Meet the Staff: The Sketchbook
· Blog Home
· Profile
· MySpace
· Contact Us
· FAQ/TOS
Articles This Month
· Beauty Notebook JULY 2006: Summertime
· Beauty Notes: Chanel Barcelona Red
· MMUCosmetics
· Chanel Aqualumières Palettes
· Feeling hot, hot, hot...
· First review for Jason Vitamin E with A & C shampoo
· Shampoos without lauryl/laureth sulfates
Archives
· Beauty Blog (2003-2004)
· Fashion Blog (archive)
· New Releases Blog (archive)
· Beauty Articles (archive)
· April 2005
· May 2005
· June 2005
· July 2005
· August 2005
· September 2005
· October 2005
· November 2005
· December 2005
· January 2006
· February 2006
· March 2006
· April 2006
· May 2006
· June 2006
· July 2006
· August 2006
· September 2006
· October 2006
· November 2006
· December 2006
· January 2007
· February 2007
· March 2007
· April 2007
· May 2007
· June 2007
· July 2007
· August 2007
· September 2007
· October 2007
· November 2007
· December 2007
· January 2008
· February 2008
· March 2008
· April 2008
· May 2008
Comments
· July 24, 2006 8:23 PM by
Dain
· July 24, 2006 9:00 PM by
Colleen Shirazi
Recent blog posts:
Links
Barneys
refinery29
The Sartorialist
Perfume Shrine
Polyvore
The Fashioniste
The Powder Group
LA-Story.com
Dain's Literary Attempts
Colleen's Beading Blog
Colleen's Adult Acne Blog
The Beauty Blog Network
Eponym Blog Directory.
TBF Project:Blog
The Lipstick Page Forums Beauty & Fashion Blog: July 2006
Beauty Notebook JULY 2006: Summertime
Posted by Dain, Saturday, July 29, 2006 6:50 PM (Eastern)
SPONSORED by:
...And the livin' is easy. Sorry, I couldn't resist. You know, it's funny, but I have four versions of "Summertime": the classic big band jazz of Louie & Ella, the bittersweet haze of Sublime, the hearty, gritty rock of Janis Joplin, and an eleven-and-a-half-minute long ramble of Coltrane. The same basic melody, but each is so very different from the others. Also "Summertime Blues" by The Who, but I do not think that counts.
 Michael Kors Eau de Parfum $60: Perhaps it is something about the stark, sharp bottle, but when I think of Michael Kors, I see harsh sun, a cloudless blue sky, and endless sand. In short, the desert, dry and unforgiving. And then you smell the scent inside, and it is anything but: a lush, creamy tuberose, rich and feminine and so, so sexy (a virtual man magnet, I've caught some sidling up just to sniff), with a faint metallic heart. Dry desert heat, tropical heat, Michael Kors is hot. |
 Fresh Umbrian Clay Face Treatment $48: The Northeast is a sticky, miserable place come summertime. If you, like me, feel gross and oily in the humidity, the solution is but with Fresh Umbrian Clay, which sucks out all the grime, leaving skin fresh (no pun intended) and sparkling clean. And because it is Fresh, so you can tell yourself that this is a fabulous deep clean, not a hide-yourself-away-because-you-look-like-some-sorta-alien face mask. You can also leave it overnight on blemishes; it works really well. |
 NARS Blush Brush $46: A friend of mine, who, like me, is a huge NARS aficionado, once thrust this brush in my face. "Isn't it gorgeous?" she purred, "Look at the bristles, they've got gold glints." I objected, the hairs were floppy. She shot me an aggravated glance, and bade me try it. And, I had to admit it, it was gorgeous. Crafted of quality pony hair, and chiseled to perfection, it makes blush application a breeze. |
 NARS Orgasm Powder Blush Cheek Color $25: I can't very well espouse a blush brush without providing a blush, and there is no better than this peachy-pinky-gold shimmer, glinting sheerly on tanned skin. Orgasm by name, a blush, barring all other considerations, that truly lives up to its name. |
  |
 Claus Porto Rivale Grapefruit Fig Candle $32: Can you imagine anything more gorgeous than Claus Porto's line of soaps and candles? You almost hesitate to open them, the packaging alone is worth just displaying on your vanity. But open them you must, for, inside, are the most heavenly scents imaginable. The products themselves are just pure luxury. I'm partial to Rivale, which is both crisp (grapefruit) and earthy (fig), a scent so addictive I keep returning to sniff the box over and over again. |
 Paula Dorf 2+1 For Eyes Forbidden Eyeshadow $24: Many shy away from blue eyeshadow, for it is like coral nailpolish, garish when it is not seasonal, but I swear, it is the perfect counterpoint to bronzed skin. It is just the perfect hint of color, with lush black mascara. All you need is a little, glossy stained lip (Fresh Desire!) and a hint of shimmer on the cheeks (NARS Orgasm!) to complement. Nothing could be simpler, and I can't imagine a prettier offering than this one, from Paula Dorf, with its sea blue shimmer, lusty cornflower blue, and bright navy. If you must, soften it with a light pink or a smooth bronze or even a pure white matte. |
 Fresh Desire Gloss Absolute $24: It's the perfect balm-y stain, translucent like cherry popsicles, but unlike the popsicles, it's all grown up. It's enough color for tan skin, but it doesn't overwhelm—just sunny, cheerful summer color that looks natural and pretty, not overdone. It comes in a cute-as-can-be compact, with a generous mirror so that you can take it on the go. Plus, it smells of Fresh's famous lemon sugar. |
 Essie Fiesta Nail Colour Polish $7: Essie, in my opinion, makes the best nailpolish. This bright fuchsia pink, lush and opaque, like a tropical flower, is my pick of the season. It's boldly ultrafeminine, perfect for the height of summer. Bright but classy, it makes me think of fruity martinis and J.Crew polos (though actually, I hate polos—think they're expensive t-shirts). |
 Trilogy 100% Pure Organic Rosehip Oil $20: I find something immensely appealing about this pure, soothing face oil. It's so simple, and my skin, which doesn't like complex cocktails or harsh chemicals, just adores it. |
Be sure to check out my reviews in our Online Beauty Reviews for more detailed information about these products!
Labels: beauty notebook, claus porto, essie, fresh, michael kors, nars, phyto, trilogy
0 comment(s)
Post a comment (NO SPAM)
Permalink
. del.icio.us
. Stumble
Permalink
. del.icio.us
. Stumble
Beauty Notes: Chanel Barcelona Red
Posted by Dain, Friday, July 28, 2006 4:37 PM (Eastern)
Something has happened to me that I never thought would happen: I found a "great" lipstick, years since Jane's now defunct Loco Cocoa. I was wandering the wilds of Heathrow Duty-Free (which puts most malls to shame), and I was gazing wistfully at bottle of Coco Mademoiselle, when I tried Chanel Barcelona Red, on a whim. Applied sheer is a red roses tint that lights up everything about my face, even if I have nothing else on my face. Applied more generously, it is red rose, not just the tint. It's just a simple gorgeous pink-red, with no fuschia (a rare commodity with pink-reds), PLUS it smells like roses, PLUS it feels light and comfortable and not at all lipsticky on the lips, PLUS it's Chanel. I'll always need other colors, but I can see my hand reaching for this... ohhh... everyday. I'm a serialist when it comes to makeup: I use the same thing over and over again, until suddenly, I lose interest.
UPDATE: Ok, I lost this, don't know where. And I've since replaced it with Giorgio Armani Armanisilk #46, which is superior in quality.
Labels: beauty notes, chanel, lips
MMUCosmetics
Posted by TheLipstickPageForums.com, Wednesday, July 26, 2006 12:57 PM (Eastern)
Article & photography by Raphaëlle.
Previously published on TheBroadroom.Net
MMUCosmetics is, to me, mostly a bath & body products company. They carry makeup but it's the incredible selection of scents that attracted me to this company. I have tried many of the products and a variety of scents. The products are mixed with scent once an order is placed. This means products are always fresh but it also means orders take longer to arrive.
MMU has quite a few different body creams to choose from. My favourite for Winter is the Shea Body Butter Souffle. It has a thick creamy consistency and is easier to apply if you take a small amount and rub it a bit between your hands before applying. A close second is Babe-Cakes Body Icing. It has similar thickness and moisturizing properties but it's harder to apply. If someone has drier skin, the Sweet Body Butter is even more moisturizing. It is, however, harder to apply. It's best to apply this right after a shower or bath when your skin isn't completely dry yet. For my mostly normal skin, this was too thick and moisturizing. For very very dry areas, 100% Shea Butter is great. I used it when my hands turned red and painful from washing my hands frequently. A word of caution: this is very sticky so probably wouldn't work very well during the day. I used it at night when my hands were in a particularly bad state and they were soft and smooth by the next morning.
For Summer, I prefer the "Jojoba-E Body Cream" and the Honey & Goat Milk Body Cream. These still have a nice creamy consistency but much thinner than the Shea Body Butter Souffle. Much easier to apply. Some people also like the Body Custard for Summer. This is more a lotion than a cream. I tend to prefer creamier products so this one isn't for me.Any MMU cream works well on the hands but they do have a hand cream: Hands Up. I actually found this better than other creams for my hands (except for the winter dryness). It absorbs faster and moisturizes well so it's easier to apply several times a day as opposed to a cream that needs a little more time to sink in. The hand cream can also be used on the body though I prefer to use it only on my hands. The other creams work better for the body. They seem to have better longlasting moisturizing qualities.
