Sabrina, Author at The Beauty Look Book

Dolce & Gabbana Vulcano Smooth Eye Colour Quad

May 17, 2011

Dolce & Gabbana Smooth Eye Color Quad ($59) is new for summer 2011. It consists of a warm yellow-beige shimmer, a warm chocolate with reddish undertones, a berry shimmer, and a deep blackened purple shimmer. The consistency is soft and velvety like all Dolce & Gabbana quads with finely milled powder and sophisticated shimmer. I personally find the colors rich and smooth, but they do require a more careful application to maintain the pigment. If you apply these like MAC or Chanel, blending can make the colors disappear as they blend into one another. I recommend using separate brushes for the dark and light colors. Sponge applicators work too.

I couldn’t find any dupes, but I did a MAC attempt. The MAC colors are wonderful, but do not compare at all to the soft velvety texture of Dolce & Gabbana. If you see and touch a Dolce & Gabbana quad in person you will be able to notice immediately the powders are finely milled and very high quality.

Compared to MAC Ricepaper, Swiss Chocolate, Trax and Smut

For a cost per product comparison:

MAC 4 pro palette pans = 6.0 g for $44 (1.5 g at $11 each) + $6 for compact = $50
Dolce & Gabbana quad = 4.8 g for $59 (this includes the compact, mirror and sponge applicators)

I’ll let you decide on the value. For me, cost doesn’t just account for the amount of product, but also quality, packaging, where the product is made (Dolce & Gabbana quads are made in Italy). Do I prefer Dolce & Gabbana over MAC? Hard to say – I see them as apples and oranges. Both are great brands, but they represent different things for me. Their products are uniquely designed for different looks, effects and occasions – in my opinion.

Back to Vulcano – it was a tricky one for me to apply. Since the reddish shades (brown and plum berry) go on very red on me, I decided it was ok to wash them out with blending and layering. I tried applying this a couple ways and found that the method used in my recent Chanel Makeover at Nordstrom (here) was a good method to use for this quad:

Step 1: Apply a sheer base like LM’s Gold Metallic Creme
Step 2: Take a dense brush and pack on the berry shade (bottom left) in a messy smudge above the lash line
Step 3: Take the warm chocolate with a corner brush and blend from outer corners to about the middle of the eye, just above the lash line as well
Step 4: Use a fluffy brush to apply the lightest shade on top blending all over
Step 5: Apply the darkest plum shade with a sponge applicator to apply a defined line along upper lashes and bottom outer corners
Step 6: Take that berry shade and mix it with the brown, with any brush that has dark color on it already and retrace over the darkest shade blending just a bit upwards

For me, this isn’t an easy throw-it-on kind of quad to use. I think it would be better for deepset eyes or women who are used to wearing very warm colors (ie NARS Kuala Lumpur). Still it is beautiful and I don’t have any regrets buying it. It will just take more time and care to apply without overdoing the reds.

The promotional image with Scarlett Johansson is beautiful! For the accuracy of the promo photo, the nail color is more pink on me, but same purple undertone. The quad appears very accurate and the lip color appears to be the new Mandorla.

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Dolce & Gabbana Passione Nail Lacquer

May 16, 2011

Dolce & Gabbana Passione Nail Lacquer 121 ($20) is new for summer 2011. It’s currently available at Saks. I would describe it as a rich and bright cool magenta. Passione is one of those colors that you can’t really tell if it’s purple or pink or mauve – or a mixture of all three. I think this is one of those colors everyone would describe differently. It applies smoothly with rich color in just 2 thin coats. I find lasting power pretty good for Dolce & Gabbana. No chips, smooth application, just your normal tip wear after a couple days.

Outdoors in direct sunlight:

I couldn’t find any dupes in my collection, although Makeup Magpie did find a dupe (see her post here). Comparisons from my own personal nail polish collection, L to R: to Chanel Pulsion, Chanel Splendeur, Dolce & Gabbana Passione, Dolce & Gabbana Rose, Chanel Fantastic

Overall thoughts: LOVE, although I think this will be better suited for toes for me. It does appear easily dupe-able. I just don’t have any dupes.

