It Girl Details: Bond no 9 Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue and Revlon Fantasy Lengths

As promised, here's the breakdown of my Edie Sedgwick look!


I used my standard base for my face -- Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel as a primer, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer as foundation, Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster pen under the eyes, and Cargo blu_ray Pressed Powder to finish.

I did my eyebrows while I let my eyeshadow primer (Too Faced Shadow Insurance) set, using the Maybelline Expert Brow Pencil in Dark Brown. Normally if I do my brows, I'd use my DuWop brow wax and powder duo, but since Edie was known for her heavy brows, I went to town with the pencil. It seems a little red to me, as I didn't want to go for a nearly-black eyebrow pencil, but it did its job.

For the eyes, after my primer set, I used the white side of the MAC Persona Screen Vinyl Mineralize Eyeshadow (from 2006's A Muse collection) all over the lid and up to the browbone. I then used MAC Eyeshadow in Suspicion (black with a little gold, from Nocturnelle in 2006) over the lid and really packed it on as much as it could go. I lined the upper and bottom lids with MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack, being sure to get really thick lines on the top, as well as Stila Kajal pencil liner in Pearl (white) at the inner corner. I used Too Faced Lash Injection mascara, and then I added false lashes on top.

I received several pairs of Revlon Fantasy Lengths eyelashes to try out, and the pair I used for Edie are the Intensifying with the self-adhesive strips. I've worn false eyelashes before for stage and other costumes, so I'm very familiar and comfortable with wearing false eyelashes. I know the tricks and tips (trim them from the inner corner, use a toothpick to apply eyelash glue), but I haven't worn them in a long time due to wearing glasses all of the time, and worrying that the eyelashes are going to thwack against my lenses. Since I knew I'd be wearing contacts, and you can't be Edie without false eyelashes (you just can't), I was glad I had lashes ready to go.

The Revlon Fantasy Lengths are particularly interesting because of the self-adhesive strip, which you actually remove after wearing -- the lashes themselves are a standard strip, so once you're done with the two sets of self-adhesive strip included in the box, you can use them with regular eyelash glue. They stayed extremely well and stayed on through the night, which was actually a little bit of a problem at first when I initially applied them and needed to adjust them (as you do). I even had a mighty sneeze at the end of the evening, and worried I might have sneezed my lashes off (a reasonable fear!), but they stayed right on.

At the end of the night, when I pulled them off, I noticed some of the pigment from my eyeliner and eyeshadow was stuck to the adhesive strip (as in, the top of the adhesive strip was shimmery white, and there was a little bare line on my eyelid once I removed the lash strip), so that would be something to watch out for. Also, because of the thick black self-adhesive, I'd be a little apprehensive that they'd be more apparent if you were wearing a non-black eyeliner; since I was wearing thick black eyeliner and shadow, they blended right in, but if I wanted to wear, say, blue or green liner, I think the adhesive line would be much more apparent than if I used standard dries-to-clear lash glue.

I finished off with the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in nude on my cheekbones, used the Blacktrack Fluidline again for Edie's beauty mark, and lined my lips with MAC lipliner pencil in Subculture before applying MAC Charm Factor lipstick (once again from the 2006 A Muse Collection, and one of my 2007 Favorite Things).

But that wasn't all -- I wanted to wear perfume for Edie, too. While I initially thought I'd wear Guerlain Shalimar, which is a classic, I realized I had samples of two of the Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol perfumes: Silver Factory, which I had a sample of from my favorite perfume boutique, and Lexington Avenue, which I received as a press sample. While technically, yes, Edie was part of the Silver Factory days, I felt that Lexington Avenue was a better fit to wear with my (fake) fur and my lashes, as it was much more warm, feminine, and delicious.

