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

Welcome to today's edition of Primer Wars! Not sure what it's all about? Check it out and learn the rules.

The next group of primers to compete are:


Fresh Rose FreshFace Primer vs. Bare Escentuals Original Prime Time

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer vs. NARS Makeup Primer

Tarina Tarantino Pearl Glow vs. Philosophy's The Present

Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel vs. Too Faced Primed and Poreless Skin Perfecting Primer


Voting for your favorite means they could be granted a stay and live to fight another day, even if they weren't the victor when I tested them.





















Bare Escentuals Original Prime Time beat Fresh's Primer, despite the fact that I love the smell of all Fresh products.

NARS Makeup Primer defeated Hourglass.

Tarina Tarantino Pearl Glow spanked Philosophy into the Present with her pearly undertones and budge proof hold.

Perfekt is a really nice primer that makes your skin look flawless, but Too Faced edged it out by getting makeup to stay on the longest and keep it looking fresh for hours.


Please vote and RT to make sure your favorite brand doesn't get voted out! Voting will be tabulated in seven days. Check back for more Primer Wars soon or click here to see what you missed.



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Tarina Tarantino Fashion Collection

I have only tried a few of Tarina's products, but for the most part, what I have picked up so far, I am digging. Her new Fashion Collection hit the shelves at Sephora a few weeks ago (I'm renovating my house, sorry I am late!) so I thought I would give you the details. According to Tarina, here is what inspired her collection.


Bibarucci Fashion Collection
Inspired by two of Tarina’s favorite fashion icons, Barbara Hulanicki of Biba and Elio Fiorucci, this collection combines playful designs from the Disco era with '60s rock 'n' roll decadence, featuring black, gold, and Egyptian accents. Housed in vibrant yellow, Bibarucci is sexy, playful and mysterious.
Candy Cameo Fashion Collection
Taking a colorful inspiration from her grandmother's vintage jewelry box, Tarina designed Candy Cameo around neon-colored cameos with glossy hearts and bows. Bright pink shades are accented with black lacquer beading for a collection that creates a fantastical yet nostalgic feel.
Electric Butterfly Fashion Collection
Influenced by acid-bright 1960's op-art posters and Art Nouveau illustrations from the early 1900's, this ensemble evokes an electrifying journey—the psychedelic metamorphosis of Electric Butterfly. The art from these eras, with their highly stylized images and curvilinear shapes, reference the patterns in butterflies' wings. Bright tangerine shades partner with turquoise accents in the design for a collection that captures the ethereal and magical sense of transformation.

Tokyo Hardcore Fashion Collection
During Tarina's first trip to Japan, she immersed herself in the futuristic culture of cuteness. This collection showcases high-tech Tokyo style, including hot, neon hues. The ultra-wearable neon green shades recall the Tokyo skyline that fascinated Tarina during her trip.

Victorian Punk Fashion Collection
Channeling Gothic style and 1970s punk rock, Victorian Punk references turn-of-the-century haberdashery and dress. This ensemble features hand-printed scrimshaw skull cameos. Rich purple shades combined with red and black designs create a story of romance and gothic fantasy.


Each of these collections has an Eye Dream Hypershadow, Gem Lip Gloss and Lip Gloss Ring. I don't get the Lip Gloss Ring. Those trinkets are always lost on me. I don't get the Tokidoki Charms, I don't get the Hard Candy doodads and I don't get a $35 Lip Gloss Ring. That said, I'm 37 and realize she didn't create them with me in mind.



(Gloss is on the left and shadow on the right. But I bet you already knew that. Top: Bibarucci Fashion, Electric Butterfly, Candy Cameo, Victorian Punk, Tokyo Hardcore)


Above are the swatches of the Hypershadows and the Gem Glosses. The glosses that come in the ring were no longer available for swatching in the store.


My favorite in this collection is the Victorian Punk, the purple one. I love the lip gloss. It's sheer, a bright lavender and call me crazy, but it reminds me of childhood grape medicine in a really nice way (not in some weird cough syrup addiction way). I love it.


What do you think? Is this collection for you or are you going to pass? Tell me in the comments!

