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LOTD | 3.10.09 | And a review of some theBalm, Stila, and Shiseido products

I did a LOTD today. Fun for the whole family, since my poor hubby is probably sick of seeing me au natural. He refrains from reminding me that it's "barefoot and pregnant" not "bare-faced and pregnant"!

So I got a bit prettified today, and thought I'd use my new products from theBalm and a new lipstick from Shiseido. VOILA! A nice, "bronze" and glowy look and a few product reviews all rolled into one post.  To top it off, I'll give a run-down of how I created the look. I'm a multi-tasking wonder, I'll tell ya!

Here's the look:

Products Used and their grades:

• Stila Illuminating Liquid Foundation  A+
  
• theBalm Overshadow in Kiss MS Goodbye  A+
• theBalm Two-Timer Mascara A+
• theBalm Big Mama A-
• theBalm PIck-up Liners in romeo B
• Shiseido Perfect Rouge in Pink Mesa (PK303) A+
• Other
  
  • MAC Carbon eyeshadow
  • MAC Painterly Paint Pot
  • MAC Lingering eyebrow pencil
  • MAC #168 Large Angled Contour Brush
  • MAC #129 Powder/Blush Brush
  • MAC #239 Eye Shader Brush
  • MAC #217 Blending Brush

Keep reading for more...

News shorts... | Armani Sheers, Prescriptives You Pick, Shiseido LE lipstick at Nordies

• Giorgio Armani Beauty introduces the Armani Sheers Collection 2009 | "A new color story of a harmonious spectrum of ten tone-on-tone, easy to wear translucent blush-hued shades in the unprecedented Armani sheer and shine lipsticks."
  
  "Inspiration of the shades comes from the different nuances of the light through out the day from sunrise to sunset.An exclusive range of sheers from muted to intense, varying from shades of luminous sunrise beige, soft pale pinks, coral, purple pink to sensuous vibrant sunset pinks."
  
  
  
  
  
  The Armani Sheer shine formula: unique blend of pigments and mother of pearl, sheer enough to show the natural lip shade, luminous, emollient, Microfil™ polymer, fine waxes to create shiny and silky lips.
  
  
  

• Prescriptives releases a new collection that gives YOU exactly what you want in a palette. The You Pick palette system allows you to "Pick It, Wear It, Refill It". 
  
  Small, medium, and large palettes are available, allowing you to customize your eyeshadow and/or cheek products into the palette you've been waiting for!
  
  
  • Small - fits 1 shadow
  • Medium - fits 2 shadows and a cheek color, 2 cheek colors, or 4 shadows
  • Large -  fits 3 cheek colors, 6 shadows, 4 eyes and 1 cheek, or 2 cheeks and 2 eyes

• Dick Page, extraordinary artist and Shiseido Artistic Director, has created a brilliant color to feature exclusively at Nordstrom:  Perfect Rouge lipstick in Rose Bronze (RS799) [shown right]. The shade is "soft" and "rose-toned" and features a "delicate metallic pearl". You can pick yours up March (now!) through June of 2009 - only at Nordstrom. Expect to drop $25, and also expect not to regret it!
  
  
  
  
  
  PS: here are some quick tips from Dick Page on how to get the look featured on the face chart above, called Bronze Beauty...
  1. Glimmering Bronze Smokey Eyes |
     1. Hydro Powder Shadow in Tiger Eye (H3) from lash to brow.
     2. On the back of the hand, mix Tiger Eye (H3) with a dab of Accentuating Cream Eyeliner in Dark Brown (2) to create a deeper, lustrous shadow.
     3. Apply and blend from upper lashline to the crease and to lower lashline.
     4. Apply Accentuating Cream Eyeliner in Dark Brown (2) to the top and bottom lash lines to elegantly define.
     5. Apply Lasting Lift Mascara in Black (LL1) to upper and lower lashes to create maximum curl and volume. 
  2. Flushed Cheeks | Pat and blend the Accentuating Color Stick in Bronze Flush (S1) for brilliantly flush cheeks.
     
  3. Rose Bronze lips | Apply the New Smoothing Lip Pencil in Rosewood (BR706) to the entire lip area, following the natural lip line and shape, then apply the NEW EXCLUSIVE Perfect Rouge Rose Bronze (RS799) lipstick to the entire lip area to give lips a plump look.