The notes for Lexington Avenue are peony, orris, patchouli, sandalwood, cardamom, fennel, almonds, cumin, and crème brulee, which makes it a floral and woody gourmand perfume. It's powdery and vanilla-y, and if you think about the inspiration, which are Warhol's illustrations of ladies' shoes, you can definitely smell a whiff of new leather in tissue paper. It's the type of perfume to wear with a nice coat and cool weather, and it was a perfect fit for wearing with my fake fur collared coat and shoulder-duster earrings.

From top to toe, it was an extremely successful costume, and it was the details, from the drawn-in brows to the beauty mark to the false lashes and the wink to the Andy Warhol perfume that really made it come together for me this Halloween.

images from periodicstyle.blogspot.com and bondno9.com

Mascara to the Max!

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Max Factor.

Recently I was given the opportunity from BlogHer to try out the new Max Factor2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper mascara and Vivid Impact Lip Color lipstick. Since mascara and lip products are my absolute weakness, I said yes, of course!

First, let's chat mascara. I already have long dark lashes, which is great, but mascara always adds an extra oomph when I'm going out, especially since I wear glasses. The 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper mascara definitely made my lashes look longer, thicker, and darker, plus added some lift and curl.

But you don't have to take my word for it: I took pictures!

One of my eyes has Lash Plumper mascara on, the other doesn't. Can you guess which is which? (Seriously, this is so easy.)



This is just straight-up mascara on one eye alone, folks -- I didn't bust out the eyelash curler or anything (not even, um, concealer). The other eye is completely bare -- no mascara, no curling, nothing. Just naked eyelashes.

Want to see it again?



Check the bottom lashes -- that's the real story. Boom! Look at those plumped-up lashes on the left!

Do I like the formula? Yes, I do -- it's very long-lasting, even through working out or a long day at the office. Do I like the way it shows on my lashes? Definitely (just take another look at those pictures!). Do I like that the bottom of the bottle is flat so I can stand it up on my bathroom counter? I do (very handy!)!

My only major issue is that the brush is so huge! It's about the size of the tip of my pinky finger (which, granted, is small). I know that the brush is what gives it a lot of the great eye-popping oomph, but I am chronically clumsy and have been known to stick a mascara brush in my eye on more than one occasion. So I have to be very careful to not have a sudden hand twitch and get a giant rubber brush right in the eye. It's just something I have to watch for in particular, and it wouldn't stop me from buying it.

Now, let's talk lipstick! While the color I got to try out, "Pin-Up Pink", is great for the hot spring trend of bubblegum lips (think Drew Barrymore at the Grey Gardens premiere), it's unfortunately not the trend for me. That said, the lipstick itself is great quality stuff. It's super-moisturizing, lasts really well even when drinking from a cup, and you know what else caught my attention? It's unscented. I think this is really interesting and a nice classy touch -- sometimes I don't want to have my lips taste or smell like cupcakes or chocolate-mint or strawberry. It just makes it feel more grown-up and sophisticated to not get a huge whiff of fragrance when I open up a lipstick.

I also think it would work really well if applied lightly like a lipstain -- the dark "Hipster" would be awesome for fall, and you can always take a red lip like "Miss Right" or "Miss Right Now" and apply it very lightly with a lip brush or your fingers to soften the color up for daytime.

I am definitely curious to check out "Miss Right Now", which looks like a great blue-red (seriously, I am so weak for a blue-red, it's not even funny). I really do like the formula a lot, so I would easily go out and pick up another color of Vivid Impact.

Thank you to BlogHer and Max Factor for the chance to try out these products and indulge my weakness for mascara and lipstick -- seriously, does a girl need anything more?

Turns out: she does! And so with BlogHer and Max Factor, I'm giving away a gift pack!


Want to win it? Just leave a comment with your top beauty essential (as I said, mine are mascara and lipstick!) to this post!

