Falling in love again....

Review of Lancome Tresor In Love EDP

by MUA's Cavewoman

Autumn arrives today.

I'm not quite sure of the exact time that this will occur, but the morning news programs are abuzz withall things Fall, showing home decor ideas, recipes using seasonal produce, and fun fashions for the coming cool weather.It hasn't been a terribly hot Summer here in Northeast Ohio, and the thought of snow and ice on the way in a few monthsscares me so much. Last Winter, our house suffered some very serious damage from all the ice and snow. We are just now finishing up all the repairs, which went so much deeper than just the roof. I don't want this change of season.

I'm not ready.

Usually around this time of year, I'm eager to set aside my light, warm-weather fragrances, and I start thinking of spices, woods,and rich floral perfumes. These are the ones I tend to set aside when the hot weather comes, reaching into my fragrance collection for citrusy, effervescent, breezy-light florals and fizzy fruits. When cooler weather begins, I'm happy to rediscover all thebigger, deeper scents that I have not used for months.

But not now, not today. I don't mind cooler Fall weather and the wardrobe change it brings, in terms of pretty sweatersand scarves and jackets, but I am also painfully aware that Winter is not far behind. I don't want it. I'm rebelling against the official change of season today. And I'm wearing a beautiful Summer scent, the new Tresor In Love Eau De Parfum, recently launched by Lancome.

When I read that this new Tresor In Love would have rose and violet notes, I had to get to the Lancome counter as quickly as I could. Anything with rose and violet together is usually a big hit with me. It's my favorite note combo. I didn't have much feeling for the fruit notes(peach, pear, mandarin and bergamot) in the top notes, I was only interested in how the rose and violet would smell. I found the beautiful tall, slender bottle at the Lancome counter, and I sprayed my wrist. The peach note was the first and most dominant of the fruits, fun and juicy, easy to take, smelling more like the skin of the fruit than the pulp itself. This could be the best peach note in a fragrance since I Profumidi Firenze Florentia #22, which up until now has been my favorite peachy scent. I never did get the peach note that so many people say they find in Mitsouko. It took about a half hour on my wrist for the peach to fade and the rose-violet to appear, and when it did, I was buying. I prefer my rose-violet to be on the sweet side, rather than the green-stemmy type, and this is exactly how they appeared. The woodsy base notes balance perfectly with the florals, and lasting power is amazing! Here is a fruity-floral with real staying power, depth, and dimension. It's beautiful from top to bottom.

I had to wonder, for a moment or two, why Lancome would launch a fruity floral scent at the end of the Summer season, when most of the other fragrance launches tend to head toward the smoky, woodsy, incensey notes. And I love them, don't get me wrong. It'll be time soon enough to start wearing them, but I'm just not ready. I'm clinging to warm weather and sandals and striped tees for as long as I can, and loving a new fragrance to ease the transition. Maybe Lancome had this in mind when they decided to launch Tresor In Love at the end of Summer. I'll be reaching for Tresor In Love until the first snowflake flies. I hope that won't be for a very, very long time.

Disclosure: This perfume was purchased by the reviewer!

Photo Credit: Cavewoman

I just met a girl named Blue Jean

Lipstick Queen Jean Queen Lipstick and Lip Gloss
A review by Angie W and Jessica M

Jean Queen is the latest stroke of genius – or “jean-ius” – from Poppy King and Lipstick Queen: a set of matching lipstick and lip gloss designed to complement denim and other casual looks. Poppy says, "I was inspired by downtown's urban-chic style to create Jean Queen. Like New York, it teams the pretty with the tough." As usual, we couldn’t wait to try these new products and tell Annie and Blogdorf Goodman about them.



We’re happy to report that the Jean Queen shade is about as universal as a lip color can be. It’s a neutral peachy pink that would flatter any skin tone we can imagine; it falls midway between Lipstick Queen’s Saint Pink and Saint Coral. It’s incredibly easy to wear, because it gently warms up the face without looking too bright. Both the lipstick and the gloss are sheer, but they still have enough color to be flattering and noticeable in a “your lips, but better” way.

Jean Queen gloss is contained in plastic squeeze-tube with a brush applicator (like Lipstick Queen Fired Up), and it's formulated to stay put on your mouth, instead of sliding away within minutes. The lipstick is a moisturizing formula (similar to Lipstick Queen Medieval) that doesn’t even need lip balm underneath. It has a healthy-looking sheen without any shimmer or frost. (Our dear friend Cavewoman, who recently bought her own Jean Queen set, had one request: she wishes that this shade was also available in a second, “Sinner”-like lipstick with a matte texture.)

Lipstick Queen’s packaging for Jean Queen is perfect, as usual. The lip gloss cap and the lipstick tube are both deep, shiny blue-jeans blue, and the cardboard box and backing are printed to look like actual denim with stitching. Ironically, neither of us ever wears jeans. But we’re both trying to add a little variety to our all-black New York “uniforms” this fall: Angie is looking at tailored navy and cobalt pieces and has already received endless complements on her new navy Jil Sander trench coat, and Jessica is keeping an eye out for soft scarves and feminine cardigans in rosy-pink tones. Jean Queen would fit into either of our updated color schemes.

And, even if we don’t own jeans ourselves, we can appreciate them for being casual but classic, and totally versatile. In this way, no matter what the rest of you is wearing, Jean Queen really is the cosmetics equivalent of jeans. If you're shopping for fall basics, Jean Queen would be the ideal choice for a daytime lipstick or gloss that will take you anywhere.

Lipstick Queen's Jean Queen lipstick and lip gloss ($18 each) are available at Barneys, Space NK, Henri Bendel, and the Lipstick Queen website, http://www.lipstickqueen.com .

Disclaimer: press samples were provided by Lipstick Queen
Title lyric: David Bowie
Images: product photos by Jessica M; “Teenage Girls Wearing Blue Jeans,” Nina Leen for LIFE magazine, 1944

"Go, Speed Racer, Go!"

Miss Keira Knightley and Joe Wright are currently filming a new Coco Mademoiselle campaign at Place de la Concorde in Paris. The inspiration could be Kill Bill or Speed Racer.
I am going with Speed Racer.

Here she comes
Here comes Speed Racer
Shes a demon on wheels
Shes a demon and shes gonna be chasing after someone.

Shes gaining on you so you better look alive.
Shes busy revving up a powerful Mach 5.
And when the odds are against her
And theres dangerous work to do

You bet your life Speed Racer
Will see it through.
Go Speed Racer! Go Speed Racer! Go Speed Racer, Go!

Shes off and flying as she guns the bike around the track
Shes jamming down the pedal like shes never coming back
Adventures waiting just ahead.
Go Speed Racer! Go Speed Racer! Go Speed Racer, Go!

Credits: Chanel and Wikipedia

Private Eyes

LORAC Private Affair Eye Shadow Palette
A review by Jessica M

Truth be told, I don't have expert makeup skills, the way Annie and some of our other friends do. My makeup collection is relatively small, and I tend to stick with the same neutral shades and basic techniques.

So, when LORAC’s Private Affair eye shadow palette came my way, I decided that I’d use it to experiment a bit. I really could use a little more drama and sophistication in my fall-winter look, especially for evenings. Private Affair looks sophisticated even at first glance: it’s boxed in burgundy faux-crocodile, and there’s something 1930s-40s about its design. The palette includes six shades under its lid (which has a magnetic closure), plus a mini Behind the Scenes Eye Primer and a dual-ended brush in a pull-out compartment.

Private Affair’s six shadows don’t have specific names, but they’re described in the product listing. The first, “creamy beige with pearl,” has a satiny sheen and works beautifully as a highlighter on the browbone or the inner corners of the eyes. The second, “champagne rose with shimmer,” looks soft in the pan, but it needs to be handled with care because it leaves an almost frosty finish.

The next two shadows, “soft taupe with pearl” and “platinum grey with pearl,” are the most versatile. The taupe is very well pigmented, and it works nicely in the crease of the lid or as a medium-intensity shade on the lid itself. Annie would particularly love the grey shade, which is a rich slate with very fine shimmer and just a hint of iridescent plum. Both shadows are smoothly textured and easy to manipulate, and they can be applied lightly or built into deeper layers, depending on your mood. They grey is particularly urban-romantic, and I found it very flattering to brown eyes and pale skin.

The fifth shadow, a “deep wine with shimmer,” made me a little nervous. However, it turned out to have a slight brownish hue when I applied it over the taupe, and it gave a mysterious effect when I blended it into the eyelid creases with a slanted brush. And the “black with sparkle” shade is spiked with maroon and purple, plus lots of “shimmer fire,” as Annie would say. I’m going to try it as a liner, applied with a wet brush, this weekend.

Speaking of brushes, the one included in Private Affair isn’t very effective as an eye shadow brush, but it’s still useful to have around for concealer. The Behind the Scenes primer worked as well as my usual Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. The only thing I’d add, if I could, would be a matte base shade like an ivory or a dove gray, to apply as a first step. I’m using an ivory shadow from my own stash, and mixing and matching the Private Affair colors over it.

Overall, this was more of a cosmetics risk than I’ve taken in a while! Private Affair will add a little sparkle and intrigue to my look this season.

LORAC Private Affair retails for $38 at Sephora stores and the Sephora website.

Disclaimer: Press samples were provided by LORAC
Image: Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in “The Big Sleep” (1946)
Product Photos from Jessica M

Guided by Voices

MAC's Earthy Harmony Nail Lacquer

I have fallen for the mouse-like charms of Earthy Harmony from MAC cosmetics. This is a nail shade from the Nail Trend F/W 2010 collection. It is really not surprising considering I am a taupeaholic and great lover of the murky and twisted.

Earthy Harmony is a greyed taupe with some copper sass and flash. Very attractive in and out of the bottle. The shimmer cast is so subtle. I can hardly detect it in full sunlight. I have a two coat application. I am traditional that way. One coat was crazy and surprisingly efficient. Great pigment and depth. The bottle retails for $13.00($15.50 CDN) and is available at your local MAC counter. The nail polishes are pretty fabulous from this collection.

Concubine: Blackened red with red shimmer

Ming Blue: Cobalt Blue with teal and red shimmer

Rain of Flowers: Blackened Violet with violet shimmer

Imperial Flower: Bright reddish orange with gold and red shimmer

Jade Dragon: Emerald green with teal shimmer (Melanie: Have you seen this? Holy Emerald City!)

Have you seen this collection? Did you cave on any nail polishes? Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: A press sample was provided by MAC cosmetics

Drugstore Deals and Steals

For September 5th through September 11th 2010

Target

Maybelline: Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation is priced at $6.99
Neutrogena: FREE $20 Target gift card with purchase of any two Neutrogena Clinical skin care kits
Clinical Skin Care (Night, Eye, and Day cream) kits are $35.99

Rite Aid

CoverGirl: 30% off Clean Make Up or Simply Ageless Make Up with Rite Aid card
Maybelline: Lash Stiletto mascara, XXL Mascara or Volum Express mascara is priced at $5.99 with Rite Aid card
L'Oreal: Voluminous mascara, Extra Volume Collagen mascara, Lash Out mascara or Wear Infinite Quads are priced at $4.99 with Rite Aid card
Revlon: 40% off eye cosmetics with Rite Aid card
Garnier: Nutri Pure or Moisture Rescue Skin Care is priced at $4.99 with Rite Aid
card
Skin Renew or Ultra Lift skin care is priced at $9.99 with Rite Aid card
Ultra Lift Pro Skin Care is priced at $12.99 with Rite Aid card
Physicians Formula: Buy 1, get 1 50% off on cosmetics with Rite Aid card
Olay: Total Effects or Regenerist skin care is priced at $17.99 with Rite Aid card

KMart

Revlon: Buy 1, get 1 50% off cosmetics
Maybelline: Buy 1 , get 1 50% off on NY eye cosmetics

Walgreens

Maybelline: Buy 1, get 1 50% off eye cosmetics
L'Oreal: Buy 1, get 1 50% off cosmetics or skin care (excludes Skin Genesis)
CoverGirl: Buy 1, get 1 50% off cosmetics
Neutrogena: Buy 1, get 1 50% off cosmetics or facial moisturizing treatments
RoC: Buy 1, get 1 50% off skin care
Olay: ProX kits are priced at $59.99

CVS

Neutrogena: Buy 1, get 1 50% off cosmetics with CVS card
Essence: Buy 1, get 1 50% off beauty cosmetic accessories with CVS card
Revlon: Get $5 extra CVS bucks. when you purchase any 2 Revlon eye or lip products with CVS card
CoverGirl: Get $6 extra CVS bucks when you purchase 2 smoky shadowblast, liquilineblast eye liner or Lashblast mascara with CVS card
Smoky Shadowblast, Liquilineblast eye liner, or Lashblast mascara is priced at $8 with CVS card
Lumene: Premium Beauty Serum 1 oz, day, night cream 1.7 oz, eye cream 0.5 oz (excludes cleansers), Time Freeze, Vitamin C, Sensitive Touch 0.17-2.5 oz or beauty drops 28 ct is priced at $14.99 with CVS card
Maybelline: Buy 1, get 1 50% off foundation, powder, blush or concealer with CVS card