MMU has a hand cream, so of course, they also have a foot cream! This one is Sole Provider and can also be used all over. I like this cream well enough but I'm not crazy about it either. Again, I prefer the body creams for all over application. Sole Provider does a good job on the feet but it's my first time even using a cream for my feet so I'm not much of a reference!
A product I must rave about is the Silk & Shine Shampoo. It might not work for dry hair but does a wonderful job on mine (fine, wavy-curly, normal hair). I don't need to wash my hair as often with this shampoo and, this is the important part, it doesn't give me pimples! That's always a plus. All drugstore shampoos I've tried have given my sensitive skin pimples. This one is less expensive than salon brands and is good to my skin. I use it with the Protein Conditioner which is a rather light conditioner on me. It leaves my hair soft and helps detangle it but doesn't weigh my hair down like other conditioners do. And I like it because it's Silk & Shine's partner!Another great product is SheShe Balm. This is a shea butter based lip balm. It doesn't feel waxy like some chapsticks do. It does a really nice job of moisturizing the lips without feeling too greasy. I put this on before bed at night and my lips are nice and soft in the morning, no matter how chapped they may have been before I put it on. I've never tried it under lipstick but I suspect it would work well if given the time to be absorbed by the lips before applying the lipstick.
Shavettes is MMU's shaving cream and is the least irritating shave I've ever tried. Skin is soft and moisturized after shaving with this cream. MMU also carries excellent body scrubs, body washes and perfumes as well as colour cosmetics. With the array of products and the scent selection, everyone is sure to find something to their liking. MMU products can be bought at www.mmucosmetics.com. They do ship internationally but shipping charges can be quite high. However, they are about right according to the Canada Post price list.
beauty, bath and body, hair care
Chanel Aqualumières Palettes
Posted by TheLipstickPageForums.com, 12:27 PM (Eastern)
Article & photography by Raphaëlle.
Previously published on TheBroadroom.Net
Chanel Aqualumières palettes are limited edition but they come back regularly in different colours. I have the Exaltation palette which is from Spring 2003. Aqualumières consists of 4 creamy colours and 4 glosses.
The creams can be used on lips, cheeks and eyes and can be used both wet and dry. I've only tried them dry on my lips and eyes. The colours are great for lips. Nothing outlandish and the colours can be built up to be as bright as you wish. For eyes, some colours are great. The bronze in the lower left corner is my favourite. The burgundy and plum are a little harder for me to wear because of my skintone. If not applied carefully, they can make me look like I've been crying. Mixing them with a bit of bronze or using them very sheerly helps. Otherwise, the colours are great for any eye colour, especially green, hazel or brown. I've experienced some creasing when using these on my eyes but I have slightly oily lids. Using a base helps a lot. I used MAC Stillife paint and the Aqualumières stayed put all day.
The glosses are for use on the lips. I suppose you could use them on eyes as well but I suspect they would crease quite a bit. The 4 gloss colours are quite sheer but the colour they add is visible. They're not sticky which means staying power is not quite as good but they feel very moisturizing. The glosses are nice to use over the creams to change the colour ever so slightly but they're also great on their own for a more natural yet glossy look.
Aqualumières palettes contain a good basic face and are fun to whip out in public bathrooms. And of course, limited edition Chanel always smells of luxury which is always good.
beauty, cosmetics, makeup
Feeling hot, hot, hot...
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Sunday, July 23, 2006 11:15 PM (Eastern)
Well okay that is an exaggeration. I'm in the Midwest right now, and it's not nearly as hot as the South gets to be. Since I'm from the South, I can concede the heat is not that much.
Moreover, the sun isn't as scorching as it is in California, where I've lived over the past twenty years or so. I slacked off today and didn't wear sunscreen, aside from what I normally wear on my face (yes, I always use sunscreen on my face). In California you would be talking a sunburn for the next week. As it stands, I got slightly hit on the shoulders and on the top of my head. Probably should have worn a hat.
Still, the experience does make me review my current beauty routine. It's surprising to me how many of my products have held up well in the heat and humidity. I'll guess it's because staying power has always been crucial to me in a product. I loathe touch-ups (except for lipstick since it's to be expected); therefore I have always gravitated toward the product that has migrated or faded the least. I'll pay more, I will abide a more limited color selection (MAC Powerpoint over Eye Kohl), just don't ask me to keep checking my makeup in a mirror!
So far, my usual base face--tinted sunscreen (TerraSport SPF 30+ and Zia liquid foundation in Mica) and MAC Blot powder--has worn pretty well. I had to blot a little with a tissue and put on more Blot, once.