Just a few rules:

• The contest is open from 10 am Pacific 5/15/09 until 4 pm Pacific 6/16/09.
• No duplicate comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by linking on Twitter and leaving a link to your Tweet in the comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link to your blog post in the comments.
• This giveaway is open to US residents aged 18 and over.
• Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail (so make sure your email address is correct/attached to your profile!).
• The winner must respond to the email within 48 hours; otherwise, a new winner will be selected.
• Please see the official rules here: Official Rules

There are also sixteen more chances to win! Six other bloggers are giving away prize packs, and BlogHer.com is giving away ten! Click, read, enter, win!

Good luck!!

Sephora's 25 Beauty Confessions!

If you didn't get caught up in the "25 Things You Might Not Know" thing that went around Facebook, then you... probably don't spend a lot of time on Facebook.

Anyway, Sephora posted up a list of 25 beauty questions/confessions, and so I'm answering them here...

1. What is the 1 product you'd grab if your house was on fire?
Sunscreen!

2. Which friend would you let make you over?
I would have to say J, the younger sister of my good friend, S.

3. What celeb do people think you look like?
I've been told Leelee Sobieski, Helena Bonham Carter, and Ingrid Bergman.

4. What beauty product do you save for date night?
I don't think I have any special products just for date night -- I definitely put in more effort when I go out for any reason, not just dates. But I would say foundation/tinted moisturizer, since I don't wear it to work unless I'm planning on going out (or getting my picture taken).

5. Which of your guy friends takes longer than you, to get ready?
Anyone who takes longer than half an hour -- and that includes shower time.

6. If you could create your own miracle beauty product, what would it be?
A tinted moisturizer with good but not too heavy coverage that heals zits as it covers them, doesn't clog pores (in fact, it would be awesome if it could unclog pores, since it's a miracle product) or get oily, and has SPF but doesn't smell like sunscreen.

7. How many different Sephora stores have you been to (and in which cities)?
Stanford, San Francisco (Powell), Seattle, Times Square, Champs Elysees, and Rue de Rivoli (I think -- I went to another, non-Champs Elysees, Sephora in Paris as well). I'm sure I've been to others, but those are the ones I can think of off of the top of my head.

8. What's your best beauty tip?
SUNSCREEN.

9. What beauty products do you love to splurge on?
I would say skincare masks and treatments. (Although I don't really *love* to splurge on them.)

10. Which of your girlfriends would you bring on a Sephora shopping spree?
Kati and Karen, naturally.

11. What is your signature scent?
I don't have one! I wrote about this for BeautyHacks back in October and I still don't have one. I would say the closest I have is L'Artisan Parfumeur's Mure et Musc Extreme, but even then I want something else for spring. I'm thinking Yuzu Rouge...? Or I could go back to Fresh Sugar, maybe.

12. I am on an endless quest for the perfect _________.
Tinted moisturizer with SPF -- see #6.

13. How old were you when you were allowed to wear makeup AND how old were you when you actually started wearing makeup?
I never really wore make-up to school or class (and I still don't wear much to work); my mom brought me in to the Dior counter when I was maybe fifteen or sixteen, then MAC when I was seventeen or eighteen (before I went off to college).

14. How many beauty products does it take to get you ready?
Ready for work or ready for a night out? For work, it now takes six (sometimes seven or eight), not including toothpaste. (That's face wash, moisturizing lotion, eye cream, sunscreen, Dior SkinFlash concealer/brightener, Benetint, sometimes powder, sometimes bronzer).

15. What lipstick/lip gloss is in your purse right now?
I have three lip balms (Dr. Pepper LipSmackers, Yes to Carrots balm in Carrot, Chocolate Mint Ganache) and Lipstick Queen lipstick in Saint Natural.

16. Who is your celebrity beauty icon?
Jean Seberg and Blair Waldorf.

17. Where is the craziest place you've ever applied your makeup?
I tend to apply it on the commuter train a lot, which is fun when you're doing mascara or eyeliner.

18. Who of your tagged friends is ALWAYS camera ready?
I'm not tagging anyone, and I almost never have my camera with me, so I'm not really sure! But my ladies always look great.

