The folks at Too Faced Cosmetics are making sure good things come in small packages.

Their latest Glamour to Go Palette (Glamour to Go III, $20) — the third in a series of travel-friendly sets for face, cheeks and eyes — is a lean, mean makeup machine!

Too Faced nailed the “to go” part, stuffing this slim shady (I love the pink roses on the front!) with eight eyeshadows, a blush and four lipglosses. The sturdy palette easily fits in the palm of my hand, yet despite its diminutive stature looks like it could take a beating from phones, keys and random cans of cat food squirreled away in a purse.

Color-wise, I think the stars of this show are the eyeshadows. With a good mix of wearable neutrals and fun accent shades, the eight shimmery shades of gold, light pink, dark pink, taupe, black, bronze, silver and violet cover a wide range of potential looks, and I really like them for quick washes of color on my lids.

Eyeshadow swatches, top row: gold, light pink, dark pink and taupe; Eyeshadow swatches, bottom row: black, bronze, silver and violet

As for texture and color payoff, the smoothness and rich pigmentation of these shadows remind me of something Urban Decay would create. In other words, good stuff.

Oh, and if you’re a fan of Benefit’s Coralista, check out Glamour to Go III’s blush — a shimmery, peachy pink with a hint of gold that I’m guessing would look great with a snowboarder’s tan.

Continue Reading…

Sonia Kashuk Twist of Fate Brush Set, $20

Earlier this decade, Sonia Kashuk reinvented the budget brush market, making drugstore makeup brushes cool. For the holidays this year, she’s taking that budget luxe philosophy another big step forward by introducing a line with twisted faux-sliver handles that won’t break the bank.

But looks aren’t everything, and to find out if Sonia’s new brushes bring the noise, I put ‘em to the test.

The six-piece limited edition Twist of Fate Brush Set ($20, on sale now at Target), Sonia’s premium collection of brushes for the holidays, joins five limited edition holiday makeup palettes and accessories (also on sale at Target).

Sonia Kashuk Twist of Fate

With a black clutch purse to carry them in (one that looks like it could cost more than $20 by itself), these six short-handled brushes will be traveling in style.

• A powder/blush brush
• A foundation brush
• A crease brush
• An eyeshadow brush
• An eyeliner brush
• A brow/lash comb

Pros

• Look expensive
• Brush heads feel soft against my skin and apply/blend product well
• Clutch purse fits everything with room to spare
• Brushes feel lightweight — perfect for girls on the go!
• Fantastic deal; breaks down to $2.86/per item (including the clutch)

Continue Reading…

Have you had a chance to check out Shu Uemura’s new Rouge Unlimited Supreme lipsticks ($30 each)?

There are 14 of them in all, each one of the gloss-in-lipstick’s clothing variety — meaning that they feel like lipsticks on the lips but shine like a gloss.

Shu claims their exclusive color technology (get ready to be blinded with fancy talk!) of hybrid pigments, film-keeping capsules and ultra-shine oils makes them more intensely pigmented than similar offerings from other brands.

I’ve tried three of the shades so far and have to agree. The colors do seem a little more vibrant than those of the other lipstick/gloss hybrids I’ve tried from Prescriptives (RIP!), MAC and Avon.

But does the difference justify the price?

RD 185

Continue Reading…

Why is everything so “extreme” these days? The word brings out my inner grammar grumpasaurus, especially when it’s thrown in front of things like pizza. “Extreme sports,” I can fathom; “extreme pizza,” not so much.

And then I heard about Bobbi Brown’s new Extreme Party Mascara ($22). “Party Mascara” I would’ve been okay with, but “Extreme Party Mascara”?

Seriously, what makes it so extreme? Are there flames and zombies involved?

But, as usual, curiosity got the better of me, and I had to give it a try. I read that Bobbi created Extreme Party Mascara to mimic the look of false lashes. Her site even calls it her Boldest. Mascara. Ever.

Continue Reading…

I knew Dior HydrAction Deep Hydration Skin Tint SPF 20 ($38) was something special when I tried taking a few pictures with it on.

Most of the time I’ll wear a full-coverage foundation for pics because many tinted moisturizes appear too sheer for flash photography — not HydrAction, though. It disguises EVERYTHING, and almost passes for a foundation in pictures.

Dior HydrAction in action! I have no idea what’s going on with my hair…

Lightweight

But while it may cover like a foundation, it doesn’t feel like one on my skin. It’s light, lets my skin breathe and looks so natural that I sometimes forget I even have it on — perfect for days when I want good coverage but don’t want the weighty feel of a foundation.

Dior’s “ultra-fine pigments and light-reflecting micro-pearls” must be magic… One small blueberry-sized dollop of the richly pigmented formula covers all of my red patches, pigmentation spots and pimples, leaving skin that’s almost flawless (as close to flawless as my skin gets).

Continue Reading…