          

So what do YOU think? Do you "need" any of these? Gonna pass? Share with the class!

I am all over these Armani lipsticks, kids. I love that line and am making a trek over to Saks soon to pick up a Lip Wax (finally) and one or two (or more?) of these sheer lippies. Look for a review soon!

I personally LOVE the customizable palettes that are popping up all over the place. First, I think, Trish McEvoy had her planner system that I think is so amazingly convenient and brilliant. Recently, we've seen Bobbi Brown do it, allowing Bobbi fans to organize cheek, eye and lip colors at will. And MAC always has their pro palettes for shadows and blushes, though they don't really have a nifty combo carry-along type of system (HINT, HINT, MAC gods!). And now Prescriptives is giving their fans a chance to further customize an already lovely and customizable product line! YAY!

Shiseido's Perfect Rouge lipsticks are phenomenol. Look for a reveiw of a few other shades soon. I'd check this out if you're near a Nordies!

And now, the news...

I have been a not-so-diligent poster in the past few weeks, and for that I apologize. I am hoping that the family's health is stabilized and the work situation is evening out, and that I am a much more prolific blogger. For now, let's catch up on the news together:

• Planning on ordering from Elizabeth Arden online for the first time? They're celebrating the reopening of their flagship store in NY and you benefit! Get a free 1oz 5th Avenue fragrance with any order of $50 or more by entering in the code CELEBRATE at checkout.
• Speaking of Elizabeth Arden, their new Summer collection has launched! It's called Bronze and it's really pretty. It includes a great little fold-up palette with 4 limited edition eyeshadows and a bronzer/blush duo; 3 lipsticks that are a preview of the new lipstick formula with a to-be-announced-later launch date; a bronzing mousse (it's nice!); a powder bronzer compact; and two gel liners (black and bronze). A review of the collection is coming soon.
• Vanishing Varnish! What happens when enterprising and clever girls are banned from wearing nail polish at school? Why, they invent a polish that appears almost non-existent inside, but reacts to ultraviolet light outside and turns into a visible color! What a cool idea - I can't wait for it to hit the market. Sign me up to test drive it! Source. Thanks for the heads-up .
• No stranger to cosmetics for a cause, Lush has a new UK product that's politically driven - £2.75 gets you Guantánamo Garden, an orange Bath Bomb colored to represent the jumpsuits worn by detainees at the US's controversial Guantánamo Bay base. The Bath Bomb was created to support closure of the base and it releases a picture of two detainees when it dissolves in water (regardless of how you feel about Guantánamo Bay's base, that's fairly nifty!). Proceeds benefit Reprieve, a group who "campaigns for legal representation for Guantánamo prisoners and for those in US prisons facing the death penalty." The bath bomb is orange, jasmine and chocolate-y goodness and is emblazoned with a white dove.  Source
• MAC's Dazzleglass promo pic has surfaced in multiple spots. Take a look, then read up on the collection here. Source


• Besame Cosmetics has dramatically reduced the price of some of their products to make room for "new and exciting" items coming soon. Swing by the site to see the discounts on items like Cashmere Powder Compact, Masterliner Eye Pencils, Loose Powder, Lip Glazes,  Rose Lotion, Alluring Shadows, and Boudoir Rouge. (Some other items are already sold out, so not listed here)
• Bumble and Bumble recently introduced a new hairspray developed backstage - it's incredibly flexible and quick-drying, due to "intelligent polymers" that help hold almost any style. Take a look at Bumble and Bumble's spray de MODE. Thanks Blogdorf Goodman for the heads-up.
• Here are some great beauty tips from Allure magazine and Allure.com (please try to ignore the fact that the editors didn't catch that the page is quite vividly mislabeled as the April 2007 issue):
  • Green tea as a topical antioxidant is only effective if it's made up of 50 percent polyphenols. How to tell if yours has what it takes? The cream or serum will be brown.                    
  • If you want to experiment with bangs, first try a side-swept style rather than a blunt cut. This flatters most face shapes and is easiest to grow out.

  • To prevent split ends, blow-dry hair when it's damp (not wet) and add two or three drops of silicone serum to the ends.

                       
• Angelina Jolie has made a new ad for Shiseido, and here it is: