's Crème Fraîche, Rêve de Miel lip balm that comes in a little glass jar and the fabulous Huile Prodigieuse. Klorane's Blueberry eye makeup remover is a classic as are their shampoos.
Where you can find several outstanding French skin care lines. Not as glamorous as high end stores but these products are of equal quality if not superior while being less expensive.
Among these you might want to have a closer look at Nuxe's Crème Fraîche, Rêve de Miel lip balm that comes in a little glass jar and the fabulous Huile Prodigieuse. Klorane's Blueberry eye makeup remover is a classic as are their shampoos.
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100% Pure, Nuxe & Klorane
Liérac is a relatively new company for me and so I haven't tried any of their skin care but just love their all purpose oil called Huile Sensorielle aux Trois Fleurs Collection Blanche. Ma favorite so far. The fragrance is soft, feminine and on me it lasts all day.
Liérac
Just the name of this great auction house evokes glamour and wealth. Founded in 1766 by James Christie it has conducted some of the greatest auctions of the past 300 years. The Park Avenue salesroom which opened it's doors in 1977 has seen some beautiful collection auctioned off and so has the new American headquarters opened at 20 Rockefeller Plaza in April of 2000.
Some recent notable auctions
1997 A Charity gala auction of 79 Dresses from the Collection of Diana, Princess of Wales, are sold for a staggering $3,258,750 (£1,960,150) in Christie’s New York. The proceeds of the sale benefited the Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Fund and AIDS Crisis Trust.
2000 The Personal Property of Marilyn Monroe goes under the hammer selling for over $13.4 million (£8.1 million). The highlight is the ‘Happy Birthday’ dress, worn by Marilyn on 19 May 1962 to sing to President John F. Kennedy, which realizes over $1.2 million, a world record for a woman’s costume and the third highest price for an item of celebrity memorabilia.
2011 The Elizabeth Taylor Collection of jewellery, fine art, fashion, decorative arts and memorabilia reaches $183.5m. It sets the new record for the most valuable jewellery single-owner collection sold at auction ($144m).
The Collection of Elisabeth Taylor, Christie's auction room
K took several great pictures and these below are my favorites.
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mirror-polished stainless steel with transparent color coating
80 x 180 x 205 in. (203.2 x 457.2 x 520.7 cm.)
Executed in 1995-2004. This work is one of five unique versions.
Price Realised, $33,682,500
stainless steel, military dog tags, stainless steel structure,
fiberglass resin, mirrored stainless steel sheets
Price Realized, $782,500
aluminum and copper wire
86 x 136 in. (218.4 x 345.4 cm.)
Executed in 2006.
Price Realized, $722,500
signed and dated 'rf Lichtenstein '95' (on the reverse)
oil and Magna on canvas
77 x 65 in. (198.1 x 167.7 cm.)
Painted in 1995.
Price Realised, $28,082,500
*sniff*
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K holding a little blue balloon dog in front of Tulips
To learn more about the history of Christie's:
http://www.christies.com/about/company/history.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christie's
I'm again dealing with formating problems. I'm sorry for the irregularities.
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