Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Shiseido Makeover by Celeb Makeup Artist Renato Almeida


    A bit ago, before my house was gutted and re-built, I wrote about the new Shiseido summer collection. I recently had the opportunity to have my makeup done by their celebrity makeup artist, Renato Almeida. The best part about getting your makeup done by someone who doesn't know you is that you get a fresh interpretation of yourself.

    (Me before the makeover.)

    So what did Renato do for me? He emphasized my eyes, lining the inner rim with the cult favorite liner, Black Sand. Amazingly, his application lasted all day and into the evening - despite the fact I spent the rest of the day painting my living room, dining room, foyer and kitchen.

    (Me after the makeover.)

    I really loved how my eyes looked. Renato used a green and peach combo that made my eyes really look pretty, but natural. Specifically, he used Serpent (green) and Bouillon (peach), which are part of the Luminizing Satin Eye Color collection.

    I also really liked how their Mascara Base made my lashes look. It conditions lashes to help them grow and adds thickness and a little length. You've seen my lashes, I will take what I can get!

    On my lips, he used Perfect Rouge Tender Sheer in the Tender color. Renato also used the Hazel liner, which was a perfect match for my pale pink natural lip.



    The sales associates at the Shiseido counter kept telling me that their White Lucent system would get rid of my melasma really, really fast (specifically, a difference would be noticeable in two weeks). I told them that not much has made a difference on my skin but they could not be deterred. It sounds like a Prove It! Challenge to me! Have you tried this? Please let me know if you have!

    Where do you look for inspiration to reinvent your look? Have you tried their White Lucent skincare line? Either way, tell me in the comments!

    I purchased the lipstick and lip liner from this event. Shiseido does test on animals.

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Urban Decay Fall 2010 Partial Preview

    If you haven't already seen the goods - here are the details on some of the items UD is releasing this fall. They'll be available at Sephora, Macy's, Ulta and of course, UrbanDecay.com on August 1.

    First is the Naked Palette.

    (Virgin-1st, Buck-5th, Darkhorse-8th, Creep-11th, & Hustle-10th are the exclusive shades)

    It contains 7 best selling shades, 5 Naked exclusives, a double-ended version of their 24/7 Glide on Eyeliner in Zero (black) and Whiskey (a rich brown) and a travel size of their UD Eyeshadow Primer Potion.


    I am also excited to check out the lip glosses, which promises lasting color with no stickiness. It's available in 14 colors for $19 each and according to their research, this mint-flavored formula can potentially plump your lips after repeated use.

    (Runaway)

    While I could make the case for any of these colors, the ones I am particularly interested in are Runway, Perversion and Naked.

    (Perversion)

    (Naked)

    Lastly (for this post), is the Vegan Palette.

    This looks adorable - I love the Chihuahua on the front! I couldn't agree more - how can anyone test on animals? This palette comes with 6 shadows, a travel Eden Primer Potion and a travel 24/7 Zero liner. It will retail for $34 and be available from the usual suspects.

    What are you hoping to get your hands on this Fall?

    Images courtesy of Urban Decay.

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Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stains

    I am always looking for a lip stain that isn't red or bright pink and doesn't dry out the lips AND works for more than a week. I tested Cover Girl's version of lip stains last year and it didn't go well, despite a good friend of mine LUERVING them.

    I saw these in the aisles of CVS and picked up two colors.

    Just Bitten is a new lip stain by Revlon that tries to fix the major problem with most lip stains - the dry out factor. Anyone who wears these knows that your lips aren't moist (am I the only one who finds that word awkward to use?) and that your pucker is parched before you leave the house.

    So to combat the dryness issue, Revlon added a lip balm to the other end of Just Bitten. The lip balm at the end is a plain, non-scented chunk of lip balm. It adds a little shine, but offers no real hydration. Still, the shine and slightly smoother feeling definitely make up for overall dryness that happens with most lip stains.

    I picked out two colors, Flame and Forbidden. At the store, the swatches of Flame suggested it was Coral-ish and Forbidden appeared to be the closest to a brownish, natural lip color. I like the idea of the colors being different from the usual bright pink and dark red that lip stains always turn out to be.

    Here is what Flame looked like on, with the balm.

    Dangit! That isn't coral in my book! It's pink! Again with the pink lip stains. Is there some rule I don't know about that stop people from making a lip stain in a NON-PINK color? For what it is worth, it wouldn't COME OFF, even after I washed my face, took a shower, used a waterproof makeup remover and slept for 8 hours. I still had bright pink lips.

    The next morning, I tested Forbidden, which I thought would be better when I put it on. Indeed, it was. Forbidden was a nice, natural lip stain, without a huge color payoff (which is fine by me!). Forbidden can start at almost nude (above) and build to a darker reddish brown stain.

    In the end, they definitely aren't dry, although I am not thrilled with the colors. The lip balm included feels like a chunk of stuff that barely comes off on your lips, but it does make your lips shine slightly. I guess the quest for a good lip stain in a color that isn't pink- or red-based will continue.


    I bought these colors myself. And for what it is worth, Revlon doesn't test on animals, according to Beautypedia.

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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Sneak Peek: Buxom Stay-There Eyeshadow

    For the last week or so, I have been seeing glimpses of a new CREAM eyeshadow collection from Buxom. First, Leslie posted snapshots of the characters (pooches!) on her Facebook page. Then an Allure Magazine blog gave a little more detail. I searched all over, hankering for more info on the shadows. Was it possible that Buxom was naming a line of shadows after the other love of my life, dogs?

