I’d really appreciate it if we could just get all of the cheesy wedding puns out of the way now before we discuss the new Here Comes the Bobbi Brown Bride Luxe Collection; otherwise, they’ll distract me every minute of the way (like cat fur on my clothes).

So…

Hey! These new limited-edition Luxe pieces are walking down the aisle now at Nordstrom stores and online (ba-dum-bum!).

Ooh! With her new collection, Ms. Brown is lifting the veil (tee-hee!) on her new eye shadow palette, a travel brush set, a 6-pan palette and highlighter.

Wow! What do I have to say about the new Bobbi Brown Bride Luxe Collection? Two words: I do.

Ah… Much better. Now I can concentrate on the collection itself, which I checked out the other day at Nordie’s.

First thing I thought of when I saw it? Cake.

Mmm… Cake.

After swatching the collection, I have a feeling that the $60 Luxe Eye Palette would probably work best on brides-to-be with light and medium skin tones, so if you’re around my shade or darker (MAC NC 42/Bobbi Brown Honey), the colors may all look alike, or nearly so — all similarly sparkly and sheer.

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According to folklore…the Taylor Swift is a spellbinding creature that lives deep in the Hundred Acre Wood with a talking, foul-mouthed plush toy named Ted…

Wait — that’s not right.

Sorry! Got my stories confused.

This is a post about the new Laura Mercier Folklore Summer 2013 collection, available now at Laura Mercier counters and online.

In a way, though, Laura’s new collection is like all of those catchy/borderline annoying Taylor Swift songs I like in that I can’t get it out of my head.

Its warm, earthy bronze, copper, gold and tan shimmers splashed with coral, pink and blue? MAN! It just might be enough to sway me from my usual surfer chick-meets-Las Vegas showgirl summer motif toward a summer of boho and bling — flowing, flowery caftans, platform sandals, silk headscarves, big-@ss hoops and lots of gold.

When I contemplate the pieces in the Folklore collection, I almost feel the sun on my shoulders as a dry, desert wind whistles through my loose, wavy hair.

These are pieces I’d wear if I were trying to channel Nicole Richie and Beyoncé (at the same time) while traipsing through the high desert with a guitar strapped to my back (on my way to a luxurious five-star resort with an infinity pool and a spa that offers a 120-minute massage).

Got a few reviews lined up, but here are swatches of the entire collection now…

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One glimpse across a crowded Nordstrom store yesterday and it was ON!

That’s all it took to catch me — the new Yves Saint Laurent Saharienne Heat summer 2013 collection.

It flicked a primal switch, and I started run-walking toward the counter (probably making grabby hands in the air).

LOL! Alright, maybe I’m being a little dramatic…

No, the more I think about it, it was exactly like that.

I was moving so fast toward those purples, greens, corals and bronzes that I almost tripped in my Michael Kors birthday heels…which wouldn’t have been all bad as I would have fallen into the display.

Here are some pics and swatches of the quads and polishes.

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Now where’d I put my KitchenAid…?

Don’t let me catch you dipping into the frosting again. These products aren’t for tummies. They’re for eyes, lips, nails and cheeks.

The recipe calls for pastel colors and 24 cups of sugar. Definition: it’s sweet, sweet, sweet.

Step into the kitchen! Here’s a taste of 10 of the 24 pieces from the MAC Baking Beauties collection, which comes out of the oven April 18 in North American MAC kitchens, stores and online (and internationally this May).

Ya know, I’m lovin’ the idea of this release (because I’m a sugar fiend). Cupcakes and I — we roll deep! But I don’t know… From what I’ve seen so far, these pieces seem more Splenda than C&H.

I was expecting ecstasy with these — the same visceral, intense reaction I get when I bite into a real life red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting (yum!) — but I’m actually on the fence. A lot of these colors look similar on my NC42 skin.

Like In For a Treat Pearlmatte Face Powder and the pretty design (the white edges are an overspray, but I don’t think the design in the center of the pan is). It has all the makings of an award-winning dessert! Normally, I’d want seconds of something like this, but I find myself craving more oomph! Less frost and more coral.




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I can’t guarantee you’ll go completely American Idol on that @ss when you wear the new MAC Hayley Williams collection and blast Paramore’s The Only Exception…but I think the chances of it happening are quite high, especially if you like orange and coral on your lips, tips and lids.

MAC has long loved collaborating with musicians, and the new four-piece online exclusive with Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams is their latest duet.

It’s also the most wearable one I’ve seen in a while.

I mean, well…Nicki Minaj Viva Glam 2 doesn’t exactly epitomize wearable. I know, like, one person who can pull off pale violet lips without looking totally and completely cray.

This collection sure seems more like music for the masses, and I like it. It sings with rock-n-roll brights, but still manages to stay chic.

And that coral eye shadow? Beautiful! It really surprised me when I got it on my lids.

Today I took the stage — also known as the hallway outside my office — with a sparkly fake microphone to put three of the four pieces to the test.

Daydreaming Eye Shadow ($15): Man, I thought this bright reddish coral had “zombie girl!” written all over it, but the red relinquishes the spotlight on my NC42 skin. I get more of an orangey pinkish coral from it, and the veluxe pearl finish hits all the right notes to keep things interesting. I’m not usually into colors like this, but I’m feeling this one, especially with thick cat eye liner. No fallout or patchiness, and it only takes one or two layers. Daydreaming is my favorite piece from this release.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A

Sounds Like Noise Lipstick ($15): Like a songstress belting out the blues at a gin joint, this bright orange matte has a story to tell. It’s trickier than I expected, but there’s pigment there. I have a tough time getting it to put down smooth color — apply, blot, then reapply — but a liner should help with that. I like the color, but I’d probably like it more if MAC remixed it into an Amplified Creme… Now that would top the charts!
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+

Lightscapade Mineralize Skinfinish ($34): A shimmering beige that whispers on my skin like a breathy intro to a naughty Maxwell slow jam. On me, I think its true potential gets kinda lost, but it should really sing on lighter and medium skin tones.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B

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