Edward Bess Lipstick And Lipgloss

I met Edward Bess at the counter carrying his name in Bergdorf Goodman. I was immediately taken with him, even before I got to test the makeup products. Truth be told, I wanted to take him home with me so he could go over my makeup cabinet, my wardrobe and shoes, edit everything and give me a makeover. Then we would have watched a movie, maybe The Philadelphia Story, sighed over Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart and attempted to guess the exact shade of Katharine Hepburn's red lipstick.

But enough with this fantasy.

Edward Bess is a talented young beauty entrepreneur, blessed with exquisite taste and eye for details, whose makeup line is sold exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman (and on his own web site). That should tell you something about the quality and luxurious feel of the products. The eye shadows deserve a separate post (once I decide I really need more perfect shimmery taupes) and I haven't tried the bronzer and face highlighter (yet), so today is all about the lip colors.

Testing the Ultra Slick lipsticks ($29) and Deep Shine glosses ($28) was the biggest thrill, but also the greatest disappointment. While the products are absolutely amazing- rich and beautiful pigments, perfect texture and superb lasting power, the current color range (10 lipsticks, 5 glosses) just doesn't work for me. The "perfect reds" are not my reds- on my lips they both show with a disturbing shrill pink tone, and the rest are mostly way too light (resulting in a chalky look) or too brown. The best the SA and I managed to get was by layering the Dark Blossom gloss over the Deep Lust lipstick, which looked like a neutral milky brown rose, but it lacked something to make my face come alive.

On someone else with less pigmented lips and a completely different complexion, these colors would be amazing. I suspect blondes and redheads in particular would be thrilled with Edward Bess' creations. But there's good news for the rest of us: According to the SA, this fall will see some additional colors that include purple/berry tones. I can't wait.

Photo at the top is of the entire Edward Bess lip wardrobe ($400) which comes exquisitely packaged in the sleek black box. Please take note that the tiny color swatches on Edward's website (edwardbess.com) are NOT true to life. Everything is actualy a shade or two lighter.

For more on Edward Bess and his products, I highly recommend this post by Annie of Blogdorf Goodman. Reading the comments there is also quite amusing, and that's all I'm going to say about it.

Edward Bess Lipstick And Lipgloss

I met Edward Bess at the counter carrying his name in Bergdorf Goodman. I was immediately taken with him, even before I got to test the makeup products. Truth be told, I wanted to take him home with me so he could go over my makeup cabinet, my wardrobe and shoes, edit everything and give me a makeover. Then we would have watched a movie, maybe The Philadelphia Story, sighed over Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart and attempted to guess the exact shade of Katharine Hepburn's red lipstick.

But enough with this fantasy.

Edward Bess is a talented young beauty entrepreneur, blessed with exquisite taste and eye for details, whose makeup line is sold exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman (and on his own web site). That should tell you something about the quality and luxurious feel of the products. The eye shadows deserve a separate post (once I decide I really need more perfect shimmery taupes) and I haven't tried the bronzer and face highlighter (yet), so today is all about the lip colors.

Testing the Ultra Slick lipsticks ($29) and Deep Shine glosses ($28) was the biggest thrill, but also the greatest disappointment. While the products are absolutely amazing- rich and beautiful pigments, perfect texture and superb lasting power, the current color range (10 lipsticks, 5 glosses) just doesn't work for me. The "perfect reds" are not my reds- on my lips they both show with a disturbing shrill pink tone, and the rest are mostly way too light (resulting in a chalky look) or too brown. The best the SA and I managed to get was by layering the Dark Blossom gloss over the Deep Lust lipstick, which looked like a neutral milky brown rose, but it lacked something to make my face come alive.

On someone else with less pigmented lips and a completely different complexion, these colors would be amazing. I suspect blondes and redheads in particular would be thrilled with Edward Bess' creations. But there's good news for the rest of us: According to the SA, this fall will see some additional colors that include purple/berry tones. I can't wait.

Photo at the top is of the entire Edward Bess lip wardrobe ($400) which comes exquisitely packaged in the sleek black box. Please take note that the tiny color swatches on Edward's website (edwardbess.com) are NOT true to life. Everything is actualy a shade or two lighter.

For more on Edward Bess and his products, I highly recommend this post by Annie of Blogdorf Goodman. Reading the comments there is also quite amusing, and that's all I'm going to say about it.

Edward Bess Lipstick And Lipgloss

I met Edward Bess at the counter carrying his name in Bergdorf Goodman. I was immediately taken with him, even before I got to test the makeup products. Truth be told, I wanted to take him home with me so he could go over my makeup cabinet, my wardrobe and shoes, edit everything and give me a makeover. Then we would have watched a movie, maybe The Philadelphia Story, sighed over Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart and attempted to guess the exact shade of Katharine Hepburn's red lipstick.

But enough with this fantasy.

Edward Bess is a talented young beauty entrepreneur, blessed with exquisite taste and eye for details, whose makeup line is sold exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman (and on his own web site). That should tell you something about the quality and luxurious feel of the products. The eye shadows deserve a separate post (once I decide I really need more perfect shimmery taupes) and I haven't tried the bronzer and face highlighter (yet), so today is all about the lip colors.

Testing the Ultra Slick lipsticks ($29) and Deep Shine glosses ($28) was the biggest thrill, but also the greatest disappointment. While the products are absolutely amazing- rich and beautiful pigments, perfect texture and superb lasting power, the current color range (10 lipsticks, 5 glosses) just doesn't work for me. The "perfect reds" are not my reds- on my lips they both show with a disturbing shrill pink tone, and the rest are mostly way too light (resulting in a chalky look) or too brown. The best the SA and I managed to get was by layering the Dark Blossom gloss over the Deep Lust lipstick, which looked like a neutral milky brown rose, but it lacked something to make my face come alive.

On someone else with less pigmented lips and a completely different complexion, these colors would be amazing. I suspect blondes and redheads in particular would be thrilled with Edward Bess' creations. But there's good news for the rest of us: According to the SA, this fall will see some additional colors that include purple/berry tones. I can't wait.

Photo at the top is of the entire Edward Bess lip wardrobe ($400) which comes exquisitely packaged in the sleek black box. Please take note that the tiny color swatches on Edward's website (edwardbess.com) are NOT true to life. Everything is actualy a shade or two lighter.

For more on Edward Bess and his products, I highly recommend this post by Annie of Blogdorf Goodman. Reading the comments there is also quite amusing, and that's all I'm going to say about it.

Summer Reading

Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart is a charming little memoir of New York City in the mid 40s. You can almost see and feel the city as it was back then, the excitement and naivete of two Midwestern college girls experiencing the city for the first time. I have a thing for old movies, especially those that were filmed in Manhattan, and reading this book is almost like watching one.

From the front flap:

Do you remember the best summer of your life?

New York City, 1945.
Marjorie Jacobson and her best friend, Marty Garrett, arrive fresh from the Kappa house at the University of Iowa hoping to find summer positions as shopgirls. Turned away from the top department stores, they miraculously find jobs as pages at Tiffany & Co., becoming the first women to ever work on the sales floor—a diamond-filled day job replete with Tiffany blue shirtwaist dresses from Bonwit Teller's—and the envy of all their friends.

Hart takes us back to the magical time when she and Marty rubbed elbows with the rich and famous; pinched pennies to eat at the Automat; experienced nightlife at La Martinique; and danced away their weekends with dashing midshipmen. Between being dazzled by Judy Garland's honeymoon visit to Tiffany, celebrating VJ Day in Times Square, and mingling with Café society, she fell in love, learned
unforgettable lessons, made important decisions that would change her future, and created the remarkable memories she now shares with all of us.

It will make you want to try on one of the Tiffany blue nail polishes reviewed in Blogdorf Goodman last week. I don't think I can pull of this particular look, but the colors are gorgeous. I think they look best against pale skin.


For those who share my love of NYC memoirs and wish to read something a bit more literary, Here's one of my most favorite books of all time: Manhattan Memoir by Mary Cantwell.

Mary Cantwell was a fashion writer for several magazines. Her three-part memoir covers her New England childhood and her adult years as a working woman in Manhattan of the 50s and 60s. The book is beautifully written and pulls you into her world.

Summer Reading

Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart is a charming little memoir of New York City in the mid 40s. You can almost see and feel the city as it was back then, the excitement and naivete of two Midwestern college girls experiencing the city for the first time. I have a thing for old movies, especially those that were filmed in Manhattan, and reading this book is almost like watching one.

From the front flap:

Do you remember the best summer of your life?

New York City, 1945.
Marjorie Jacobson and her best friend, Marty Garrett, arrive fresh from the Kappa house at the University of Iowa hoping to find summer positions as shopgirls. Turned away from the top department stores, they miraculously find jobs as pages at Tiffany & Co., becoming the first women to ever work on the sales floor—a diamond-filled day job replete with Tiffany blue shirtwaist dresses from Bonwit Teller's—and the envy of all their friends.

