The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

So if you had to summarize your entire week in one word, what would it be? Mine would be “exhausting.” Seriously, I’m plum tuckered out, and Top Chef had a lot to do with it. Get this: last night El Hub turned to me in bed all exasperated like and said, “It seems like Top Chef is always on TV in this house.” LOL! He’s right, because even when it’s not on Bravo, I usually have it streaming to my laptop. 🙂 I’m going through a phase…

Did you have a favorite makeup or beauty story this week? I’m pretty stoked about MAC Wonder Woman, but then it appeals to one of my weaknesses (comic books). I know that some of you are on the fence about the release; I feel like the packaging borders on tchotchke, but I think it’s also true to the spirit of the original comic. Judging by the promo artwork, colors and product names, I think MAC gave it some thought, which is pretty cool. I’m looking forward to seeing more.

In case you missed anything, here’s one last look at some of the things we talked about this week on the blog. I hope your day’s been treating you well.

The Weekly Roundup: Posts You Might Have Missed

THE DIOR MONTAIGNE COLLECTION
SWATCHES AND PICS

I wanted to post some swatches of the new Dior Montaigne spring collection. Here are all the products with the exception of the one lonely Sephora exclusive, Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss in Trianon Silver #707, which I’ll add here as soon as I’ve seen it up close and personal.

Now, brace yourself for a whole lotta pink and gray (aka, my favorite colors in fourth grade, LOL!). The collection’s available now at Nordstrom (both stores and online), and will be making its way to other stores and Dior counters soon. Read more…

THE LORAC MULTIDIMENSIONAL
BEAUTY COLLECTION IN 3D

The only real 3D thing I’ve ever watched was Captain EO, and I really liked it when I was 8. 🙂

The word “gimmicky” springs to mind when I look at LORAC’s new Multidimensional Beauty Collection.

It’s a spring release, but the gobs of glitter, shimmer and dark hues remind me more of fall and winter than spring. Products in the eight-piece release for the eyes, lips and face come in a variety of finishes, including shimmers, mattes and glitters, and some of them (like the shimmers and glitters) seem to fool around with light (hence the 3D). Today I took five of them out for a spin.

Like sugar free YSL Faux Cils, I like how Multiplex 3D Lashes mascara thickens at the base, but I’d love a little better curl hold. Read more…

THE MAC WONDER WOMAN
COLLECTION REPROMOTES

The official promo pics and product list are busting down our doors, my fellow wonder women. The limited edition MAC Wonder Woman Collection is still en route (ETA February 10, 2011 in North American; internationally in March), but we just received an emergency makeup cable from the super-heroine’s invisible jet. It reads, “Start the mission without me, ladies! I’ll be there as soon as I fend off the forces of anti-fabulousness that are attacking my jet!”

Since some of the upcoming products in the collection are repromoted items (like Lipstick in Russian Red, Glitter in Reflects Pearl and Penultimate Eye Liner in Rapidblack), I thought we could take an early look at a few of them today. Read more…

SUNLIT LOOKS AND THE GIVENCHY
NAIVEMENT COLLECTION

You don’t have to love the way you look in sunny shades of warm orange and yellow to like Givenchy’s new Naivement Couture collection, but it certainly helps.

The spring/summer collection beams onto eyes, lips, faces and nails with buttery colors all kissed by the sun. These orange, pink, green, beige and peach shades have me looking forward to window shopping in the springtime and cruising sunny sidewalks with El Hub. 🙂 And even the name, which means “naively couture” in French, seems to fit with that mood (as would a Caffè Americano sipped at an outdoor cafe).

See how the orange eyeshadow extends beyond the model’s eyelids and up into her brows, and how it sweeps below her eyes and melts into the pink blush upon her cheeks? — like rays of sunlight painted on?

It almost looks like it’s radiating heat, which, considering how cold and gray it is here, makes me want to jump through the monitor. Read more…

TAKE A SPRING BREAK
WITH THE LAURA MERCIER SILK ROAD COLLECTION

Yesterday, my journey along the new Laura Mercier Silk Road led me to four items from the collection — the Eye and Cheek Palette, the Kohl Eye Pencil in Stormy Gray, the Lip Plumper in Ruby Glaze and the Stickgloss in Pink Jewel — and it was quite a trip, let me tell ya.

