FOTD: Daring Neutrals

Although I love bold colors, there's nothing more classic than a face of neutrals.  I truly believe if you find neutrals boring, you just haven't met the right neutrals yet!

This was Friday's FOTD, which took me from work to dinner to date night. Those with eagle eyes may notice a couple of products that I haven't featured on the blog yet. Don't worry, those reviews will be coming in the next couple of weeks. I do need time to test products before I post!

1. Chanel Les Beiges No 10- This is a no-brainer for me.
2. Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush #10- Featured here, I'm rediscovering this old trusty favorite.
3. Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes #0L- I use this for tightlining and it's a part of every face that I do.
4. Marc Jacobs Beauty Magic Marc'er Liquid Eyeliner- If I had to use just one liner for the rest of my life, this would be it.
5. Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer- Love it.  It leaves such a lovely finish before I put my makeup on.
6. Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Foundation Ivory Light- This formula is becoming my HG, believe it or not.
7. NARS Pro Prime Eyeshadow Base- I've tried many primers but this is the one I'm loyal to.
8. NARS Creamy Concealer in Chantilly- Love it.
9. Dolce & Gabanna Passioneyes Mascara- March's mascara. I'm withholding my thoughts until the end of the month.
10. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Gel- I don't know what I did without this for most of my life!
11. Lancome Lip Lover Dewy Color Lip Perfector #332 Beige Adage- Perfection.  Look for reviews of Lip Lover shades in the next few days.
12. MAC Eyeshadows- Honesty & Blanc Type- I use this duo all the time...
13. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder- Caramel
14. Benefit Boi-ing Concealer 01- Light- This is such a perfect match for my skintone.
15. Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow No 21 Midnight Brown- LOVE!

On my nails- Tom Ford African Violet.

NOTD: Illamasqua Scarce

Over the next few days, I'm going to be showing you some of the most unique polishes I own.  Normally I'm not a big glitter woman, but this collection just works for me.  These were all limited edition from Spring 2013.

Today's polish is Illamasqua Scarce, a salmon pink creme which is opaque after 3 coats with multiple sizes of black glitter.  It's shockingly neutral.

I've got 3 coats plus Formula X topcoat on my nails here.

Help! I've fallen in love with Lancome Lip Lover!

I gave you my very first impressions of Lancome's Lip Lover in this post. Since then, I've picked up quite a few of these little gems. I'm still testing these shades, but will be rolling out posts with in-depth reviews in the coming days.  I did, however, get all of the swatch photos done this morning- hooray!  It's no small feat when you consider the size of my sample.

I purchased six of these with my own money, and received one as a GWP from Sephora. Two of these shades I found only at Nordstrom; the others are available at both Sephora and Nordstrom.

Here are the shades I'm evaluating:
334- Corail Cabriole
332- Beige Adage
339- Fuschia Attitude
355- Framboise Etolle
356- Belle de Rouge*
357- Bouquet Final
362- Bordeaux Tempo*

* Nordstrom only

Here's a look at all of them together:

And a quick group swatch, labeled by number (photo is outside, no flash):

Like my quick take, I can honestly say that I'm head over heels for the formula and may have found my ultimate gloss. For me, these work better than Dior Addict or Chanel Glossimers.  I know that's beauty blasphemy, but it's my honest opinion.

There are at least three other shades that I bet end up in my stash in no time, but I'm holding off on beauty purchases with the rest of this month/start of April looking ridiculous (a Butter London event, Ulta 21 Days of Beauty, Sephora Chic Week, Nordstrom Beauty Trend Show...).

If you're looking to play with these, check your local Nordstrom.  I asked at Lancome counters at Bloomingdales and Macys but was rewarded with blank, puzzled looks.  So, I guess they're just in Nordstrom at the moment.  They're so new that the counter had them in beakers beside the display and didn't have any way of displaying them. Just know your shades- the Lip Lovers themselves have only the shade number!