Hart takes us back to the magical time when she and Marty rubbed elbows with the rich and famous; pinched pennies to eat at the Automat; experienced nightlife at La Martinique; and danced away their weekends with dashing midshipmen. Between being dazzled by Judy Garland's honeymoon visit to Tiffany, celebrating VJ Day in Times Square, and mingling with Café society, she fell in love, learned
unforgettable lessons, made important decisions that would change her future, and created the remarkable memories she now shares with all of us.

It will make you want to try on one of the Tiffany blue nail polishes reviewed in Blogdorf Goodman last week. I don't think I can pull of this particular look, but the colors are gorgeous. I think they look best against pale skin.


For those who share my love of NYC memoirs and wish to read something a bit more literary, Here's one of my most favorite books of all time: Manhattan Memoir by Mary Cantwell.

Mary Cantwell was a fashion writer for several magazines. Her three-part memoir covers her New England childhood and her adult years as a working woman in Manhattan of the 50s and 60s. The book is beautifully written and pulls you into her world.

Summer Reading

Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart is a charming little memoir of New York City in the mid 40s. You can almost see and feel the city as it was back then, the excitement and naivete of two Midwestern college girls experiencing the city for the first time. I have a thing for old movies, especially those that were filmed in Manhattan, and reading this book is almost like watching one.

From the front flap:

Do you remember the best summer of your life?

New York City, 1945.
Marjorie Jacobson and her best friend, Marty Garrett, arrive fresh from the Kappa house at the University of Iowa hoping to find summer positions as shopgirls. Turned away from the top department stores, they miraculously find jobs as pages at Tiffany & Co., becoming the first women to ever work on the sales floor—a diamond-filled day job replete with Tiffany blue shirtwaist dresses from Bonwit Teller's—and the envy of all their friends.

Hart takes us back to the magical time when she and Marty rubbed elbows with the rich and famous; pinched pennies to eat at the Automat; experienced nightlife at La Martinique; and danced away their weekends with dashing midshipmen. Between being dazzled by Judy Garland's honeymoon visit to Tiffany, celebrating VJ Day in Times Square, and mingling with Café society, she fell in love, learned
unforgettable lessons, made important decisions that would change her future, and created the remarkable memories she now shares with all of us.

It will make you want to try on one of the Tiffany blue nail polishes reviewed in Blogdorf Goodman last week. I don't think I can pull of this particular look, but the colors are gorgeous. I think they look best against pale skin.


For those who share my love of NYC memoirs and wish to read something a bit more literary, Here's one of my most favorite books of all time: Manhattan Memoir by Mary Cantwell.

Mary Cantwell was a fashion writer for several magazines. Her three-part memoir covers her New England childhood and her adult years as a working woman in Manhattan of the 50s and 60s. The book is beautifully written and pulls you into her world.

My Favorite Things for 2006

2006 has been full of beauty discoveries. Of course, I also started my blogging journey this year, which made the experience more interesting. My experiments with color and scent have an audience now, witnessing both Holy Grail discoveries, as well as what happens when I don't wash my hair for four days (in the name of science) or when I try on a fragrance that turns my stomach just before having one mojito too many.

Without further ado, here's my list of Favorite Things for 2006 (in no particular order):

1. Secret de Vie by Lancome

The magic orb holds a cream that is officially targeting an audience older than me (you'll find it on their site under solutions for wrinkles and dermo-creases). I'll go out on a limb here and say that it probably doesn't erase wrinkles. However, it's an amazing active cream that really restores and nourishes the skin. It promises instant, visible results and in the case of my 30-something skin it is delivering just that. I've been using it since early fall, from the first sign that my skin gave about being unhappy with the change of weather. That first sign was also the last, because SdV has done wonders. No redness, flakiness or any other kind of irritation. It feels great, smells wonderfully, doesn't clog pores and actually seems to be helping with healing if the occasional breakout appears. It costs a pretty penny and is well worth it.
My original post about SdV is here.

2. Besame Cosmetics makeup in general and lip glaze in particular

Pretty is as pretty does, and in the case of this small and relatively unknown California-based company, it's not just the gorgeous, retro-glam packaging of the products. Inside the gold and red vials, tubes and compacts there is some serious beauty and exceptional quality. The latest product that was launched is the lip glaze, which for me takes the cake. The combination of pretty colors, delicious smell, impressive staying power and, most important, pampering and soothing my sensitive lips, is the best one I came across so far. It can only improve if it came in more colors.
My reviews of Besame products are here.