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Dolce & Gabbana Italian Summertime Picks

May 15, 2011

Dolce & Gabbana’s latest release, the Italian Summertime collection, has arrived at Saks. Nikki from the Houston store called to let me know the new shades arrived just in time for their Saks Friends and Family. Her descriptions are always so helpful, but luckily I saw the items featured on Makeup Magpie the same week so knew what to expect before my package arrived.

A quick breakdown of the new colors in the collection plus over the phone descriptions:

Classic Cream Lipstick in Venere (vibrant cream orange red)
Classic Cream Lipstick in Mandorla (nude tan cream)
Shine Lipstick in Perla (pale frosted pink)
Shine Lipstick in Luna (pale gold champagne)
Ultra-Shine Lipgloss in Acqua (clear with white frost shimmer)
Ultra-Shine Lipgloss in Cannella (dark brown shimmer)
Precision Lipliner in Caramello (tan brown)
Smooth Eye Color Quad in Vulcano
Eyeliner in Bronzo (taupe bronze gold shimmer)
Eyeliner in Agave (deep forest green shimmer)
Mascara in Dahlia (dark plum)
Intense Nail Lacquer in Passione (rich fuchsia magenta mauve)
Luminous Cheek Color in Sole (vibrant red)

Based on Nikki’s recommendations, I ordered everything she thought I would love: Vulcano Quad, Sole Blush, Mandorla Lipstick, Perla Lipstick, Agave Eyeliner, Bronzo Eyeliner, Passione Nail Lacquer and the Dahlia Mascara (not featured).

Vulcano Quad:

Agave (top) and Bronzo (bottom) Eye Liners:

Sole Blush:

Top to bottom: Mandorla, Perla, Passione

I haven’t had time to play with anything yet except the Passione Nail Polish. I highly recommend you visit Makeup Magpie’s blog – she has done a lovely series on her picks complete with amazing swatches and comparisons. I will do a more detailed feature on each item in the upcoming week.

Many of you ask “where do you buy brand x?” You may notice I normally do not write about who I buy from mainly because I want you to go out and explore and discover makeup artists and sales associates on your own. I believe it’s best for you to develop a personal relationship with a brand expert who can see you in person to really know what you like and what looks good on you. After all makeup shopping is about more than just the product, it’s about the experience!

However, with hard-to-find brands, it’s a different story. I will help in any way I can. With HTF items, we often times end up ordering online. It’s definitely convenient and it’s hassle free from overzealous associates who overpromise and under-deliver (hate those). But online swatches are crummy and you often miss out on promotions, GWPs and sometimes great customer service.

I’ve written about Nikki before – she’s amazing (I didn’t tell her about my blog at first, but someone else spilled the beans and when she asked, I did tell her, yes, I have one). I’ve never met her in person, but she is friendly, upbeat, prompt in letting me know when new things arrive and never fails to give me super accurate descriptions over the phone. Her product knowledge is superb. She foundation-matched me over the phone twice (once when I was tan, and then recently when I got lighter). Both times were a perfect match. The GWPs she has with her store are generous and while the minimums might be higher than most brands, they are not ridiculously high (around $100 to $150) and they often include at least 2 full sized products plus a makeup bag. The items in Dolce & Gabbana GWPs are nice items that are usable. Bonus!

You can reach Nikki at Saks Houston at 713 627 0500 x5101. I’m not sure when their next event or GWP occurs, but she will give you the full 411.

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Two

May 15, 2011

Two birthdays in May: The Beauty Look Book turns two! Time has flown by so fast I cannot believe it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to each of you who have been a daily inspiration to me. I cannot express my gratitude to those who have shared their passion, thoughts and love for beauty with me through this small blog. I thank each and every one of you who visit and comment each week. Thank you for your support!

Also, this past month, another birthday occurred and I am no longer a twenty-something. I have been beyond spoiled with so much. The best was a surprise birthday dinner from my family: specially catered with delicious food, wine and cakes and a fun How-Well-Do-You-Know-Sabrina-Trivia-Game. We had an evening full of laughs.

Trivia Game – designed by my sister:

This one was the one my husband filled out. He got question 5 wrong!!! He was so confident he was right because he hears and sees the words “miu miu” on a weekly basis. Can you guess the right answer?*

I had a few other birthday outings with close friends (and a couple more to come soon) and I was spoiled with beautiful flowers, thoughtful gifts, delicious dinners – all of which made turning 30 so much more fun (and less painful) than I had expected.

