MAC Dame Edna Collection

I spent a good 15 minutes playing with the colors of the new Dame Edna collection from MAC, and I am far from impressed. Are they sure this collections wasn't meant to go straight to a circus? I guess, considering the Muse, such a collection is to be expected, but I was still disappointed. None of the colors seemed truly wearable, and were garish and harsh on my skin. The packaging is cute, but what good is cute packaging if it's not going to be used?

Sonicare for your Face

So, I've been skeptical about the Clarisonic skincare brush, primarily because the reviews have been so positive that it makes me nervous. For $200, I expect a miracle. Well, I received one for Christmas (in the cute, exclusive Bliss-blue), and I am now a believer! My skin has never been smoother. I have moved from cleaning my face, to my neck, and now to my chest. I'm dying for them to make a bigger size that I can use on my whole body (though I'm sure I'll get there with the little one--it's only a matter of time). Talk about a Christmas miracle!

UPDATE: The blackheads on my chin have almost completely disappeared. I'm beside myself with excitement.

Is This a Joke?

No, I haven't tried the EyeEnvy Appliques by ColorOn, but I am absolutely repulsed by them. First, they're ugly...I mean, zebra eyeshadow? Yuck. Second, it assumes that everyone has the same eye shape, and one size fits all. This entire concept is just wrong!

To make things worse, the reviews on this product are great. My favorite is the reviewer that writes, "I only use the camo and leopard (haven't tried the zebra-looks a lil bit cheezy on box)." Only the zebra looks cheesy? Who are these people?!?!? It boggles the mind!

Recession Obsession, Part 1

Lack of money is forcing me to get creative with my spending habits, so I've switched some of my more expensive beauty products for drugstore brands. Here are some substitutions I've found so far that hold up to the pricey originals.

--My normal Frederic Fekkai hairspray has been replaced with Pantene Classic Hairspray in Flexible Hold. Both provide soft, non-sticky hold.

--Bumble and Bumble hair powder has been replaced by Psssssst Instant Spray Shampoo, and I actually prefer the Psssssst.

--My Nars Body Glow is now Neutrogena Body Oil. Different scent, same results.

I'll keep you updated on more items as I find them! To be continued...

Primer? Exactly What am I Being Primed For?

In my quest/obsession for perfect airbrushed skin, I was thrilled to try Make Up For Ever's HD Microperfecting Primer. I used the Neutral shade that claimed it "adds natural luminosity to the complexion." I never got far enough to test whether my skin looked "luminous" or not--the primer was hard to blend and left my face sticky, causing the foundation I put over it to look splotchy. I immediately washed it off and started over.

I thought the first application may have been a fluke and I was judging it unfairly, so I tried it again a couple of days later: the same thing happened. Obviously, I am NOT recommending this product, and am sticking with my Smashbox primer.

Winter Face Brightener

This winter I've been forgoing my usual tinted moisturizer in favor of Jane Iredale's Dream Tint in Peach Brightener. Dream Tint is an oil-free tinted moisturizer with a peach tint that corrects uneven skin tones. Another plus is that it has SPF 15; I'm mixing half Dream Tint and have daily moisturizer, and it gives me a soft-focus effect that gives skin a healthy glow. It's very subtle and perfect for work.

Zeno Acne Device--Too Good to be True?

I've had the Zeno MD for a while now but have been hesitant to post about it because I couldn't decide whether it actually worked or not. Zeno is a hand-held device that you place on pimples for two and a half minutes while it heats up, killing the bacteria in your skin. Per the company, in a clinical study "Zeno faded 90% of blemishes within 24 hours."

I've come to the following conclusion regarding how I feel about this product: yes, it helps blemishes go away faster; however, in its place it leaves a bright red mark that doesn't fade. I think it's actually burning my skin. Instead of pimples, I now have burn marks on my skin--I traded a raised bump for a flat burn mark. Though the burns are easier to cover, they're not going away. Take from that what you will, but I now have about five perfectly round red dots on my face from this...

Two Gifts In One

After years of lusting after all things Missoni I can finally say that Missoni charm bracelets are a practical necessity: one of the charms opens to reveal a solid perfume. It comes in the original Missoni fragrance or the Acqua (I prefer Acqua, the original is a little too chocolaty for me). I love that it is a collectible that you will continue to wear even after the perfume is gone. Also, where else can you get anything Missoni for only $50?

Free Gifts and Free Shipping

Beauty companies are amping up their marketing for the final stretch before Christmas. I love it when compete to have the best deals!

