BSB: Beauty news, makeup swatches and pictures, nail polish articles, makeup tutorials, product reviews, and how-to's from a MAC-trained makeup artist.

Celebrity makeup looks: Guess who?

Which newly engaged blonde sported this glossy neutral lip?

I made you a cheesey little tree from MAC swatches. Please know how happy I am you choose to read BSB. Happy holidays!

The Twelve Days of Christmas, BPAL-style. Day 12 - WHOOP (a fragrance review)

Definition of WHOOP
1: to utter a whoop in expression of eagerness, enthusiasm, or enjoyment

 

WHOOP
“I don’t know what to do!” cried Scrooge, laughing and crying in the same breath; and making a perfect Laocoön of himself with his stockings. “I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world. Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!”

He had frisked into the sitting-room, and was now standing there: perfectly winded.

“There’s the saucepan that the gruel was in!” cried Scrooge, starting off again, and going round the fireplace. “There’s the door, by which the Ghost of Jacob Marley entered! There’s the corner where the Ghost of Christmas Present, sat! There’s the window where I saw the wandering Spirits! It’s all right, it’s all true, it all happened. Ha ha ha!”

Really, for a man who had been out of practice for so many years, it was a splendid laugh, a most illustrious laugh. The father of a long, long line of brilliant laughs!

“I don’t know what day of the month it is!” said Scrooge. “I don’t know how long I’ve been among the Spirits. I don’t know anything. I’m quite a baby. Never mind. I don’t care. I’d rather be a baby. Hallo! Whoop! Hallo here!”

He was checked in his transports by the churches ringing out the lustiest peals he had ever heard. Clash, clang, hammer; ding, dong, bell. Bell, dong, ding; hammer, clang, clash! Oh, glorious, glorious!

Running to the window, he opened it, and put out his head. No fog, no mist; clear, bright, jovial, stirring, cold; cold, piping for the blood to dance to; Golden sunlight; Heavenly sky; sweet fresh air; merry bells. Oh, glorious! Glorious!

“What’s to-day!” cried Scrooge, calling downward to a boy in Sunday clothes, who perhaps had loitered in to look about him.

“Eh?” returned the boy, with all his might of wonder.

“What’s to-day, my fine fellow?” said Scrooge.

“To-day!” replied the boy. “Why, Christmas Day.”

Golden sunlight and sweet fresh air brightening a Heavenly sky on Christmas Day: crisp winter air, shimmering amber, sweet honey, with a touch of pumpkin pie, pine cone, cranberry, and bayberry.

 

Merry Christmas!

It's the happiest day of Scrooge's life, and hopefully a great one for you, too.

Today is the last of my Twelve Days of Christmas BPAL reviews, and it's ending on a high note.

Whoop is the perfect Christmas scent.

It has a definite gentle pine sap note throughout (not air freshener-like at all). A spoonful of sharp but warm honey dances through from time to time, and bayberry and cranberry give a lovely turn on the floor as well.

On me, I don't smell crisp winter air, though the whole scent progression is bright and cheerful (thankfully not blindingly so).

The drydown is a whisp of amber with the faintest trace of spice. It's soft, cozy and lovely but not heavy or even particularly warm.

It is a Whoop of happy delight. It's really, really good.

The Twelve Days of Christmas, BPAL-style. Day 11 - CHRISTMAS EVE IN THE COUNTING HOUSE (a fragrance review)

CHRISTMAS EVE IN THE COUNTING HOUSE

It was cold, bleak, biting weather: foggy withal: and he could hear the people in the court outside, go wheezing up and down, beating their hands upon their breasts, and stamping their feet upon the pavement stones to warm them. The city clocks had only just gone three, but it was quite dark already—it had not been light all day—and candles were flaring in the windows of the neighbouring offices, like ruddy smears upon the palpable brown air. The fog came pouring in at every chink and keyhole, and was so dense without, that although the court was of the narrowest, the houses opposite were mere phantoms. To see the dingy cloud come drooping down, obscuring everything, one might have thought that Nature lived hard by, and was brewing on a large scale.

Creaky wood, thick fog, and dying embers.

 

 I'm not sure what fog smells like.
That's the first thing l thought when I read inspiration and the notes for BPAL's Christmas Eve in the Counting House.

The second thing I thought was "What a bleak Christmas Eve. Who would want to wear a bleak and depressing scent for Christmas?" Of course, every scent has it's meaning and an occasion, and I know the holidays can be quite depressing for many a soul. I just fall in the camp of wanting to wear a cheery scent during tough times, to fight against the tide.

