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.
Today was an amazing girls’ day out in Beverly Hills packed with of all sorts of goodness. We hit up the Dry Bar, Lucky Scent, Barneys, Saks, Neimans and fit in a delicious lunch in between. LA can be very interesting and as many have noted, it is its own universe. I’m deliriously exhausted, but in a good way. Definitely glad to be back home but already looking forward to my next trip 🙂
Today’s highlight: I met my idol, THE Mr. Edward Bess today and he did my makeup! More to come soon. {Photo above should be labeled “The Beauty Look Book was here”, they wanted to put my Miu Miu in Edward’s display case, lol!}
It’s that time of year when Laura Mercier releases several limited edition value sets at Nordstrom (here), Neimans (here) and Saks (here). Each store has their own special kit with exclusive items including a mix of full size products plus minis for $68. This year, the Saks Premiere Beauty Collection appealed most to me with the following items:
Brown zippered bag with a paisley lining
Full sized Tightline Cake Eye Liner in Ground Espresso
Full sized Lip Glacé in Pink Lilac (sheer milky lilac pink)
Eye Colour Duo in Dusk (shimmery pink-lilac) & Chocolate (shimmery brown)
Mini Black Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara
Double-Ended Pony Tail/Flat Eye Liner Brush
To break down the cost per full sized items: Liner $22 + Eyeshadow $22 + Lip Glacé $22 = $66. For the additional $2 you get a decent sampling of other items not to mention a nice travel brush (I’ve collected a number of mini brushes from LM sets over the years and rely on them when traveling).
I purchased this sight unseen online, mainly for the new Lip Gloss, Eyeshadow Duo & Brush. I plan on regifting the other items. I’ve had the Cake Eyeliners used on me on multiple Laura Mercier makeover events but I prefer pencil or gel liners to liquid or cake (so this item won’t be swatched). Dusk/Chocolate is a gorgeous combination – I already have Dusk in a mini sample size and like that it’s lilac and cool-toned but not too purple. I find that lilac/lavender eyeshadows can sometimes look dated.
Pink Lilac is beautiful in the tube but very sheer and practically invisible on the lips. I think it will make a good enhancing color for sheer pink and lilac colored lipsticks.
Overall a great value and nice combination of colors. I would have preferred something other than the cake liner since there is already a dark shadow (Chocolate) – like a blush or lipstick, but I know it will be easily regift-able. The lip gloss is pretty but sheer and light, perhaps it will show up better on girls with lighter lips or lighter skintones. I know I’ll get a lot of use with layering it, but I would have preferred more pigment and color. The set also comes with a mini instruction card but I found it very basic.
Have any of you checked out any of the Special Edition sets at Saks, Neimans or Nordstrom? Did any of you pick one up? Thoughts/rants/raves?
As far as I know, in the US, the items are exclusive to each category listed above. I did not have in person access to any of these, but thanks to the blogs Café Makeup, Makeup Magpie and The Stash Archives, I was able to find out more about these colors and make a purchasing decision.
Up first: Chanel Liberté Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss #54 is a soft peachy-pink with subtle shimmer. The texture is creamy and thick yet smooth with medium coverage. The color is gorgeous but close to my natural lip color so it looks sheerish on my lips. (No lip swatches yet, it’s been cloudy and dark so I can’t get good lip photos.) I called up Nikki from Dolce & Gabbana at Saks Houston as soon as I spotted the Liberté gloss online and luckily she located a few for me. I can’t rave enough about how awesome and helpful she is (more D&G reviews to come soon). Definitely check out Makeup Magpie and The Stash Archives for more amazing swatches/reviews from different points of view.
Compared to a few other RAEs, #55 Confidence and #56 Imaginaire, the exclusive Liberte is more peachy pinky, similar to Candy Glow Aqualumiere Gloss (scroll down for swatches):
Up second: Baroque Rouge Coco #30 is a hard one to describe and extremely difficult to photograph accurately. In the tube, it’s a browned plum, leaning more towards brown, but depending on the angle you hold it, you will see it flash plum. On the lips, it’s a deep brownish-red-brick type color. I don’t own anything like it, but Sycamore Rouge Coco seems to be in a similar color family. I like it for holiday/fall but it will probably be too dark and dramatic once spring (the real spring season that is) arrives.
Finally: Berry Precision Eye Definer #58 is a beautiful taupe-plum frost. Hard to envision, but it’s like a silvery purple. (Scroll down below to see swatches.) I love how different this is from anything I’ve ever seen. Not a straight plum, not quite brownish, not taupe – but rather a mix of all three. The application on these pencils is smooth with rich pigment. Staying power is average. It doesn’t fade or disappear fast, but it definitely won’t last from morning to night.
On the nails, OPI Holiday Glow (from 2009) over Dior Aztec Chocolate
Overall:
Liberte – I love this color, it’s right up my alley, but it’s better when layered over a lipstick. By itself I find it too sheer. I think it will complement colors like MAC Ramblin Rose or Chanel Muse Rouge Coco well. For some reason, peachy colors blend in more naturally for me. The other pinks like Confidence (reviewed here) and Imaginaire, although similar in intensity (or lightness) show up significantly more because they are pinkish rather than peachish. Weird, right?
Baroque – Beautiful rich dark, but not too dark. Like Amy from Cafe Makeup says, it’s good for right now.
Berry – Love. Definitely check out Amy’s review (linked here). Her photos are better than mine and capture that beautiful silvery quality that is hard to photograph.
Swatches below (detail can be viewed better if you click on these images for larger viewing):
I was on the phone calling up Nikki from Saks Houston as soon as Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog gave us a sneak peek at the Dolce & Gabbana Holiday Collection. Nikki put me on the wait list and called me as soon as it came in. (Read about why I love Nikki here.) I was thrilled that it came in time for Saks’ Friends and Family event and also in time for the Saks GWP from Dolce & Gabbana. I saw the holiday campaign ad in Elle and it made me go “oooh pretty.” What arrived in the mail was not exactly reflective of the ad campaign or the holiday spirit but still gorgeous, nevertheless.
My first thoughts: This looks like something for resort. My second thoughts: The promotional ad looks like it’s simply been photoshopped from season to season rather than a true application of the holiday colors. Of course these are just my own thoughts. These days resort seems to be the new holiday when it comes to designer fashion and beauty collections.
Desert Eyeshadow Quad – matte bone, shimmery sandy gold, matte warm tan brown, matte dark warm chocolate
Update here – the swatches and comparisons below:
Bronzer & Blush thoughts: Cashmere Bronzer is very similar to their Desert Bronzer. The difference is that Cashmere appears to be warmer in undertone. Both have a subtle finely milled shimmer that doesn’t really show up on the skin, however both just make the skin glow with that healthy tan look. Rosebud Blush seems more Apricot/Petal to me versus Rosebud-y. I envisioned a pink color but instead a brightened peach came. I love it even if it’s not very holiday. It’s brighter than the Dolce & Gabbana Peach and Nude blushes as you can see below. The difference in the compact is subtle. I’m afraid the swatches make them look the same but the difference can be seen when you apply them on the face.
Lipstick & Lipgloss thoughts: I really liked the Shimmer, Rosebud & Desert lipsticks from the holiday collection. The formula of the shine lipsticks aren’t the best because of the glossy texture but I love them anyways and don’t mind reapplying. I couldn’t find a dupe or comparable shade to Desert. Here are some similar shades to Shimmer & Rosebud.
The Dolce & Gabbana Lipglosses are beautiful in my opinion. They do have that Dolce & Gabbana flowery scent but it’s not overpowering. Those who wonder how Shimmer & Honey compare to other shades, here’s the lineup:
Thoughts on the eye items: Dolce & Gabbana Shimmer Eyeliner is very similar to Stila’s Kitten Smudge Pot (which I have barely used). I like the texture of the Dolce & Gabbana much better. The Stila was a bit hard to work with (it has a slightly different texture than the other smudgepots in my opinion).
The Desert quad – I’m sorry to say seems rather boring. They could have spiced up the matte shades and made it more special. Still I really love the pigment and texture of Dolce & Gabbana eyeshadows. They’re really easy to blend and have a lovely velvety texture. Here it is compared to Chanel Beiges de Chanel (long d/c) and the new Bobbi Brown Day To Night Warm Eye Palette from this holiday.
Overall thoughts: Love the Rosebud Blush and all the lip items. Bronzer & Eye Quad – ok, but not must haves. I think there are better options from the Dolce & Gabbana line.
If you’re in need of a good Dolce & Gabbana rep I highly recommend Nikki from Saks Houston. She is incredible and described everything spot on. You can check out my post on the fall collection for her contact info or e-mail me directly.
This fall, Dolce & Gabbana has released a palette of interesting and unique colors for their makeup collection. Those who have read my Dolce & Gabbana posts from past seasons know that I used to order from NY, but my 2 go-to sales associates left Saks (much to my dismay). After they left, I went on my search for another makeup artist from the line who was helpful, familiar with the line and knew what she was talking about. A couple of us Dolce & Gabbana fans called around the country searching for the perfect Dolce & Gabbana rep and we found one. For the past few seasons, I have found Nikki from Saks Houston to be a tremendous help in describing shades to me and helping me with my buying decisions as I do not have immediate in-person access to the line. I highly recommend her, she’s wonderful. She even color matched me over the phone to their foundation and it was an exact match.
Onto the fall collection. This season the eyes were a combination of bright and dark. Lips were also an odd combination of vampy dark and bright coral pink. Same with the nails. The collection looks lovely on their spokesmodel Scarlett Johansson, but I’m not sure that most of us can pull off all the items together for a look. I’ll most likely be incorporating their fall shades with other colors from other seasons.
Onyx Crayon Intense $29 – gorgeous gunmetal grey with steel blue tones (shimmer)
Divine Smooth Eye Color Quad $59 – beige & brown tan (non-shimmer), cool light fuschia & perfect navy-plum (shimmer)
Evocative Smooth Eye Color Duo $36 – bright coral pink (shimmer) & warm brown (non-shimmer)
Divine Quad: Smooth and pigmented. Pricey yes, but the texture and quality of the colors are absolutely divine. Highly pigmented with an almost creamy like texture. Easy to blend. Long lasting. I usually don’t even need a base for their shadows. It’s an odd combination. I haven’t really quite figured out how to pull off all the shades at once. It’s just so pretty in the compact.
The Saks fall catalog just came out. If you don’t receive it, I highly recommend you go to your nearest Saks, they usually have extra copies. The photos are highly inspirational for fall. I found it better than most of this year’s September Issues. Near the back they had a photo of a few fall items. Here is the quad in real life compared to the catalog photo. It’s pretty close, the only difference is the bottom left shade – in the catalog it’s a lovely taupe shimmer. The actual product has no shimmer for that color.
Onyx Eyeliner – This is probably my favorite item in the collection. It’s just breathtakingly gorgeous. I love it that much. Navy seems to be the new black this season for eyes – this one is a beautiful complex mixture of deep gunmetal/steel blue/navy shimmer. My only thing with Dolce & Gabbana eyeliners is that they don’t always last as long as I like. They are softer which makes them apply easier (less tugging) but also that means they don’t last as long. Some are better than others. I love the Coffee color (bronze shimmer). I think if you use an eye base you should be fine.
Evocative Duo – I know what you’re thinking. “What? She bought this?! Is she on something?” LOL – yes it’s way out of my comfort zone, but no I’m not on anything. Another thing I love about Nikki – she knows my taste for neutrals so we talked through this one which went something like this:
Me: How bright is the pink?
Nikki: It’s *very* bright, but works well if you layer it over the brown.
Me: Can I use it as a blush?
Nikki: I can see how it would work as a highlight, but perhaps a blush as well.
Me: How’s the brown in the compact?
Nikki: It’s a lovely brown, we don’t have anything like it.
So I bought it. I knew what it looked like from the promotional campaign so I knew what I was getting into. I have to say, I tried this with the brown first, then the pink layered on top and it was surprisingly wearable. I also tried the pink as a blush and Nikki was right, it’s better as a highlighter, but still really pretty.
Orchid Lipstick – The one product I am undecided about. It’s a bright cool raspberry mauve. Brighter than this photo shows. It’s definitely out of my comfort zone and is one of those colors that looks like it might pull fuchsia on my lips. This one I have to think about whether or not to keep.
Swatched:
Swatched again with high flash:
Overall beautiful. The swatches were done without a base. As a disclaimer, I am not affiliated with Dolce & Gabbana or Saks. I receive nothing in return for my recommendation of the Saks Houston store. I simply get so many requests for “where to buy” – while I like to let you make the decisions of where to buy on your own, I normally refer people to the company websites for store locations. However, Nikki is such a valuable asset and so many people have asked where I get my Dolce & Gabbana now I felt it would be helpful. You can find the Saks Houston store information on Saks.com. Just because I know people will ask, the direct line is (713) 627-0500, ext 5101 or 5102. She has even been kind enough to let me publish her e-mail address: [email protected]. I personally find calling and speaking to someone on the phone is more efficient and easier to get my questions answered.
Dolce & Gabbana does wonderful GWPs, although the minimums are pretty high (around $150 to $200). Granted you usually get a full sized item which I find very generous, along with some type of fragrance sample. YMMV with these – I find it more satisfying to get a full sized item I know I will use rather than a bunch of minis that I know I will never use. I’m not sure when their next one is for Houston. I know the Beverly Hills store does some nice promotional gifts too. So you may want to create a Dolce & Gabbana wishlist and save up your items until the next GWP event.
Happy Friday everyone! Here are some recent Dolce & Gabbana additions from the past few months. A bit from spring, summer and the regular line. I really love Dolce & Gabbana for their high quality products. The pigment is great and textures/finishes are superb. Blushes have a soft flawless finish. Nail polishes are richly pigmented, creamy and apply extremely smooth. Lipsticks have a subtle rose scent that fades and have great coverage (lasting power varies per shade). If you remember my first article on Dolce & Gabbana (back last May when the line first launched) I wasn’t sure that the price justified the purchase. In playing around with my purchases more, I have come to really appreciate the quality of the products. Granted the prices are still hard to swallow sometimes – I have been happy with most of the things I’ve purchased, even with a couple things I didn’t think were really me (such as Apricot Blush and Caramel Lipgloss). The customer service of the Dolce & Gabbana sales reps I’ve worked with is excellent as well. There’s nothing that can compare to having a great experience with knowledgeable sales associates who are helpful, professional and know what they are talking about.
In the U.S. these are exclusively at Saks stores and saks.com. I prefer to order through the stores because they occasionally have great gift-with-purchase events. Various GWPs include full sized mascaras and lipglosses – although the minimum purchase requirements are typically higher (ranging from $100 to $250 depending on the event). I definitely recommend calling your local store to check out their upcoming events. Check DolceGabbanaMakeup.com for locations and more product info.
Left to right: Tan Blush, Glossy Lipgloss, Delicate Lipstick, Emotion Lipstick, Petal Nail Polish, Nude Nail Polish, Drama Nail Polish
Glossy Lipgloss – I exchanged my Caramel Lipstick for this at Beverly Hills. I was a bit nervous about exchanging it because I hate returns, but the sales associate was very kind, especially since it was unused and still brand new. Even he agreed that Caramel was an unflattering color. Glossy is a really pretty gold shade – but on the lips it’s a bit too glossy for my taste but I guess that’s the point of lipgloss. I have to use this one sparingly.
Delicate Lipstick – A lovely fresh and light golden apricot, really pretty for both spring and summer.
Emotion Lipstick – Another winner, lovely cool pink with gold shimmer. Reminds me of MAC Fabby but better.
Petal Nail Polish – A cream nude pink shade. It’s like Chanel’s Jade Rose but a notch up in color and without any iridescence.
Nude Nail Polish – I love this nude shade. My application was sloppy but I think if applied the right way, it would give a perfect nude manicure.
Drama Nail Polish – A neutral lavendar cream. I’m not sure how I feel about this one. Purple creams like Paul & Joe 06 and this one look pretty in the container but on my fingers the just seem a bit muddy looking.
Tan Blush – I ordered this sight unseen and have to admit I was shocked at how flat and greyish looking it was when I received it. However, on the cheeks it makes a really nice contouring shade. There are some comparisons to other brands (MAC & NARS) below, but due to their nude-ness, I couldn’t get swatches to show up.
L to R: Delicate, Emotion & Glossy
L to R: Petal, Nude & Drama
Tan Blush:
Dolce & Gabbana Tan compared to MAC Emote, MAC Strada and NARS Zen
Have you seen the Dolce & Gabbana Spring or Summer collections yet? Any winners for you? In case you missed it, you can find my report on the Dolce & Gabbana Spring Collection here.