I bought the VP gloss and tested the rest of the items. Photos courtesy of Tarina Tarantino.


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

Summer Tips, Finds and Tricks

Here are some tips I have discovered for the new products that have come out for the summer season (and some reminders about old favorites).


Want to make your eyes pop even more? After you apply mascara, while it's still wet, add Tan Lines, a beautiful bronze shadow from Fusion of Color, to a flat, wide eye shadow brush. Carefully blink your wet lashes into the mascara and voila! Noticeably tan lashes that beam bronze. Try it!


Want to add the appearance of diamonds to the end of your lashes? Save thousands and use Tarina Tarantino's Sparklecity Pure instead. You only need a little bit and it looks really pretty. It's like a little surprise for your lashes!


Check out Dalton's Illuminizing Brightening Wand. With a quick swipe of the pointed tip applicator, you can get a gorgeous bit of glow around your eyes! This color isn't quite white and it isn't quite gold. It's more like a peachy/flesh-toned shimmer with a touch of platinum. I swear it changes color a bit once you apply it.

It doesn't really add a color around your eyes, it is more of a pigment that reflects the light to brighten your eyes. It can work as a shadow or as an easy way to add a shimmery rim around your eyes or play up the inner corner. Keep it in your purse to dot above the bow of your lips- it will make your pout stand out. Beauteous!

While not summer specific, I recently picked up Too Faced's Lip Insurance Lip Primer, which actually extends the life of lip gloss to something respectable. Who doesn't want a perfect pout in the summer? This primer extended the life of my gloss up to two hours (from twenty minutes). It couldn't be easier to be lovely and lax at the same time!



My new lip stick obsession is NARS Love Devotion. I went to Sephora one afternoon intent on finding a lip stick color I don't already own (which is nearly impossible). After about an hour, I settled on Love Devotion.


It's a bright mango color that goes on much more sheer than you would anticipate. It looks beautiful and is a nice change from my other summer colors.


Your hands might just show your age more than any other body part. Protect them by swiping on an SPF each morning for protection during your morning drive. Even better, keep something that is affected by heat, like bareMinerals Natural SPF 30 Sunscreen, in the car (or in your purse) at all times. This SPF and brush combo are a quick way to make sure your hands and décolleté can be protected at all times. Remember, no product in the world will do more to prevent aging than a sunscreen!



(Paul & Joe Beauté Eye Gloss in Celestial, swatched. Gorgeous!)


Be sure to pick up Paul and Joe Beaute' Eye Gloss. The Eye Gloss will give your eyes a shimmery gleam that doesn't fade. This goes perfect with a matte bronzer and a deeply-hued glossy lip for a perfect night out after a day at the beach.

Finally, don't forget about two of my favorite face luminizers from Fresh: Twilight and High Noon. Twilight adds a beautiful platinum sheen to your skin and High Noon adds a tranquil golden color. You can't go wrong with either of these (and they smell fantastic!). They are both perfect for a fast, fresh face!


I purchased all of the above products with the exception of Tan Lines by Fusion of Color and the Dalton Brightening Wand, which were sent to me for the purposes of review.

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

New Meaning of Eye Candy: Sparklecity Pure

I am in love with Sparklecity Pure by Tarina Tarantino. This loose pigment is like a cross between reflective bits of pink and flesh-toned sugar magic and heaven. It gives new meaning to the definition of eye candy. This confection for the lids is a must-have not only because it looks gorgeous and can be used in a myriad of ways, but because the glitter doesn't fall out onto your cheeks.


I asked one of my favorite cast members at Sephora if it stayed put or slid south. She swore it had amazing staying power. I halfheartedly believed her (she doesn't usually lie), but it's SO GLITTERY. It's seems impossible that it could stay on. I sort of thought I would be returning it.

The next morning, I used it with Laura Geller's Eye Spackle. I used a flat rounded brush to pat the pigment onto my lids. I used Tarina Tarantino's Trim in the crease. I lined my eye with Stila's All Day Stay Liquid Liner and used Mally's Volumizing Mascara.

I loved how this looked and it wore beautifully for more than 12 hours. At the end of the day, I counted three sparkles that had fallen off. I'm impressed. Clearly, this is one product that I won't be returning.

Have you tried it? Did it work for you or make a mess? Tell me in the comments!

I bought this. But you already knew that.

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Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2010, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Checking Out the New Tarina Tarantino Collection

When my Sephora manager/pal called to tell me her store had unveiled the new Tarina Tarantino collection, I would be a liar if I didn't admit to rearranging my day to make it over to the store. (And not just to see her in her Tarina-inspired pink wig!)

This is a very girl collection; every detail from the packaging to the products to the colors screams girly girl. While the spray body glitter came in a bottle that was worth picking up from an aesthetic point alone, I picked up two Eye Dream Hypershadows and a lipstick. I considered the primer, which gives your skin a sheer luminosity, but it's more lotion-y than silicone-y, and I prefer the latter.

First of all, the packaging is adorable. The crystal encrusted compacts are too cute! All of these powders are milled within an inch of their life. They feel like silk when you touch them and go on incredibly smoothly. I picked up Trim, a light brown with gold sparkles and Chain, a smoky gray shimmer. They wear beautifully and last more than a full eight hours (when used with a primer - I haven't tried them without).


(Chain is the crease color. Gorgeous!)


I also picked up Conditioning Lip Sheen in the color Pendant.

These colors are so gorgeous (and pink), it's hard to imagine that they wouldn't look beautiful on everyone.


I am loving this girly collection. Have you checked it out? What did you think? Tell me in the comments!

I purchased these products myself!


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Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2010,Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

New Things I Need: March 2009

There is an endless list of makeup (and other stuff) that I am fairly certain I need. Here are my Top Five Picks for March, which I am curiously waiting to check out (and take home) this month.






Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Powder. I checked it out briefly when my Sephora launched it last week. All of her powders are so finely milled they are like silk. I picked up two shadows, because I really can't justify buying another face powder right now, even if it looks beyond fancy. Tarina even has a curious powder, Peridot. It's green, to counter act redness in skin. It looked like Kermit on my hand, but I am plain pale. I overheard a Sephora employee decked out in a pink bob wig talk about how wonderful this was for her. I would love to see how this actually works.

Put on Pieces Hair Synthetic Extensions. About eight years ago, I wore clip-in hair extensions every day. It was so much fun. Now, I am trying to grow my hair out again and am desperate for more length. If I can get the gumption, I am going to start wearing much longer hair often. Although considering I don't go anywhere besides work and to Karma Dogs events, this means wearing extensions not just for fun nights out, but during regular life. It's not that they are hard to put in, but it does give me a little agita when thinking about walking into my boss' office with long tresses. He laughs at me on a good day and I am not sure what this proud Baby Boomer will think. Here's to finding out!

I am really hankering to own a piece of jewelry by Chrissy Gemmill. Superfriend Xina already has a few pieces of her work and I am jealous to the jell-eth degree. She does amazing things with silver and I love the oxidized look of her work. All of her pieces are lust-worthy and I don't know if I could pick just one!

Make Up For Ever recently launched a new line of cream blushes at Sephora and I can't wait to get my hands on (no surprise here) Bright Apricot. This blush claims to fall on the side of a soft focus, radiant kind of look, instead of a serious swipe of color. I am anxious to see what the texture of this product is, as it comes in unusual packaging for a cream blush.

In all honesty, if I wasn't so lazy, I would be a fantastic activist - at least where my spending was concerned. As I try to close the gap where my morals and my credit cards meet, I am jonesing to try these (new to me) bath products by Whish. Paraben, Sulfate, TEA and DEA-free, organic, cruelty and petrochemical-free, you may be left wondering what this product does contain. It has yummy organic shea butter, organic raspberry butter, and organic aloe to moisturize skin and organic cucumber and organic marigold to soothe. Plus it smells like Pomegranate. I am hoping this will help me switch from enjoying the snow to yearning for spring. While I am at it, the Pomegranate body butter seems like a scrumptious idea as well.

What are you looking for this month? Tell me in the comments!

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