--Free shipping on Bumble and Bumble orders with no minimums. Today only, no code required.

--Free shipping and 2 free samples (Everything Mascara and Pot Rouge in Blushed Rose) with a $50 purchase at Bobbi Brown cosmetics. Code: TREAT.

--Free shipping and 4 free samples (you choose samples, plus cosmetic bag) with $35 minimum purchase at Estee Lauder today only. Code: ONEDAY

--Free shipping and 7 piece sampler kit (your choice of kits) with minimum $60 purchase at Kerastase today only. Follow the link for codes.

Laura Mercier 'Twilight' Collection

Now through December 12th, when you purchase $75 of Laura Mercier products, you get this complimentary Twilight collection for free. Never one to leave you without suggestions for spending your hard-earned money, I recommend the Lip Glace Set and the Eye Crease Brush.

The Twilight Collection includes:
--2.0 oz. French Vanilla Soufflé Body Crème
--Full-Size Black Mascara
--0.14 oz. Mini Twilight Mosaic Shimmer Bloc
--0.018 oz. Mini Purple Sapphire Kohl Eye Pencil
--Full-Size Cinnamon Lip Glacé
--Double-Ended Angled Eye Colour and Smudge Brush
--Included in a brown patent leather cosmetic bag

Retail Value of $125.00!

UPDATE: The gift with purchase has been sold out. Sorry!

Holiday Juicy Tubes

Lancome's new limited edition Juicy Tubes have come out for the holidays; this year they boast black accents. For my money, juicy tubes are a must for quick, sheer coverage on the go. My fave in this collection: Pretty in Pink, a cool pink with a hint of shimmer. It works great as a subtle nude lip with a matching smokey cat eye. Very Parisian and understated. C'est tres chic!

Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Need help with stocking stuffers?

--Fragrance Pocket Watch. $18

--Rudolf Lip Balm Set. $12 for 4

--Shopping Marathon Aromatherapy. $12 on sale

--Christmas Morning Bubble Bar. $5.95

--The Bright Stuff Body Mist Collection. $20

--Michael Kors Rollerball/Lipgloss combo. $22

--Hershey's Vanilla Creme Travel Candle. $10

--Pocket Redo Freshen-Up Wipes. $20

--Bvlgari Refreshing Towels. $25

--Claus Porto Liquid Hand Soap. $18

Getting Ready for a Fairy Tale

With the charming name of "Who's the Fairest," how could you possibly look anything but fairy tale perfect when you get ready using this whimsical mirror from Anthropologie? Perfect for the vanity, the brass twigs hold a double-sided mirror. I actually asked for this last year for Christmas, but they were sold out...hint, hint...

A Gift for Them and a Gift for You

Now through Saturday, December 6th, spend $100 on any beauty or fragrance purchase and get a $25 gift card; just use code GLAMCARD at checkout.

If you're unsure how to spend the $100, here are my recommendations:
--YSL Beaute Christmas Set. $60
--Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes Palette. $50
--Jo Malone Deluxe Soap Collection. $85
--Barbara Barry Living Room Spray. $42

A Fairytale Scent for the Holidays?

Cute packaging? Check. Charming name? Check. Pink shimmer? Double Check. A scent to match? Ehhh...

The Philosophy Sugar Plum Fairy scent is back for the holidays, and I didn't want to let another year go by without trying it out. Excited, I pour a glistening blob of gel into my hand...and smelled cough syrup. Seriously. I had flashback to when I was sick as a kid and my mom would force feed my cough syrup at night. It has the same sickeningly sweet smell. Yuck!

A Parisian Treat

I had my first Kir Royale in Paris when I was twenty; I felt sophisticated and chic as I sat in the Ritz sipping on the Champagne and Creme de Cassis cocktail--I swear it smells exactly the same. It's a moment I'll never forget, and I can relive it daily when I use the Philosophy Pink Bubbly lip gloss, exfoliating wash, or shower gel. Simply amazing, and I love the pink color.

A Glimmer of Shimmer

In college I would stock up on the hair glitter that was sold at Halloween, and wear it out at night. It looked great in pictures, put in person I was a walking Disco ball. I gave it up after college because I could no longer pull off the tacky glitter look. Now, however, I use Frederic Fekkai's Spray on Hair Crystals. The super-fine glitter leaves a subtle shimmer and light hold on my hair. I spray in on the underneath sections of my layers so that a little sparkle peeks out when my hair moves. This limited edition item is available in Champagne, Copper, and Bronze (I use Champagne).