19. Name the beauty brand you'd most love to be a spokesperson for?
Fresh, since Alina Roytberg is awesome.

20. If you could name your signature nail polish, what would you call it?
It wouldn't be "Jeanne in a Bottle", that's for dang sure. Maybe "Jeanne Bikini".

21. Out of your tagged friends, who's the most Sephora-obsessed?
Again, not tagging anyone, but it would probably be me.

22. Fave mascara right now?
Blinc Kiss Me, since it makes my lashes SO LONG and doesn't smear at all.

23. The last thing you bought at Sephora?
Erm, officially I bought something online today... and that's the new Philosophy Unconditional Love 3-in-1 (I knoooow) and a replacement Dior SkinFlash concealer/highlighter pen, because I'm paranoid about my current one running out and I NEED IT.

24. I try never to be seen without wearing _______.
Clothes. Oh, wait. Cheek stain.

25. One beauty product you recommend to ALL of your girlfriends?
Urban Decay Primer Potion, hands down.

Go ahead and grab this and post it yourself in your own blog or in the comments -- I'd love to see everyone else's answers!

Getting All Doll'd Up!

This is a compensated post from BlogHer and Mattel.

Jeanne:

Let's face it: Barbie has it pretty good. In fact, she has it better than good! She's a legend, an icon, and forever eighteen.

And this year, Barbie's having her 50th anniversary! She's the muse to fifty designers this New York Fashion Week, as they send looks inspired by her down the runway on Valentine's Day. She's getting her own Dream House in Malibu, decorated by Jonathan Adler! And that's just the start of the year...

And, of course, she's collaborating with Stila Cosmetics to showcase several of her signature looks throughout the years. Kati and Karen both know that I've been wavering back and forth, adding and removing and adding and wondering and doubting and wanting, in regards to the 1959 #1 Ponytail Doll kit, which features a three-pan palette (two eyeshadows in blue and black and a coral blush), a red lipstick named "Ponytail" (perfect!), and, of course, black liquid liner. Hard to resist, right?

But I knew I had what it took to recreate the look on my own, and so, whether you jump for the 1959 #1 Ponytail Doll kit yourself or have some of these pieces in your own collection, here are some handy tips for getting the classic Barbie look.


- Barbie has incredible skin for a permanent teenager! Start with a foundation primer before you apply your foundations of choice; it'll help you get an even complexion.
- I never realized how amazing Barbie's brows are. When I do my brows, I do a wax-and-powder duo to tame my brows without making them look too-too heavy or severe.
- Use an eyelid primer before applying your make-up; this will make it last all day and all night without creasing. I put mine on and let it settle in while I do my brows.
- Start with a sheer or neutral wash from under the brow to the eyelid. I used "Magic Dust" eyeshadow from Barbie's 2007 collaboration with MAC. (What? I had to!)
- Now load up your brush with your blue shadow and pat it onto your eyelid. It's okay to start sheer at first, then build it on up.
- Using a liquid or gel eyeliner (I used a gel eyeliner and an angled eyeliner brush), line your top lid; feel free to go a little thick here. I learned the hard way, though, that it takes a little bit for gel eyeliner to dry. (Oops.)
- Use an angled eyeliner brush and pick up some black eyeshadow. Go over the top line with black shadow to soften the line and make it a little more smokey and less stark. Use the eyeliner brush and shadow to line your bottom lid as well.
- Now it's time for mascara! Go for it! And if you feel like putting on false eyelashes, I don't see why not!
- The Lips. Yes, they're capitalized. Use a lip liner (yes! a lip liner! You know Barbie uses one too!) to line your lips before applying your lipstick with a lip brush. The lip brush gives you a lot more control and definition, which is important when you're doing such a strong red lip.
- Finish up with just a hint of blush and a rocking pair of giant gold hoops.

Honestly, it seems like a lot of work and a lot of time, but I did my whole face in under twenty minutes from primer to photos.

Which means... I have photos. You bet I do, and here I am!



What do you think? I'm pretty excited, actually! I think I actually will use the blue and black smokey eye more -- it's so hot for spring, and don't you know that Barbie knows it! Which classic Barbie look is inspiring you this spring?

Karen:

I was always fascinated by the de rigueur fashion model aspect of Barbie's persona. Just like the Clara Bow, the Marilyn Monroe, the Jackie Kennedy, the Twiggy, and the Kate Moss personas have become icons of beauty in their time(s), Barbie represents a certain kind of idealized female beauty. Certainly, Barbie dolls are made for girls to play with, but do you remember the best part about Barbie? The girl could change outfits like no other! I spent hours wishing I had just the right shoes, or top, to make Barbie's outfit perfect (I never did get it right).

Par example, we have the classic 1960 "Fashion Designer" Barbie. The occupational Barbies were always my favorite -- just as fashionable as the regularly marketed Barbies, but they came with a PURPOSE. I was a career-oriented child (who dressed up as "A Businesswoman" for Halloween, pinstripe suit, briefcase and all), I wanted to see that an older girl at age 18 had ambitions. Fashion Designer Barbie is fabulously power-suited. Really, it's what I'd love to see Peggy Olson wear on Mad Men next season, as she grabs Sterling Cooper in her hot little hand and runs the place with her little pinky finger, new hair and all.

If you can't see yourself pulling off the vintage candy-stripe bow blouse and matching pencil skirt suit set in hot pink, I've created a sleek, modern version for your styling pleasure.

inspired by 1960 "Fashion Designer" Barbie - by periodicstyle on Polyvore.com
Modern Career Barbie's ensemble is still a little sassy, a little girly, creative, practical AND professional. Who didn't want Barbie's wardrobe when they were a girl? The raspberry Aquascutum trench is classic -- the same brand worn by military officers in the UK during the first two World Wars, so there's an unexpected tinge of history to it. A pencil skirt with a comfortably loose sweater simulates that 1960s suit shape in an updated, understated pinstripe. I just couldn't resist the open-toe rosette pumps, and neither could 1960 Barbie!

Fifty years and still going strong, that's our girl! You can read Barbie's All Doll'd Up blog at www.barbie.com/alldolldup, friend Barbie on Facebook at facebook.com/barbie, or follow her on Twitter at @barbiestyle.

We're not the only ones being inspired by Barbie -- check out what everyone else has to say about Barbie's celebrations!

images from barbiemedia.com, periodicstyle.blogspot.com, and polyvore.com

NARS Cosmetics: The Multiple Duo and Multiple Bronzer

Have you heard about what's new from NARS Cosmetics? They've come out with two new products based on the Multiple, which I've already used and loved and written about. So when I got the opportunity to try them out, of course I took it -- and of course I shared with Karen!

First up is the Multiple Duo. I received two (!) of them, in Portofino/Malibu (shimmering coral/pinkish brown; pictured above!) and Orgasm/South Beach (peachy pink with shimmer/shimmering apricot). Since I already had the original Multiple in Orgasm (my goodness!) and already knew that Portofino/Malibu would be the better color match for me, I gave Karen the Orgasm/South Beach duo.

Since I already knew and enjoyed the Multiple in the stick form, I was curious to try it out in the duo. Since it's so creamy, I'm not sure what, if any brush, you would use on it (and Karen even tried before remembering "oh, it's creamy!"), so I've been dabbing it on with my fingers. I've been layering Portofino and Malibu -- again, I love a good coral blush, and particularly like cream blushes, so this is definitely something I'll be using quite a bit.

At the same time, though, I don't think it's something I would use on my lips -- I tried applying Portofino (the coral shade) onto my lips before going out on Sunday and wasn't overwhelmingly thrilled with the results. Then again, I don't really use my other Multiple on my lips very much, mostly just as a cream blush (or highlighter). I might use Malibu (the pinkish brown) as an eyeshadow, though. I'll definitely have to play with it more!