3. Shea Butter and Dead Sea Salt Scrub from Maryam's Soap Nook

The fact that a body scrub is even on my list of favorites should be telling. After all, this is "just" the stuff that you rub on your body to remove dead skin flakes and wash it away. Some scrubs are better than others, some smell really nice, but how much notice do you really take of them? This product makes a big difference in the way my skin looks and feels. It does the work and then some. The salt is packed into a rich cream of shea butter and several oils. The result is that my skin is not only smoother but also softer and never dry. It's a homespun product in a humble packaging that is far superior to the expensive stuff that's sold in fancy stores and spas.
The original review is here.

4. Gris Clair by Serge Lutens

It took me a while (and a change in weather) to fall in love with this scent, and I still like it much better on my husband than on myself, so I'm listing it as my favorite men fragrance for 2006. What's in it? Mostly lavender with a touch of iris, smoke sweetened with maybe a hint of vanilla. It's understated and sophisticated in its quiet way, and the somewhat earthy drydown is heartbreakingly beautiful. Or, is it handsome? The only problem is the staying power, or lack of it. It's lovely, but gone too soon.

5. Urban Decay eye shadow primer potion

It's my most recent discovery and it makes a lot of difference in the way my eye makeup behaves. I'm not entirely sure that it was only launched in 2006, but since primers of all kinds have become a mainstream essential this year, I'll regard it as such. An extra 30 seconds of applying makeup resulting in eye shadows that not only last and last (and last), but also look brighter and better.
Here's my original review.

6. Lorac Snake Charmer palette

This seems to be the year of palettes, especially the limited edition ones. People were doing crazy things to score Bobbi Brown's Chocolate palette (so much hype over brown eye shadow, albeit pretty), Chanel charged an arm, a leg and your firstborn for their Coromandels compact that looks like a work of art, but isn't the most practical thing ever. The Snake Charmer palette is the one I reach for most often. The blush gives a healthy glow (though it requires a very light hand, as it's quite bright and very pigmented) that I love when wearing warm colors. The four eye shadows also pack a lot of color and quite a bit of non-glittery shimmer. The colors are neutral but they give a beautiful evening look. They never flaked or creased on me, even before I started using a primer underneath them, and their texture is excellent and easy to apply.
Here's what I wrote about this palette months ago.

7. Niche Perfumes

Yes, I know that this is sort of a cop out. But, my main fragrance discovery this year has been the world beyond Calvin, Ralph and even Cartier. I don't think I can pick just one scent or even one perfume house. I wish I'd have discovered Serge Lutens a few months before I did, when I was in Paris and could have picked a bell jar or two (or three). In the mean time, I'm falling in love with every (export line) Serge I manage to come across, as well with the creations from L' Artisan, Andy Tauer, Regina Harris, Bond no. 9, Mazzolari (a post coming soon. There's more to them than Alessandro), Lea St. Barth, Sage Machado, Keiko Mecheri and many others. But most notable this year was the nearly religious experience I had at the JAR boutique of Bergdorf. You don't look at fragrance the same way after you smell and try on these unique scents.

8. Tom Ford Black Orchid

Back to the world of mainstream (albeit luxury) perfumes. I know that some bloggers were disappointed with this one, as they expected something very edgy. I didn't have many expectations, as I've always been a bit suspicious of Ford, who is more than a little misogynistic. It took me a few tries to really learn to appreciate this scent, to make it mine and to enjoy it as much as I do now. It's not a Serge Lutens, but it's almost Lutenic (did I just coin a phrase?) in the experience and complexity. I love its elegance and Old World charm. It might not be the mystery lady in a black cape, vanishing into the night. But it is a black dress (not necessarily a little one) and silk stockings scent. How many of those are created these days?
More can be found here.

9. Dallas blush/bronzer by Benefit

This was the color that made my summer. A plummish bronze or a brownish plum was the best and easiest fake tan I came across. It takes a much lighter hand in the winter, but it still works beautifully.
Here's my first rave about it.

10. Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

Another recent discovery that has become an important part of my routine. It can be used in several ways, but to me it works best as a super moisturizing but completely non-greasy hand cream. It's the one I keep on my desk and use while typing, without leaving any sticky residue in my wake.
Here's my original post.

Worth mentioning are my perennial favorites. Most of those I've been using for years and still reach for them on a nearly daily basis. Here they are.

Please visit my fellow bloggers who are also taking part in this end of the year tradition and listing their own favorites:

Afrobella

All About The Pretty

Aromascope

Beauty Addict

Beauty Blogging Junkie

Beauty by Nadine

Beautiful Makeup Search & Beauty Blog

Beauty Hatchery

Beauty Jones

Blogdorf Goodman

Bois de Jasmin

BonBons in the Bath

Brain Trapped in Girl's Body

Capital Hill Barbie

C'est Chic

Coquette

Crazy Jay Blue

eBeautyDaily

Girl's Handbook

Hautemommastuff

Koneko's *Mostly* Beauty Diary!