Body Scrub for a Winter Glow

Every few years I make it to Park City to go skiing. One of my favorite parts of the trip is spending time in the Mountain Body store. It's small and cramped, and has so many products and scents it's almost a sensory overload--I love it! A product I make sure I pick up every time is the Body Glow. It "exfoliates and softens your skin, using fresh fruit extracts, healing mineral salt from the Great Salt Lake Basin, & avocado, sesame, apricot kernal, and jojoba oils for superior skin nourishment." And it really works; I get out of the shower with a thin layer of the oils still on my skin, and the scent lasts all day. I'm partial to the Lavender & Tangerine, but they're all good. It's not necessary to fly all the way to Utah anymore, not only will they ship it right to your door, but they're on sale right now!

A Morning Mojito

I stumbled out of bed this morning mumbling to to myself about how I wished it was Saturday, when I suddenly perked up. What was this miracle worker? Korres shower gel in Basil Lemon; suddenly I was not cursing the 5 day work week, but instead was laying on a chaise lounge in Mexico drinking a mojito. Normally I'm not a fan of anything that smells edible, but this was refreshing without being overwhelming. Plus, it creates the perfect amount of light suds without leaving any residue. I love that this entire line, produced by the oldest homeopathic pharmacy in Greece, is all natural, as well.

MAC Metal Urge Collection

In related MAC news, the new Metal Urge collection is awesome. As MAC says, the collection is "a rich new vein of rare earth-inspired shine and shadow is ready to be mined." My favorite: the cream-based eyeshadow in Verdigris. It's a toned down mermaid green color that has a smokey subtleness to it; I'm going to use it to line my eyes over black eyeliner. It would also work really well layered under the pigment in Spiritualize. So many choices, so little time...

MAC Monogram Collection

The new collection from MAC is something very different for them: a high end line. The prices are near double to what they normally are, ranging from $22-$70. The collection is packaged in gold and browns and includes lipstick, lip gloss, powder, brushes, fragrance, and a clutch. All in all, the colors are nice, but it reminds me of something I'd find from Estee Lauder. I would just as soon stick to their regular line (which is still fabulous), and save my money--you're basically just paying for the packaging.

'Perfectly' Disheveled Hair

I've tried many Sea Salt Sprays on my hair to give it that beachy, windblown look , but all it did was make my hair dry and sticky; it inevitably ended up in a ponytail. I had pretty much given up on the look, until I found Nick Chavez's product, Flocker. It's exactly what I've been looking for: it texturizes and gives lift without any stickiness. The texture is a lot like a hairspray, but you spray it in your palms and then scrunch it. Now, I'm not saying I looked as good as Jennifer Garner in this picture, but I was pretty darn close...

The Ultimate Clarifying Shampoo

Another one of my 'life changing products' is this clarifying shampoo by Frederick Fekkai. I use it about once a month to get rid of the buildup from my gels, conditioners, silicone serums, etc. It smells amazing--exactly like the apple cider it's name after. Also, it gets rid of all buildup without turning my hair to straw, and it leaves it soooo shiny. I've tried a lot of clarifying shampoos, but I keep coming back to this one. It's like a new beginning for my hair every time I use it.

Healthy Lip Gloss???

So, I received a full size sample of Borba lip tint in Luscious a while back, and was extremely excited to try it. Per Borba's packaging, this lip tint "boosts the visible benefits of all BORBA Nutraceuticals and Cosmeceutical products by harnessing the positive effects of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients everytime you lick your lips."

First of all, the scent/taste (supposedly Vanilla Mint) was somewhat nauseating. It was way too sweet and the scent gave me a headache. Second, I really think it made my lips dryer than they already were--I had to put chapstick on before I used it. Third, the color didn't go on smoothly. Overall, this was horrible. I do not lick my lips enough to get the amount vitamins that would make this product worthwhile. In fact, when I have this on I try not to lick my lips at all! I actually threw it away, and it takes A LOT to make me get rid of a beauty product. Has anybody else tried this product? What do you think?

Scent-sible Home Decor

How cute is this scented tassel from Agraria? It would look adorable hanging on the back of a chair or on a doorknob. They come in 8 different scent/color combinations, though I'm partial to the Mediterranean Jasmine (shown) which is a bouquet of Mediterranean jasmine, blooming honeysuckle, gardenia buds, freesia, lily of the valley and tuberose. And I love that I can still display it even after the scent fades.