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MAC Sharon and Kelly Osbourne Mineralize Skinfinish Duos and Satin Blushes

June 14, 2014

I have a few more additions to share from the MAC Sharon and Kelly Osbourne Collections. There are two new Mineralize Skinfinish Duos in Refresh/Sharon and Jolly Good/Kelly ($33 each, limited-edition). Each collection also features a Satin Blush in Peaches & Cream/Sharon and Cheeky Bugger/Kelly ($22 each, limited-edition). If you’re contemplating any of these, act fast. Both of the blushes sold out online super quickly. My sweet husband bought the Satin Blushes for me from a MAC store the day the collection launched in stores. The Mineralize Skinfinish Duos are easier to find but are going fast online. I found the cheek items to be really pretty and naturally flattering to complement bolder eyes/lips.

Sharon’s collection is warmer in tone while Kelly’s is cooler and lighter. I found they both worked for my olive medium skin, I have a slight preference for the items from Sharon’s collection. My thoughts on each item for the cheeks:
  • Refresh Mineralize Skinfinish Duo has a satiny warm bronze and a shimmering champagne peachy pink. The pigment on this one is really good and it shows up well on the skin by itself.
  • Jolly Good Mineralize Skinfinish Duo is more satiny in texture. It has a shimmery finish but not as frosty or shimmery as other MSFs. The color is on the nude side so on my skin it is very sheer similar to Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders. If you’re in want of a more contrasted highlighter you may not like this one.
  • Peaches & Cream is a rose pink satiny texture blush. It has a bit of shimmer in it but on the cheeks it isn’t overly frosty. Even though it has the word “peaches” in the name, it’s not really peachy or warm, it’s definitely more rose.
  • Cheeky Bugger is a cool toned lighter pink. It’s also a satin finish. On me it shows up even though it’s pale in the pan. It gives a natural pink glow.
Refresh/Sharon

Jolly Good/Kelly

Peaches & Cream/Sharon

Jolly Good/Kelly

Here they are swatched on my Chanel B20/30 arm:

Close ups of the Blushes side by side:

Close ups of the Mineralize Skinfinish Duos side by side:

Overall thumbs up. The pigment and texture of these are really good and easy to apply. I like how the Mineralize Skinfinish Duos look naturally flattering on the skin. The Jolly Good/Kelly MSF duo is sheerer and is good as a subtle softening powder. Refresh/Sharon MSF Duo is better in color and pigment to show up on its own. Both Peaches & Cream and Cheeky Bugger blushes are stunning and I wish they hadn’t sold out so quickly but I am happy that I was able to get them. If you can get to a counter or store soon, I highly recommend it. They are both worth the extra work to track down.

Sharon’s Refresh Mineralize Skinfinish Duo is still available online at Nordstrom, Macy’s and Bloomingdales.

Kelly’s Jolly Good Mineralize Skinfinish Duo is available online at Nordstrom.

Both blushes Sharon’s Peaches & Cream and Kelly’s Cheeky Bugger have sold out online but you may still be able to track them down in stores and counters.

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Ole Henriksen Ultimate Lift Eye Gel + Giveaway

June 13, 2014

Currently in my rotation for eye care is the new reformulated Ole Henriksen Ultimate Lift Eye Gel ($42 for 1 fl oz/30 ml) for night. It’s a clear aqua blue gel designed for night time treatment. This is Ole Henriksen’s new version that just launched this month. The beauty team at Ole Henriksen kindly sent me a sample to try and I’ve been extremely pleased with the results.

For some background on my current eye situation: I’m in my early thirties and I don’t have eye wrinkles yet, nor do I have discoloration or creases around the edges. My under eye area has slight texture issues and is extremely prone to puffiness. I have increased sensitivity eyes around the outer corners and the eyes get irritated every once in a while subject to weather changes. My main concerns for eyes are de-puffing treatments and prevention.

I’ve been testing a few eye creams and gels (more on the others soon) and so far have been really pleased with this new formulation of the Ole Henriksen Ultimate Lift Eye Gel. It’s a night eye treatment designed to improve firmness and give the eyes a lifted look. This version has 30% more peptides and 600% more botanicals. It has cucumber for a de-puffing and cooling effect. The texture is a slightly thick gel. It has a slightly sticky and tacky feel once applied so once you have it on, I don’t recommend touching or rubbing the eye area.

It took me a while to get used to the sticky texture since it’s not something I’m typically used to, but I found that I actually prefer this for night. It adheres well to the skin which means it stays put. Many eye treatments have a super emollient texture which is good for the hydration and feel, but for me I find it often feels like it’s sliding off as soon as my head hits the pillow. The tacky texture of the gel helps this stick to the skin well. I’ve been testing the new gel versus the old version for over a month now. I definitely like the feel of the new one better, it has a nicer feel on the skin noticed improvement in my eye area with significantly reduced puffiness.

The application is pretty straight forward. Apply under the eye in an upwards motion extending towards the temples. A little goes a long way but I like to apply generously.

In the mornings right after I wake up (before I cleanse the skin) the area under and around the eyes absorb the product completely and eyes look more hydrated. I’ve applied this as instructed on the actual product, under the eye and upward extending slightly past the temples. Doing this has hydrated the skin making the skin less tight in the mornings. I haven’t noticed any lifting but there isn’t really anything under my eye area that needs lifting. I really like this for the help it gives me with de-puffing.

Application and ingredients:



The new reformulated Ultimate Lift Eye Gel comes in several different sizes and options right now at Ole Henriksen. They have the Full-Sized 1 oz jar ($42), Roll-On .5 oz ($28) and an Ultimate Eye Lift Kit with both ($35).

The Ole Henriksen team was kind enough to send me one extra of the full-size for me to giveaway to one lucky US reader. The giveaway is eligible for US residents only, ages 18+. Entries will be collected through June 22, 2014. There are up to four ways you can enter to win. One winner will be selected at random via the Rafflecopter widget the week following June 22nd and contacted by me via e-mail. Please refer to terms and conditions within the widget to see how to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This product was provided courtesy of Ole Henriksen for review along with an extra for a giveaway to US readers of The Beauty Look Book. For more information refer to my disclosures.
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Reflect Your Style Dream Vanity featuring One Kings Lane

June 13, 2014

One Kings Lane asked me to collaborate with them in their Reflect Your Style campaign. Their challenge: create a mood board of your dream vanity with decorative accents centered around one of their statement mirrors. I picked out the Vevey Oversized Gold Mirror (1) as my inspiration piece. I love the rich color and intricate details around the edges. The Cosmo Table Lamp (3) also has a beautiful brass finish to complement the details of the Vevey mirror.

A couple accent pieces that caught my eye included a small Clam Plate With Gold Starfish (2) perfect for small safety pins or small rings, and another sea-themed larger Bronze Coral Bowl (8) for additional color. There are a number of beautiful art pieces available at One Kings Lane, so many fun prints. I like to have some kind of photograph or art piece in our home to add color and life to each room. The abstract piece by Amy Donaldson, Playful Dance (4) caught my eye.

I’ve incorporated a few of my beauty loves right now as well including: Chanel Glossimers (5) for added shine and shimmer, Frederic Malle Carnal Flower (6) my favorite fragrance of the week (yes, it changes weekly), The Little Dictionary of Fashion (7) love the details in this one, various Dior Gel Shine Nail Polishes (9), Chanel Le Jour (10) adding this under regular moisturizer has helped my skin tremendously and Diptyque Baies (11) always a classic. West Elm Lacquered Trays (12) they are so versatile – they come in a number of colors and size options. I use the large one in our kitchen for our coffee bar area, one in our living room on our coffee table, and I have a number of square ones I use on my own vanity dresser and also in my home office.

Last but not least, my husband and I both love having fresh flowers in our home. We don’t always manage to get them on a weekly basis but it’s something we always look forward to. His favorites are tulips, mine right now are peonies. I’m loving the look of these Faux Peonies (13) for soft color.
After perusing all the lovely home decor accessories at One Kings Lane, I’m inspired to find a few new accent pieces to add to our home. For a few other fun collages, check out the dream vanities at Fab Over Forty and The Daily Nest.

For more inspiration be sure to check out One Kings Lane’s Home Decor Resource Guide. You can sign up to become a One Kings Lane member here.

 
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Sephora Formula X Wunderkind

June 12, 2014
If you visit a Sephora store soon a massive redesigned nail bar featuring their new Formula X is bound to catch your eye. It’s a hard-to-miss wall of color stocked with tester, pull out clear adhesives for swatches along with nail polish remover and cotton. I’ve featured Push the Limits Nail Lacquer and The System / Delete. Today I’m featuring a new shade that was released for summer Wunderkind Formula X ($10.50 for 12 ml/0.4 fl oz).

Wunderkind is a dark shimmery blue with a slight purple tint. It caught my eye at the store and I swatched it immediately. The first coat is very very sheer but the formula is smooth and easy to apply. The second coat transform the color into a full coverage smooth slightly milky blue pearl. I like that it’s a dark blue with a hint of purple but that it’s not so dark that it turns black on the nail. The blue actually shows through making it more true to what you see in the bottle.

Here it is on me with two coats along with the Formula X Base Coat and Top Coat. The manicure looked fresh through Day 5 without any tip wear or chipping (I took it off on day 5 to swatch other colors). Here’s quick snapshot of the brush as well – the white cap pulls off.

A few comparisons to other blues: Deborah Lippmann Ray of Light, Chanel Blue Satin, Chanel Bel-Argus, Guerlain Riviera (discontinued) and Chanel Blue Rebel (discontinued).

Overall love for the formula, wear time, color and in particular love the reasonable price point. Wunderkind ($10.50) is part of The Cut Summer 2014 collection. Available now at Sephora.
Have you tried anything from the Formula X line? What did you think?
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MAC Sharon Osbourne Collection Picks | Duchess Eyeshadow Quad, Bijou and Pussywillow Lipglass

June 11, 2014

The MAC Sharon and Kelly Osbourne collaboration is my favorite MAC release this year. Items have already launched online and will be available in stores and counters this Thursday June 12th. The entire collection features limited-edition products and as with most popular MAC releases many items sold out online within the first few hours of the launch.

I was able to get three items on my wishlist: the Sharon Osbourne Duchess Eyeshadow Quad ($44) along with the two Sharon Osbourne Lipglasses ($16.50 each) in Bijou and Pussywillow. If you’re contemplating whether or not to get these, my recommendation is a huge yes to all three. The colors are naturally flattering and look amazing on every other blogger I’ve read reviews on, all with different skintones and hair color. Swatched below:

Duchess Eyeshadow Quad has four warmish neutrals, the only shade you can purchase individually right now is Embark. All the others appear to be exclusive to this quad. I found the pigment to be really good – the Veluxe Pearl formula is one of the best MAC has. The colors:

  • Sweet Eyes (Veluxe Pearl) is a pearly pale champagne gold and ivory shimmer
  • Sexy Eyes (Veluxe Pearl) is a soft pinky copper shimmer
  • Femme Fatale (Satin) is a warmer copper shimmer
  • Embark (Matte) is a matte brown (on me it looks more satiny)

Although MAC Duchess has colors that can probably be easily duplicated by other brands, I really like this one because it has just the right amount of shimmer and isn’t overly frosted. The closest I have is Chanel Spices which is sheerer, lighter and more subdued. MAC Duchess by comparison is darker, warmer and more pigmented.

Bijou Lipglass is the perfect nude mauvey pink. I think I will need a back up (it’s that good). It does settle into the lip lines a bit if you don’t blend well but it’s not too obvious and can be easily blended out. Pussywillow Lipglass is a stunning gold shimmer. It looks better in person and for me it has enough color to wear alone without washing out the complexion.

Some comparisons below to MAC Nice Buzz Plushglass, Burberry Nude Glow Lip Glow, MAC Naked Space (discontinued), MAC Summer Crop (discontinued), MAC Rich & Witty (discontinued), MAC Angel Lipglass and MAC Lust Lipglass.

Overall love. I will be at the counters this Thursday trying to get both of the blushes (which sold out online literally in the blink of an eye). I’m undecided on the other items as they look like they are nice to have but perhaps dupe-able. The Kelly collection looks a bit cool-toned for my olive skin tone but if you’ve tried any items I’d love to hear your thoughts.

The Sharon Osbourne Duchess Quad, Bijou Lipglass and Pussywillow Lipglass are all limited-edition and currently still available online now at Nordstrom, Macy’s and maccosmetics.com. Available in MAC stores and counters starting Thursday June 12th.

Did you get anything from the Kelly or Sharon Osbourne collection? What else do you think I should check out?

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Loving This Week

June 10, 2014

This week I’m in love with Tatcha’s Indigo Hand Cream and Caudalie’s Divine Oil for extra moisture and hydration. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments in the mini sizes have found their way to my makeup bag on a regular basis lately as well for added moisture and quick touch ups. As my skin has started to clear up the Chanel Les Beiges Fluid No. 30 has started to be sufficient on its own (just with powder added) for a sheer evening base. As an update to my last review, I got a sample of No. 20 and found it to be a good match as well, just slightly too pink so No. 30 is a better match for me right now. Edward Bess Afterglow has remained a staple for me every day, I just used another one up and opened up a brand new one. Perfect as an eye base or highlight on the cheekbones. Another eye pencil I’ve been loving for an eye base is NARS Soft Touch Pencil in Iraklion as a good nude taupey cream base for powder eyeshadows. It’s a lovely subtle neutral. Sephora Beauty Insider offerings are killing it this summer with the Elizabeth and James Nirvana minis (I’m seriously considering the full size of Nirvana Black). MAC Sharon Osbourne Lipglasses in Pussywillow and Bijou are my new must-haves (review to come soon, I think Bijou is backup worthy). I’m planning a mid-week nail polish change on my toes but can’t decide between Dior Metal Montaigne or Incognito (do you ever do nudes on your toes?). Guerlain Cils d’Enfer in Waterproof Black is a new discovery thanks to The Raeviewer (be sure to check out her summer must-haves). I love it for lush thick defined lashes and the formula stays put all day long. Le Metier de Beaute Dark Orchid Kaleidoscope is a Neiman Marcus Camp Gorgeous Gift with Purchase Exclusive with a $250 LMdB purchase, I purchased items in store to get this, but just checked online to see it it was available. It’s not listed in the beauty offers section but if you add items to your cart the gift will show up once you hit the qualifying amount (while supplies last). I wish Le Metier de Beaute would release more kaleidoscopes that weren’t exclusives but I’m really happy to have this one.

Currently working my way through reviews of so many lipglosses that I’ve accumulated since May. Featured above are Marc Jacobs Overprotected and NARS Lipgloss in Istria, Belize, Sweet Dreams and Risky Business.

What are you loving this week?
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