NARS also came out with a new Multiple Bronzer -- exactly what I'd been looking for earlier this summer! I had been hemming and hawing over the existing NARS Multiples (and ultimately couldn't decide between South Beach and Palm Beach, so I didn't buy either) for a cream bronzer stick. Like the original Multiple, it's easy to use -- I swipe it onto my cheekbones and on my nose, then blend with my fingers. Unlike the original Multiple, it's matte and not shimmery, which makes it really look like you've gotten sun and you're not just sparkly. The one pictured here is Malaysia, but I tried out Tuomota, which is for "light to medium complexions with golden undertones" -- again, just perfect for me! (Seriously, this is the second time NARS has sent me the perfect colors. I don't know how she does it!)

Much like the Multiple Duo, though, I don't know if this is really a product I'd use on my lips or on my eyes, though -- yes, it's awesome to have a creamy bronzer stick, but that's about all I can see myself using it for, as I don't think I'd want to put matte golden-brown on my lips (maybe on my eyes, but again, something I'd have to play with).

So, as a fan of the original Multiple, I can say yes, the new variations on the classic are definitely worth having. The duos are convenient and the bronzer definitely fills a gap in my collection (cream bronzer, yay!). Definitely check them out at NARSCosmetics.com -- the Duos are limited edition, so go get them!

images from narscosmetics.com

Backstage with MAC - Preen

For my second full day of Fashion Week, I went backstage with MAC to the offsite Preen show. Luckily the weather lifted (like magic!), so I walked up 42nd Street from the Bryant Park tents to Espace, where the Preen show was being held, on a beautiful Sunday. I was whisked backstage through the clothes and the chaos to the key artist, James Kaliardos, who created a beautiful -- and totally wearable -- look for Preen.

James' theme for the look was "androgynous portraiture" -- considering each girl as a portrait, and enhancing her own look as she is versus trying to homogenize each girl into a robot. It was about bringing out the features of each girl versus projecting an identical look onto her, with particular emphasis on the eyes, brows, and bone structure.

The coverage was very light, allowing the skin to show through while covering up anything that needed covering. Some of the major players were the MAC Pro Blushcreme "Cherche" used on the eyes along with "Omega" eyeshadow (which everyone should have already, right? I'm pretty sure I do). Cheekbones were contoured with MAC Pro Sculpt, while the high planes of the cheekbones and the bridge of the nose were highlighted with Cream Color Base in Pearl (which, okay, I've been considering buying and might have to). All in all, it's a very natural and easy look.

I've also included the face chart here, buuuut since it wasn't included in the MAC face charts that have been hitting the interwebs, I'll give you a special exclusive treat: here it is -- bigger and better. Who loves you? I do! (Also, who loves her new digital camera with better megapixels? I do!)

I also managed to run into Gordon Espinet, the key artist from the Rosa Cha show, and I caught up with him a little on Rosa Cha (and we chatted about Twitter, of course.) So, from Gordon's Twitter, here are his thoughts on the Preen show:

Another day another lot of Fashion Shows. I am going to Preen. James K is doing the makeup. I always love to see theeir show. 06:27 AM September 07, 2008 from TwitterBerry
James K is doing the demo to show the team the look at Preen. Very soft and focused on skin. Very androgenous. 09:19 AM September 07, 2008 from TwitterBerry
colours like SCULPT, OMEGA, CHERCHE, PEARL and DIM lip erase a must for the Preen Look. 09:21 AM September 07, 2008 from TwitterBerry
Boy brow are back! 09:24 AM September 07, 2008 from TwitterBerry

As a brow girl myself, can't say I'm not glad that brows are back!

Thank you again to MAC Cosmetics, Gordon, and James for allowing me to pop my little head in, ask some questions, and have the wonderful experience of getting to see the masters at work! I had a great time at Fashion Week and hope to do it again soon!

images from periodicstyle.blogspot.com

Backstage with MAC - Rosa Cha

This past Saturday, I went backstage for the Rosa Cha Spring 2009 collection to chat with Gordon Espinet of MAC Cosmetics about the look he created for the Rosa Cha show.

I asked Gordon who the Rosa Cha woman is, and he replied that she's a woman who loves. the. beach. She's someone who's fabulous and takes care of herself -- her skin isn't too tan or too pale, but the right amount of healthy glow. "Instead of doing lunch, she goes to the beach," he said.

The key to the Rosa Cha look is the emphasis on the warm beautiful skin, which was achieved with body make-up as well. In addition, he said, the Rosa Cha woman "loves mascara -- too much of it, gobs of mascara." As a mascara fan myself, I totally got it.

I also managed to catch a glimpse of the pedicure going on, which is a gorgeous warm gold polish. Of course, Jamie from The Beauty of Life revealed that it's "Crowned" from Creative Nail Design. It's a great color that I... will likely have to get my hands on. It goes perfectly with the light tan, and will definitely be a great color for next spring. (Also, how gorgeous are those sandals? I love them and must have them, for they are perfect.)

I also got the amazing opportunity to catch up with Gordon backstage at the Preen show on Sunday and ask him how the Rosa Cha show went. He said that it was wonderful, except the show went on right as the horrible rain that Tropical Storm Hannah was dumping on New York. He said that the tents started leaking as the girls were lining up, and all of a sudden he heard a cry from a model -- she'd gotten water in her eye, and unfortunately ProLash (the MAC mascara used on the models -- a whole tube on each girl, Gordon said!) isn't water resistant. So Gordon rushed to the rescue and dabbed her eyes dry. "But I couldn't help thinking it would have been so cool if they'd all come out with Tammy Faye mascara running at the final walk out," Gordon laughed.

Gordon is also one of the MAC artists who's Twittering for MAC, and you can find his Fashion Week coverage at MAC_Gordon_E. Specifically for Rosa Cha, here's what he had to say:

It is gettinf crazy hare at Rosa Cha. There are cameras everywhere and the girls are all wearing too much ProLash mascara 10:54 AM September 06, 2008 from TwitterBerry
The Rosa Cha show was gorgeous. The girls were sand coloured with too much mascaca. I wanna girl's swimsuits. 01:07 PM September 06, 2008 from TwitterBerry

It was a wonderful experience getting to go backstage with MAC! So wonderful that I got to do it again the very next day! Stay tuned for the Preen write-up!

images from periodicstyle.blogspot.com

NARS Cosmetics: Blush, Eyeshadow, and Lipstick!

Yaaay, my first actual product review post!

I've already been a happy NARS Cosmetics customer -- I have a blush, some eyeshadows, a lipstick, and that lovely Multiple Orgasm (ahem). So when NARS asked if I'd like to review a couple of their products, I said yes -- of course I did! And somehow, magically, they sent me some colors that all worked for me, which was even more awesome. They must either be psychic or have some sort of intel on me. (I am guessing psychic.) That or they sent a whole bunch of warm-toned neutrals, crossed their fingers, and I got lucky. Either way, it's all good.

First up is Torrid blush, which is described as "coral with shimmer". Since I'm olive-toned, corals and warm colors are really good for me, I've been finding, so getting a new coral blush to play with is great. The color's really flattering on its own, which is how I've been wearing it. Usually I layer powder blushes over cheek stains, but I can use Torrid on its own. I've been carrying the little compact around with me in my overnight bag as well, and so far it's stayed intact, which is a relief, since I tend to not be super-gentle with my stuff. (For example, this past weekend the bag accompanied me all over San Francisco, including three separate buses and wandering around the Haight.) There's a reason NARS is famous for their blush, and it's because it's good stuff.

Secondly is Promiscuous, a "shimmering honey beige" satin formula lipstick. I will say that I don't really do the dark smoky eye/pale lip look because I don't really like the way I look with pale lips. It's just not my best look. That said, I think Promiscuous is a good choice for a soft pale lip without going too opaque or too light, especially if you have warmer tones in your skin. Who knows, maybe I'll rethink the pale lip. And Promiscuous is a good lipstick to have if I do.

I also received Voyage -- a "golden sand" shimmer single eyeshadow. I have several NARS eyeshadows that I've bought, including Abyssinia (which is pictured above), and I've always been impressed with the softness and quality of their eyeshadows. Voyage is a warm gold-brown with gold shimmer, which would be perfect for wearing as a wash to the office during the day, then easily smoking up with a darker color for night. I think this color would be a lovely wash on someone with blue or blue-green eyes, since the gold would really enhance the blue. However, the pan fell out of the little black packaging upon opening, which alarmed me -- maybe it wasn't glued in tight enough and got knocked loose during shipping, so I have to be careful with it. Unlike Torrid, it can't go traveling around with me, which is a bummer. I was worried that the eyeshadow itself broke (which happens with soft pigment-rich eyeshadows), but it's only the pan... but still, it broke and that makes me a sad Jeanne.

Finally, I also received the Black Orchid mascara, but since I received it during the last month of the second go-round of the Great Mascara Experiment, I haven't managed to try it out yet. I will say that when I read the name of it, I thought, "Oooh, Black Orchid, it is probably a gorgeous purple-black! That will look AWESOME." Somehow I missed the "black" part and jumped right to "orchid" in my mind; Black Orchid is pure black, which is kind of a bummer for me, since I was hoping for purple-black, but there's nothing wrong with a good black mascara, either. Anyone want to let me know what I've missed?

Thank you again to NARS Cosmetics for giving me the chance to try out these colors!

image from narscosmetics.com

About Jeanne, Kati, and Karen

Here's a quick guide to Jeanne, Kati, and Karen, the three writers behind Periodic Beauty Reviews. You can always find our articles/reviews under the tags "jeanne," "kati", or "karen," respectively, both here at Periodic Beauty Reviews or at The Periodic Elements of Style.

Jeanne:

Age: 25
Hair Color: Naturally brunette.
Eye Color: Hazel
Skin Type/Tone: Combination; olive.
Favorite Products to Buy/Review: Lip gloss and lipsticks, eyeshadows, eyeliners, blushes/bronzers, mascaras, concealers, nail products, body scrubs, body washes, perfume.
Favorite Brands: MAC, BeneFit, DuWop, Stila, Urban Decay, Lancome, Fresh, NARS, Smashbox, Philosophy, Product Body, Bare Escentuals, Bliss, LUSH, OPI, Essie, China Glaze, Aveeno
Always Looking For...: Great colors, natural/organic lines, cute packaging, good scents/flavors, something new and exciting.

Kati:

Age: 25
Hair Color: Light Brown
Eye Color: Green
Skin Type/Tone: Dry; pink
Favorite Products to Buy/Review: Lipglosses, Nail Polish, anything that moisturizes.
Favorite Brands: Lush, Product Body, Neutrogena, MAC, Chanel, Philosophy, Stila, Burt's Bees.
Always Looking For...: Things that baby my sensitive skin, matte colors of nail polish that are chip resistant, things with SPF, citrus scents, more coffee.

Karen:

Age: 25
Hair Color: Medium brown
Eye Color: Green, with glasses
Skin Type/Tone: Dry and sensitive; fair, with freckles
Favorite Products to Buy/Review: Shampoo/conditioner, lotion with SPF 15+, mascara
Favorite Brands: Soap&Glory, Burt's Bees, NARS, Shiseido, Laura Mercier, Boots
Always Looking For...: Vanilla and citrus scents, deep purple eyeliner and nail polishes, pressed powder, high quality natural makeup that lasts, and anti-frizz hair products.