Burberry Complete Eye Palette No 15 Sage Green

I mentioned in my review of the Complete Eye Palette No 10 Rose Pink that the Sage Green palette had called out to me even though I knew it was totally impractical.  When you combine days of yearning, and very limited in-person access to the line, I found myself driving back to the boutique several days later with the purpose of picking up Sage Green.  It didn't help that I've loved the two Burberry eye products I've tried. (The nail polish? I've sampled better.)

First, the details.  Burberry Complete Eye Palettes retail for $59, and contain four eyeshadows that weigh in at a total 0.19oz.  For comparison, Chanel quads weigh in at 0.24oz for $59, Dior's quints contain 0.21oz for $60, and Tom Ford quads weigh in at 0.35oz for $78.  Burberry solo shadows retail for $29 and contain 0.088oz of product.

I enjoy the aesthetic of the palette, but dislike the difference in the pan size between the central shades and those in the corners.  All pans are stamped with the plaid pattern that's used in all of their powder products. Please see this post for more photos of the items that don't vary from product to product.

I'm just going to take a moment to enjoy the beauty of this unspoiled palette. I was able to grab a bunch of photos in the last gasps of sun for quite awhile.  Don't get spoiled with the sun photos- I had to wander away from home to grab them.

Outside, in the afternoon sun:

Outside, no flash- but not in the sun:

Outside, with flash:

Inside, no flash:

Inside, with flash:

Remember how I called the palette unspoiled? Sadly, I can speak to the durability of the palette.  I fumbled it in its velvet pouch onto a slate patio from at least three feet up.  I'm happy to report that although there was minor damage to the hinge that causes the palette not to line up square anymore, the mirror and the eyeshadow were both undamaged.

Sage Green is a limited edition product for Spring 2014.  This collection is dubbed "English Rose," and this qualifies. Overall, it's clear why this palette kept calling out to me. It's a stunning set of greens.  Let's talk about the individual shades a bit.



Sage Green #1 is vibrant green somewhere between rich grass and emerald.  If you shine a light on it directly, there is shimmer. However, it doesn't read as a metallic/shimmery shade like you'd expect. Swatched, I was surprised just how sheer this is. In the pan, you would assume that this is the most deeply pigmented shade. On the eye, it's a wearable sheer wash.  I have been trying to figure this shade out, to be honest. It's been a lid color for me so far. I think ultimately it's just as wearable as Rose Pink #1.

Sage Green #2 is a lovely light green that really is what I think of when I hear sage green.  I played around with this as both a crease and a lid shade and think this is a green that I may be able to wear. I'm looking forward to trying it with some corals and bronzes.

Sage Green #3 is the most pigmented shade in the palette. It's a warm bronzey light cocoa brown that's an instant classic and easy to use.  The swatches don't do it justice. Burberry does neutrals so well that it's not funny.

Sage Green #4 is a chalky, metallic off-white yellow highlighting shade. I've found it to add so much light to my eyes as a highlight.  It's really more wearable than it looks in the pan.



Let's look at some swatch photos.  It's important to note that my brush (MAC 239) was slightly damp, which packed the color in densely.  This demonstrates the versatility of the formula- it can be a sheer wash (totally dry) or slightly damp with more color payoff.

Colors are swatched in the same order I discussed them earlier.


In direct afternoon sunshine:

Outside, no flash:

Outside, with flash:

Inside, without flash:

Inside, with flash:

Ironically, the sheer formula is what makes this palette workable for me.  I tested this for three days with NARS Pro Prime.  I got at least eight hours of wear, but not much more than that.  The sheer formula requires a bit of work, but the colors blend well.

On another note, I'm happy that this blog is pushing my boundaries. I never would've bought this green palette before- and I'd be missing out!  This is Burberry item #5 for me- don't be surprised to see more of this brand on the blog. I've got a few more items on my wishlist that I suspect I'll be picking up in no time at all. I may have already placed another order.

Bottom Line: Not a must-have, and it's far sheerer than the other palette in this collection. However, it's unique and lovely and I'm glad to have it in my collection.

