I’m so excited to be able to give you a preview of the newest Compact Rouge from Edward Bess in Love Affair ($38) a lovely watermelon pink cream with the slightest hint of fuschia. The new Love Affair Compact Rouge will officially launch in the US at Bergdorf Goodman this September during their $25 off a $100 purchase Gift Card Event (exact dates to be determined, but it’s estimated to occur mid-September).
So why all the excitement? For one, it’s something new from Edward Bess. I love his small well thought out collection, yet I am always eager to see what he has coming out next. They were kind enough to send a complimentary sample to me before the launch date and Love Affair does not disappoint. It works well for both lips and cheeks, but I prefer this one on my cheeks. It’s fairly bright and more cool toned on the lips. On the cheeks, it gives a pretty doll-like pink blush.
I’m also a huge fan of the Compact Rouge from EB. I have already purchased Island Rose (raspberry pink) and After Sunset (browned rose), both of which I get regular use out of. I keep one on me most of the time for those last minute dates when I have to look somewhat presentable but have no time to go home and touch up my makeup. Easy to blend, fig scented, natural finish – these are among my favorite cream blushes. (I will review and compare all three in more detail very soon – they both have been featured on my blog before, it may require a bit of searching.)
Love Affair is a pretty addition to his collection. It’s is gorgeous pink, but better suited for those who can pull off bright pinks or cool pinks. I personally find Island Rose and After Sunset more versatile and universally flattering, but I think Love Affair will work with any of EB’s eyeshadows or eyeshadow trios. (In case you haven’t seen, check out my review on his single eyeshadows Edward Bess Eyeshadow Gorgeousness). On the lips I like it with a touch of gloss to soften the color (like EB Desert Glow, Chanel Bon Bon or Vanilla Aqualumiere Glosses), but it’s pure perfection as a blush for that healthy doll pink glow. If you like lip colors such as NARS Roman Holiday or Schiap, then I think you will adore Love Affair.
Here it is swatched:
L to R (swatched heavy and sheer): After Sunset, Love Affair, Island Rose
Also coming out very soon for fall include the following:
Endless Love Deep Shine Lip Gloss – $30
Sheer Satin Cream Compact Foundation – $60
Moroccan Rose Blush Imperiale Powder Blush – $48
Love Affair Compact Rouge – $38
I am anxious to hear descriptions of Endless Love and Moroccan Rose as the launch date draws near. Edward Bess is available in the US at Bergdorf Goodman (instore) and EdwardBess.com (online). Those not familiar with BG – at least twice per year, they have a $25 off $100 purchase event. Some of the beauty lines have an additional promotion such as a gift with purchase with each line. Past gifts from Edward Bess have been a full sized mascara and a full sized compact rouge (shades are predetermined). Minimum purchase amounts have typically ranged from $100 to $150, at least in my experience.
I don’t have the details on this year’s BG promotion, but I hear the BG counter will be sending out their info cards really soon!
As if news of new products wasn’t exciting enough, Edward Bess is expanding in the US! Not sure if you know, but I hear Edward Bess is launching at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills Sept. 1st and in Houston on Sept. 16th!
This was sample sent to me, courtesy of Edward Bess. At this time I do not have a disclosure policy as this is the first product I have accepted and reviewed. For more information, you may find this article helpful: Yes, No, Maybe.
I tried to resist, but Paul & Joe still has managed to capture my interest despite the odd packaging design for their fall collection. I picked out a few things from their Fall Collection Sparkles: Face & Eye Color CS 068 Paper Moon, Lipstick C in 066 Clair de Lune and 067 Over the Moon.
My favorite item is their Face & Eye Color CS ($35), a multi-purpose powder for eyes and cheeks. The colors are all pigmented with a gold sparkle in 068 Paper Moon. The stripes are similar in size to the Armani Eyes to Kill bulls-eye palettes, but the shape of the Paul & Joe palettes seem to be easier to work with. You will still need a smaller sized brush to keep from mixing the colors. It’s packaged in a cardboard box with an elastic brown strap. The packaging is delicate but simply stunning. I think the lighter shades will make a good highlighter – the trick for me will be to find a brush small enough to pick up only the lighter shades, but big enough for my cheek. I see myself using this for the eyes more than the face.