    Coming to a Sephora near you in August, Buxom is launching TEN cream eyeshadows that are waterproof, infused with Vitamin E and Aloe and stay put. Each shade is named after a pooch and promises to obey your stay command.

    (click to enlarge)

    (Top, L-R: Shih Tzu, Black Lab, Golden Retriever, Bulldog, Schnauzer, Chihuahua, St. Bernard, Pug, Mutt and Poodle)

    These will launch in August at Sephora and will retail for $17. There is also a brush to go with these, and is the same price. These were not tested on animals and are paraben free. I can't wait to get my hands on these pooches! Thoughts?

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Bare Escentuals New Brightening Primer


    Bare Escentuals recently launched two new Brightening Primers for the face and the eyes. As of now, it is only available on QVC in the Rethink Beauty Collection, but I would imagine you will soon be able to buy both primers as stand alone products.

    The Prime Time Brightening Foundation Primer is a buttercup yellow primer that has a slight brightening effect when applied. According to the presentation on the Q, it works on all skin tones. It is very smooth feeling (thanks to the silicone), but doesn't quite have the same slip the original primer has. The Brightening Primer reflects light slightly differently than the original primer as well and is a thinner product overall. The original Prime Time was like a gel. The new Brightening Primer is more like a thin lotion.

    (Brightening Primer is shown on top. Original Prime Time is shown below.)

    If you don't need any coverage, you can wear this alone as a great way to smooth out your face and brighten your complexion slightly. I was initially a little worried about the buttercup yellow tint of the product. I have enough yellow in my skin as it is - I don't really need any more. However, this blends in nicely and isn't pigmented enough to cause any color issues. The Brightening Effect is very, very natural, minimal without a fake radiant shine like others. To my knowledge, this product does not contain ingredients like Bearberry that actually brighten your skin. The slight brightening effect is only cosmetic.

    (Brightening Primer on top, Original Prime Time below. My skin in two different types of light.)

    The Brightening Primer still allows for your foundation to go on perfectly, evenly and smoothly.

    (Prime Time Brightening Eyelid Primer on top and Prime Time Foundation Primer on bottom)

    Prime Time Brightening Eyelid Primer is a totally different kind of primer from their original Prime Time Eyelid Primer. This primer is more like a cream eyeshadow base in a neutral golden shimmer. It definitely keeps your eyeshadow in place for a full day, just like the original. It can also be worn as an eyeshadow on its own. I am a tough judge of cream-based shadows, and very few pass muster with me. I can tell you that when I wore this alone, I didn't get any creasing or fading. Based on my experience with the new Brightening Eyelid Primer, when Bare Escentuals moves into the cream eyeshadow category, it will be something to get excited about! Check back later today for a sneak peek at the new cream shadow colors just announced for August!

    One fun benefit of this particular shadow primer is that it enhances the shadow color, making it more vibrant, while keeping the same basic color finish, just slightly more satin. Some primers turn shadows matte, and some primers auto-foil. This primer just makes the colors more vibrant.


    Shown above are Lucky, Midnight Sky and Wildflower. On the top, it is just the shadow. On the bottom, they are applied over the primer. The colors over this primer definitely come alive.

    Which is your favorite primer? Have you picked this up yet? Tell me in the comments!

    I bought this on the Q. BE is not tested on animals.

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Monday, June 28, 2010

Primer Wars: Fresh, BE, Hourglass, NARS, Tarina Tarantino, Philosophy and More

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Youthful Trends Caffienated Primer



    I recently came across a makeup primer that included caffeine, which claims to help tighten the skin. Youthful Trends Caffeinated Primer is a 100% natural primer that includes good for your skin ingredients like cucumber. Not only does this primer claim to help tighten your skin, but Youthful Trends also maintains it can reduce facial sweating, curb UV damage, hydrate your face and keep your makeup looking fresh all day.

    At first, I didn't expect this primer to perform. It feels like cucumber infused water when you spray it on your face. It's certainly refreshing (and smells nice) when you spritz. This summer has been a doozy in Baltimore and my skin is not agreeing with the humidity and heat. My normally very dry skin doesn't quite know what to do. I mention this because Youthful Trends primer had an interesting effect on my skin.

    My makeup definitely stayed on nicely (I have been wearing Bobbi Brown liquid foundation). Even my blush stayed on all day, which is unusual for me. I am not a big outdoor girl or a big sweat-er, so I can't really say how this affected me from a sweating perspective. I did find this primer to be really hydrating, which is not something that usually happens to my overly dry skin. The extra hydration (and maybe the caffeine) made my skin look plump, supple and fresh. I even found myself wanting to blot a bit in the humidity - I wouldn't say this made me oily, but it definitely prompted my skin to stay more hydrated than usual.

    This is one of those products that I may have overlooked originally, but performed really nicely. I have also used it at the end of the day to freshen up my face or to give my skin a quick burst of hydration after cleansing at night.

    One last interesting fact about this primer. In independent lab tests (not done by the company) UV damage was reduced when topical caffeine was applied to the skin. So if you are like me and vigilant about sun protection, this is a little added bonus protection to consider!

    Youthful Trends Caffeinated Primer is available online for $29. Readers can save an additional 25% by using code SHEBLOG at checkout! Have you used this? Let me know what you think!

    Product was sent to me for the purposes of review. Youthful Trends does not test on animals.

    Subscribe and never miss a thing! Disclosure/Disclaimer Statement. Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2009-2010, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Katy Perry