* Answer is Kate Spade, thanks to my sister for my high school graduation (a loooong time ago!)

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Edward Bess Luxury Eye and Face Brushes

May 14, 2011

There are two types of beauty products I rarely buy without trying in person first: foundation and makeup brushes. I’ve read rave reviews on the Luxury Eye Brush ($40) and Face Brush ($56) on The Non-Blonde, Visionary Beauty, Blogdorf Goodman and Makeupalley, but still had to feel and test these in person before buying (even though everything else I have from EB has been purchased sight unseen). When I met Edward last month, I went to the Beverly Hills Neimans with a mental note to try three things: the eye brush, face brush and foundation. Here are my thoughts on his brushes.

Both are beautifully packaged in black boxes. The handles are both metal and the perfect size around to fit easily in the hand for convenient application. The designs are sleek and functional. The brush heads are dense but flexible. According to product info on the web, both are made of natural hairs. I’ve read reviews on other blogs that the brushes they have were made in France. Both of mine indicate that they are handcrafted in China – I know this might be a concern to many of you. I have not tested or seen the France-made brushes so I cannot compare mine. However, the ones I have are of excellent quality (ie, no shedding or color bleeding when I washed them like some brushes do, also the shape is even and well crafted).

The Luxury Eye Brush is something I think is best suited for an all over wash. Many of you probably use brushes this shape for your crease area. I have no crease so I tend to use these as a blender brush or for an all over wash of color. If you’re new to brushes and looking for something in this category, I highly recommend you get the EB over any other brush this shape. The brush is dense enough so it allows control. Some loose brushes simply don’t have enough density (enough hairs) resulting in a loose floppy type of brush that provides no control. Others are either too stiff or too soft preventing you from picking up enough product to get a decent application which may require multiple dips into your shadows and swipes on the lids to get enough to show up. I find Edward Bess’s Luxury Eye Brush to be the perfect density and texture (not too soft but not pokey) to get a good even application. Since my eye lids are smaller and do not have creases, this takes up a big chunk of my eye. It is a versatile brush though. When EB did my makeup, he used 1 brush to apply 2 colors (Mirage all over and Storm just 1/2 way up the lid). For my own personal application, I prefer to use more than 1 brush so I don’t mix colors and get them muddy, but EB’s makeup skills are far superior to mine. I look forward to more brushes from his line!

Shown next to his Dusk and Storm Eyeshadow so you can gauge the size of the head:

* Wearing Chanel Django, reviewed here before

Compared next to other eye makeup brushes with similar shapes: L to R Edward Bess, Stila, MAC, Trish McEvoy, Stila (double ended), Laura Mercier (this is the one LM brush I actually don’t love), MAC and Chanel

The Luxury Face Brush by Edward Bess is another winner. I’ve had a number of kabuki brushes from other lines such as Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier and MAC – all of which I liked but are at opposite extremes in texture. The Bobbi Brown is by far the softest and I love to use this for powder application. The Laura Mercier Face brush was too harsh of a texture for my face, it had good application for bronzer, but wasn’t my favorite.

Edward Bess’s falls right in between for softness. The best part is the handle is slightly longer which makes it easier to hold. I have super small fingers to begin with, but find the BB sometimes difficult to grasp easily. I imagine those with normal sized fingers might find it difficult to hold something that short as well. So far, I’ve only used the Luxury Face Brush with bronzer. It picks up just the right amount of product so you don’t need to tap off any excess before applying to the face.

Next to Edward Bess’s Daydream Bronzer:

Next to Bobbi Brown’s Face Brush (yes, it’s not fully cleaned, the lightness is due to powder residue):

Overall love. Spending about $100 on 2 brushes is definitely an ouch to the wallet upfront, but these two brushes are purchases I highly recommend. These are what I would call “no regrets” products.

Finding the right tools is important because good tools make all the difference for application. I have some brushes that are over 10 years old from MAC and Trish McEvoy – all of which I love. For the eye brush, I believe the EB is the best in its category for shape/size. The face brush is great as well – I have not tried kabuki brushes extensively so I can’t compare it to other brands, but I think it’s a great quality brush.

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Boutique

Friday Window Shopping

May 14, 2011

I took the day off work to go to South Coast Plaza. Two-day weekends simply don’t allow enough time to goof off and have fun. I just finished a series of presentations at work so I decided a day off was in order. There were so many beautiful window displays. How fun would it be to have a job in visuals? Unfortunately I didn’t get pictures of all the pretty ones because my iPhone died while I was there. Most of these are from today’s mini shopping trip. There are a couple that are from earlier in the year.

Miu Miu

Tiffany & Co.

Tod’s

Madewell

Louis Vuitton (from earlier this year, can’t believe it’s already mid-May)

Jo Malone – lovely Cherry Blossom displays

Chanel Boutique {swoon}

I missed out on Dior which always has beautiful displays, but you can see Dior’s reflection:

SpaceNK inside Bloomingdales (in the back corner of the beauty department) featuring Rococo Nail Apparel

Have a happy Friday! It appears Blogger is still working out a few kinks with their maintenance. I noticed a number of comments have mysteriously disappeared. If they aren’t restored in the next day or two, I will restore them myself from my emails.

For those wondering, all pics in this particular post were taken with my iPhone which I believe is the very first generation of iPhones. I’m one you would call a “late adopter” of technology and rarely upgrade on new gadgets unless pushed (my regular Sony camera is after all more than 5 years old). Although, when I do, I have to say, I love to oooh and aahhh at all the fancy features and often wonder why I didn’t change sooner.

Back on topic – who makes your favorite window displays?

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Love To Layer

May 10, 2011

I love layering and blending out colors, especially for makeup. Layering different textures and shades allows me to create extra depth and also helps to give that slight glowy finish. Layering multiple products is something I usually only do when going out for a special occasion. In the mornings, I’m always running 5 minutes behind. Makeup for work is usually kept as simple as possible, except for the rare occasions that I am able to wake up an extra 30 minutes early.

My makeup looks usually revolve around my clothes/outfit of the day or night. This past weekend I wore a simple floral strapless dress (shown here). It was fairly neutral so virtually any look would go with it. I realize this would be more helpful if I had a photo of my face to go with this, but this is more for my own personal reference since I was quite happy with the result. The numbers in each photo indicate the order of application.

Cheeks: I applied Armani’s Fluid Sheer #10 on cheeks and then applied Dior’s Aurora on top as a contour. I then took a separate blush brush and applied Chanel Espiègle just on the apples.

Lips: Simply line with liner. Fill with a sheer gold lipstick. Top with a sheer coral gloss.

Eyes: The first step was to apply Laura Mercier’s Metallic Gold Creme shadow on the lids as a base. I took the white side of NARS Exotic Dance and and dipped MAC’s 242 (a stiffer brush) into the frosty white and patted it on 1/2 way up the eyes. Taking a larger fluffy brush, I swished it into the golden tan shimmer of Exotic Dance and loosely applied it all over. Next, I took MAC’s Spare Change and applied it along upper lashes in a messy smudgey line and layered Le Metier’s Splendid Frost taupe on top to blend. Last steps were to add a clean fine black line along upper lashes and outer corners on the bottom. Finishing step was with Armani’s Eyes to Kill Mascara.

Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #10 – shown here
Dior Aurora Bronzer – reviewed here
Chanel Espiègle #65 Blush – swatched and reviewed here
Paul & Joe Lip Pencil Duo – Melon (01) – partially swatched here
Bobbi Brown Candlelight Shimmer Lipstick – shown next to Beige Gold Metallic here
Chanel Pensée 277 Glossimer – here
Laura Mercier Metallic Creme in Gold
NARS Exotic Dance – white applied with a stiff MAC 242 brush patted on lids
NARS Exotic Dance – gold applied with a loose fluffy brush all over lids, here
MAC Spare Change eyeliner – applied in a smudgey line along upper lashes, swatched here
Le Metier de Beaute – Splendid Frost, top shade applied along lash line smudged on top, blended, also reviewed here
Bobbi Brown Caviar Ink to finish as liner – swatched here
Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara