Bryant Park was launched on March 1st.
The timing could not be better since there is a SAKS Beauty event going on.

SAKS BEAUTY WEEK Thursday March 1st-Saturday March 10th.

With any cosmetic or fragrance purchase of $100 or more you receive a White Patent Leather Bag filled with deluxe samples. Samples are: Bill Blass exclusive fragrance mini, Donna Karan Gold VOC, Lanvin Rumeur (still exclusive) VOC, Annick Goutal Hadrien VOC, Laura Mercier mini lipgloss, Dior mini mascara, La Prairie eye cream, Kiehl's olive fruit oil nourishing shampoo and conditioner packettes. (supplies can be limited and these could be subject to change...)

The fabulous Lisa at my local Cleveland Saks is running a very limited special. If you purchase a 3.4 oz bottle(retails for $185) of any of the Bond fragrances you will get a free 1/4 oz refillable travel spray in Nuits de Noho. She only has 4 left...so you will have to hustle if you want one. Mention Blogdorf Goodman.
Lisa's information is: 216-292-5500 ext: 265
She has Bryant Park in stock.

Other Saks Beauty Specials:
Bobbie Brown-Travel Sizes of Hydrating Eye Cream, Mini Black No smudge mascara and Mini Eyeshadow compact featuring Bone, Cement and Espresso with a 100 dollar purchase.

Bliss-Small Bliss bag including miniatures of Vanilla Body Butter, Magnolia Scrub, Steep Clean Moisturizer and Steep Clean Toner pad wipe wiht 65 dollar purchase.

Chanel-White Bag filled with Miniatures of Rouge Allure, Prescion Lip Definer, and Allure Sensuelle Body Lotion with a 150 Beauty or Fragrance purchase.

Clarins-Your choice of full size foaming Cleanser or one step exfoliating cleanser with Clarins Headband with 100 dollar purchase.

Nars-Full size Sex Machine and Red Square Velvet Matte with 85 dollar purchase. Call Alesha at 216-292-5500 ext.256. She has palettes, ITA brushes, multiple sticks and lip items for the step up..if you spend $125, $150 and up. I am addicted to my ITA brush. If you wear a highlighter....then this is much needed for your brush collection.

Cle de Peau-Cosmetic Pouch containing miniatures of La Creme,Cleansing foam, Clarifying Emulsion and Intensive Correcting Cream with a 300 dollar purchase.

Clinique-White and silver canvas clutch filled with a Pink Chocolate quad eye palette, khohl Shaper for eyes in Blackened Taupe, High Definition Lashes Mascara in Black, mini Long last lipstick in violet berry and an eyelash curler with a 50 dollar purchase.

Dior- Dior to go black pouch filled with miniatures of capture totale creme, lip/eye paletteand Miss Dior Cherie with a 125 dollar purchase.

Estee Lauder-Deluxe miniatures of Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lifting Creme, Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lifting Serum and Re-nutriv Intensive Softening lotion with a 100 dollar purchase.

Frederic Fekkai-Travel size hairspray with a 50 dollar purchase.Armani-Full Size Armani lipstick in a black sachet with a 200 dollar purchase.

Kiehls-Deluxe miniatures of of Lavender Foaming Bath , Ultimate Strength Hand Salve and Abyssine Creme with a 75 dollar purchase.

Laura Mercier-Zip pouch containing deluxe miniatures of face polish, chesnut lip pencil, Au Lain body lotion, full size creme metallic eyeshadow and a packette of flawless skin creme with a 85 dollar purchase.

Trish McEvoy-Cosmetic bag with deluxe mini's of Even Skin, Beauty Booster Serum and Beauty Booster Creme and a full size gloss with a 150 purchase.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews

Day 9, DuWop

Cavewoman: A few years ago, Lancome discontinued my favorite brow pencil, called Ebene. It was a perfect dark charcoal with no red undertones, and matched my brows without being harsh or too dark. When my last Ebene became too short to sharpen, I reluctantly tossed the little nub into the trash, and went out to scour the counters for a substitute.

I was surprised to find that other than totally black pencils, anything called "brunette" had the red undertones that I was trying to avoid. It did not matter to me if I found a pencil or one of the new waxy pans, I just wanted the right color. After seeing the DuWop Browwow in a magazine, I headed to Nordstrom to check it out.


DuWop Browwow Brow Perfecting Kit comes in two shades, Lighter and Darker. Inside the cute compact are three pans, one a pressed powder brow color, one a tinted wax, and the third a highlighting cream shadow. Darker did not appear dark enough in the compact, but I asked my SA for a slanted brush and I applied the products to my brows. I was very pleased with the look, the color, and I think that Browwow gave my brows a nice soft shape. The two-step brow application takes a bit of practice, but once the powder is on, and the wax applied over it, brows stay in place all day. The highlighter is a pretty pale pinky-peach shade that goes right under the brow to give the eyes a little lift and brightness. I never thought I'd use anything but dark charcoal brow color, but this little kit won me over. And maybe at my age, a softer brow is prettier. I don't miss the Lancome nub at all.

Annieytown: Picking a favorite product from the DuWop line was much too hard for me tonight. I discovered the cosmetic line last year and have become a huge cheerleader for them. I love everything from the Venom lippies to the blogger's favorite tinted moisturizer, Revolotion.
DuWop was created by Christina Bartolucci and Laura DeLuisa in the late 90's. They were makeup artists who originally tinkered in their kitchens to create new makeup products. Their mad scientist experiments paid off. They now offer their products at Sephora, Nordstorm, Henri Bendel, Holt Renfrew, SpaceNK, Mecca Cosmetica, Beauty.com and Fred Segal.

The path to success was filled with some bumps along the way.
They had to fight for their name.

From Entrepreneur.com: "When [we] first started the company, I was doing graphics in a copy store, and this kid came up to me and said, 'DuWop? What a great name. Is it registered?' I said, 'I don't think so,' and he said, 'Let me register it for you,'" says Bartolucci. "In front of me, in the store, he went online and registered, and stole our name. It took us three years and a lawsuit to get it back. So now, no matter how excited I am, I take a deep breath and think 'Is silence the best response here?'"


That is a brief history lesson on the company. Now lets dish on my favorite products.

1. DuWop's Revolotion Face: The best tinted moisturizer on the market today. It kicks Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizers butt. It is a sheer lightweight formula that has light reflecting pigment that leaves your skin flawless and radiant. Revolotion gives you gorgeous coverage without settling into any fine lines or creases. It has a matte finish and leaves no greasy mess.

It comes in 6 shades:

Nanci: Ivory
Caitlin: Palest Beige
Tara: Light Beige
Laura C: Medium Beige
Conchita: Dark Beige
Lauren: Deep Tone

It retails for $28 and it truly gets my highest recommendation.


2. Venom Gloss: I was blown away by the quality of the glosses.

They look and feel fantastic. The ingredients are cinnamon, wintergreen and ginger(for the tingle and bite) and skin softening goodies such as jojoba, avocado, sunflower oil, beeswax and green tea. The glosses give you full and hydrated lips. There will be no mess afterwards. Your lips will feel and look like they have been treated at a spa.

The 12 fab shades are:

Lily: Perfect Mauve
Ivy: Pale Beige
Tulip: Sheer Clear Red
Lantana: Super Sheer Hot Pink
Jessamine: Copper Rose/Brown
Coral Tree Shimmery Peach
Windflower: Deep Berry Brown
Hyacinth: Clear Neutral Brown
Love in a Mist: Shimmery Pale Lavender
Snowberry: Sheer gold flecked berry
Buttercup: Light Shimmery Champagne
Firethorn: Shimmery Creamsicle Orange

The glosses retail for $18.

3. DuWop's Eyes Palettes: Each palette contains a base color, lighter and darker versions, gold or silver shimmer, and a matching cream liner. It comes with a small brush that was surprisingly handy. I usually discard these because they are useless.

The shadow's quality is very high. They have a velvety finish with good pigment power.

They have 7 shades:

Brown Eyes (useful)
Green Eyes (personal favorite)
Blue Eyes
Amber Eyes(personal favorite of Tussah)
Gray Eyes
Violet Eyes (so pretty)
Rose Eyes


The palettes retail for $32.

What are your favorite DuWop Products?
Jeanne: Tell us about your makeover!!!

Photos: Cavewoman and Sephora. Information from Duwop and Entrepreneur.com
http://shop.duwop.com/index.asp

Disclosure: This post features products purchased and press samples direct from the company or PR firm.

Best Supporting Actress Nominee Rinko Kikuchi Smokes Up the Red Carpet at the Oscars

Celebrity makeup artist, Hee Soo Kwan, created a very sophisticated, slightly smoky look for Best Actress Nominee Rinko Kikuchi at the 79th Annual Academy Awards.

Keeping most of her makeup neutral, Hee Soo chose to use Duwop's Smoke in Black Gold to play up Rinko's eyes.

DuWop's Smoke comes in 4 intense shades:

Plum Wine: deep shimmering burgundy

Navy Seal: midnight blue with shimmer

Olive Branch: deepest green with gold shimmer

Black Gold: gold laced black

I think I need each and every one of these!

http://www.duwop.com/

all info from Duwop and photos from eonline and DuWop

"But for anyone who saw John Galliano's heart- stopping haute couture based on Madama Butterfly, this ready-to-wear version looked as if the heroine of Puccini's opera had met a fate worse than her death: She had been married off to a wealthy lord who insisted that she show off his bucks in her clothes." (International Herald Tribune)
ALL PHOTOS: STYLE.COM

Erika at Makeup Bag interviewed me last week.
I dish about Bond's Chinatown, Youngstown, my favorite coats and the day I dressed up as Coco Chanel for 4th grade History Day.

Makeup Bag is a magnificent beauty blog. She gets incredible beauty scoop. Make sure to check out her archives and her recent coverage of Shu Uemura lipsticks. I am lemming them all!!!

http://makeupbag.net/?p=737#comments

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews

Day 8, Dior

Cavewoman: In 1947, Christian Dior turned the fashion world upside down with his "New Look" -- his ultra-feminine silhouette of fitted bodices and full skirts and his signature Dior bow. The New Look trickled down through fashion to find its way to the head of a little Ohio girl, wearing a Dior Bow on her head as a hat, on her way to church. Ten years later, that little girl was a young woman on her way to college, with a Dior parfum in her train case. Twenty years later, she walked into a brand new Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beachwood, Ohio, maybe a mile away from that college, and bought a black velvet Dior coat.


I still have my Dior coat.

All of the Cleveland Gang will tell you that I absolutely have to stop at all the Dior counters every time we get together. Here in my own town, Annie knows that a trip to the local mall means a stop at Dillards to check out what's new at Christian Dior Cosmetics. My vanity table is full of chic navy blue compacts and lipstick cases, and one of my latest favorite scents is the limited edition Midnight Charm fragrance. Recently, Dior launched a new lipstick formula called RougeDior, and of course I was at Dillards the morning that my SA was opening her boxes of the shipment. No one does pinks better than Dior! I bought several lipsticks that day, and when I came home and checked the Dior website, I saw that there would be ten colors that wouldn't be sold in the USA. Now, I love a challenge, so I ebayed and strawberrynetted my way to collecting the rest of the colors I wanted. I love the elegant scent of Dior lipsticks, and the RougeDior formula is moisturizing and long lasting at the same time, a feat that's been almost impossible to achieve up til now in just about any other line I've tried. The shades are lustrous without being gritty or sparkly, and feel so comfortable on the lips. I love the names, too, especially Diorlywood Pink. You can imagine the color without even seeing it!
Dior has a whimsical side, too, offering limited editions of adorable little collectible tchotchkes such as a ring that hides two eyeshadows inside, or a dog-tag with glosses under the cover, and my favorite Gourmette ID bracelet that holds two gloss pans.

If you are looking for the perfect pink lipstick, head to the Dior counter. I'll be glad to meet you there!


Storybookheroine: will never forget my first mascara it was 80’s electric blue.
I’ve
come a long way since then but mascara is the one beauty product I
cannot live without. I love big long lush black lashes. If my
makeup bag consisted of a tube of mascara and a Nars Multiple I’d be
content. But finding a great mascara is something else. Today there
are so many choices it’s enough to make a girl’s head spin! Do you
want waterproof, curling, thickening, volumizing or lengthening. Do
you like a thin or thick wand, a spool or a comb? And then the
moment of truth! You pick a mascara and the first time you apply it
flakes, it smudges or leaves you at 3 p.m. with the dreaded raccoon
eyes. Finding that perfect mascara can be as frustrating as finding
the perfect little black dress.

I hate to admit I never gave Christian Dior much thought. For me,
Dior conjures imagines of Paris runways and perfume, not cosmetics.
A good friend told me about Diorshow but I was happy with my Chanel
Cils a Cils and had no intentions of of switching to something else.
Maybe it was divine intervention but the week after I received a
sample tube of Diorshow the stopper in my Chanel broke and I found
myself rummaging through my sample bag for mascara. All I can say is
WOW! Diorshow has an amazingly HUGE wand brush that hits all my
lashes evenly and consistently. My eyelashes are straighter on one
side than the other and mascara tends to look a bit uneven without
fussing about with a lash curler but Diorshow solves this problem.
The big fluffy wand allows complete control of the product from
bottom to top and does not clump with additional coats. One coat
gives me pretty, full, glossy, curled lashes and the second extends
the length and volume giving me big lashes that are runway ready and
rival false eyelashes. No flaking, no smudging, no clumping and I
can indulge my bad beauty habit of skipping the lash curler. It is
quick and easy and fulfills my big black lush lash fantasy.

So if you want those knock ‘em dead with flirty, endless lashes
without all the fuss, Diorshow is for you. Available in 4 colors at
Sephora.com: Black, Chestnut (warm brown) and Azure Blue as well as
a limited edition Black Out kohl black (only at sephora).

Annieytown: DiorKiss glosses are my weakness in the Dior cosmetic line. Normally I would be swooning over the fragrances or the infamous Diorshow mascara, but that little gloss tube has ran away with my heart. They have so much shimmer that I can get blinded with the sparkles. No lipgloss can come close to its glittery power.

These glosses are richly pigmented, full of shine, and have a non-sticky texture that is mess free.

Colors available: Sorbet Meringue 008 (clear with intense multi-colored shimmer)

*This gloss is my personal favorite.

Pink Marshmallow 168 (sheer soft peachy-pink)

Orange Nectar 248 (sheer tangerine with gold glitter)

* Looks amazing on my friend Griffie.

Grape Freeze 288 (lavender with multi-colored shimmer)

Blueberry Muffin 298 (clear with a hint of lavender)

Granny Smith 308 (shimmering golden green)

Snow Cherry 358 (pink shimmer)

Red Currant 778 (vibrant pink with pink shimmer)

*Gorgeous!
Praline 318 (shimmering peach-toffee)

They are available at your local Dior counter and Sephora for $19.

Photos: Cavewoman and Sephora
Disclosure: This post features products purchased by the reviewers

Katie Holmes hair and makeup at the Oscars.

I am obsessed with the pins and the lipstick.

Photos: celebutopia

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews

Day 7, Chanel

Cavewoman: "Fashion changes, style remains." That's what Mademoiselle herself said. She knew everything about style, and set out to make the name Chanel synonymous with luxury. From the first classic little boxy jacket to the instantly recognizable shape of the No. 5 bottle to the latest must-have lip color, the intertwined C's define the ultimate chic. If you can't buy a Chanel suit, you might be able to catch yourself a little piece of the magic of Chanel at the perfume or cosmetic counter. Everyone can have a Chanel.

Chanel's standards are impeccable. The jasmine that is used in Chanel fragrances comes from their own personal jasmine fields in Grasse. Nothing less will do for a perfume that will carry the name Chanel. Over the years I've worn most of the Chanel fragrances, but I keep going back to my first, and most loved, which is Chanel No. 19. I remember the day I bought it. My Mom and I were shopping, and we stopped at a fragrance counter to test some perfumes. When I reached for No. 5, my Mom gently took the bottle out of my hand and put it back on the display tray. She reached for No. 19 and sprayed it on my wrist. She said to me, "This one. It is uncommon. Everyone wears No. 5. Don't be like everyone else." Of course she was right. And every time I wear it, I am reminded of my Mom's wise words.

Chanel No. 19 whose number is Mademoiselle's birthday, is sometimes classified as a green chypre. Top notes are crisp without any harshness, almost like a freshly-pressed linen shirt that's been dried in breezy sunshine. There is something in the top that lingers throughout the mid and base and remains as a connecting thread as the perfume wears throughout the day. I don't know what it is, but it's there. It's a lovely mystery. The mid notes of jasmine, May rose, iris and ylang-ylang balance each other in a garden-like bouquet. There's no edge on this jasmine. It's as soft as the seamed curve of a Chanel blouse, and equally as feminine. Base notes of sandalwood, vetiver, and my favorite oakmoss, anchor the notes in the feel of an evening walk in the country. I picture Katharine Hepburn wearing Chanel No. 19, wearing a white blouse, hands tucked into the pockets of her flowing trousers, and a strand of pearls encircling her neck.

I find the EDT to be more slowly progressive in note development, and the EDP heading fast to the base notes. But that's just my skin, and I almost prefer the EDT to the EDP version.

Chanel has recently launched a new group of fragrances, and I am hearing wonderful reviews about them, but even if one of them turns my head for a moment or two, I'll always come back to my No. 19. It's been over 30 years since I purchased that first bottle. Granted, it's not a Chanel suit, but it's my little piece of chic.



Annieytown: I originally was going to write about my beloved Chanel mascara but have changed my mind. Last weekend I visited NYC and promptly fell in love with several of the new Chanel fragrances at Bergdorf Goodman. I was hoping that I would only fall in love with one.


As luck would have it, I have managed to fall in love with the whole damn collection. There is no clunker in the bunch. Each of the 6 perfumes are interesting and lemming worthy.
To chose just one is practically impossible...at least for me.

The Les Exclusifs perfumes are being sold only in Chanel boutiques and at Bergdorf Goodman, in 200-milliliter spray bottles of eau de toilette for $175.
You get a lot of juice for your buck!


31 rue Cambon is a modernized chypre without the oakmoss. I can see this becoming a classic in the line. It is totally worthy to sit next to Chanel No 5 or 19.

No 18 is a rose iris fragrance that most likely will be my first purchase from the collection. There was just something about this one that was interesting. I am thinking it might be the ambrette seed. According to Wikipedia ,the seed has a sweet, flowery, heavy fragrance quite similar to that of musk. The iris note was also unique to me. I am an iris fan and own several fragrances that use this note. No 18 is just different. It is sweeter than Frederic Malle's Iris Poudre and more rooty.

Coromandel was inspired by Chanel's lacquered 17th century coromandel screens. The notes are a tangy fruit peel, amber and burnished wood.

Bel Respiro is a mixture of hyacinth and fresh-cut grass. It is a crisp green scent. It is supposed to "evoke green stems, leaves and spring". It smelled amazing on my friend Mary.
There was just something glamorous about it.

28 La Pausa is a gorgeous iris based scent. They specifically used the iris pallida flower. The Iris pallida is the most fragrant of the bearded iris flowers. Many gardeners state that this specific iris smells like grape juice.

Eau de Cologne is the only Exclusif available in a 400- milliliter splash. It is priced at $300. It has citrus, bergamot and neroli notes. It is a very light and refreshing floral fragrance. It was the one I expected to hate but instead I find it to be a very fine fragrance.

The fragrances are currently available at Bergdorf Goodman and Chanel Boutiques. According to Tyler at NYC's Barneys...they will also carry the collection soon.

Photos: NYTimes and Cavewoman.

Please list your favorite Chanel products in the comments.
Disclosure: This post features products that were purchased or counter tested by the reviewers.

Web Snob for February 23rd 2007:

Bag Snob Bag Snob gives you a sneak preview of Anya Hindmarch's Fall 2007 bags!

Beauty Addict Beauty Addict test drives a new smile sensation and accidentally bleaches her lips in the process.

Beauty Snob is obsessed with flawless skin!

Coquette Coquette introduces Parisian atelier, Locher's saucy embroidered sayings on flirty femine tops. Look nice and be naughty at the same time!

Ebelle5 eBelle5 discovers the perfect designer handbag for the "Party Girl" who is "Down2Night"

Fab Sugar gets down with Factory Girl's fab wardrobe!

FASHIONTRIBES Meet David Wolfe of The Doneger Group, the premier fashion trendspotting firm, in a Fashiontribes video interview about the biggest fashion trends for Fall 2007.

Girlawhirl Girlawhirl finds her very own Stylist Essentials Kit.

LA Story The tricks that make-up artists use to keep celebs looking fabulous both on and off camera are available for consumers too

My Fashion Life My Fashion Life reviews Avsh Alom Gur at London Fashion Week

Papierblog Marquita Harris of Papierblog reviews the outrageous designs of Gareth Pugh at London fashion week photo gallery included.

Second City Style That's Amore! Second City Style has your Milano Fashion Week Coverage for Fall '07.

SheFinds: Are You Hard to Fit? Big Calves, Short Legs, Slender Soles, Long Hems -- We tell you where to shop for special sizes

StyleBakery.com StyleBakery.com finds 8 pairs of chic and comfy ballet flats starting at only $20 (and all of them under $60)

Stylebites Sit down with designer Jason Wu as Stylebites chats with him during NY Fashion Week

Stylehive Givenchy's Prismissime Arty Collection will get you ready for spring with a blast of color inspired by an artist's palette.

The Jewelry Weblog The Jewelry Weblog is totally charmed by the jewelry designs of Jodi Bloom at So-Charmed Jewelry. Here jewelry is more than charming because it tells a story.

Trashionista Trashionista finds out what Sarah Morrison (NYLON Magazine's latest "it-girl"), is wearing at 5AM.

patent leather Marni bag. You’ve your very little black dress. Now for spring double-oh-seven, your K says invest in a big black hole of a [TITLE]

photo: style.com

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews

Day 6, Caron

Cavewoman: It is fitting that my review for my favorite Caron fragrance should follow the Bond review of yesterday. One of the things I love most about New York is the Statue Of Liberty. I think I loved Lady Caron before I ever smelled it. When I saw the bottle, I knew I had to have it, even if the juice inside was not my style. I ordered the fragrance from an internet source and waited for it to arrive. To my complete delight, I fell in love with the scent as much as with the bottle!

The story of Lady Caron begins with Ernest Daltroff, founder of the House Of Caron. He came to America to escape the war in Europe, and upon seeing Lady Liberty in the harbor, he made a vow to create a perfume in her honor. Unfortunately, he never did get to fulfill that vow. In 2000, Patrick Ales took Daltroff's dream and made it a liquid reality.

Lady Caron is an elegant and feminine floral chypre, with notes of magnolia, jasmine, orange blossom, rose, raspberry and peach, and a base of oakmoss and exotic sandalwood. The florals are perfectly balanced, full-bodied, and lush. The fruits add a little sweetness, but they are not juicy or gourmand. And oakmoss! It has to be my favorite perfume note. In harmony with sandalwood, the oakmoss gives the Lady her heart, and captures mine as well.

I've loved chypre fragrances from the beginning of my perfume obsession. My Dad gave me a bottle of the original Cachet by Prince Matchabelli one year for Christmas, and shortly after that, home from a trip to France, my Mom presented me with a coffret of parfums from a factory in Grasse. In that coffret were Miss Dior and Jolie Madame, two very womanly chypres that I used and loved until the last drops were gone, and a Caron parfum called Fleurs De Rocaille. I still have these gold aluminum factory bottles, and I treasure them.


A trip to the Caron Boutique in New York a few years ago was a delight for all the senses. A tiny jewel of a store, I was totally captivated by the sparkling jewelry, the beautiful fragrances, and the alcove of urns filled with the pure parfums. It was a step back in time, a graceful time when choosing a parfum was a womanly art, and not a hurried sniff of a paper card sprayed in a busy, noisy, impersonal deparment store.

Perfume lovers will understand my love of Lady Caron when I say that I am on my third bottle. And that on my last trip to the Caron Boutique, I finally caved on the parfum. I know that when my bottle is empty, it will take an honored place next to my little gold bottles from Grasse.






Annieytown: Caron's Poudre Peau Fine is the best face powder in the industry.
I know this because I have tried most of them.
Caron powders are finely milled.
They are "ground, blended and sifted several times to achieve an outstandingly fine, lightweight texture." (Caron)
No one can match the lighter than air texture including my beloved La Mer.
The powders are scented with the fragrance of Bulgarian Rose.
There is something terribly glamourous about this scented product. It harks back to the days of vanities littered with swan feather powder puffs and parfum bottles.

The powders are available in 10 shades along with shimmering Galaxie, Opalescente and my personal favorite Vénitienne.
Vénitienne is a lovely shade of pink with some subtle gold shimmer. It gives a lovely pink-ish glow to the face. I use it when I feel the need to spoil myself.
It should be no surprise that I am almost out.

Photos: Cavewoman and Blogdorf Goodman
Let us know what your favorite Caron products are in the comments!
Disclosure: This post features products that were purchased by the reviewrs

Anne Hathaway – Valentino

Beyonce – Armani Prive

Cameron Diaz – Valentino

Cate Blanchett – Armani Prive

Catherine Deneuve – Jean Paul Gaultier

Dita Von Teese - Rodarte

Emily Blunt – Calvin Klein

Eva Green – Givenchy HC

Gwyneth Paltrow – Zac Posen

Helen Mirren – Christian Lacroix

Jada Pinkett Smith – Carolina Herrera

Jennifer Hudson – Oscar de la Renta

Jennifer Lopez - Marchesa

Jessica Biel – Oscar de la Renta

Jodie Foster – Vera Wang

Katie Holmes- Armani

Kate Winslet – Valentino

Kirsten Dunst – Chanel HC

Maggie Gyllenhaal – Proenza Schouler

Meryl Streep - Prada

Naomi Watts - Escada

Nicole Kidman – Balenciaga

Oprah - Gucci

Penelope Cruz – Versace

Portia de Rossi – Zac Posen

Queen Latifah – Carmen Marc Valvo

Rachel Weisz – Vera Wang

Reese Witherspoon – Nina Ricci

Rinko Kikuchi - Chanel

My favorites for the evening are in bold red. The surprise of the evening was Katie Holmes. Her makeup and the hair pins were stunning.

My least favorites were Lucy Liu, Anne Hathaway, Ziya Zhang(but I loved the yellow eyeshadow), Oprah, Eva Green(it was a beautiful but difficult couture gown), Ellen Pompeo(horrible), Rose McGowen(what happened?) and of course....Sally Kirkland.

Post your favorites in the comments.
Who was the best dressed?
Who disappointed you?

Photos: Style.com, hccb and celebutopia

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews

Day 5 , Bond

Cavewoman: My love affair with perfumes began when I was 6 years old, and my Mother was getting dressed on a Saturday night to go dancing with my Dad. She wore a green silk taffeta dress, a grey swing coat with a rhinestone brooch, and her favorite Yanky Clover perfume. She smelled heavenly and she looked like a movie star. She kissed me goodbye, and her scent lingered on my skin. That was 50 years ago.

My love affair with New York City began when I was 17 years old, at a college dance at John Carroll University, where two supremely cool boys taught me some very hot new dance moves. They were mysterious and fascinating, and they took me under their wings. When one of them transferred to Columbia University later that year, he invited me to a special weekend with a formal dance. I bought a $30 standby ticket at the airport, lied to the nuns about where I was going, and off I went, hoping that my cute NYer would be waiting for me at the West Side terminal. He was. We walked for hours that night in New York, stopped for coffee at the most charming Village cafe, and he smiled indulgently as I gasped like a tourist at the lights and signs in Times Square. I've been back to New York a hundred times since then, and I still get that same feeling of wonder and awe every time.

When I read an article in New York Magazine a few years ago, regarding the launch of a new group of perfumes called Bond No. 9, it was as if my two loves had became one! On my next trip to NY, I headed straight to Madison Avenue, where I found the tiny storefront near Barney's, and my love affair with Bond began. Sixteen fragrances were displayed in graceful urns, each one holding a fragrance named for different neighborhoods of New York. I was overwhelmed and dizzy with eagerness, and it did not take long before my first Bond No. 9 scent was being decanted for me into a glass bottle with a gold honeycomb cap. I bought an ounce of a scent that contained notes of chocolate, cocoa, espresso, and mirabelle plum. I used it up within two months. That first Bond was So New York, and to me, it was the perfect marriage of city and scent. I now have So New York in the exquisite star bottle, and every time I spray it, I'm back in New York, and I'm content and happy. My next trip to the store resulted in two more purchases, and my Bond collection was begun.

I wrote a letter to the owner of the company and told her how delighted I was with my Bond fragrances, and to my surprise, she wrote back to me. We began a delightful correspondence, and when Chinatown was ready to be launched, we arranged to meet at the Madison Avenue store. I was accompanied by some friends that day, and as we entered the store, the most amazing scent filled our noses. Laurice Rahme was standing in the store waiting for us, and she embraced me and the scent surrounded us. She handed me a small lab pump bottle of Chinatown from her own supply, and I was touched and speechless. That day, we all went to lunch, and dished like old girlfriends about the perfume industry and our love of fragrances. I'll never forget it.

My Bond collection has grown considerably since that first purchase, and there have been more of those lunches and a visit to the Bond St. store as well, where Laurice, the most gracious and generous hostess, welcomed us to her beautiful flagship store. She greeted us warmly, as old friends, and giggled as she presented to us a most luscious buffet table piled with delicacies and beautiful treats that she herself had purchased that day, especially for us. She looked so lovely in gray silk taffeta , ruffles framing her face, blue eyes sparkling, and served us a little drink she invented using sparkling water and pomegranate juice. We sipped and we were under her spell, listening to her charming French accent as she told us, and showed us, some Bond things to come. We swore ourselves to secrecy!

From the adorable candy-wrapped samples, to the gorgeous Italian glass star bottles, to the elegant urns, Bond No. 9 is the essence of New York chic. I have a special place in my heart and on my perfume tray for my bottle of So New York. Scent and memory are perfectly intertwined within this bottle. One spray, and I'm in love all over again

Annieytown: The first time I experienced Bond's Chinatown was smelling it on Laurice's wrist. We entered her store and the sillage wafted toward us. We were in the mist of our usual chatter but all of our noses were twitching in her direction. She promptly gave her opened lab bottle to Cavewoman and we all stuck our heads in for a whiff.

The group was a motley assortment of fragrance fiends. Each lady had her own specific fragrance taste that ranged from the almond lover to the chypre junkie. At this one defining moment we all agreed on thing.

We were all smitten with Chinatown.

The notes are peach blossom, peony, gardenia, tuberose,patchouli, cardamom and woods. The cardamom note is what hooked me in.

From wikipedia:Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic fragrance. It is a common ingredient in Indian cooking, and is often used in baking in Scandinavia. One of the most expensive spices by weight, little is needed to impart the flavour. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardamom

This spicy peppery note mixed in with the creamy gardenia is just gorgeous. There is just no other words for it.
I am nearing the end of my second bottle and still find it ravishing and stunning. It is one of my favorite fragrances of all time.

Bond is sold at Bond Boutiques and Saks.

Call Shawn at Bond if you want to cave on Chinatown or for any orders at 212-228-1732.

http://www.bondno9.com/catalog/

Photo: Blogdorf Goodman.

Disclosure: This products featured in this post were purchased by the reviewers.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews

Day 4: Becca

StorybookHeroine:

I found Becca a year ago and it was love at first creme blush. I'm a minimal makeup girl at heart yet I still desire a naturally polished appearance with beautiful skin. Becca's line gives me the tools to achieve this without looking over made up or artificial.
The line focuses on a 3 step Complexion Perfecting System (Prepare, Perfect and Set) that yields natural, flawless results. The first step is to prepare the skin with primer and Becca LSC (luminous skin color), a tinted moisturizer with SPF 20 available in 16 shades. I love how this sinks in and evens out redness and pigmentation while still looking fresh and natural. 34 shades of stick foundation (SPF 30) and concealer target and perfect problem areas with long wearing medium to extra coverage. Loose powder makes the last step, set. This locks the foundation onto the skin for all day wear with a dewy water resistant finish, available in 12 colors. So many shades and undertones make it easy to find a perfect match for any skin tone from the lightest to the darkest.
Great products are not limited solely to foundations. Allure magazine winner Beach Tint, a watermelon colored lip and cheek stain, is near impossible to find as it flies off the shelves. Becca creme blushes, also Allure winners, are long lasting, beautiful and pigmented. Turkish Rose, a dewy nude rose, is a staple in my makeup bag.
Becca's eye shadows come in three long wearing formulas (creme, semi matte and shimmer). Favorites here include Rose Gold creme eye shadow and Doeskin semi matte. Lame is the most popular color, a lavender taupe with silver shimmer. For those who prefer the pop of loose pigments Becca jewel dust adds dimension, shimmer and shine to any shadow. Aspara, a sparkling neutral peach nude, is an everyday staple of mine. Becca Line + Illuminate brings together the pencil liner and a shimmering highlighter/creme shadow, available in 2 duos (soon to be four). These make an easy fast and pretty eye for those in a hurry. I like Ibiza for a smokey eye and Mustique for a bronzed shimmery everyday look.

One of the best things about Becca is their luminizing and shimmer products. It is so hard to find a shimmer powder or luminizer that does not make you look like an oily disco ball. Becca's SSP (shimmering skin perfector with SPF 20) is a tinted moisturizer available is six colors that brings radiance and a healthy glow to tired, stressed or mature skin as well as making an excellent liquid highlighter. The best of these is the new SSP in Opal, a peachy beige shimmer that easily blends into the skin looking natural and luminous. At first I used this as a highlighter only but now I mix a little in with my LSC to help me look healthy and glowing without being greasy. It is hands down one of my favorite products. Shimmer Powders come in loose and pressed forms. Some work best as blushes, like gypsy (a rose gold with a built in highlighter), others like Nymph and Hyawatha can be used as highlighters or as a finishing product to brighten the skin. My two favorites are Gypsy and Angel, a light pink shimmer that is so beautiful and perfect over any of their creme blushes or Becca's Translucent Bronzing gel (fabulous bronzer for light to fair skin). The last is Becca soft touch blush. Two are available now (Sylph and Malika) with a third from the Spring Go Nude collection called Wisp arriving in stores shortly. These finely milled powders contain the tiniest micro glitter to catch the light. Malika (nude peach sheen) gives a bit of healthy glow over any product or alone.

I love Becca. These products changed the way I apply and wear my makeup. Becca does everything I want and expect out of a cosmetics line as well as things I didn't think were possible. The price kills me but after the sticker shock dies down you will want more. Don't be surprised when you buy your first creme blush and go DAMN that's tiny!

Cavewoman: Does "one size fits all" really exist? Does size matter? Do nice things come in small packages? Or, is bigger always better? Do you Supersize?

My favorite product from Becca just might be the smallest product in the line. This tiny compact, which resembles some weird rubber-and-metal manhole cover or perhaps a futuristic space craft, holds the Rosebud Lip And Cheek Creme. A super-soft, beautifully blendable cream blush, Rosebud is the perfect milky-pink shade, not too blue, not too brown, no shimmer, no sparkle, but glowing and natural on the face. I can't think of another blush that I've ever seen that could be used on just about any complexion or skin tone. Think baby cheeks. Think Mother Nature Gave Me This Color cheeks. Application is easy and fool-proof with a tap-and-smooth motion of the fingertips. Becca Rosebud has a comfortable and creamy feel, which makes it very easy to blend on the face, it does not grip or drag in the least. I've used it on bare skin and over foundation as well. It's my "go to" color on those mornings when I have to be out the door before I've had enough coffee, or for when I just don't want to choose a blush from the little basket of blush compacts on my vanity table. No matter what other colors I'm wearing on eyes or lips, the small but mighty Becca Rosebud works well with everything, warm or cool tones. It's never obvious or overdone. It's the kind of shade that will have people saying to you, "Gee, have you been on vacation?" or "Are you in love? You're glowing!"
I won't tell, it'll be our little secret.

Annieytown: My favorite Becca product is the Pressed Shimmer Powder in Gypsy.
I purchased this under the guidance of Cavewoman and Beauty Addict in Sephora. They insisted that I needed it.
Who am I to argue?
This powder looks very intense and slightly frightening in the case. It can remind you of a fresh bruise. It is a pink based plum shade.
The looks are very deceiving. This powder adds a subtle rosy glow to the face with a dash of gold shimmer. The shimmer is very conservative and not overwhelming. It can be entirely work-safe.
I use this as a blush when I need a pink flush to the cheek.
It works very well with my Behnaz lipstick.
Becca's Pressed Shimmer Powder retails for $34.

Ingredients for Gypsy:Talc, Dimethyl Imidazolidinone (Rice Starch), Mica, Silica, Aqua (Water), Propylene Glycol, Magnesium Myristate, Octyldodecanol, Isopropyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-150, Quaternium-26, Ricinus Communis (Castor Oil), Glyceryl Ricinoleate, Carnauba (Wax), Candelilla Cera (Wax), Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Cetyl Alcohol, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Stearic Acid, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Methylparaben, Methyldibromo Glutaronitrile, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum (Fragrance) and may contain: +/- Titanium Dioxide CI 77891, Iron Oxides CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Carmine CI 75470, Yellow 5 CI 19140, Ultramarines CI 77007.

Becca is sold at Sephora.com and Bergdorf Goodman.
Photos: Sephora.com

What are your favorite Becca products? Tell us why in the comments.
Disclosure: The products featured in this post were purchased by the reviewers.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews

Day 3: Bare Escentuals

Cavewoman: Fans of the Bare Escentuals line are legion, devoted, and vocal about their love for the loose mineral foundations and shadows. A trip to the nearest BE Boutique always has the Cleveland Gang ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the beautiful pots of shimmeryglimmery shadows, displayed like petit-fours on cake stands, inviting dabs and dips. Although I have tried many BE products, my favorite of all is one little brush.

If you mourn the breakup of Tony & Tina, and their wonderful line of cosmetics and their superb synthetic-bristle brushes, you are not alone. I won't ever count how many makeup brushes I have, and I have brushes from many lines including my old Trish McEvoy with the gold handles, some superb Nars (especially their eyeshadow brushes) and of course MAC. But for powder application, I always reach for my Tony & Tina. Now, Bare Escentuals is offering a brush that is even better than the T&T powder brush. BE calls it the Soft Focus Face Brush. It's the one at the top of the photo. With a handle that's short enough to be a purse-size brush, but long enough to give a good feel in the hand and ease of control, the brush picks up a perfect amount of powder for easy, even application. The bristles are tightly packed in a sturdy ferrule, the tips have a perfectly rounded dome, and buffing in any loose powder, not just BE, feels comfortable and light on the face. I use my Soft Focus brush with Prescriptives Magic loose powder and also with LaMer loose powder, and it's perfect with either one.

BE offers other face brushes in addition to the Soft Focus. The original is the short-handle brush which is designed to apply the loose mineral foundation. The long handle powder brush can be used either for the foundation or the finishing powder that BE calls Mineral Veil. I'm fond of the stubby Handy Buki, too, but I use that for blush. As far as I can tell, the Soft Focus is the only face brush with synthetic bristles.

Check out the BE brushes the next time you're at Sephora, or if you are lucky enough to be near a BE Boutique. And don't blame me if you come home with a little pot of eyeshadow or a luscious blush color in addition to a new brush!

Annieytown: I have not delved into the Bare Escentuals line except for the eye shadows. I have a weakness for shimmery anything. Add a touch of glitz to any nail polish, lipstick, powder or eyeshadow and I will whip out my wallet to make a purchase. I am a shimmer junkie looking for next fix.
Bare Escentuals makes some killer eye shadows. They are chock full of shimmer and pop.

Magnificent pigment power that can not be match by anyone else.
It is almost a visual shimmer overload when you enter their store. All the shadows are placed on cake plates like cupcakes.
Shimmery delicious cupcakes.
My personal favorite from all the shadows is Devotion.
It is a velvet plum with gold highlights and is priced at $13.

Bare Escentuals is sold at Sephora.com and http://www.bareescentuals.com/.

Photos: Cavewoman and Sephora

Readers: What are your favorite Bare Escentuals products? Tell us why in the comments.
Disclosure: The products featured in this post were purchased by the reviewers.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews

40 days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews:

Day 2: Awake

Cavewoman: How in the world did I ever come to find such superb skincare and makeup items in such a little-known Japanese line called Awake? I remember seeing Awake at Henri Bendel in New York several years ago, and wondering about the pretty packaging and the cute curly logo. I glanced and passed by, on my way to the fragrances I am sure.
In the past year, my skin has gone from combo-mostly-oily, to dry dry dry and maybe still a bit oily in the t-zone. It's been a very fast change. Foundations that used to look great on my skin were suddenly turning cakey, changing color, showing lines and pores, and making me look tired and old. (Not that I am many days feeling both tired AND old!) But I had to try some new things. Our Annie is always talking about Japanese skincare, how she'd love to try all the great Japanese lines, and I listen to Annie when she has such a huge lemming. One of the very few Japanese skincare lines that I can actually go and see in a brick-and-mortar store (the flagship Bath & Body Works, Beachwood) was Awake. With the wise and product-savvy Koneko at my side, we headed to the Awake display and she recommended products to me, telling me what might work well for me. I wanted to try all of it, and I made a huge purchase that day. Awake skincare is expensive, but Koneko assured me that its parent company, Kose, is a venerable company and that the products were of the finest quality.

I've seen a marked improvement in my skin since I started using Awake. Although I still have not given up my Payot cleanser, the rest of my skincare routine is Awake. After cleansing in the morning, I use the Serum UnSign right away. On days when I don't feel as if I need a heavy moisturizer, I use HydroForce over the serum. On days when the weather is particularly cold, and I need more moisture, I will use Skin Renovation, part of the Awake line that is exclusive to Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. If I am going to wear foundation, I will use Daily Call serum and my primer. In the evening, after washing my face, I use the Authority serum which I think is the one product that has really made a difference in the appearance of my skin. My face has smaller pores and less crepiness. Over the Authority, sometimes I use Bright Turn, which is a radiance booster, or Direct Nutrition, the most luxurious and lightweight yet serious moisturizing cream that is soothing and comfortable on the skin.

Of course, after experiencing such pleasing results with the skincare, I wanted to try some of their cosmetics. I swapped with a makeupalley member to obtain a quad of eye shadows, and when I got to the B&BW store the following week, I bought one shadow and popped it into the palette after removing one color I did not like. The shadows are silky, creamy pressed powders, and the palette is wonderful because it is easy to remove and replace shadows. I tried, again on the recommendation of my makeup-skincare guru Koneko, the Stardom glosses and lipsticks. What smooth, glossy lip products Awake has! The Stardom is a sheer, shimmery lipstick, and the glosses are more of a liquid lip product. The mascara is two-ended, one side with a base that is black, not clear or whitish like most lash primers, and the other is the top coat.

But what about foundation? I love foundations. The foundation from Awake that is sold at Bath & Body Works is oil-free, so I knew it would not work for me. After checking the Awake website, I learned that there was a foundation called Skin Renovation, sold at NM and BG, so I begged my friend Kathy to go to BG and check them out. She tested them herself and figured out what shade I would be, and the SA told her that I could call the store and have samples sent out. Samples arrived in three shades less than a week later. I couldn't wait to try, and I was amazed. The tiniest dab of this foundation covers the entire face beautifully, with a glowing finish that lasts all day and doesn't dry out or show pores at all. It feels wonderful on my face, matches perfectly in the 02 shade, and comes in an elegant frosted glass pump that's easy to control. Awake Skin Renovation foundation is now in my top rotation. I can't wait to show it to Koneko!

The Awake line of skincare has a great variety of products for all skin types, and is worth a try. I am completely satisfied. I'd repurchase any of the products I am presently using, and have also obtained a few samples of other products in this line to try as well. It may not be the most well-known brand around, and it takes a little seeking to get to a counter, but Awake is a champion line that I'm glad to have discovered, with a little help from my friends.

Annieytown: My favorite Awake product is Stardom Aqua Trans Powder For the Face in Pink Sunset. Awake powders are finely milled. They give a luminous shimmery finish that does not cake or settle into fine lines. It is a water based powder so it feels similar to Prescriptive's Magic Powder. It feels wet and slightly unsettling on application. It is like brushing cool water on your face. The powder has excellent lasting powder. You do not need to do any touch ups for a entire work day. It compares very well against La Mer and Caron. The colors are: Pink Sunset, Sea Lavender , Venus Sea, Moon Glint and Sand Dune.
They are priced at Beauty.com for $38.50
Photos: Cavewoman and Blogdorf Goodman

Readers and Lurkers: What are your favorite products from the Awake line? Tell us why you love it!

Disclosure: The products featured in this post were purchased by the reviewer, Cavewoman and were press sample(Awake powder) from the PR firm.