Watch as Sandy Linter shows us how to correctly apply lipstick. This is her final in the series of 5 makeup application videos. Sandy is Lancome’s Beauty at Every Age Expert. What I love about the video series is that the model is not 20 and she’s still gorgeous and the application and finished looks really pertain to women over 40. Enjoy.
Catch these additional videos from Sandy
I’m calling Elizabeth Arden a “quiet love” because you don’t seem to hear much about the line, yet there are several products to love. I admit, it’s been a long time since I’ve used Elizabeth Arden products and I have no reason to explain why that is. So when a representative contacted me to try a few products in the line, I was excited to put this classic line back into my beauty repertoire. There were three different products sent to me; foundation, bronzer and blush.
The first product I tried was the Pure Finish Mineral Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 15. It’s their newest foundation and is available in four shades: Fair, Light, Medium and Deep. The Light shade matched my skin perfectly. Now if you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, you know I have a love/hate relationship with mineral products. I love that they are good for your skin. I hate how most turn color on my face and so many give me a weird shiny plastic look to my face. This foundation did neither. It’s a tiny bit thicker than many tinted moisturizers, which I like because it gives a bit more coverage that way. Some tinted moisturizers are so sheer that you wonder where the tint is! I’d say this gives you a sheer to sheer/medium coverage. My skin also had a nice luminous glow – not a shiny, greasy looking glow, but a beautiful luminous glow. See the link above to read about all the wonderful, good-for-your-skin ingredients, too. $30
Once I tried the foundation for a few days and liked it, it was time to try the Pure Finish Mineral Bronzing Powder, which you can see from the image above was chosen as one of the Oprah Magazine“O Awards 2010″. I can see why this was chosen as a winner! The powder is a super-fine loose powder that blends beautifully. The Medium shade gives my skin a soft, pretty, warm bronze. I really like the container. It keeps the powder under control so there’s no loose powder mess to deal with. Just turn the dial to get the right amount of powder comes out and you can close it up when done and not worry about spillage. However, the one thing I don’t really like brush that’s included. It’s a foldable brush that lies flat in the top and then you put it together to make it a round brush. It’s too small to give you a flawless application and may even work better when left open. I use a synthetic bronzing brush instead. $35
The last product I tried was the Ceramide Cream Blush. The Nectar shade is a soft peachy/pink shade, Pink (shown) is a medium pink, Honey is a neutral beige and Plum is a deep plum shade. The blush is very sheer, so it goes on a lot lighter than what it looks like in the compact. You can apply it with your fingertips or I like using my flat tipped blush brush. It goes on so easily and smooth and leaves a pretty creamy flush to your cheeks. This too is filled with skin care goodness like Vitamins A, C & E for anti-aging and Elizabeth Arden’s Ceramide Triple Complex.
I picked up some of my pre-ordered beauty buys at Nordstrom earlier this week. They are pieces I purchased that are specially priced and packaged just for Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale that begins today. This is the Dior Fall Ready to Wear Palette. I think it is so versatile and wearable for many skin tones, one of those palettes that you would wear on many occasions.
This palette includes a blush (top left) a bronzer trio (top right) four neutral eye shadows (middle row) and two lip colors. To get an idea about the size of the colors in the palette, the blush and bronzer are about 1″ high and a tiny bit wider for each one. Smallish, but still workable. I will never use the powder brush that is included or the sponge applicator – just not a fan of either one. The lip brush I will use though.
This is a classy, easy to take with you anywhere palette in a tortoise style case, very Dior classy. The images above are very true to the colors in the palette. The blush is a warm light brown rose tone and the bronzer is probably a little deeper in tones than what it is coming across in the photo. Both have just the slightest of shimmer. For the bronzer a milk chocolate shade on the left, a medium tan in the middle strip and a medium bronzer on the far right. I actually swatched these on my arm, but when I downloaded the photos on the site they looked really “muddy” so I decided it best not to include them as it was not a good representation.
The eye shadows all have the slightest bit of shimmer, more like a satin finish rather than matte or shimmer. The left shadow is a good basic cream base, the 2nd shadow is a peachy/rose shade, the 3rd shadow is a golden yellow shade and the last shadow is a taupe brown shade. A variety of combinations can be used to create different looks. Using a fluffy brush, these are all pretty sheer shades.
The lip glosses are your typical wonderful Dior glosses, creamy and non-tacky. The one on the left actually went on a little more brown than I had anticipated. I thought it looked more like a rosy/brown lip shade that would be pretty close to my natural lip color. I was wrong, it came across with more brown in it than rose on my lips. The gloss on the right is a great shade to top on a darker gloss or lipstick for a dimensional look. It may be too whiteish/silver to wear alone, depending on your natural lip tone.
It must have been a hot seller on pre-order online because I no longer see it available. (Just checked this morning and it’s back online) But if you’re interested in purchasing, ($54) try Gena at Nordstrom Dior counter at 952-883-2121.
On Friday I attended at Dior Master Class at my local Minneapolis Macy’s. Rodderick Gregg was the Dior National Artist in town for the event, and what a fun time we all had! Rodderick has done makeup on celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Beyonce and so many more, but he can make you look like a celebrity too by sharing his beauty application secrets! Macy’s had a great stage set up for Rodderick and tables for all the “students” to sit at with our own mirrors and utencils for applying product as we followed along with his instructions.
First he gave us all a little history lesson on Dior the Fashion House and how it correlates with Dior the Cosmetics line. He also taught us about the Dior skin care line and what products he would recommend for us to use, and gave a good lesson on how to actually use the products. Important things such as proper quantities, when to use which product and how and where to apply them. All important factors into good skin care and maintenance.