For her latest collection, foundation phenom Laura Mercier went WAY back — almost 3,000 years back — to the ancient Han Dynasty and the trade routes ancient merchants from China, India, Tibet, Persia and the Mediterranean used to sell their silk, satin, perfumes, spices, medicines and jewels.

Available now on Laura Mercier counters and online, the 13-piece Silk Road collection was inspired by the precious gemstones and raw silks that moved along those ancient routes.

All four of the products I used yesterday are JUST. SO. GOOD! As I was applying the new products I kept shouting, “Oh, my gawd!” I’m pretty sure I sounded either like I was 1) seeing a double rainbow or 2) having a bonafied makeup-gasm. Read more…

LAURA MERCIER SILK ROAD
COLLECTION SWATCHES AND PICS

I was surprised and more than a little impressed that for her latest collection, foundation phenom Laura Mercier went WAY back — almost 3,000 years back — to the ancient Han Dynasty and the trade routes ancient merchants from China, India, Tibet, Persia and the Mediterranean used to sell their silk, satin, perfumes, spices, medicines and jewels.

Available now on Laura Mercier counters and online, the 13-piece Silk Road collection was inspired by the precious gemstones and raw silks that moved along those ancient routes, but when I stopped by the counter yesterday to take a look, I found myself asking something I imagine some of those ancient merchants must asked: “Haven’t we been this way before?”

Two of the items, Persian Rose Blush and Gold Thread Liquid Liner, look familiar to me. Luckily, I like them both. 🙂 Persian Rose Blush reminds me of NARS Orgasm, and doesn’t Gold Thread Liquid Liner bear a striking resemblance to MAC Superslick Liquid Liner in Pure Show? Read more…

THE MILLY FOR CLINIQUE
PRETTY IN PRINTS COLLECTION

There really must be a “wrong side of the bed” because I think it’s the side I woke up on this morning. I needed more than mere caffeine to make it through the day today, so I stopped by my favorite chai place, the Nordstrom cafe, because it also happens to be located a few feet from the Nordie’s cosmetics department. 🙂

When I came to the Clinique counter, I almost dropped my drink! With just three pieces, the new Milly for Clinique Pretty in Prints Collection might be one of the littlest releases this spring, but I’m such a total sucker for pretty prints.

The chocolate browns and playful pinks just look so darn foolproof and wearable, don’t they? Sure, the colors themselves aren’t particularly edgy, but these look like the kinds of things I could wear when I want to look polished and professional but don’t want to spend a lot of time doing it. Read more…

5 FANTASTIC MAKEUP AND
BEAUTY PRODUCTS TO HELP WITH OILY SKIN
Is your skin slicker than a used car salesman? Do your pores ooze oil all day and night? If you suffer from oily skin, you’re not the only one. I did for years (and still do at times).

Rule No. 1: Don’t despair. There’s hope. I was constantly struggling with oily skin throughout my 20s. I know it’s all natural, but I’m still a little grossed out by it, that greasy feeling and the relentless shine. I remember back in college when I’d fall asleep in my books. I’d wake up, peel my face away and see oily patches on the page. Awesome!

Now that I’m in my 30s, my skin’s a combination of oily and dry. Some spots are dry, but others are oily, like my forehead and cheeks. I use (and love) several products to keep the oil slicks at bay. Read more…

HOW EASY IS IT TO CHANGE
YOUR AURA WITH THE HOURGLASS AURA COLLECTION?

In the Effortless Makeup category, Hourglass’s new Aura collection ranks among one of my favorites for spring.

It’s like the brand has their fingers on the pulse of lazy girls like moi. The Aura Sheer Cheek Stains and Sheer Lip Stains are designed for ease of use. No brushes are required with Aura’s portable, pen-style applicators. Twisting the bottom of each one dispenses product through the sponge tip applicator at the other end, and it makes these sheer, buildable liquid stains practically foolproof to use.

The Aura Sheer Cheek Stains ($45) and Aura Sheer Lip Stains ($26) sink quickly into my skin, but there’s still a window of drying time (about a minute or so) in which I’m able to blend out any harsh edges with my fingers if I need to. Read more…

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen