TJ Maxx Greatest Finds:

A few weeks ago several MUAers started spotting Marc Jacobs handbags at their local TJ Maxx stores. It has always been my dream to stumble across a find like that. I want a TJ Maxx shopping story that will make people weak in the knees and green with envy.

This bracelet is one of those stories.

This stunner is by Robert Lee Morris. It is hammered sterling with Akoya pearls. It came with a Saks price tag of $450.

The TJ Maxx price tag was $39.99 and it was dear Patti that stumbled across this at the jewelry counter.

What has been your best TJ Maxx find?

Have you seen any Marc Jacob handbags? Is it an urban shopping legend?

Photo: Cavewoman

Update: Another TJ Maxx find from Cavewoman.
A hand-painted Italian nativity set by Dolfi.

The Cavewoman wears Prada...
in TJ Maxx.


On Saturday Cavewoman and I began the day like we always do.
We hit the local TJ Maxx in Beachwood Ohio.
Cavewoman did her usual turn to the right to comb through the handbags while I skipped to the fragrance/skincare section. I almost waltzed past a new department called "Runway." It was the Prada/Miu Miu rack that stopped me dead in my tracks.
I ran back to the handbag department to get Cavewoman.
I said with as much calm as I could muster.... "I need you to drop everything and come with me."
She saw my face and immediately dropped the Italian handbag.
I managed to get these two pictures before a manager stopped me. One SA said that this was exclusive to their store.
No other TJ Maxx was doing this.

Sometimes it pays to live in Ohio.
Its not often that we have these moments.

photos: annieytown

My Wishes for 2008

I have posted my wishes for the upcoming year since 2005. The crazy thing is that some of my far fetched beauty and personal wishes started coming true. This was all before the fuss surrounding The Secret.

Here is my 2006 list:
1. 2000 et Une Rose is relaunched by Lancome
My #1 wish came true! It was released in June 2006.

2. That there is a new fragrance by Ormonde Jayne.
Orris Noir---and it was lovely. I have no idea if there will be a new fragrance in 2008...I am out of the fragrance loop.

3. Safran Troublant is released in a jumbo bottle
Yep. Available at Aedes.

4. The Stella fragrance by Tocca finally comes out.
It did and is currently at Sephora.

5. I win a free trip to paris and I can take a friend
I was invited to Paris by Chanel and made friends with some amazing and lovely fashion bloggers.

6. A Cmart opens up in my town
No Cmart yet. My friend Sara heard one of their commercials where they actually mention the blog. I have high hopes for 2008!

7. I stumble across a Seve Exquise bottle in T J Maxx
Well...that might be wishful thinking...but one MUAer stumbled across Donna Karan's Chaos at her local TJ Maxx. That is like a finding a unicorn in your backyard. It is insane.

8. Fumerie Turque is released in the export range(
It happened and also 2 bell jars are currently at Bergdorf Goodman. I have no idea if those bell jars mean anything. I stared at them for a solid minute because I thought they were a fluke.

9. Luckyscent has a discount.
I think there was a Lucky discount.

10. Vol de Nuit finally works with my chemistry.
After many attempts, the fragrance has managed to win my heart.

Posting my wishes that day was just a fluke.
I actually had no blog post planned for that day and I was bored.
So I will post my new wishes for 2008.
I believe in the power of flukes.

My Wish List for 2008:

1. This one is personal and non-beauty related.
Every year I threaten to wish for my soul mate to finally come and find me.
Every year I delete the wish.
This year the wish will be published.
I joke with friends that it feels like my soul mate has been hit by a bus or is entangled in some kind of mess. I joke that he is late and most likely does not own watch. I joke about this son of bitch all the time.
Last week I had convinced myself that I was going to write off crushes and finally lay to rest my hopes of finding true love.
Not everyone is blessed with a soul mate.
But yesterday as the ball dropped, I realized that I have to give him one last chance.
I am ready for the everything. I am ready for the crazy happiness and heartbreak.
I want him to find me in 2008.
And I promise to not to cuss him out for being so late.

2. I want to visit Japan.
This might be another far-fetched wish but I am going to throw it out there.
I want to see the world and hope that 2008 brings me more traveling opportunities.

3. I want to attend fashion week.
This could be a real possibility for 2008. Many bloggers have reported from the tents and been part of the delightful mayhem.

4. I want the Netherlands to get a Sephora.
Because Grayburn needs a Sephora.

5. Someone releases a black nail polish with pink glitter.
Because it is sorely needed.

6. Gobin Daude gets back into the business of perfumery.

7. Chypres make a comeback.

8. Ohio gets a Becca and a Shu Uemura counter.

9. I want to see Pat McGrath's makeup trunks in real life. I just want to see her stash and sneak some pictures.

10. I would like to find the perfect fuchsia shimmery gloss and a mascara that changes my life.


Post your beauty or personal wishes for 2008 in the comments.
I hope 2008 is wonderful and amazing for everyone!

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 30 , Donna Karan Chaos

I am unable to review this fragrance. I have never tried it. It was long gone by the time I arrived on MUA's perfume boards. It was already a fragrance legend in the league of Catherine Deneuve. These bottles went for outrageous prices on Ebay and inspired dupes.
The old timers gushed over Chaos's smoke and woody charms. The newbies had to make do with Black Cashmere.
It is theorized that the notes in Chaos range from saffron to patchouli. Most fans can agree on the notes of cinnamon, incense, amber and woods.

What makes this discontinued fragrance a cult classic?

Last year a fellow muaer posted that she found a bottle of Chaos in her local TJ Maxx. The fragrance board had a visible meltdown.
There was congratulations, disbelief, envy and greed in that brief post.
That next week, all of us combed our TJ Maxx for Chaos bottles. None of us were successful.
To this day, we all still look.
It is like finding a Birkin bag at Goodwill or a Tiffany lamp at a garage sale....it ain't gonna happen.
But you still hope and dream for that big score.

If you have been blessed with sniffing Chaos let us know in the comments. Let us know what we are missing.

Credit: Style.com

Happy New Year!

My Hopes and Dreams for 2006.
I posted this on December 29th 2005.

1. 2000 et Une Rose is relaunched by Lancome (My #1 wish came true! It was released in June 2006)
2. That there is a new fragrance by Ormonde Jayne. (Orris Noir---and it was lovely.)
3. Safran Troublant is released in a jumbo bottle (Yep. Available at Aedes.)
4. The Stella fragrance by Tocca finally comes out (OMG. I am like the Beauty Nostradamous )
5. I win a free trip to paris and I can take a friend
(Damn it. Well you can not have everything.)
6. A Cmart opens up in my town
(Screwed again. We did get an H&M...so I should not complain.)
7. I stumble across a seve exquise bottle in T J Maxx
(Well...that might be wishful thinking...but one MUAer stumbled across Donna Karan's Chaos at her local TJ Maxx. That is like a finding a unicorn in your backyard. It is insane.)
8. Fumerie Turque is released in the export range
(I am a proud owner. It was at Barneys...but I believe it might already be gone. The good Lutens giveth...and then taketh away.)
9. Luckyscent has a discount (Nope.)
10. Vol de Nuit finally works with my chemistry (Not yet.)

2006 was a damn fine year for me for beauty wishes. I am hoping that I have similiar luck with my 2007 list.

My wishes for 2007:

1. That Bond #9 does a traditional chypre fragrance for 2007. Something along the lines of Jolie Madame or Mitsouko.

2. Gobin Daude gets back into the fragrance business.

3. Lancome continues relaunching their vintage fragrances. I would love to see Now or Never back on the market.

4. That I am able to try Chamade, any Andy Tauer scents, Le Labo Ciste/Labdanum, Guerlain's Bois d'Armenie. I need to get back on track with my fragrance testing.

5. I would love to visit the CB I Hate Perfume store.

6. I want to visit France or Japan in 2007.

7. I want Heatherette,Behnaz or John Galliano to come out with a fragrance.

8. I want someone to write a coffee table book on the history of makeup.

9. I would love to see some Japanese products make their way to our shores in the US. Please can we get some Inoui Id? http://www.inouiid.com/vc/vol14_040221/index.html

10. I want to meet Pat Mcgrath.

11. Lancome needs to bring back Behnaz.

12. I want MAC to do a collection based on reds. I want new red lipsticks and blushes. I want a red lacquer compact. I want a huge red kabuki brush.

13. I want Chanel to do a nailpolish in red....with red shimmer. I want it to sparkle like no one's business.

14. I want to be able to get on the list early for said Ruby Chanel polish.

My Resolutions for 2007:

1. Start looking for a dream job.

2. Learn how to cook...for real this time.

3. Keep in better touch with friends.

4. Keep up with emails. Send out cards and letters.

5. Start seeking out new music again. Maybe finally splurge on that machine they called an i-pod. I also should join the human race and get a cell phone. I have been resisting this idea for a long time. Cavewoman tries to get me to the cell phone counters but I get sidetracked by Tradesecrets. I rather look at OPI's than razor phones.

6. Join Netflix and get started on watching classic movies.

7. I need to start reading novels again. I want to seek out books on travel.

8. I should learn french. I need to pronounce the names of my perfumes correctly.

9. I need to give WW a chance. I need to stop cheating on my tracking.

10. I need to learn how to be a better judge of character.

What are your beauty wishes for 2007?

Do you have any resolutions?

I hope everyone has a lovely and wonderful New Year!

photo: Blogdorf Goodman

Holy Chype Tbone! Jolie Madame by Balmain

Holy Chypre Tbone!
This is damn good.

So when tbone raves about a scent I sit up and take notice. She fell quick and hard for Jolie Madame.
It is a big fat chypre with the most lush oakmoss. It is earthy but crisp. It dries down to a smoky leather that is sweetened with a non-candied violet.
It is ladylike but with a twist.
Think Eva Marie Saint...but with a whip.

Notes are violet, lilac, jasmine, cedarwood, tuberose, neroli, oakmoss, patchouli, leather and tobacco absolut.

Available online at:
http://www.fragrancenet.com/f/net/index.html?id=Wahncb5H
and if your lucky...at your local TJ Maxx.

photos: AllSuspense-movies.com,Gonemovies.com and Blogdorf Goodman

Disclosure: I purchased this perfume at TJ Maxx!

"I really wanted to bring magic and fun back to cosmetics. I mean that's always been my attraction with cosmetics: color, texture, sparkle, glitter and all the things that make you kind of different or special" Anna Sui

My latest finds at TJ Maxx:
http://www.annasuibeauty.com/site/welcome.htm

I picked up the Anna Sui lotions with no expectations. I puchased them for three reasons:
1. They were $7.99
2. They were Anna Sui
3. They looked adorable

Secret Wish is my favorite of the two. The notes are lemon, marigold, melon, pineapple, black currant buds, white cedarwood, amber and musk.

Dolly Girl Ooh La Love's notes are sweet currants, starfruit, sparkling bergamot, peony, amber and cedarwood.

The quality of lotion is above average. It keeps the skin well hydrated without that greasy feeling. They are both light fresh scents. Very easy to wear during the summer months.

It was a good TJ Maxx purchase.

Dreams really do come true. (Vogue)

On December 29th I wrote my wishes for 2006.
Here is the list again:

Hopes and dreams for 2006:
1. 2000 et une Rose is relaunched by Lancome (My #1 wish came true! It will be released in June 2006. It will exclusive to Saks.)
2. That there is a new fragrance by Ormonde Jayne. (This might be coming true)
3. Safran Troublant is released in a jumbo bottle (everyone says that this is coming true)
4. The Stella fragrance by Tocca finally comes out (I am starting to give up hope)
5. I win a free trip to paris and I can take a friend
6. A Cmart opens up in my town
7. I stumble across a seve exquise bottle in T J Maxx
8. Fumerie Turque is released in the export range (It is coming! I can hardly believe it!)
9. Luckyscent has a discount (Close. There is a code to get a free Monyette Paris candle)
10. Vol de Nuit finally works with my chemistry

My revised list:
1. A Cmart opens up in my town
2. I stumble across a Seve Exquise bottle in T J Maxx
3. I meet my match (notice that meeting my soulmate comes after the Seve bottle)
4. I find a Guerlain bee bottle at an antique store. It is affordable.
5. I find a Lily Dache hat
6. I find the perfect primer
7. I visit NYC several times during the year
8. My friends find happiness and peace
9. That I get to meet Linda from Ormonde Jayne
10. That Chinatown wins at the fifi awards.

Cleveland shopping report:

Cavewoman and I began the day at the infamous T J Maxx. This has pretty much become our routine. The store had been rearranged so I stood at the door trying to get my bearings. Patti dived right in. The beauty section was pretty much a bust except for my spotting of Z Bigatti cream that normally retails for $155. The TJ Maxx price was less than $20.

The purse section was overflowing with pink coach bags. Patti found me the Kors bag that I have been coveting. She owns it and has received the most compliments on it. It is a lovely teal-ish leather with metal studs scattered on it.
I caved.

I bought holiday bags and Patti found the most incredible wrapping paper I had ever seen.

We left and went straight to Beachwood.

We played in the Nordstorm beauty department. Patti did damage at the Chanel counter while I experimented at Stila. No one bothered me which I loved.
My goal was gray eyeshadows. I decided on Twilight (a shimmery silver), Shore (a shimmery heather gray) and Diamond Lil. The Lil was sold out...everywhere.
I can not say I am surprised. It is a damn fine shadow. Instead of the Diamond Lil I chose Heather. It is a pale pink.
I also finally purchased the Philosophy Microdelivery Peel and DDF Glycolic Exfoliating Wash. I am hoping for a skincare miracle. One of my new years resolutions is starting a successful skincare routine. I want dewey perfect skin with a lovely glow.

The big purchase was the J Crew coat. I loved the tailoring and pretty dutch blue color. Cavewoman loved its hong kong finish.
It arrived yesterday and it looked amazing on. I recommend it to everyone.
It does not look like much on the hanger but transforms on the body. I am not exaggerating when I say...it looks like I lost 10 pounds when I put it on.
http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/product.jhtml?id=prod72224641&catId=cat82156
It comes in jade, chocolate brown, black, and blue.

We ended the night with dinner with Griff and Tussah from makeupalley. We ate like kings at a 5 star mexican eatery. We had lime flavored rice with seasoned chicken/beef or pork, a dallop of rich sour cream, corn salsa, and lots of cheese. Our cocktail was a chilled diet coke with fresh limes.
http://www.chipotle.com/

Shopping with Cavewoman and finally meeting Miss Griff for dinner:

Patti and I drove up to Cleveland for two reasons. The new MAC line called Rebelrock and Griff. Both were pretty fab!

Our first stop was Nordstorm to check out Rebelrock. It was released statewide on thursday. This line comes very close to the greatness of the Madame B collection. The colors are wonderful and wearable.
I purchased the following:

Eyeshadows
Banshee- a sparkly taupe
Say,Yeah-a pinkish copper
Little Minx-a grape plum

Lipglosses
Oi!Oi!Oi!-blue toned pink lipgloss.
Pink Clash-a shimmery taupe/pink with a dash of Satine by Fresh. This might be my HG gloss for a little while. Just lovely.

Lipstick
Punkin'-a great blue tone pink. I will have to report later how it stacks up against Madame B and other blue pinks from MAC.

After our haul at MAC we explored the handbags. The Nordstorm in Cleveland has two Paddington bags. I was able to finally test one on my shoulder. The leather was lovely but that lock does weigh down the bag a bit. I had a dream a few nights ago that I actually caved on this bag. In real life I passed on it. I did flirt with purchasing a kelly green Marc Jacob multi-pocket. It was half price. I also did not cave on this handbag. Instead I caved on a velvet bag in the Brass Plum department. It was only $20. It is a teal velvet hobo with silver ring hardware. I also purchased a teal/peacock blue bead necklace and three resin bracelets in burnt orange,teal,and celery green. The best MUA advice I ever got was from Griff. She stated that you could get great jewelry for fab prices in the junior department in Nordstorm. She is a genius.

Patti and I also hit Sephora(scored skincare samples and a bliss eye ceam) and Saks.
My vow to never go crazy at a NARS counter was broken. I bought two new fall eyeshadows. The first is called Strada. It is a FANTASTIC shimmery violet with specks of gold. Swoonworthy and lovely. The second shadow is a duo called Surabaya. One color is a shimmery red chestnut while the other is golden honey brown with gold flecks.

Our next shopping stops were T J Maxx and Marhsalls. I found some Dinner for Bobo and Escada Collection at Marshalls. No Mathias or Tony+Tina at this store. Patti only purchased a Guerlain fragrance for the caveman. At T J Maxx I stumbled across a Lampe Berger. I have always wanted one. I spotted Coach bags, Laundry dresses, Lulu Guinness fragrances and creams, and Urban Decay makeup.

We ended the day with dinner with Griff at Brava. She came in with the coolest heels and a drop dead beautiful necklace. Leah is uber-chic and sweet. We had a great time chatting and enjoyed a great risotto. I have wanted to meet her for a long time. We share the same taste in music and are pug lovers.
I have been so lucky to meet so many people from MUA. The site is pretty much filled with cool ladies and gents with a great love of fragrance and culture. It has given me a huge group of friends that are fun and lovely.

Speaking of great MUA friend finds....I need to rave about cavewoman. She has been working on finding me a MAC parrot shadow since I first started lemming it. Today she made me a proud owner. It was beyond generous(god knows what she had to swap for it...I am afraid to look) and just plain wonderful. She is a great friend and I am beyond lucky to have her in my life. So raise your coffee's with vanilla nut creamers(or if you are parisjasmal something else not so exclusive or delicious. HA!) to my ytown best buddy Patti! Cheers!

Shopping with Cavewoman Adventure 2-26-2005:Major Damage at both MAC counters along with some scent stories.....

Cavewoman and I finally were able to leave ytown and get some shopping time in Cleveland. Our first stop was at Anthropologie. They had their new spring line showcased and I was not interested in any of these pieces in real life. I did love the one party dress that is teal and midnight blue. It was the best piece in the store. The "cucumber sweater" was on sale but it looks horrible on. No wonder there were 3 or 4 on the rack. Cavewoman tried on a great coat but the fit was poor. There were 10 of those coats on the rack. They will have to mark that down more for it to start get any interest. I end up buying some Voluspa frgarnces. These scents are great and the prices can not be beat. I repurchased the Linden Blonde Tabac and the sweet Mignonette. Do not try the Coco one. It is foul and will make you dry heave. I did not spy any Nanette Lepore pieces while there. We left and made our way to the infamous T J Maxx. It was a bust for me but cavewoman found some lovely sweaters. I did find the famous bergdorf pieces mixed in the racks. The velvet Marc Jacobs jacket is still there along with the Valentino gown. There was a gaggle of Armani pieces along with an Escada gown that had clearly seen better days. They had several boxes of the Paula Dorf Zita perfume. This really is a great fresh rose scent.
After T J Maxx we went to Beachwood Mall. We started at Nordstorm first. Cavewoman and I did some major damage at the MAC counter. I purchased a lot of shadows. My haul was:
Greensmoke(this might be my new favorite green replacing my previous love for Nars Fiji)
Sumptous olive
Goldmine
Gorgeous Gold(a gold with a greenish base)
Honey Lust
Filament
Naked Lunch
Moth Brown(a lovely blue based gray brown--it is a limited edition)
and the surprises of Aquadisiac(a shimmery teal),Metamorph(a light greenish yellow) and Pink Papillion.
I also grabbed the new Madame B lipstick(a beautiful pink) and a MAC paint(I forget the name). I also purchased a lovely YSL Limited edition called Roses Enchantees. We were able to test the new Angel fragrances. They are winners. I love Angel but cavewoman hates it. We were both early fans of all the three scents. The violet one is the best with the lily coming in second. Cavewoman felt the peony turned green way to early in the drydown. They are worth sniffing. I ended up purchasing Une Fleur de Chanel at SAKS. We had a great time talking like Karl Lagerfeld to the sales associate. I spotted a great LV bag and got to see the Guinevere(small version) purse. It was alright. I liked the Carmen bag better.
It was a great day and can not wait to see Miss Cavewoman's version. Have a great Sunday!!!

The day that Cavewoman and I found Chanel's at T J Maxx or the day I had a Versace gown in my shopping cart: It is a shopping urban legend. You dream of finding high end designers at a discount store. I have a crazy dream of discovering a Hermes Birkin in a vintage clothing store. You never think that one of these shopping dreams can come true. This dream happened at the T J Maxx store in Beachwood(Woodmere) Ohio. We arrived as they were unlocking the doors. Cavewoman grabbed a cart and immediately went to handbags. She takes her time. She examines the craftmanship and strokes the leather. I whip through the section like a shark looking for a school of fish. I am on the second aisle when I spot a metal miniskirt in a clothing rack. I recognized it as something of quality so I move my way over to the rack. It was untouched. No hands had looked through the goodies. I grab the skirt(very Paris Hilton) and saw that it was a Paco Rabanne. My mouth drops. I take it over to Miss Cavewoman. She is not impressed but changes her mind when she sees the designer tag. I walk back and see gowns with Bergdorf tags. I grab a beautiful grecian pale blue gray gown. It is a Versace. I make a noise that attracts another eagle eyed shopper. Our eyes meet over a Vera Wang. We make a silent pact to be very quiet. I lift the Versace and carefully carry it over to cavewoman. She squeals and abandons her bag search. We find 2 Chanels(both ugly and stained), a great floral Valentino gown, a Marc Jacobs jacket that I actually lemmed, Armani suits, YSL dresses,and many more treasures. It was a mind blowing day. I still can not believe it happened. How many people could say that they had a couture Versace gown in their shopping cart?  

Annie and Cavewoman shopping report: We started out the day at the Beachwood T J Maxx. Patti handled shopping cart duties and started in the handbag section. I immediately spotted the great train case from my last Maxx trip. It comes in kelly green and pink and retails for $39.00. I ended up passing on it. It is adorable but I have my heart set on vintage. Patti discovered two great handbags for me and fell quickly for a yellow leather basketweave purse from Italy. It was pretty fab but the price tag was steep. The perfume and shoe section were pretty unimpressive. Patti found tons of great coffee and I caved on the two bags. I am on a offical handbag ban for the rest of the summer...unless it is a really really really good deal.

After the Maxx we headed to Nordstorm. I was very good at the MAC counter. I only bought wipes and a blush. The blush is called Dame. It is a lovely pink with a slight shimmer. We then went to the Tony+Tina counter. I am a sucker for all glitter shadows so I went a little nuts. My only defense: The company has gone belly up. I guess Tony and Tina have parted ways due to the stars(according to the SA) and have no plans to keep the company going. I grabbed what I could but left behind so much. I explored Urban Decay and almost caved on Acid Rain. The best find of the day was when I hit the BP(juniors) department on the third floor. Griff(MUA) posted that she had found incredible accessories a few weeks ago. I am so glad that she suggested this. I found wood bangles for $10.00. They look exactly like the ones I have posted from Saks. I also picked up these insane Carrie Donovan/Elton John sunglasses for $10.00. I was caught up in the moment. I also ordered a fab gumball size black bead necklace that was only $18.00. I had spotted it on a Urban Decay SA and she stated that she found it upstairs but that it was sold out. When I went upstairs one of the BP girls had a white version on. She promised that she would order it for me. Please cross your fingers and toes for me.....I want this pretty badly. The brand is called Brass Plum.

The next shopping stop was Saks. We played in the MAC section again. Patti and I both loved the shimmermoss eyeshadow but we both passed. I have too many teal-ish shadows and need to cut that out. I think I have such a lust for the discontinued Parrot that I am trying to buy up all the look-a-likes. I did purchase the last pollen shadow and a lipstick. Patti took me to the Nars counter. She tried and purchased the Cactus Flower blush. This blush looks very intense in the pan but lovely on the cheek. A wonderful natural looking flush!
I wandered over to the Gucci bags and spotted my hobo lemming. It was huge and pretty wonderful. It was in a glass case so I did not get to sling it over my shoulder.
Patti found a HG foundation at Bobbi Brown. It looked so dewy and fresh. I did not play with any foundations because I have those satanic Chantecaille products in my vanity drawer. I did fall hard for the Laura Mercier's Brightening Powder. It truly is a miracle and worth all the raves.

Patti and I visited the Bath and Body flagship store located in the mall. They carried Molton Brown, Davis Gate, Awake,and the new line by the Urban Decay gal. I really liked the new Violet product line. It did have a FM Lipstick Rose vibe. They had the Elton John rocks that have been sold out at Barneys and Bergdorfs. The red ones are the best.
They had Slatkin candles(Twig is my personal fav!) and a crazy one called mashed potatos from their White Barn line. Sephora was our last stop. I really loved the CDG 2 for men. It reminded cavewoman of the incense series.
The day ended with our usual stop at a local mexican eatery. I broke my WW Diet and enjoyed myself.
Huge Hugs to Patti for a great shopping day!

Shopping Report with Cavewoman: First stop was T J Maxx in Beachwood. This is the infamous Maxx with the Chanel sighting. Today we spotted the most fabulous Christian Lacroix heels that are worthy of Carrie Bradshaw. Cavewoman tried them on and looked amazing. She decided to pass. I tried to make her "cave" but she is strong. She scored some wonderful jewelry while I took home two pairs of sunglasses.

We then proceeded to the Beachwood Mall. We did more damage at the Saks and Nordstorm MAC counters. I purchased Monarch lipstick (lovely peach) ,Tartlette lipglass, vanilla pigment (a vanilla gold), Meadowland (greenish teal) and Pollen eyeshadow. The sales clerk gave me the tester for Pink Opal pigment since they were out of stock. At the Saks MAC counter I scored the last Dainty Cake lipstick along a backup Moth Brown. The sales clerk was wearing my holy grail eyeshadow Parrot so we bonded. She showed us the upcoming MAC lipsticks that are due out in a few weeks. She then asked her manager if she could sell us the ones they had in stock. The manager did not care so we came home with unreleased MAC lipsticks. The ones I have are Pretty Loud (a stunning blue based pink), Cockatease (a great coral similiar to Dainty Cake) and Frosti (a shimmery plum). There were many others but these three were my early favorites. They had some rich browns and taupe lipsticks. These are not my speed but they were wonderful. Cavewoman and I were disappointed to not see the new Nars collection. The line is not out in Saks or Sephora. The Saks clerk said it will be a few weeks. The Sephora gal had no idea what I was talking about.

I explored the Tony+Tina line. Fell hard for a glitter that was a vanilla/yellow/amber. It was beyond lovely. It was sold out and I wrote the name on my list. Sadly my list was left behind in Sephora. Ugh!
Tony+Tiny had some amazing glitters and glitter based products. If you like glitter this is the line for you. I love glitter so I was in heaven.
We went to the perfume counter at Saks and tested Angel's Violet again. I do not think it is a future purchase for me even though it really is lovely. There are no more YSL Roses Enchantees. I was thinking I was going to pick up a backup bottle. I am loving this scent.
We went into Banana Republic for their sale. The clothes area was a madhouse so I just stayed at the jewelry case. I found some lovely pins and a great raspberry stone earring. I also purchased a scarf.
Cavewoman and I ended the day with mexican at Cancun in ytown. It was a great shopping day as always........

40 Days and 40 Nights Of Beauty Brand Reviews

Day 40, the end of the beauty brand series.
Today we are focusing on the brands we missed.

Cavewoman: At the end of the 40 Days And 40 Nights Of Brands, there is much we did not cover. Sephora alone brags of over 200 brands, so maybe we could have done A Year Of Brands! Nonetheless, after 40 days, we still have lots to talk about and rave about, and so I present a few goodies that are from brands that didn't make the cut.

From Pout: The beautiful and unique powder blush called Apricot Totty. What a cute name, adorable girly packaging, and the prettiest summer-flush cheek color imaginable! Also from Pout, the new Radiant Foundation, with great coverage, a stay-put finish, and a subtle glow.

From Make Up For Ever, the superb solid performer foundation called Face And Body. Almost as sheer as a tinted moisturizer but totally buildable, it feels refreshing on the face and contains no sunscreen to dry out the skin or give that ghostly appearance in photos. Also from Make Up For Ever, a group of primers called Corrective Make Up Base, in different sheer tints to correct redness, sallowness, or just to brighten. I chose #5, which "adds radiance to fair skin, reduces minor imperfections." It doesn't lighten my foundation, but gives a bit of brightness to my Winter-weary, indoors-for-months sallowness.

From Sue Devitt, two of the best primers I've tried. Microquatic Blue SPF 30 gives serious sun protection in a totally blendable, comfortable gel-type liquid. It really is a pale blue but that disappears on the skin. The Microquatic Fortifying Primer contains no sunscreen, which is good for photos or if your foundation already has adequate sunscreen. Both primers contain treatment ingredients, so they are helping your skin as well as holding your foundation in place. I love them both.

Just a few days ago, I finally purchased a product that I have been wanting for years, but never had the chance because it wasn't available anywhere in my area, and I had to see it in person to choose the correct shade. The Countess Isserlyn foundation by Alexandra De Markoff has great history. It was used on Vivien Leigh in her role as Scarlett O'Hara in the movie "Gone With The Wind" and it's still in production, with fans of this product buying several bottles at a time (according to my Lord & Taylor SA.) Countess Isserlyn requires some time. You must take the little stir stick and stir, stir, stir, to incorporate the oils on the top into the pigments on the bottom. Then shake, shake, shake, and apply very sparingly. The result is a moist, glowing, radiant face with coverage that is adjustable from sheer to full. I like having a little legend in my makeup case. I also bought the mauve under-makeup moisturizer called 364 1/2 Moisture Plus in Mauve, because it reminded me of the old Ultima II tinted moisturizer that I used to use before it was sadly discontinued. This one is a great substitute for the Ultima II, with all the treatment benefits of the Countess Isserlyn line. And last but not least, and possibly the best discovery in a year, the amazing clicky-pen called Alexandra De Markoff Illusion For Eyes Fresh Eye Cream Plus. One dab under chattykathy's eyes and we were both pulling out our wallets that day! The box states that this product contains Grantox (I'm sure that's supposed to make you think of Botox) to minimize muscle contractions and soften imperfections. With vitamins, herbs, and silicone, this product has a pale pink tint that disappears under the eye and leaves a luminous, refreshed appearance. Wrinkles gone! Yes! No cream is needed under this super moisturizing treatment concealer.

This is the end of the 40 days, and I'm going to miss it terribly. I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing my favorite brands and products, I love to talk makeup and perfumes, and I can't wait for the next project. A huge thanks to Annie for allowing me to participate in the 40 Days And 40 Nights Of Brands!



Miss Manners: Wet n Wild is the number one value cosmetics brand in the country, according to its parent company, Markwins International, which is rumored to be the mystery manufacturer bringing Calvin Klein cosmetics back to the market sometime in the near future. For the savvy makeup consumer, though, Wet n Wild is the go to brand for everything from $.99 lip liners to their cult-favorite $5.00 eyeshadow palettes.

Wet n Wild first captured my attention many years ago when a makeup artist revealed in a magazine that for the photos of Jamie Lee Curtis in that issue she used only Wet n Wild’s 666 lip liner with a slick of clear gloss to create Jamie’s gorgeous lip look. The look was her lips but better, with a just the tiniest hint of shimmer. I resolved immediately to seek out this brilliant lip liner. Finally one day while browsing through my favorite grocery store, I stumbled upon the Wet n Wild display and discovered that Wet n Wild 666 could be had for $.99, and that if I bought one I could get one free.

At two for $1.00 I couldn't resist grabbing a dozen, and my love affair with Wet n Wild was launched. The 666 (otherwise known as Brandy Wine) was everything I had hoped it would be. I lined and filled in my lips with it for years, and, since I was buying them by the dozen, I turned into a 666 evangelist, handing them out like candy to every woman who had the discernment to notice how great my “lipstick” looked. Years later this is still my holy grail lip liner, and I scoff at those who shy away because of the name. Ladies, you have a choice: simply call it Brandy Wine and ignore the numerical designation! If this is the devil’s own lip liner then the devil has mighty fine taste in cosmetics.

The Wet n Wild tinted moisturizer caught my attention a few years ago during another of those buy-one-get-one-free sales. I had tried every high end TM I could get my hands on, and not one of them could offer the coverage or oil control I wanted and needed. I figured that at two for $3.00 I could afford to give the Wet n Wild a whirl. What a revelation it was! The coverage is perfection, and the texture smooth and creamy. This tinted moisturizer applies like a cream/gel, but it never drags or streaks. Best of all, my nose and forehead stay matte all day. The only drawback is the very limited color range. Pale princesses beware: you will not get a color match. I recommend you protest to Markwins loudly and persistently until they release this product in a shade that will work for you. It’s that good.

Recently Wet n Wild upped the ante with the release of their sinfully cheap eight color eyeshadow palettes, causing makeup fiends all over the country to haunt their local drug and grocery stores aisles hoping to find one of these fantastic palettes. Sand Castle, Paradise Cove and Fantasy Island—each containing eight glorious coordinating shadows in an ingenious palette with pull out mirror along the bottom of the case—were the eye shadows every woman needed, and they were in short supply. Rumor has it that Markwins took the hint and has made these a part of the permanent collection, but I’m hoarding some backups just in case. Sand Castle has been especially sought after, because two of the shades are said to be exact dupes of NARS All About Eve. Personally, I think Wet n Wild could teach Monsieur NARS a thing or two about eye shadow manufacturing. These shades are buttery soft, richly pigmented and never ever chalky. All three palettes are brilliant, and if you’re a careful shopper you could score an eight shadow palette for $2.50 during a sale.

Other favorites of mine are the Silk Finish Blush 836E (Naïve), which is the perfect peachy mango color for cheeks. Applied with a light hand, this bright blush looks natural and charming on most complexions. Another favorite is the Bronzzer 742 (Acapulco Glow) which is a pearlescent golden glow of a highlighter powder that I prefer to NARS Albatross—and the price tag is all of $3.50 if you can’t find a sale!

Also worth checking out are the liquid eyeliners. They now come in two formulas—the original Mega Liner with a lovely thin brush for ease of application and the brand new H2O Proof liner with a felt tip applicator. When Wet n Wild says H2O Proof they’re not whistling Dixie. This liner wears like iron and won’t budge until coaxed off with sufficient quantities of cleansing oil.

And the coolest thing about this “value” cosmetic line is that you could buy every single item I’ve mentioned here for less than the price of a Chanel palette and without sacrificing quality in the process. If your local store’s Wet n Wild display looks a bit haggard at the moment, stay tuned. Wet n Wild is adding lots of new products and new packaging and many stores are changing their displays. Your patience will be rewarded with high quality, bargain priced cosmetics that give NARS, Armani and other designer brands a run for their money.

Annieytown: In the spirit of the holiday I want to talk about a cosmetic line that needs to be "resurrected". Tony+Tina was one of my favorite beauty brands of all time. I loved everything and would spend hours in front of my local counter at Nordstorm. I adored the magnificent rice powder, the eye shadows, eye treatment creams and cosmic lights.

Tony+Tina lived a brief life at the counters at Nordstorm and Sephora. They closed shop and the products managed to make their way to T J Maxx and Marshalls' stores across the United States. Makeup junkies swarmed the stores to pick up the amazing brush sets and eye palettes.

Color Frequency Eye Shadow Quads

Source Energy: The standout colors are a sparkly clover green shade called Cosmic Truth along with Cosmic Mindtazia. This is an inky black color with green glitter. This shade contains more shimmer power than Nars Night Porter. Ideal for a smoky green eye look.

Dream Energy: This quad's best color is a lovely blue toned pink shade that resembles OPI's Japanese Rose Garden nail polish.

Palettes
Universal Truth Eye Palette contains the shades Cosmic Truth and Cosmic Mindtazia along with Herbal Eye Base Medium(better than the Urban Decay primer)and a green based white eye shadow called Being Color.
Spring Nymph contained Cosmic Destiny(a shimmery pea green), Enchanted(think MAC's Metamorph but with glitter) and Inspired(a baby yellow shade with opal undertones) eyeshadows plus the Herbal Eyebase medium.

Cosmic Lights
Eye safe glitters that are water soluble and finely milled. This a glitter that will actually stay put after application. It can be used in nail polishes, hair gels, lotions and lipglosses. The extra shimmer and sparkle it gives can not be beat by anyone including MAC.
No one could touch Tony+Tina when it came to the glimmer.

Shades are:
Charismatic: A deep red with violet/cobalt glitter. My biggest regret is not grabbing this jar when I had the chance.
Time Shift: Orange/marigold glitter
Cosmic Insight: Neon yellow glitter
Vision Quest: Sky blue glitter
Vortex: Light minty green glitter
Out of Body: Light violet glitter
Soulerrific: A hot pink shade
Gateway: Bright Silver
Spirit Guide: Bright Gold
Higher Love: A light pink with green iridescence
Alpha State: My personal favorite shade. It is a iridescent clear glitter. It reminds me of my aurora borealis necklaces.
Transcendence: I found this one at my local TJ Maxx. It is white with purple blue iridescence
Expansion: Another personal favorite. It is white with opal iridescence.

I will end this review with a mention of the departed and sadly missed environmental rescue rice powder. This is a sheer mica and rice based powder that manages to last all day with minimal touch ups and shine issues. I love the finish and texture. It lets your skin show through yet provides coverage.

Tony+Tina's breakup affected me more than my friend's divorces.
I blamed myself.
Maybe if I would have purchased more maybe those two crazy kids could have worked it out.

Photos: Cavewoman, Miss Manners and Blogdorf Goodman

Let us know about a beauty brand we missed during the 40 day series.
Tell us your favorites from that line along with any you have with the brands featured in this post.
I want to encourage my regular posters along with the silent lurkers.
Please inspire some new lemmings!!!

Disclosure: These products were purchased by the reviewers.

Blogdorf Goodman Poll for June 20th 2007

Mood: Disappointed Funk

Music: "Apple Blossom" by The White Stripes

hey little apple blossom
what seems to be the problem
all the ones you tell your troubles to
they don't really care for you

come and tell me what you're thinking
cause just when the boat is sinking
a little light is blinking
and i will come and rescue you

lots of girls walk around in tears
but that's not for you
you've been looking all around for years for someone to tell your troubles to

come and sit with me and talk awhile
let me see your pretty little smile
put your troubles in a little pile
and i will sort them out for you
i'll fall in love with you
i think i'll marry you

Lippie: Lipstick Queen's Rose Sinner

The latest Beauty Discovery: Chanel's Sublimage Eye essential Regenerating Eye Cream. Feels and looks amazing.

Drink of Choice: Coffee with blueberry creamer

Best summer purchase: Yellow Jacket from TJ Maxx. I wish I could wear it every day!

You almost had it: Clover green Marc Jacob's Blake bag. Missed it by one day at Nordstorm Rack in San Jose. I snoozed and lost.

Favorite Mascara this week: Shu Uemura's Fiber Xtension

What was the first makeup item you ever owned? Avon lipgloss locket

Parental Advisory: MAC's Rated R Starflash Shadow

Bitter Green Symphony

Pictured: MAC's Rated R and Eyepopping

Pictured left to right: MAC's Sharp from the Tempting Eye Palette, MAC's Eyepopping, Tony&Tina's Cosmic Destiny and the new MAC shade called Rated R. I did two swatches of this shade. I applied wet and dry.

MAC's Sharp from the Tempting Eye Palette

Tony&Tina's Cosmic Destiny in the Spring Nymph palette.

Pictured left to right:MAC's Rated R, Eyepopping, Tony&Tina's Cosmic Destiny and MAC's Sharp.

MAC's Eyepopping and
Sharp are very close in looks. Eyepopping is a richer texture with a smidge less yellow pigment.

Cosmic Destiny shadow in the Tony & Tina Spring Nymph eye palette is more of a muted pea green soup shade with a dash of shimmer.

Rated "R" shadow is a lime green that flashes yellow metallic. Applied wet brings out the green intensity. The texture for starflash shades is magnificent. It feels creamy yet light like a dollop of marshmallow fluff.

The pigment is richer and more vivid. This shadow has spunk in comparison to all the other bitter green shadows I own.

Rated "R" is from the current Love That Look collection and retails for $14.50.

Disclaimer: A press sample of this product was provided by MAC cosmetics and the Tony & Tina palette was purchased at TJ Maxx.

Molton Brown Intoxicating Davana Blossom Foaming Bath Oil
I am a huge fan of Molton Brown bath products. I stockpiled when the products showed up last year at TJ Maxx. My personal favorite from the Molton Brown line is Sensual Hanaleni Bath and Shower Gel. This is heaven in a bottle. Just pure incense with something sweet thrown in. However, the lathering action is fairly weak. I expect a lot of suds for the price point.

I am impressed with the foaming power of Intoxicating Davana Blossom bath oil.
Generally oil and suds do not go hand in hand. The texture of the oil is very light and on the creamy side.
The scent is an amazing blend of Indian davana blossom and raspberry. This is where Molton Brown shines in comparison to most bath products. The fragrance of the products are rich, complex and often worthy to put in a perfume bottle.
The price is $67.

http://www.moltonbrown.com/

Disclosure: A press sample of this product was provided by a PR firm

Fragrance sightings at your local Marshalls:

Evening in Paris
J-Lo's Live
Valentino's Gold
Stacked Style Fragrances
Ralph Lauren's Safari
Karl Lagerfeld's Sun Moon and Stars
Guerlain's Anisia Bella
Calvin Klein's Contradiction
Lancome's Miracle So Magic(set)
Hanae Mori
Kiehl's Musk
Demeters(if you are lucky)
Marc Jacobs Essence (sets)
Marc Jabobs Blush
D&G Light Blue
Burberry Brit Red(sets)

What have you seen at Marshalls or TJ Maxx?
Have you bought any fragrances as gifts?

TJ Maxx Find of the Week:

It is no secret that I am a huge Barbara Bui fan. This is the one fragrance I have managed to not cave on.
Why you ask?
Because I am lazy.
I do not feel like calling the Barbara Bui boutiques in NYC and order it. I like to order online or stumble across my perfumes in person.
http://www.barbarabui.com/

I first experienced Bui in NYC. The gang trekked to one of the stores to scope it out. There was massive buzz on makeupalley. Chattykathy was the fearless leader in this expedition. The store had sold out their stock and were waiting for a new shipment. They had hidden the tester.
I am a sucker for something that has to be hidden from the masses.
It was love at first sniff for me.
Some of the gang got on the waiting list. I decided to wait.
I am still waiting after all these years.
It is a shame that I am so damn lazy.
Bui sparked strong emotions on MUA. There were the fans and then "the haters."
The haters stated that it was boring, bland and smelled of Department Store.
This is the worst you can say about a fragrance on MUA. It is the kiss of death.
I never got the hate. Bui was unique to me. It was the perfect comfort scent that was only rivaled by Pottle.
I am going to not review Bui but instead direct you to the Now Smell This review:
http://nowsmellthis.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2005/3/1/385725.html

Sonia Rykiel's Woman(not for Men!) fragrance has longed been compared to Barbara Bui. Several MUAers described it as being better than Bui.
I am here to tell you that it is very very very good.
Is it as good as Bui?
Not to me...but then I have romantic notions about Bui.
Bui has incredible sillage and can last all darn day.
Rykiel's Woman can not boast this feat.

The notes for Sonia Rykiel's Woman Pink Pepper, Violet, Date, Jasmine Petals, Solar Flowers, Bulgarian Rose, Black Pepper, Olibanum, Agarwood, Leather and Amber.

Read Aromascope's(another great perfume site) post on both fragrances:
http://www.aromascope.com/wp/category/smellalikes/

Photo: Blogdorf Goodman