NOTD: Julep Abigail

Today's NOTD is Julep Abigail, from the January 2014 Boudoir Collection.  It's one of two "Silk Finish" polishes released at the same time. Shockingly enough, I really dig the soft, metallic finish of "silk finish"; I normally dislike the special finishes and prefer traditional nails. Per Julep, this is "light peony pink silk", but I think it looks peachy on my hands.

I've got three coats on my nails, but no topcoat (since it's a special finish).  It's exclusively at Julep's website right now.

When Customer Service is less than Beautiful

In order to protect the guilty (and avoid legal issues), I won't be using any company names in this post.  Let me state: all opinions contained in this post are that of an individual consumer and events that happened to me personally. Some events may be worded differently as to avoid identification of a company.

One of the most frustrating parts of being a beauty lover, in my opinion, is dealing with beauty companies. I've had some horrible experiences lately that have left me just wanting to buy what's in-store... when the in-store experience isn't awful.  Ah, the things we do for beauty.

Online:

Site #1: I found an in-demand product on the site, and promptly ordered it. I waited 8 days before finally contacting customer service on when I might see it. I received unwarranted attitude, and finally learned that it was due to ship First Class Mail.  This item, although small in size, was worth between $50-150.  No tracking information would be available for me, and allegedly I would see it in another week and a half.  The company would have protection, but I would not.  I've had issues with mis-deliveries lately with the mail, so it was quite possible that it would appear to be delivered but I wouldn't receive it. I would merely be out the money and the product. It was a two-day fight just to cancel an order that hadn't gone to a warehouse and hadn't shipped. It took threatening to go to the media to their consumer reporters to have it canceled. (My point was that they were sending products worth a non-insignificant amount of money in a way that the company would be covered but the customer could end up defrauded.) I'm done with them.

Site #2: I placed an order for an item that I wanted very much, and it was suddenly canceled after three days. I re-placed the order and after another three days, it was cancelled again.  It took 20 minutes on hold with customer service to be told that the item was out-of-stock.  That's understandable, but the out-of-stock item has been available to order for more than a week. When I told the representative that it was still available on the website, I was told "that's not my department. Goodbye."  And yes, the phone disconnected.  Customer service at its finest there. I just feel badly for everyone else who will go through the canceled order dance.

Site #3: This is actually not about the sender but rather the shipper. I had several fragile items sent more than 1500 miles away when weather threatened.  They'd gotten to my state and within 150 miles at that point. It took an additional week to receive the items- and when I opened them, they were damaged. I've had many issues with this company (there are only a few), but this latest nightmare left me quite unsatisfied.

Just when you thought it was safe to purchase in-store, here are a few horror stories I've encountered lately:

Store #1: I am a huge fan of this store, but there is one location that I will not enter the beauty department.  This is a store where you can check online inventory. In my area, I have access to numerous locations of all the major chains. My heart sinks if this is the only location with the items in stock, because it means I'll have to order online and wait the greater part of the week for the item. When you walk even within 10 feet of the periphery of the department, you are immediately mobbed by 3-4 associates who will not stop hounding you no matter what. Even if it's merely a cut-through to the exit, you'll leave feeling battered and worse about yourself. This store stands out as a aberration for this chain, as the other local location is just lovely.

Store #2: Don't even bother trying to get service unless you're carrying all of the following: designer handbag, designer accessories, and loaded shopping bags from the other high-end retailers in the mall. An obviously well-dressed and wealthy male shopping companion is a bonus.  This isn't the norm for this chain- even in our area. It's just this location. It's a shame, because it's the largest counter for one of my favorite brands in the region. Inevitably I end up frustrated or annoyed if I try to shop here. There are three default attitudes for the associates here: gracious and catering (if you obviously have money), persona non grata, or treated as a potential shoplifter.

Just to end this post on a happy note, here are a few gold stars- and not to the expected raves:

1. Bloomingdales- I found the item I wanted from story #1 on backorder here.  I placed the order, expecting it to arrive in April.  I was shocked to discover that it shipped yesterday, and I'll have it on Monday.  This is more than 2 weeks before it was originally scheduled to ship. No fuss, no muss.  That's exactly what you look for.

2. Burberry- I refused to order from the site until the advent of ship to store for one simple reason: for the customer's protection, all items ship with a required signature upon delivery. It doesn't matter if you're buying a $20 bottle of nail polish or $1000 handbag, you're going to have to sign.  I find it lovely that they care about the customer, but it's ultimately impractical for those of us with a 9-5 (or greater).  Ship to store eliminates the requirement for a signature and gives you ten days to pick up your item.  The only downside that I've personally experienced is that beauty items tend not to be the first items in the order unpacked- so don't hold your breath on next-day availability. Still, it's a wonderful service.

3. Chanel- Unlike other high-end retailers, they actually do not print CHANEL on the outside of your package.  It's a great thing that means that your package is less likely to be swiped since it's less inviting. I just wish others (hello, Dior?) would take the same approach.

What are your rants and raves?

Trish McEvoy Essential Balm- Gorgeous Pink

This product first came onto my radar while paging through a recent Spring Beauty promotional catalog from Saks Fifth Avenue.  Towards the back, there's a section where you can mix and match eye and lip looks on the model. A lovely pink lip with a slight frost stopped my paging and immediately had me asking "what is that?"  It was the Trish McEvoy combination of Gorgeous Balm and a lip pencil.

I picked up Trish McEvoy Essential Balm in Gorgeous Pink (a product without many reviews in the blogosphere!) and have been playing with it for the past week.  Funny story about how I got it- I ended up ordering from Nordstrom, where the site was saying 0 stores with 100 miles had it in stock.  I was very confused when I saw the origin scan from UPS in my town.  I guess there was a glitch with the buy online, pick up in store system since Nordstrom ended up shipping from my local store to my house.  I love their customer service, but that's a first! I should mention that I live less than 10 miles from the store.

Other than the yummy Blueberry candle and two fragrances, I honestly haven't explored many offerings from Trish McEvoy.  I'm not sure why I haven't, but it's a counter that just hadn't caught my eye. Obviously I have a local counter...

First, the stats.  Essential Balm contains 0.10oz of product in a crayon form and retails for $28. Currently I see two shades on Nordstrom's site.  I've seen it advertised at Nordstrom and Saks, but check your local Trish McEvoy counter. It retails for $28.

The line describes the product as "An ultra-light yet moisturizing lip color [that] combines the plush feel and finish of a balm with a cushion of complexion-enhancing, light-reflective color that adds fullness to lips. Plant-derived moisturizers increase hydration and improve barrier function as the jumbo crayon design offers an effortlessly precise application. A hint of mint provides a refreshing finish."  They weren't kidding with the phrase ultra-light!

Most lines have their version of a crayon; adjusting my expectations accordingly, let's talk about this product.

Functionally, I enjoy the feel of this crayon.  I love it when lines put the color of the crayon on the outside for easy identification. It's the little details that matter, especially at this price point.

Gorgeous Pink is a lovely, cool-toned pink. It's a classic shade that would appear to flatter any number of skintones.  Although the description told me that it was sheer, I was still taken aback by just how sheer this product was. It's very shiny and glossy- with a metallic edge- but almost totally disappears on my lips. For that reason (and the rapidly deteriorating winter weather), I only have swatches on my hand to show you.  I also don't have indoor pictures since it's such a sheer shade.


The swatch photos are pretty accurate.

Outside, no flash:

Outside, in direct sunshine (love this, the most accurate):

Overall, this product isn't what I thought it was. Once I adjusted my expectations, I found a lovely, classic neutral crayon that's likely to take up residence in my bag as a go-to.

It provides a beautiful, glossy hit of color that may show up on lighter lips; on my pigmented lips, it provides a beautiful finish.