The Lipstick C ($25) this season seems to be sheerer than most of the Paul & Joe lipsticks I’ve tried. I thought I would be creeped out by the cat head but looking at them in person, the detail is adorable. The lipsticks are a semi-sheer cream with a hint of sparkle. The finish is highly glossy and has a moisturizing feel. It has that signature P&J scent – I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it’s almost like a soft powder. Note that the glossy finish on these made it difficult to swatch on the arm accurately. 066 is a pink mauve and 067 is a brighter sheer coral pink. I applied 066 on the lips and have to say as much as I love cats, the shape of the lipstick in a cat-head made this difficult to apply on the lips. Innovative and chic, but not very practical for application.
Swatched:
Overall – Paul & Joe still has my heart. I got these from the lovely ladies at Bergdorf Goodman. The collection should be available at most P&J retailers by now – I was a little late with my order this fall.
I know vampy is not quite in season yet, but after having to be neutral (for fingers) for the past ten days or so with non-stop interviews, I was starting to crave something dramatic. Research, preparation, anticipation, having to think quickly on my feet and respond to endless situational, behavioral and technical questions have all left me exhausted. I feel lucky to even get interviews in this economy, even luckier to make it past the first few rounds at more than one company, however a mani/pedi was just what I needed to wash away my anxiety from the past few weeks.
Today I chose Chanel’s Rouge Noir 18 for my manicure, a deep dark chocolate cherry kind of shade. If you apply coat, you can definitely see the burgundy/cherry red. If you add more coats, you get a darker finish that gets closer to dark black-red-brown. Here it is with 2 coats.
The bad news with Rouge Noir 18 is that it is no longer available in the US. The good news is that Rouge Noir is coming back this holiday in one of the Chanel Holiday sets (see KarlaSugar for details on the set). I’m not entirely sure about the history and background of Rouge Noir 18. The famous Vamp Le Vernis also has the number 18 on it (see my vampy shades compared here). They are definitely different even though they share the same number. I have a couple variations of Vamp as well.
I don’t know if there is a dupe for this shade. If you click on the link above to my vampy nail polish post, you will see that Diabolic and Forbidden from Chanel are different from Rouge Noir. As this manicure wears off, I will do a little experimentation with some other RBL, OPI and Rococo shades I have to see if I can find a dupe. At this time I cannot do an extensive search for a dupe outside of what I already own – things are bit hectic with my schedule.
I’m pleased with the results of my manicure, however, in hindsight, I think this was better in theory. It’s definitely still too early in the year for this kind of color on the nails. Toes are ok, but fingers just stand out too much.
It’s been a while since I’ve added anything to my Le Metier de Beaute collection, but raves and reviews from Josie and Gaia have peaked my interest. My newest discovery is their eyeshadow in Corinthian ($30) which I credit to Josie. (BTW have you checked out her new blog, The Eyes Have It?) Not having in-person access I had no idea what this looked like since there were no reviews or swatches online. She came across this at Bergdorf Goodman and e-mailed me that it was “the most beautiful taupe ever.” Immediately I was sold and ordered it online. It is indeed gorgeous. Complex, frosty, loaded with shimmer. It’s love. I can’t wait for her review and swatches to show up on her blog.
Here it is compared to some other Le Metier Eyeshadows Mulberry & Jojo. Also compared to MAC Satin Taupe and Bobbi Brown Brown Stone Metallic. No dupes in my opinion. The particles in Corinthian are so complex with silvers and taupes, swatches and photos cannot capture how beautiful it is.
I’m the type of girl who changes my purse on a regular basis. This LV Vavin PM was my first Louis purchase back when I started my first job in 2003. I like the shape because it’s simple and streamlined. I’m always surprised how much I can pack into it considering how small it is. I do wish it was slightly bigger, but it works for me. LV had a bigger version, but both styles have now been discontinued.
Inside my LV Vavin PM:
LV Alexandra Wallet Paul & Joe Makeup Bag Trader Joe Candies Sunglasses Mini Calendar L’Occitane Hand Cream iPhone J.Crew fall preview mailer booklet
Inside makeup bag:
Edward Bess Nude Satin Lipgloss Edward Bess Eyeliner Edward Bess Afterglow Highlighter Chanel DPF Tender Bisque Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Ming Aquaphor Diorshow Mascara Chanel Cancun Aqualumiere
When I saw that the fall collection from Armani had launched online, I knew I had to get the new Eyes to Kill Mascara in #5 Blue Grey Night ($30) and the Powder Blush Duo ($49). I’ve loved every single powder blush released by Armani and the new one for fall is exquisite. The Fall Quad ($59) purchase, I credit to Gaia from The Non-Blonde (see her sneak peek here) who has a way of creating major lemmings for me.
My sales associate called me as soon as they came in, which I highly appreciate (it pays to be a loyal customer). For some reason, Armani has been distributing extremely limited quantities of stock to the counters near me. For the past year they have received extremely limited stock and usually don’t get testers until months after they receive the product to sell. For this collection, she only received 3 blush duos and 3 quads. There were no testers, but being familiar with the quality of their eyeshadow quads and blushes, I didn’t need to test these before purchasing.
My thoughts on each item:
Eyes to Kill Mascara #5 (not swatched) – For this one they had a brand new tester so I eagerly tried this one out with a tester mascara wand. In the tube it’s a metallic smokey blue-grey. It goes on darker than it appears in the tube and looks lovely on the eyes. This is my first non-black mascara purchase. There are a number of gorgeous shades by Chanel (plum, bronze, aubergine, etc.) however, the formulas cannot compare to Armani’s Eyes to Kill (my all time favorite mascara). The Eyes to Kill Mascaras defines the lashes, thickens, lengthens and holds the curl. All without flaking or smudging or making the lashes feel brittle. It’s pure love and worth every single penny.
Maestro Eyeshadow Quad Fall 2010 – The pigment on this is incredible. The colors however are definitely out of my personal comfort zone. I think the combination of colors are odd for use all at one time. I really have no idea how I will be able to pull off all shades at once. I’m not sure that I think “fall” when I see it. The blue and navy makes me thing “nautical” which is not something I really associate with fall. Still the colors in the palette are stunning and unique to Armani (see comparisons to Maestro Singles 6, 21 and 33 below). In it there is a denim-colored shimmery bright navy, smokey deep brown with plum, pale silvery blue, shimmery olive almost khaki colored brown. The artist suggested mixing the navy and dark brown together for a smokey eye.
Blush Duo Fall 2010 – Lovely fresh hot pink with a soft pale pink. In typical Armani Blush style, soft texture/finish, natural semi-sheer finish, makes the cheeks just glow. The pale side has more color and is more pink than Blush #12. I used this blush duo as soon as I got home mixed together. It’s just so pretty. I’ve compared it below to some other pinks from D&G, Bobbi Brown, Paul & Joe and Armani. No swatch comparisons as blush shades are extremely hard for me to swatch accurately. *Note* someone mentioned this is $80+ on the armani website and is also listed under the cream-blush duo, I think this an error but I’m not certain. Mine was $49 US (before tax) and it’s definitely powder on both sides. The price can be confirmed on Nordstrom.com.
More photos.
I passed on the new Purple Eyes to Kill #7 (simply too purple for me, just as Gaia described). I didn’t see the new lipsticks, but they seem a bit dark for my taste.
So I’ve raved about the Burberry Beauty line and still love everything I’ve bought. Well almost everything. The eyeshadows and blush are my favorite items – all of which I’ve been getting regular use out of. The lipsticks are creamy and divine, yet I have one exception for my gushing adoration. The exception is Cameo Lipstick #02. I tried this on in the store and liked it, but after wearing it at home for a few days, I just don’t love it. I’ve finally found a lipstick that is too neutral even for me.
Cameo Lipstick is a sheer peachy-nude beige. Swatches amazingly (see here). Applies less-than-amazing on the lips, just like my lip color. Not my-lips-but-better, just like my exact lip shade. I think if the texture were a little more matte and a little less creamy, the color in the tube might show up better rather than just blending with my lip. This one seems extra creamy which leaves a more glossy looking finish on my lips. There is a subtle shimmer/sheen to it, but it’s not a full on frost. I didn’t get the Cameo Lipgloss – it was a shimmery apricot, almost orangey looking next to the lipstick.
Still, this is simply my own personal preference. You don’t have to take my word for it – if you can get to a Nordstrom counter, I still recommend you try it on. I like Cameo Pink more because it shows up better on my skintone. Those who want a natural beige nude lip without looking washed out will probably like this one. Also I feel like I’m probably *right* at that skin-tone where it looks very natural. Fairer skinned girls will like this more than me. Darker skinned girls, I think this will look stunning on you as it will contrast with your skintone better.
