Black Pearl Du Jour 1.31.11

You all are probably very familiar with Chanel's new "IT" nail polish of the moment, Black Pearl. I usually do not get sucked into Chanel's IT colors. While, I do LOVE chanel's nail polishes I just usually do not go crazy for the trendy fad nail polishes that people usually run for (Particuliere, Paradoxal, Jade, Riva etc). I usually have something similar to the color or I am just not bowled over buy it. I think while Chanel's nailpolishes are on the pricey side at $27 USD, they do have unique colors and the quality is worth it.

Well, I have to make an exception to the above statement. I am absolutely in love with Chanel's Black Pearl.


The color is SO unique, I have nothing like it in my gargantuan collection. It truly depicts the color of a Black Tahitian Pearl. It is way more complex than your typical run of the mill gun metal. It is a blue, green, steel gunmetal. Depending on the light, it will pull more green or blue, but not shout "hey im wearing blue or green polish". It has the gunmetal base but the luminosity of the Tahitian pearl that makes you go "hmmmm....is this green or blue?" It is interesting because this is totally not a shimmery nail polish but when you look at it in the light you can see micro, and I mean MICRO blue shimmer. It is just phenomenal.

Let me move on to the formula, Love it. I have no problems with it, streak free and opaque in two coats. I put seche vite over it and Voila, PERFECT! Shiny and creamy!


I wanted to show you the pictures from Chanel's runway when the models wore Black Pearl and the Makeup that went back to it.

Close up on the models hands...

I found this collage of the Black Pearl color on a bunch of different hands while looking around the web.

Here is a swatch on my grubby hands at work, I am in love!
You can try to get this color at Chanel's website here. I know places are now sold out of this color, however I picked it up at Barney's on Madison on Saturday. You can always call them if you just HAVE to have it!

Do you have this?
Will you be picking it up?
Thoughts?
x

MAC Jeanius Du Jour 1.31.11

As I was doing some more research for my trending series of posts, I came across a new SS2011 collection coming out from MAC. It is called the Jeanius Collection and clearly as you can see this is based on Jeans or Denim.

I wanted to show you the promo's in case you are interested. I have to say, I am not really all that interested. The only thing that I am interested in are the nail polishes.










Anything catch your eye?
x

Teint Innocence Du Jour 1.29.11

I hope everyone is having a fabulous Saturday so far.

I wanted to review a product I am really loving right now. I have been promising this review for a month already, but I really wanted to fully and properly test it out!

As you all know I am not a foundation lover, but I found one for nights out that I am really enjoying. Chanel Teint Innocence Fluide, so of course I fall in love with this product and I find out it is discontinued from Chanel. However, I was able to buy this at my local Chanel counter at Bloomingdales, I am sure your local counter will still have also.



I was picking up my ol faithful HG of foundations which is Chanel Vita-Lumiere. I got a sample of Teinte Innocence and tested it out every day for two weeks.

My thoughts? I loved it so much that I went back and shelled out the $45 dollars for the full size. I picked up the color Clair Cameo, the same as what I wear in Winter for Vita Lumiere. I always match my skin in winter because I never wear foundation in the summer. I just love a good tan!

Anyyyywaaayyy, back to the topic, the formula is amazing. This however, is not for covering up problematic skin or any scars etc. This is more of a perfecting formula, it is not opaque, however it is build-able. It is shockingly lightweight and oil free so its great for letting your skin breathe while adding luminosity! I use one layer as as a tinted moisturizer of sorts, but better. It evens everything out and adds a great glow. You can add another layer and it will become a lot more opaque. I like just one because luckily I have no redness, scaring or acne. I have very dry skin and this does a great job of not creating any dry patches, in fact it give you a very moisturized look without adding oil to to you skin. It gives off a glowing look with light reflecting particles which also gives a diffused look to the skin.

Someone that likes a thick opaque formula will NOT like this. This is a very light fluid that gives skin a gorgeous glow and a light coverage to perfect your skin but let your skin shine through. If that is what you like then I HIGHLY recommend this.

You can check it out on Chanel.com here but they only have the chesnut color. I would recommend checking out Saks here or Bloomingdales here.

Have you ever tried this? Will you?
x

MAC Sheen Supreme Sneak Peek Du Jour 1.26.11

Look what we have here! A sneak peek of MAC's new lipstick line launching this Spring, Sheen Supreme's.

source: http://mackarrie.blogspot.com/2011/01/mac-sheen-supreme-lipstick.html

What do you think?
Will you be picking up? That nude and bright orange is calling my name!
x

Trending for SS11 Series Du Jour PART DEUX 1.26.11

I am back with my second installment of the Spring 11 Trending Series. Yesterday, we spoke a little about NEON lips. Yes, this is a huge trend but if you will notice it really is in conjunction with another trend we are seeing and it is Matte Lips.

Out with the Glosses and in with the Mattes.

This spring we are seeing on the runways and on red carpets tons of mattes, ranging from nudes to reds to yep, you guessed it, NEONS!

Have a look below at some of my favorites.










How can you get this look? Easy! Ditch the gloss and grab some toilet paper or paper towels and blot any of your favorite lipsticks to make them matte. You can buy "Matte" formulas- but I like using what you already have and love.

Another fun thing you can do is you is to use eyeshadow on your lips, this gives a great matte, flocked looking lip. I even have heard around that a certain popular brand is coming out with powder lipsticks!

Until the new powder lipsticks come out I would look at NARS and Illamasqua, two of my favorite brands for matte lipsticks.

Another benefit of Matte lipsticks is that they last ALL day long on your lips! Great!

Fun!

Will you be embracing the Matte trend?

Trending for SS11 Series Du Jour 1.25.11

This is going to be my part one of my trending for SS11 Series.

Have you been checking out any of the SS11 Makeup trends from the SS11 shows?
I have and a huge trend I am seeing is Neon Lips.

I love this trend, its such a fresh look and reprieve from cold winter days.
See below, everyone from Jil Sander to Marni to Diane von Furstenberg is showing off Neon Lips!

(Images from Google Image)

How can you incorporate this look into a wearable every day summer look? Go barefaced with a bright neon lip. keep it fresh, keep it modern by skipping on the eyeshadow and showcasing your bright lip with glowy skin!

Perfect colors for this trend?

• MAC Impassioned
• Lancome Posh Pink
• Illamasqua Over
• MAC Morange
• MAC Neon Orange
• MAC Lipmix
• Guerlain G
• Illamasqua Blaze
• Yves Saint Laurent #10 Provocative Pink
• NARS Schiap (This is on my list of MUST GET summer colors)
• NARS Heat Wave

I have all of the above, maybe I will swatch some for you later in the week!

Who is going for it? I will be!
What colors do you think will be perfect for this?
x

Philosophy Help Me Retinol Du Jour 1.24.11

Happy Monday everyone! I have been using a new product for a few weeks and wanted to give it a good test drive before I reviewed it. I picked Philosophy's Help Me Retinol Night cream a while back, probably around 3-6 months ago. I must admit I kind of forgot about it.


Fast forward to a few weeks ago, I was looking at my skin and seeing some congestion. My skin didn't look "bad" per say. I had no breakouts (I rarely do, as I have very dry skin) but there was something not good about my skin. It wasn't glowing, or very smooth or CLEAR. Clear you ask? I thought I had no breakouts? I don't, but it wasn't clear you know like when you see a person and there skin is just so CLEAR and bright and glowing. That's what I meant. I was seeing flakes from dryness, congestion in my pores and eeeek even some fine lines from the dryness as well.

I was digging around my makeup and skin care drawers for some heavy duty moisturizer as I thought that would take care of the problem, but then I found this little miracle tube and thank god.

I have been using this for about 2 weeks now at night and it has made a boat load of a difference. Now let me start off by saying, this is NOT a moisturizer. This is a retinol treatment so you will still need a moisturizer for sure. I have been using this (a pea sized drop all over my face) and layering Cetaphil moisturizing lotion over it.

I have noticed a big difference. 3 differences to be exact:

• Clarity - my pore have been much cleaner giving the clear look to my skin as they are less noticeable. Especially on my nose!
  
• Dryness- even though this is not a moisturizer per say this has gotten rid of my dryness. Vitamin A which is retinol will speed up cell turnover and act as an exfoliatant, getting rid of dead lackluster skin
  
• Fine Lines- again for the same reasons as above it gets rid of fine lines by increasing cell turnover and encouraging collagen and elastin (what makes your skin firm and plump)

To educate you a little about Retinol products if you are not already familiar, Retinol is a form of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is too big to get through your skin however retinol is a molecular size therefore being able to penetrate your skin. Retinol does not only affect the inner layers of skin, but it also improves the outer layer as well. Retinol binds well with skin cell receptor sites. This allows the retinol to encourage greater cell growth, as well as the removal of old skin cells. This leaves your skin looking and feeling smoother, with a healthy glow.

There are tons of different retinols on the market from at Sephora to Drugstores to even prescribed by your dermatologist (Retin-A) so research and see which might be right for you. Retinol can be irritating to your skin as first and cause peeling. I started every other day and built up to once a day and did not experience any peeling or irritation.

I did my own research and I decided to go with Philosophy's Help me which is $45 and can be bought here at Sephora.

Let me know if you use a retinol, ever have or if you will give it a chance now.
x

Naked Du Jour 1.20.11

I know some of you ladies have still not been able to get your hands on the Naked Palette.
Here is some GREAT news from our friends at Urban Decay.




I still highly recommend this palette, if i had to pick one palette for the rest of my life, this would be it. I use it all the time. When I run out...I 100% will purchase another.

Do you have your palette yet? Will you pick it up? Do you love it as much as I do?
x

Tumblr Du Jour 1.19.11

Hi All,

New year, new beginnings. I have been toying with the idea of creating a tumblr account for some time now. A place where I can show my inspirations, pictures I like and my own photography. Somwehere I am not just confined to beauty.

This will be a peek into the inner workings of my beauty/fashion/food/ travel obsessed mind.
I will also be able to put short clips of movies up there, so I can put of short films i make throughout my days without resorting back to you-tube.

http://beautyoftheday.tumblr.com/ Enjoy!

Follow me if you would like (I am not sure how it really works yet!)
If you have a tumblr account, please let me know below.

Fret not, I will still have this blog and keep updating as per usual.

xx

Illamasqa Throb Du Jour 1.18.11

I have gotten wind (I'm late on this...I know!) of a new Illamasqua collection, it is very small, cohesive and restrained. Just how I like it, perfectly merchandised and focused. It is called Throb. Perfect for Valentine's Day.

The collection is made up of 3 nail varnishes, a gloss and a lipstick. Very do-able!

From Illamasqua "With a desirable range of red's with Nail Varnis in Throb, Lipstick in Sangers and Intense gloss in Succubus to make your heart race..."

What a great promo image...I just love Illamasqua's creativity and imagery.

I am always in search of the perfect red, the perfect red is so elusive. It is not too warm and not too cool. I am going to check out the Nail Varnish in the collection's name sake, Throb and the Intense gloss in Succubus. These two products call out to me the most.


Is anyone going to pick up some items from Throb?
x

In's and Out's Du Jour 1.18.11

Haven't done one of these in a while and I love reading other peoples so I figured I would do one as well.

INS:

• Roots or more affectionately known as the Ombre hair trend.
• Emergen-C Pink Lemonade
• OPI Go On my Own Way Nail polish- Totally unique. A dusty blue grey gunmetal steel with a teal micro shimmer. Gorgeous
• MAC Mega Metal Spectacle of Yourself eyeshadow
• Hourglass Cosmetic Eye-shadows... Wow. The quality is phenomenal (more on this later)
• Origins Vitazing. This is magic, I swear.
• Using your creativity. Being Creative in general.
• LUSH Sea Salt Exfoliator
• Barcelona and Ibiza. I am going to see my sister in early spring. She is studying abroad there and I can not wait!!

OUTS:

• Mariachi bands on the subway. Really though? Does anyone want to hear that at 8am on your commute to work? No.
• MAC Mega Metal Unflappable Eyeshadow
• Slush. Grey wet slush.
• Chipped Nails. They just always make you look unkempt.
• People applying makeup on the subway. I don't know why but it makes me nauseous.
• UGGS- I hate them, I wear them and I hate them (I know, that makes no sense, but when my feet are freezing they are great but I HATE how they look. Gross!)

What are yours?
x

Mickey Contractor Du Jour 1.16.11

I am kind of late on this review but life has been getting the best of me.

Anyway, as I am sure you all are aware MAC has collaborated with Mickey Contractor and put out a very small limited collection at only the top 22 stores worldwide.

I had the opportunity to pick up a few pieces of this collection. I picked three pieces to me these are the MUST HAVES of the collection. They are all limited edition and very versatile and easy to wear for all skin tones.

I picked up:

• Ivy Fluidline: This was the item I was most excited about and kind of the most disappointed in. I love the color and do not have anything like it however, it is not as pigmented as it should be. If you just swipe it once it is sheer and needs another layer to make it opaque. For me, this isn't a huge issue but I could see other people not being happy about it. Although, the color is gorgeous, its a deep green with a very fine golden shimmer. I have been using this as a liner on my upper lash line along with along the bottom lash line. I am really loving it even though it does have the above issues.
  

• Siahi Fluidline: This was the hot product of the collection, it is a deep but bright turquoise blue. I got this to wear as a bold liner color with a bare face. I really love that look for spring or summer. It has a slight shimmer to it that is gorgeous. Its also a nice alternative to black liner. This is blue without being 1980's Boca Florida grandma blue! Again I have been using this as an upper and lower liner. Its pigmented and very smooth. Once on does. not. budge!
  

• Gana Blush: This is labeled a blush but this is really a highlighter, this is a more intense version of NARS Albatross. This is a frosty true white gold. I absolutely love this, its smooth and creamy with NO glitter. This is a neutral color and will work on warm and cool skin tones. MAC doesn't have anything really like this color, the closest I can think of is Nylon eyeshadow but Nylon is a lot more yellow.
  

These are not the greatest pictures. I have lightly swiped on top with my finger so you can see the sheerness. I have also used one stroke of an eyeliner brush so you can see that below as well. Gana is on my inner wrist.

Gana on the left and Chez Chez Lame on the right. Gana is much whiter and frostier.

Have you picked up anything? Are you planning on it?
What are your thoughts on the collection?
x

PS- By the way you can expect much better pictures soon as I have just ordered my Nikon D90.

Ombres Perlees De Chanel Du Jour 1.11.11

Allow me to introduce what might be my favorite product of 2011...so far that is. This is the SS11 Ombres Perlees De Chanel Palette.

There is one thing that makes this palette so fabulous, yes the colors are PERFECT but that's not it. It is the texture and formula. The shadows are SO buttery smooth and soft they almost feel like a cream.

The shadows pigmented but not OPAQUE, and I think the pigmentation of these shadows really shows off the pearliness. I have been told that these shadows are supposed to mimic the luminescence of a pearl and they really do. They give a sheen to the skin that I have never seen an eyeshadow do before.

The colors are absolutely beautiful, from left to right they are a pearly white, a rose champagne, a duochrome plum, a greenish gunmetal duochrome and a true gunmetal. All the colors are so soft, that I cant get over it.






The swatches are really hard to capture. Its hard to capture the duo-chrome and the creaminess. I think the swatches on my fingers are better.



I love that it comes with a little brush and not just a sponge tip applicator, however I really think these shadows are best applied with your fingers! I know, thats wierd, but Im telling you they just go on so smooth with your fingers.
Another great thing about this palette is that you can throw it in your bag and go since you can apply with your fingers. You can do so many looks with it from soft and bright and sheer to sultry and smokey. The lighter colors are beautiful highlighters and especially in the inner tear duct. I have even worn as a light shimmery wash on the lid. One, two, three out the door! The possibilities are endless.

The only downfall is the price...$65. Eeek.

Overall I am very very pleased with this, I know I will get TONS of use out of this.
Have you picked this up? Are you planning to? Let me know!
x

Style Inspiration Du Jour 1.10.11

I love the 70's, everything the 70's embodied. The luxe bohemian glamor, the free spirited-ness. I love Lauren Hutton, Bianca Jagger, Farrah Fawcett and of course STEVIE NICKS!

Who doesn't love Stevie? Who doesnt love Fleetwood Mac (don't answer that!)

I found a fan site, that sums up her style PERFECTLY, "A beautiful blend of vintage, mystical, gypsy, street urchin, and gothic styles, with her own ethereal twist." Stevie is a legend in her own right. A legend that encompasses her shaky romantic life - her fans still speculate about her relationship with Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac's guitarist to her phoenix like life, rising-from-the-ashes saga of drug abuse and rehabilitation.

Anyway, lets take a look at one of my favorite 70's Icons...Perfect for Spring..

Isn't she fabulous?
x