Bottom Line: I highly recommend trying this out a local counter; if you're in the market for a beautiful sheer balm this may be just what you're looking for.

NOTD: Essie Navigate Her

Today's NOTD is the titular polish from Essie's Spring 2012 Navigate Her polish collection.  Essie describes this color as "new growth green."  It's not a mint and has more yellow undertones than minty fresh shades.  It's really hard to describe accurately. It's a creme that's opaque in two thick or three thin coats.

Swatches are three coats, no top coat.

Transition

As I started to pull together my clothes for the next workday, I was struck at the juxtaposition of seasons, fabrics, and colors I'm wearing these days.  This late-season blast of Arctic air has enabled me to wear some of my favorite tweeds later than normal.

That's not to say that there aren't signs of spring. One just has to look at my cheerful makeup and spring is clearly around the corner.

I love these weeks before the season change in spring and fall. Layering of fabrics, colors, textures... it's all so beautiful.

Monthly Mascara: Lorac PRO Mascara

In 2013, my beauty-related New Years' Resolution was to hold onto all of my empties and figure out just how much stuff one woman can possibly use and adjust my spending accordingly.  I did a great job of collecting containers, but my spending hasn't exactly slowed down.  Oops.  I mention this because of 2014's beauty resolutions: take care of my eyes by swapping mascaras once a month.

We're all aware that changing mascaras every three months is critical.  The FDA suggests replacing mascaras every 2-4 months, because a mascara tube is conducive to bacteria growth.  This 2008 study put the odds of having bacteria in a random tube of mascara within 3 months around 34%.  Ick.  The University of Rochester Medical Center explains what's going best- our eyelashes have naturally occurring bacteria. As soon as your mascara wand touches your eyelashes, you've contaminated the wand.  What do you do with that wand? Shove it back into a vial of liquid- the perfect medium for bacteria growth.  Add in the exposure to the air, and you're just asking for trouble.  There have been other studies that suggest that the right time to change mascaras could be more like one month.

Buyers of high-end mascara may bristle at the idea of tossing a mascara after 30 days, but think of it this way: you have one set of eyes. Is your vision for the rest of your life worth quibbling over $20-30?  I didn't think so.  I also have come to embrace the idea of the one-month rule because it makes it easier to remember.  On the 1st of every month, I open a new mascara. Luckily, I have quite a few tubes to get through.

Today I present the first of my Monthly Mascara posts.  In January, I used a mascara that I've previously used- and  (unfortunately) have a second tube to get through at a later time. I'll review it once I'm finally rid of it!

February's mascara was Lorac PRO mascara, which I got in this holiday 2013 kit.  This was my first experience with the mascara, and with any of Lorac's mascaras.

First, the particulars.  Lorac PRO mascara retails for $23, and touts itself as a "thickening and lengthening black mascara."  It's available via Lorac's website and at Ulta; the brand recently exited Sephora.

I'm a little sorry that I picked this for the shortest month of the year, because I really enjoyed it!  I needed a palette-cleanser following January's known disaster.

The older I get, the more I realize that there's two critical components to a mascara's success: formula and wand.  Lorac PRO has both.

The wand is thick but tapered, which is the perfect shape for the natural eye. Ideally, outer lashes will be longer than the ones closest to your tear ducts.  This wand helps to promote that.

Although this isn't a waterproof mascara, I experienced no problems when I teared up watching the Olympics (yeah, I know), and had no problems maneuvering the wand.  Of note: it doesn't come bent like you see, but I learned to bend my wands by a professional MUA a long time ago.  I generally used 2 or 3 coats on any given day, and never needed a touch-up.  I had no problems with clumping or spider lashes with Lorac PRO.  Overall, this is one of the better mascaras I've tried in this pricepoint ($20-25).

Bottom Line: This was a successful experiment with a new formula.  I'll consider buying it in the future, especially if I can nab it on sale.  It's not the "-est" mascara I've tried in my life, but it does a great job overall.