We then all stripped our faces of any makeup so we could follow along with using the products on our own faces. They also had several makeup artists placed throughout for guests, making sure that if anyone needed guidance they were there to help. We all prepped our faces with the luxurious skin care products in order to get a flawless makeup application.
The “theme” of our makeup application was “Daytime Natural” and then he also showed us how to take the look to evening. He first began using the DiorSkin AirFlash spray foundation. There are a few ways to apply it – either spray directly on your face in a “Z” formation or spray it onto a brush and apply that way. Most of us went for the brush application. Then he took the Dior Bronze Vapo Powder – a bronzer in a spray can, and sprayed it on a brush and applied it to the face.
Filling in the eyebrows was the next step. He used the Dior Brow Styler for that. I use mine daily and I love how it works and looks so natural. Then onto the eye shadows. Rodderick used the 5 shadow palette Incognito #030. I was so happy he used this palette as I already own it and love to learn new ways in which to use the colors. Three colors were used, the lightest under the brow, the grey on the middle of the eye downward to the lash line and the pink shade directly above the middle. He then used a plum shade liner along the upper lash line. He first topped the lashes with Dior Iconic mascara sweeping downward on the top of the lashes and then upward on the bottom side of the upper lashes, then topping the lashes with DiorShow if you wanted more volume.
Then he applied softly a Dior Bronze Sunshine Tone Blush to the cheeks for a subtle flush. It was then that he applied the concealer to the under eye area using SkinFlash. This prevents you from having to start over with concealer if any eye shadow falls onto the under eye area.
Lips were lined with a natural waterproof pencil and topped with their newer glosses Dior Addict Lip Polish Spin-On Lacquer. They are all pretty nude tones and sheer. I love how the applicator spins across your lips – it makes application super easy.
Now you are set to face the day!
To get into the night mode, remove your eye shadow from the day by taking a triangle makeup sponge and rub to remove the makeup. His suggestion for night time was to use the palette # 970 Stylish Move. Take the lightest shade and apply under the eyebrow area and then the darkest plum shade and apply from the middle of the eye across the eye and downward to the lash line and blend. Then above the middle of the eye apply the medium shade and blend. Add a touch darker lip and you are smokin’ hot for the night!
Here are a few more photos from the event. A group of women from Twin Cities Hip Chicks were in attendance having a blast! They’re in the group photo with Rodderick. Rodderick also was there to answer any one on one questions afterwards, too. If you ever get a chance to go to one of the Dior Master Classes, I strongly recommend attending!
Twin Cities Hip Chicks
One on one consultation.
Yesterday I discussed the BECCA complexion , today the colors. The BECCA color line is a wide assortment of shimmers, creams, tints and mattes, loose powders and jewel shimmers, too. That’s just for the eyes! There is sure to be a texture for anyone.
Let’s start with the two eye shadows and cheek/lip tint above. On the far left is the creme eye color in Bronze Gold. It looks more intense than it really is and is actually quite light and sheer. It’s a perfect every day shadow that I have been wearing several times a week. You can apply it with your fingers or how I’ve been doing it is taking my Bobbi Brown flat cream shadow brush and applying. It applies smoothly and quickly. I have not had any issues of creasing and it lasts all day long. I should say, I always apply my Laura Mercier Eye Basics as a base first, as I do with all my eye shadows.
At the top of the photo is the eye powder shimmer in color Venise. This shadow is a shimmer (not glittery) powder in a pinkish/peach shade. It can be worn as a base shadow or as I have been doing which is to apply it over the Bronze Gold cream shadow. It adds a hint of glow to the look.
The third color in the photo is the Lip & Cheek Creme pot in shade Tuberose. I was worried that the shade might be too bright, but it’s not.
See how sheer it is? You can easily apply a dab with your finger and smooth it in, or with a brush. I use my Sonia Kashuk flat tipped blush brush and it goes on beautifully.
Shown on the bottom of the image above is the Jewel Dust in Nixie. Honestly, loose eye shadows like this are just not my thing, especially in this silvery/blue shade. It could be worn in the inner corner of the eye, but DO NOT wear it all over the eye. You will look like you never left the 70’s! Maybe if you were in your 20’s it would pass – over 40? It may look like you’re trying too hard if you wear it allover the eye.
In the tube is the Eye Tint in color Gilt. Don ‘t be fooled by the color as it comes out of the tube. It’s a bronzish gold shade that goes on very sheer and is waterproof, too. Take a look below to see how sheer both colors are.
And lastly, are the Glossy Lip Tints shown in Colada (top) and Daquiri (bottom). Colada really doesn’t come across as so lavender as it does in the photo. Daquiri is a pinkish coral shade. They both are very sheer with shimmer (not glittery shimmer though), super soft with a slight strawberry taste.
My overall opinion of the line is I really like it. Would I buy it once it’s gone – absolutely! My favorites of the line shown the last two days are the foundation stick and tinted moisturizer, the creme lip and cheek tint, the shimmer eye shadow and the creme eye shadow. And of course my loose powder that I will continue to buy over and over. BECCA is available online and at these locations world wide.
Product sent to me by PR firm.
At first look the N ARS Multiple Tintsmay seem a bit overwhelming in brightness. I know that’s what I thought when I had a sneak peak at them in a catalog a few months back. Then when they finally arrived in-store and could actually see them in person, I had a different point of view.
A very sheer point of view.
Look at how sheer these actually go on – and that’s with numerous swipes back and forth of each color. These are buildable in color and can be used on the face and/or lips. I can’t believe I’m saying this, as I’ve been a fan of the regular Multiples for years, but I actually like these better! These are lighter in weight and more glossier and slick than the regular Multiples.
The colors shown at top from left to right are: Beverly Hills, Cadaqués and Turks and Caicos. On my hand from left to right is Turks & Caicos, Cadaqués and Beverly Hills. Available online and at NARS counters everywhere. $38.
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