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

Essie: Lapis of Luxury (nail polish swatches, pictures, review)

This polish was a surprise find. I was just minding my own business in Ulta, looking at the latest color collections in the nail polish section and finding myself restless and bored. OPI's Texas did nothing for me, and most of the other displays were mostly empty - and what was left in them was boring. A sign announced that Essie polishes were "Buy 2, Get 1 free" so I took a closer look...

CORNFLOWER BLUE! My dream color! The actual name of the polish is "Lapis of Luxury". It's a just-barely-purpled blue. It's a cream formula that applied really, really well (2 coats), and wore great, too! Definitely going to be showing up a lot on my tips and toes this Spring and Summer.

Do you have any cornflower blue polishes? Do you have a "dream color" you're looking for? What are on your tips and toes right now?

Disclaimer 1: I purchased this polish with my own money.

Disclaimer 2: The images were adjusted in photoshop to accurately
portray the cornflower blue shade, which was impossible to capture.

NARS Summer 2011 - really pretty!

NARS is a solid brand from a great makeup artist. It consistently cranks out well-made products. If I have one beef with the line, it's a minor one: their collections are often a jumble of colors!

The NARS Summer '12 collection is surprisingly cohesive though! The Exotic Dance and Dogon eyeshadow duos (white and beige shimmers & silver-lavender and navy, respectively) are great companions to the shadow trio, Cap Ferrat (tropical teals and blues). I'm not quite sure how the green-yellow glitter liner, Queen, fits in, though...

The collection's lip products offer something for everyone. Go trendy coral with Wonder lipgloss or go with a warmer and softer version of 2012's hot color (ORANGE!!) with yellow-pink Mayflower lipstick. Pink lovers can opt for Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil: warm, light and bright. Fuchsia fans like myself should give Carthage Pure Matte Lipstick a shot.

Take these awesome Greek Isles shades and run with them. Just make sure your gladiator sandals let your Kismet gold polish shine! Crisp summer white Ecume will keep your mani looking polished.

There's also a new blush called New Order. NARS makes amazing blushes! It's a cool, soft pink with visible cool sparkle.

_{See collection details at Temptalia & swatches at Karla Sugar's blog.}

So what do you think? Interesting? Boring? Do you prefer a trend jumble like most NARS collections, or a fairly coherent, matchy-type collection like MAC and Chanel usually present? What's your favorite blush? Does anyone really wear gladiator sandals?

_{image credit}

I decided to finally foot the bill and get a pedicure. And just in time for flip flop weather!

How long has it been since you treated yourself to a manicure or pedicure?

I believe it's been an embarrassing TWO YEARS since my last professional pedi! Before you cringe away in disgust, it's not like I've been ignoring my tootsies. It's just that since I had Baby #2, time and finances have been directed elsewhere and all of my pampering has been self-administered!

Anyway, I finally submitted to the capable hands of someone else, and my feet are thrilled. Hooray for taking time for ME! Gotta do this more often...

I admit, I skipped the salon mani and did my own. I'm incredibly picky with my nails and I've gotten fairly good at doing my own. Besides, for whatever reason, I don't find salon manicures relaxing. I'd rather save the money and time and do it myself. I chose a cool grey with a hint of purple simply because it contrasts so beautifully with the eye-searing coral neon on my toes! Why be predictable?

Colors used: China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy (Summer '10) on feet; Essie Smokin' Hot (Holiday/Winter '10) on fingers

(see my favorite pedi prods here & here)

So how long has it been for you? Do you go for mani-pedis regularly? Are you a do-it-yourselfer? Do you prefer to treat yourself with massages? Facials? What's your go-to pamper pleasure? What do you scrimp on?

All you need is Love! Jurlique Love Balm rescues you from uncomfortable skin.

What would you give for soft and comfortable skin, naturally?

How does $6.50 sound? That's all you have to part with to give your cuticles, chapped bits, rough parts, and dry spots some love! Jurlique Love Balm, that is...

Vitamin E, Olive oil, safflower oil, & soybean oil do the hard work of smoothing and soothing. Love Balm glides on smoothly with the merest kiss of tangerine scent. I'm a huge fan, and I have used a ton of balms. This one never leaves my purse! BSB-approved!

A BSB must-try product: Bobbi Brown Hydrating Face Tonic. Gets the red out! (among other things)

 

Do you have perfect skin? I know I don't. Sometimes it's pretty darn good skin, but at other times I'm looking for ways to put it out of it's misery!

I know skincare isn't sexy or terribly fun, but here at BSB we're excited about it. If your skin looks its best, you can go with less makeup - or none! And if you want to have some colorful fun, your makeup looks much better on healthy skin. Makeup on bad skin looks like... well, it looks like makeup on bad skin! And that's not cute.

So let's talk about one of my favorite new products, shall we? It's Bobbi Brown's Hydrating Face Tonic.

It's not a toner or astringent as you know them. There's no skin-stripping alcohol here! As the more coddling-sounding name implies, this "tonic" is more healthy and gentle and soothing than your old Sea Breeze ever dreamed of being.

What it does:

• Gently removes any left-over makeup, debris, or dirt after cleansing
• Calms and soothes the skin
• Prepares the skin for other skincare
• Hydrates and readies the skin for your moisturizer

Got sensitive skin? You're going to LOVE this!

Let me tell you a little story. This past week, I had a chance to freelance for Bobbi Brown, as I sometimes do. I worked a Master Class, led by the spunky and gorgeous Brooks Spencer, one of a handful of Bobbi's trainers.

During one of the sessions, I was working with a lovely client who recently relocated to Virginia from San Diego. She'd just, in the last 48 hours, encountered some weird something-or-another here that caused her to have a raw and unpleasant-looking allergic reaction on her right cheek.

This rash wasn't only uncomfortable, but I'm sure it was embarrassing. After all, none of us likes walking around with a skin irritation embazoned across our face, right?

I knew Bobbi's skincare is enfused with healing and gentle botanicals, and was pretty sure my client would be feeling more comfortable after being on the receiving end of some Hydrating Face Cream. What I didn't expect, though, was the dramatic - and quick! - result I was about to see.
 
I handed my client a cotton pad soaked in Hydrating Face Tonic. After she swept it over her irritated skin, I handed her the Hydrating Face Cream. Before she even had a chance to apply it, I stopped her and took a closer look at her skin. Amazing! The rashy area was dramatically calmer and more even-toned! In fact, it was barely red at all. By the time the moisurtizer sunk into her skin and added its calming influence, the rash was barely noticeable. And the real benefit: my client said her skin felt much more comfortable.

Through the rest of the sessions, I kept an eye peeled as other clients used the Hydrating Face Tonic. I watched ruddy complexions calm, rosacea redness ease, and previously dull complexions start to glow.

Is it a miracle product? Of course not. There's no such thing. Hydrating Face Tonic won't cure your skin issues, solve your budget problems, or save unhappy marriages from doom. But what it can do is soothe irritated skin, get it comfortably clean, and help the rest of your skincare work even better. And that's worth the price of admission, isn't it?

Do you use a toner or tonic? Do you have those "soothe me!" skin days? Do you ever wish you could dip yourself in something emotionally and physically soothing? (or is that just me?)

_{Disclosure: I occasionally freelance for Bobbi Brown, which makes me an employee. I am not under any arrangement  to promote the Bobbi brand when not scheduled, and am not paid to share my opinions here in any way. The opinions and observations shared here are purely my own. Oh, and nothing I share is an industry secret (because I don't know any!).}

TOUCH ME. TEASE ME. TANTALIZE ME. (I'm not flirting with you - it's the new LORAC collection!)

Action shots coming soon. Meanwhile, check these beauties out!

 

Target saves the day: Pixi lumi luxe radiance powder no 1 peach petal (review, pictures, swatches)

Sometimes a product comes into BSB to be processed (photographed, swatched, tested) and makes it directly into the daily routine. I saw "sometimes" but really I mean "rarely".

 
Pixi Lumi Luxe Radiance Powder made it into the daily rotation so quickly and so thoroughly that I totally forgot to review it! I started considering it such a must-have that I forgot about BPLLRP (Before Pixi Lumi Luxe Radiance Powder). Also known as The Dull Ages.

What it is: A mutipurpose powder prodcut with tasteful radiance (read: shimmer and glow, not glitter and shine).

What it does: Well, what doesn't it do?! I've used it as eyeshadow, highlighter, blush, bronzer... It's light, soft (you'll see on the swatches). But despite its subtle and quiet demeanor, it imparts a glorious glow, brightening the complexion and washing all of my Winter woes away.

Tell me more: The powder is finely milled (smooth, not scratchy). The "background" is a tawny peach-tan. The roses are two shades of, well... rose. The leaves are a golden beige. Blended together they're just enough color to act as a bronzer for pretty fair folk.

Where you can get it: Target! For only $26!

Bonus: The super cute pixie and flowers on the packaging and the roses embossed onto the powder.

What are your most recent favorite products?
Have you used Pixi before?

I have to admit, I usually walk right by the Pixi display because it (and the other testers at Target) is always disgusting! But now I've tried two things from the line and both were excellent. I've gotta take more of a look the next time I'm at Target.

 

More pics after the cut.

 

Gorgeous & Gone: OPI Blue Lagoon (a blue holographic nail polish)

Every now and again I allow myself to use one of my discontinued or older limited edition nail polishes. The rest of the time they sit on the shrine and I light candles around them.

One of my favorites is OPI's gorgeous mermaid scale shade of blue with the lightest touch of teal: Blue Moon Lagoon.

It's a bit thick and gloppy, but then...my bottle is old and half-empty. It may be time to seek out a few back-ups.

I hope you enjoy these swatches and the video below, which shows how different this polish can look in the light and the shade!

Do you have any favorite discontinued polishes? Let me know in the comments! I've gotta go relight the shrine's incense burner...