Regardless, this scent is far from depressing or dreary. It's basically bright, clear woods. Cheerful? Maybe not, but not sad or solemn, either. It's neutral, perhaps. Wood being wood, it's not really an upper or a downer; it just is.

I'm not familiar enough with woods notes to say which woods these are, though perhaps there's a sandlewood present (there's a note I recognize from my favorite Chanel, Bois des Iles).

As for the embers, it's possible a tiny molecule of incense showed up, but that could be wishful thinking.

This is going to be a great oil to layer under other scents that are missing that certain something.

I still don't know what fog smells like.

Christmas tips from The Nail Ninja

image sources are noted after the  jump.

Celebrity makeup looks: Guess who?

Who wore these sultry eyes in a new perfume ad?

The Twelve Days of Christmas, BPAL-style. Day 10 - THE FIRST OF THE THREE SPIRITS (a fragrance review)

First, the excerpt...

THE FIRST OF THE THREE SPIRITS

It was a strange figure—like a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man, viewed through some supernatural medium, which gave him the appearance of having receded from the view, and being diminished to a child’s proportions. Its hair, which hung about its neck and down its back, was white as if with age; and yet the face had not a wrinkle in it, and the tenderest bloom was on the skin. The arms were very long and muscular; the hands the same, as if its hold were of uncommon strength. Its legs and feet, most delicately formed, were, like those upper members, bare. It wore a tunic of the purest white; and round its waist was bound a lustrous belt, the sheen of which was beautiful. It held a branch of fresh green holly in its hand; and, in singular contradiction of that wintry emblem, had its dress trimmed with summer flowers. But the strangest thing about it was, that from the crown of its head there sprung a bright clear jet of light, by which all this was visible; and which was doubtless the occasion of its using, in its duller moments, a great extinguisher for a cap, which it now held under its arm.

Even this, though, when Scrooge looked at it with increasing steadiness, was not its strangest quality. For as its belt sparkled and glittered now in one part and now in another, and what was light one instant, at another time was dark, so the figure itself fluctuated in its distinctness: being now a thing with one arm, now with one leg, now with twenty legs, now a pair of legs without a head, now a head without a body: of which dissolving parts, no outline would be visible in the dense gloom wherein they melted away. And in the very wonder of this, it would be itself again; distinct and clear as ever.

“Are you the Spirit, sir, whose coming was foretold to me?” asked Scrooge.

“I am!”

The voice was soft and gentle. Singularly low, as if instead of being so close beside him, it were at a distance.

“Who, and what are you?” Scrooge demanded.

“I am the Ghost of Christmas Past.”

“Long Past?” inquired Scrooge: observant of its dwarfish stature.

“No. Your past.”

 

I can't tell you how well I think The First of the Three Spirits nails the imagery evoked by that passsge! Another win for BPAL.

After reading the description of The Spirit of Christmas Past, I expected a radiant golden scent with an ethereal quality balanced by a grounding look at humanity. Oh, and Summer flowers.

That's exactly what this scent is.

The opening is an astringent shock, probably akin to the surprise Scrooge felt when encountering this ghost! As that blast of sharpness relaxes (or am I just getting used to it?) the florals surge forward in a gentle but firm push. Is that sharp edge the zdravetz (geranium macrorhizum)?

The drydown is the best part (I always think that!). A pure and pretty amber is balanced by a "nice" white musk - not dirty or animalic. It lasts on the skin for eons, but does fade from time to time, then bounce back, like The Spirit's appearance morphs.

Lovely. I may buy a back-up.

Celebrity makeup looks: Guess who?

 

keep reading for the answer...

Makeup look: Silver and Gold

Silver may not have been one of the gifts of the Magi, but it's always appropriate at the holidays! Here, I did a quick and easy look and paired it with a berry red lip. This looks great with anything, so if you want to dress it up instead of wearing it with your hubby's flannel shirt, feel free to get fancy! ;)

How to:

• Radiant light-coverage foundation keeps this look luminous and light. I used MAC Face & Body. Concealer hides circles and other signs of holiday wear and tear.
• The complexion was warmed up with softly applied matte bronzer (not fake tanning a la Jersey Shore... just a healthy hit of warmth).
• Brows were lightly filled in. Too much would be too much!
• Eyes were prepped with Make Up For Ever's Aquacream in a glowing, gorgeous silver. This doubles as the main shadow color. These are quickly becoming my go-to shadows, thanks to their flexibility (sheer, opaque - whatever!), and crease-proof, budge-proof durability.
• I patted a yellow gold on the center of the lid, then a more rosey shade of gold in the corner, blending up and through the crease.
• A skintone shade with the slightest bit of gentle shimmer was used to highlight the brow.
• Black gel liner was pressed onto the top and bottom waterlines. I feel like these colors needed that kind of definition on me, but feel free to skip that step or just line the top waterline if you like.
• Mascara was then copiously applied.
• Lips are a blend of two of my favorite reds: MAC Cockney and MAC New York Apple. Neither seemed right on their own, but blended together they were perfect.
• My cheeks looked like they needed a little something, but I wasn't sure what. I tapped the lipbrush I had just used onto the apples of my cheeks and blended. Voila! Yummy winter flush and perfectly coordinated with my lips to boot.

Not sure you want to go with so much silver? Reverse the idea and use gold as your base with a touch of silver on the inner 1/3 of the lid! That would look great with more of a plum toned red lip and cheek.

The Nail Ninja is feeling jolly.

Well, as jolly as The Ninja ever gets, that is, which isn't saying much. She did, however, pull out a nice glowy rose gold shade with tons of glass-speck reflects. It's called Glow, and it's one of OPI's Designer Series shades (read: a bit more sparkly and a few bucks more pricey).

Gorgeous.
Approprite for any holiday festivities.
Get it.

Five Things That Make Me Smile

This tree is made from Mountain Dew cans with a two-liter topper!

 

 

 Merry Christmas. _via

 

 

MAC and Bollywood makeup guru Mickey Contractor collaborate and I'm buying most all of it. Well, at least the Studio Fix and Moisturecover Concealers in mixed-skintone-friendly shades and the new double-ended concealer in coral and yellow corrector. Amen for these shades and hip hip hooray from my kit, which is used on a lot of Indian brides!

I admire the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright, so I adore this Falling Water gingerbread house! I've visited the real thing, but wouldn't mind getting a bite of taking a look at this in person. _via

 

 

Cracking up at When Parents Text!

Five Things That Make Me Run the Other Way

 

Tossed out into the retail fray in the last moments before Christmas, Christina Aguilera joins the celebrity fragrance circus with Christina Aguilera and Christina Aguilera By Night. Who doesn't love a rush-job celeb scent with a movie tie-in? Oh wait...me.  _via

 

 

Huh?

Tajazzle. I could have gone my whole life without knowing about this. Apparently, if you're not concerned with how dry your personal bits are -not to mention which flavor you've slathered on them- then you're doing your lover a disservice. Rectify the situation by watching these videos and slapping on some crystals, flavoring and powder. Or not...  _{(with thanks -?- to Refinery29)}

 

This is just wrong. Let's just keep Santa's "package" out of it, OK Mrs Claus?

 

 

More celebrity scent. This time, it's Rihanna with The World's Ugliest Perfume Bottle. I'm currrently crafting an equally ugly award for this one. She can put it next to all those fancy awards she's got on the mantle. Notes include PVC, hairdye and tattoo ink. _via

 

The Twelve Days of Christmas, BPAL-style. Day 9 - A GAME CALLED YES & NO (a fragrance review)

“Here is a new game,” said Scrooge. “One half hour, Spirit, only one!”

It was a Game called Yes and No, where Scrooge’s nephew had to think of something, and the rest must find out what; he only answering to their questions yes or no, as the case was. The brisk fire of questioning to which he was exposed, elicited from him that he was thinking of an animal, a live animal, rather a disagreeable animal, a savage animal, an animal that growled and grunted sometimes, and talked sometimes, and lived in London, and walked about the streets, and wasn’t made a show of, and wasn’t led by anybody, and didn’t live in a menagerie, and was never killed in a market, and was not a horse, or an ass, or a cow, or a bull, or a tiger, or a dog, or a pig, or a cat, or a bear. At every fresh question that was put to him, this nephew burst into a fresh roar of laughter; and was so inexpressibly tickled, that he was obliged to get up off the sofa and stamp. At last the plump sister, falling into a similar state, cried out:

“I have found it out! I know what it is, Fred! I know what it is!”

“What is it?” cried Fred.

“It’s your Uncle Scro-o-o-o-oge!”

Which it certainly was. Admiration was the universal sentiment, though some objected that the reply to “Is it a bear?” ought to have been “Yes;” inasmuch as an answer in the negative was sufficient to have diverted their thoughts from Mr. Scrooge, supposing they had ever had any tendency that way.

“He has given us plenty of merriment, I am sure,” said Fred, “and it would be ungrateful not to drink his health. Here is a glass of mulled wine ready to our hand at the moment; and I say, ‘Uncle Scrooge!’ ”

“Well! Uncle Scrooge!” they cried.

“A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to the old man, whatever he is!” said Scrooge’s nephew. “He wouldn’t take it from me, but may he have it, nevertheless. Uncle Scrooge!”

Mulled wine and marzipan.

 

You know what I like about this one, folks? It's a morpher. Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab makes some unpredictable scents. No, I'm not talking about the fact that sometimes they surprise you with an oddball concept like Embalming Fluid or Jailbait, though that too!

I mean they sometimes make perfumes that behave in an unpredictable manner. A Game Called Yes & No is one of those, at least when paired with my skin chemistry.

The first time I tried AGCY&N, I got tons of almond, a hint of rose, a little musky something or another that was hard to define.

The second time I wore it, it started off a bit like grape juice then turned into a spice rack.

This time, either I finally "get it" or I'm just lucky. Wine was the word at the opening, then a whiff of almond streaked through, carrying a bouquet of sugared roses (marzipan!). Pulling up the rear were the most delectable mulling spices that are lingering nicely.

I can't wait to see what happens next time (though I'm so pleased with it today I hope it always behaves the same from now on!).

 

Buying Giorgio Armani beauty products will make me look like this, right?

The Twelve Days of Christmas, BPAL-style. Day 8 - SUGAR PLUM FAIRY (a fragrance review)

Are there perfume notes that you don't like? Mine are tobacco and really fruity scents like peach, apple, and plum. Hint: this doesn't bode well for BPAL's Sugar Plum Fairy, which has a plum note (duh) and apricot, too. Sigh...

Despite that, and the description of a "watermelon Jolly Rancher" scent on the BPAL.org forum, I actually like this one! Trust me, no one is more shocked than I am.

 
The opening is wet and lush and doesn't smell a whit like Jolly Ranchers or candy to me (praise be!). It smells like an apricot and a plum had a little perfume baby.

Once that burst dies back, sweet and sugary vanilla lies over the plum, snuggling it sweetly. Tiare flower is present, too, giving a slight hint of creamy flowers.

My favorite part, though, is the bit that lingers... Yummy vanilla hangs around long enough to meld with a lovely amber with a hint of cocoa. I love musky, chocolatey amber!

The throw is moderate; you're not going to knock people over. The undulating base (the plum pops in and out of the cocoa-amber yumminess from time to time, then ducks back out) last for ages.

This is like a grown up version of a Bath & Body Works scent. That's not an insult to B&BW, who make great, saleable products (ask the gazillion people in lines there this month!), nor to BPAL, who clearly are not aiming for "mainstream". Sugar Plum Fairy is bound to have mass appeal but with that tell tale BPAL twist that I adore!

The Nail Ninja asks: Whose nails are these?

 

These two stepped out recently to celebrate the launch of a new cranberry-flavored adult beverage.

The Nail Ninja: Holiday sanity check.

Shopping for the gifts. Cooking the food. Wrapping the gifts. Caroling the... carols. Roasting the chestnuts. Shoveling the snow. Admiring the lights. Stuffing the stockings. Ninjaing the missions.

Whew! The Ninja is overwhelmed!

Complete and utter sensory overload.

The last thing she needs is a loud & busy mani this week. She opted for ManGlaze's signature shade of matte charcoal, Fuggen Ugly. It has the most amazing multi-color minimicroshimmer that makes the polish look alive and not at all fuggin' ugly.

Wooed by the cheerful spirit of the season, The Ninja did elect an accent nail (all the rage with the kids these days) in China Glaze's glorious Sugar Plums from their "Tis the Season" collection (which is phenomenal).

What about you? Are you already rocking a holiday mani, or are you taking some kind of nail sanity check or downtime?

Celebrity makeup looks: Guess who?

OK, so at her age, everything looks good. But can you guess who rocked this pretty pink lip stain?

 jump...

The Twelve Days of Christmas, BPAL-style. Day 7 - SNOW WHITE (a fragrance review)

A chilly, bright perfume: flurries of virgin snow, crisp winter wind and the faintest breath of night-blooming flowers.

Here's the thing: I am completely and utterly confused about this scent.

I have the 2008 version, which smells the same  as this one, to my nose.

This means I've been confused for two years and counting...

I expect ozone and flowers. Maybe that's what I'm getting? If so, I apparently don't know what ozone smells like. I have no idea what flowers bloom at night, but this isn't what I would have guessed.

I don't smell "plastic" or lily (which I don't believe bloom at night), or play doh or - and this is wishful thinking - coconut or vanilla.

Actually, typing this I finally had an epiphany! I know what this smells like: ice on a metal railing.

Er... I'm still confused. I can't stop sniffing it. Well-played, BPAL. Well-played.