Four days, 12,000 miles, 10 pounds of gelato and a blog, DAMN! I still can’t believe I was in Milan this week. It was such a quick trip, but I hope you felt a little like you were there with me. A few weeks ago if you’d told me that Dolce & Gabbana would invite me to Milan to cover their Fashion Week show, I would have said, “Oh shut the front door!” And can I bring my cat?
What makeup have you been obsessing about lately, and what were some of the products on your mind (and your eyes) this week? Here’s some of the stuff we talked about around here.
DOLCE & GABBANA MAKEUP
MILAN FASHION WEEK, SUMMER 2011
You know how sometimes you see a look come down the runway and you’re like, “Whoa! Where the heck did that beam down from? Enterprise, do you read me?”
Take the orange eyeshadow makeup artists sent Tom Cruisin’ down the catwalk in New York not long ago. Don’t get me wrong — I lurves me some brights, and I’m all for artistic expression when it comes to le war paint, but it’s also nice to see runway looks I might actually wear in real life. Read more…
DOLCE & GABBANA MAKEUP
ETHEREAL BEAUTY COLLECTION, HOLIDAY 2010
Oy, what a relief! My poor luggage found its way home last night, none the worse for wear, and when I busted it open, BAM! Tabs jumped inside. 🙂
Somehow he even knew which compartment held the Dolce & Gabbana Ethereal Beauty Collection products for holiday 2010.
I’ve been meaning to swatch these for you for days! Most of the colors in the 15-piece collection, a collaboration between makeup artist Pat McGrath and designers Dominico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, are totally new. Only two of them, Volumizing Lashes in Black ($29) and Intense Nail Lacquer in Pink 100 ($20), are re-promotes from the permanent line.
None of the products, which arrive at Saks Fifth Avenue stores in mid-October, are exactly bargains, unfortunately, but the prices are typical for a luxury line, ranging from $20 at the low end all the way up to $59 at the top. Read more…
GUERLAIN 6 COULEURS
EYE SHADOW PALETTES
“Nobody does luxury like Guerlain, but not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined something as glamorous as their new Écrin 6 Couleurs eye shadow palettes that came out this fall. The pictures speak for themselves: just look at that filigree cover, the little bee (symbol of Guerlain that dates back to XIX century) on it, and the large beautiful mirror that opens up to the side of the palette. It was only appropriate to name each of the five palettes after a Guerlain boutique in Paris!
The one I ended up buying is named after Guerlain’s flagship boutique at 68, Avenue des Champs-Elysées. My choice was partly due to the fact that I like purple and don’t have enough grays, and partly because I really like the thought of looking at Champs-Elysées in the morning…” Read more…
$6 GOODY
SPIN PINS
Goody Spin Pins ($6), ohmahgawd, they’re awesome. I brought a pair with me on my trip last weekend based on your recommendations, so thank you — you were so right!
They’re basically these beefed up, coiled metal bobby pin-like doohickies (two per pack) for securing your hair into a bun; Goody says each one does the work of 20 bobbies (no, not the ones in law enforcement), and they come in two shades, one for lighter hair and one for darker. Each pack comes with two pins. Read more…
MAC BLOT
POWDER/PRESSED
What’s up, friend? This post is getting to you kinda late, I know, and I’m sorry. Long story short, but my flight was delayed out of Milan yesterday. Consequently, I almost missed the connecting flight out of Germany to get back home (NOTE: If you’re the person I steamrolled in the international terminal of the Frankfurt airport yesterday…my bad!).
I managed to make the flight (YEA!), but my luggage didn’t (BOO!). And, of course, it contained all of the makeup I was hoping to dish about today — stuff from Dolce & Gabbana Holiday, Kiko, Madina and a brand called Fred Farrugia.
Thankfully, the airline emailed to say they found the bag and put it on the first train plane home. Read more…
BURT’S BEES CRANBERRY & POMEGRANATE
SUGAR SCRUB
I find it both hilarious and totally fitting that Burt’s Bees Cranberry & Pomegranate Sugar Scrub ($13 for an 8-oz. jar) has a warning on the label that reads, “do not consume.” Seriously, they have to tell you not to eat the product because it looks and smells THAT good — like a jar of berry-licious preserves or a sugary frozen treat.
I dug into it when I jumped in the shower after I got home from the airport last night. I noticed on the list of ingredients (it’s 100% natural) that it contains a BUNCH of different oils, among them soybean, coconut, cranberry, olive and grape seed. The Zia Skin Basics Bamboo Exfoliant I was happily using last week just didn’t seem hydrating enough to restore the moisture that had been sucked from my skin by the recirculated air on the plane.
Sugar, soybean oil and cranberry oil are the top ingredients, and I swear I can feel all three. The product’s certainly rich, yet I can still feel the tiny grains of what I assume are sugar. They do have some grit to them, but they’re nowhere near as painful abrasive as the grains in Zia’s Bamboo (they may get the job done but feel like torture in a tube!). Read more…
PRESTIGE TOTAL
INTENSITY EYELINERS
“Is there such a thing as too many eyeliners? I have a zillion yet I still want more. I’d always thought Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils were the smoothest liners ever with their vegan, to-die-for formula, but I think I’ve found some close competition. 🙂
Not long ago I discovered the Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliners at Ulta. My local Ulta, however, didn’t have testers. Being obsessed with color, I took a chance and picked up three of them!! For a mere $5.50 apiece, they seemed like drugstore dupes of the Urban Decay eyeliners. Luckily, all of them are super creamy, have excellent pigmentation and DO NOT budge once they’ve set. Prestige Cosmetics claims they’re paraben-free too, so what’s not to love?” Read more…
E.L.F. STUDIO
POWDER BRUSH
I have a confession to make… even though I’m a beauty blogger and people expect me to look nice all the time, sometimes I’m just too lazy to apply foundation. This is especially true when I’m rushing to get ready for class in the morning. But then I discovered powder foundation and my life was complete… except that I didn’t have the right tool to apply it.
See, most powder foundations come with those sponges that I don’t like for two reasons — they’re hard to clean, and most people never wash them anyway. So I tried a kabuki brush, which can easily be washed, except that the short stubby handle meant I couldn’t put it in my brush organizer with the rest my brushes. Read more…
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
SIGN PROJECT & GIVEAWAY
Hi, ladies. As many of you know, breast cancer has touched my family, as it has many of yours. It’s something I think about all year long, but especially when October rolls around.
For the past two years I’ve run donations for breast cancer charities, but this year I’d like us to try something different — an e-rally of sorts.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about many things — remembering friends and family, promoting the importance of early detection, helping to raise funds for research and treatment, and standing in support of those affected by the disease.
That’s why I made the sign you see at the top of this post. It’s one easy way to say, “We’re all in this together, and I’m here with you.” Read more…
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Sarahc says
Hi Karen! Long time no talk. After No Makeup Week I haven’t been wearing much makeup, but I’m longing for colorful eyes again. I can’t stay away from them lol!
Karen says
Hi, Sarahc. It has been a while. How are you?
Ya know, No Makeup Week just completely scooted under my radar. By the time I’d heard about it, it was already halfway through the week.
Guess I could have done No Makeup Week-end, but that doesn’t have the same ring to it…
Have a great Monday, alright?
Nina says
heya there! 🙂
i went for indian food for lunch and came home w/ MAC’s blot powder! 🙂
Karen says
MAC Blot has HG written all over it, doesn’t it?
What kind of Indian food did you have? We had Vietnamese for dinner last night at a place we’d never been, and it was only okay.
Nina says
yes it does! 🙂
its at a place called bombay brasserie – and it was a luncheon buffet. there was several dishes including lamb, chicken tikka masala, saag paneer and other things.
i go there for the gulab jamun and kheer – so yummy! 🙂
Liza says
I’ve been thinking about investing in some Nars Velvet Matte lip pencils. I remember your posts on them awhile back. I’ve never seen another product that gave that kind of texture! So pretty.
Karen says
Hi, Liza. You should! It’s a total investment!
What are you up today? It’s so early here (6:30). I can’t believe I’m already up.
Liza says
What were you doing up??? Hope you had a productive day! Sunday felt like the slowest day of my life. It was the first day that felt like fall in Philly and I could already feel the Seasonal Affective Disorder creeping in… waaaah.
Sherri says
I hope your makeup oops I mean your luggage arrives soon and in one piece. Can’t wait for you to share the goodies 🙂
Karen says
Hi, Sherri! It got here the other night. I’m telling you, what a relief!
beautylogicblog says
everytime I come on your site, I get more and more impressed with your skills. How did you make your glasses do that. love it!
Myr says
I totally bought those hair pins at Walmart on clearance and they are awesome!