My eye pencils...MAC Permaplum Powerpoint and Prestige Expresso automatic waterproof...have stayed put all day.
Today I did shadow (and frankly, if it gets hot and humid enough I don't do shadow, why bother): Christian Dior Beige Massaï eyeshadow quint. I didn't do an elaborate design, where shadows travelling would show. Rather I opted for a simple wash of the orange sherbet shade, a light outer crease of the medium nut brown shade, and the Prestige Expresso to line. This held up through a day at the zoo (I mean literally, a day at the zoo) and a nap. lol
Blush...Nars The Multiple in Malibu. Lipstick...well okay, that's something that has to last only reasonably well (as in, touch up after eating): MAC Strawberry Blonde. Curse MAC for making this a limited edition shade (it was from the Catherine Deneuve collection, which fact alone should have made it permanent).
My Avalon Organics Lemon Clarifying shampoo is still working, but barely. I could use something more astringent in this weather; it wouldn't strip given the climate. And I've halved my usual Pantene Smooth & Sleek daily conditioner. I could replace even that with something a tad lighter.
Armani Code perfume is struggling along. You need something strong in high heat and humidity; do not listen to anyone who says otherwise. (I'm from the South, remember? Most perfumes fade within minutes of having been applied once the humidity sets in.) My GF Ferre Lei/Her perfume would have been a better candidate, but still not ideal. I don't live in this type of weather enough to have found a suitable scent for it. So I have nothing to say about that here.
Enjoy your summer while it lasts. Wear your shorts and tank tops, eat your barbecue and watermelon. Just wear good makeup; choose your products carefully, and don't forget that hat!
beauty, cosmetics, makeup
Labels: beauty notes
2 comment(s)
Post a comment (NO SPAM)
Permalink
. del.icio.us
. Stumble
|
July 24, 2006 8:23 PM, Dain said...
wee! I am glad to see that you have tried Dior shadows. They are superluxe, no? Really, the best on the market (the older ones, in the square, brighter blue packaging are even nicer), though you can't beat NARS for ingenuity. If you're worried about the cost, though, ebay.com is the place to go... you can find these quints for half, if not a third, of the original price. July 24, 2006 9:00 PM, Colleen Shirazi said...
Yep! It was part of a RAOK that was very kind :) |
Permalink
. del.icio.us
. Stumble
First review for Jason Vitamin E with A & C shampoo
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Thursday, July 13, 2006 2:32 PM (Eastern)
In case you are not familiar with this site...yup, it's more than just blogs. We have a beauty products review database, an image library, and of course, the original forum of The Lipstick Page.
Jason Vitamin E with A & C Shampoo
beauty, hair care
Shampoos without lauryl/laureth sulfates
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Wednesday, July 12, 2006 11:46 PM (Eastern)
There's more talk about this now although it's not a new concept. Some health food store shampoos have long made this claim. My theory is that these ingredients are drawing more attention now because drugstore shampoos have begun to overuse them. That is a theory as I say...but I have seen more complaints on the beauty boards about scalp problems than ever before.
I'm only slightly skeptical about the claim that lauryl/laureth sulfates in shampoo cause noticeable hair loss. It is possible that some people have developed an allergy to them, possibly again from my theoretical overuse of them.
Anyhow...I'm not a purist myself. I use Pantene, which, according to beauty board legend, is evil. Pantene is supposed to contain so much silicones, that it coats your hair and gradually strangles it. I've seen this claim in print across several sources, but it is well to point out that not one of the sources had actually tried Pantene herself.
Along with the Pantene, I use Avalon Organics Lemon Clarifying shampoo. It's a pretty boss shampoo...smells heavenly, like lemon drops, works well (no stripping or drying, not astringent, yet cleanses well). Unlike some lauryl/laureth sulfate-less shampoos, this also lathers well.
To this I added on a Jason shampoo, just today though. I haven't tried it yet, only smelled it in the shop. Mmmmm! It's Jason Vitamin E with A & C shampoo.
Not all health food store shampoos are lauryl/laureth sulfate-less though. It's a good bet that those that do contain lauryl/laureth sulfates, contain less of them than your average mainstream shampoo, but if you're looking to go lauryl/laureth-less you really should read the labels.
Some brands that are lauryl/laureth sulfate-less: Creme of Nature (I found out about this on another board, haven't tried it); Aubrey Organics; Nature's Gate Organics.
I tried several, if not all, of the Nature's Gate Organics shampoos back in the day. They're quite good but expensive. I think Jason gives you more product for the buck.
Avalon Organics: besides the Lemon Clarifying, I have tried the Lavender. It smells divine but it's too moisturizing for me to use regularly.
Well this concludes my tour of these shampoos. I'll add more information later on as I try out more lauryl/laureth sulfate-less products.
beauty, hair care
subscribe
in a reader