Legerdenez

Makeup Bag

Monkeyposh

My Muse

No one knows why the wolf laughs

Now Smell This

Perfume Smellin' Things

Peppermint Patty's Perfume Posse

Platinum Blonde Life

Product Girl

Scentzilla!

She'll Be Feverish After So Much Thinking

Slap of the Day

The Customer Is Always Right

The Daily Obsession

The Great She Elephant

The Life of a Ladybug

Urbane Girl

Victoria's Own

A special thank you to Annie from Blogdorf Goodman who organized this project.
Happy New Year!

My Favorite Things for 2006

2006 has been full of beauty discoveries. Of course, I also started my blogging journey this year, which made the experience more interesting. My experiments with color and scent have an audience now, witnessing both Holy Grail discoveries, as well as what happens when I don't wash my hair for four days (in the name of science) or when I try on a fragrance that turns my stomach just before having one mojito too many.

Without further ado, here's my list of Favorite Things for 2006 (in no particular order):

1. Secret de Vie by Lancome

The magic orb holds a cream that is officially targeting an audience older than me (you'll find it on their site under solutions for wrinkles and dermo-creases). I'll go out on a limb here and say that it probably doesn't erase wrinkles. However, it's an amazing active cream that really restores and nourishes the skin. It promises instant, visible results and in the case of my 30-something skin it is delivering just that. I've been using it since early fall, from the first sign that my skin gave about being unhappy with the change of weather. That first sign was also the last, because SdV has done wonders. No redness, flakiness or any other kind of irritation. It feels great, smells wonderfully, doesn't clog pores and actually seems to be helping with healing if the occasional breakout appears. It costs a pretty penny and is well worth it.
My original post about SdV is here.

2. Besame Cosmetics makeup in general and lip glaze in particular

Pretty is as pretty does, and in the case of this small and relatively unknown California-based company, it's not just the gorgeous, retro-glam packaging of the products. Inside the gold and red vials, tubes and compacts there is some serious beauty and exceptional quality. The latest product that was launched is the lip glaze, which for me takes the cake. The combination of pretty colors, delicious smell, impressive staying power and, most important, pampering and soothing my sensitive lips, is the best one I came across so far. It can only improve if it came in more colors.
My reviews of Besame products are here.

3. Shea Butter and Dead Sea Salt Scrub from Maryam's Soap Nook

The fact that a body scrub is even on my list of favorites should be telling. After all, this is "just" the stuff that you rub on your body to remove dead skin flakes and wash it away. Some scrubs are better than others, some smell really nice, but how much notice do you really take of them? This product makes a big difference in the way my skin looks and feels. It does the work and then some. The salt is packed into a rich cream of shea butter and several oils. The result is that my skin is not only smoother but also softer and never dry. It's a homespun product in a humble packaging that is far superior to the expensive stuff that's sold in fancy stores and spas.
The original review is here.

4. Gris Clair by Serge Lutens

It took me a while (and a change in weather) to fall in love with this scent, and I still like it much better on my husband than on myself, so I'm listing it as my favorite men fragrance for 2006. What's in it? Mostly lavender with a touch of iris, smoke sweetened with maybe a hint of vanilla. It's understated and sophisticated in its quiet way, and the somewhat earthy drydown is heartbreakingly beautiful. Or, is it handsome? The only problem is the staying power, or lack of it. It's lovely, but gone too soon.

5. Urban Decay eye shadow primer potion

It's my most recent discovery and it makes a lot of difference in the way my eye makeup behaves. I'm not entirely sure that it was only launched in 2006, but since primers of all kinds have become a mainstream essential this year, I'll regard it as such. An extra 30 seconds of applying makeup resulting in eye shadows that not only last and last (and last), but also look brighter and better.
Here's my original review.

6. Lorac Snake Charmer palette

This seems to be the year of palettes, especially the limited edition ones. People were doing crazy things to score Bobbi Brown's Chocolate palette (so much hype over brown eye shadow, albeit pretty), Chanel charged an arm, a leg and your firstborn for their Coromandels compact that looks like a work of art, but isn't the most practical thing ever. The Snake Charmer palette is the one I reach for most often. The blush gives a healthy glow (though it requires a very light hand, as it's quite bright and very pigmented) that I love when wearing warm colors. The four eye shadows also pack a lot of color and quite a bit of non-glittery shimmer. The colors are neutral but they give a beautiful evening look. They never flaked or creased on me, even before I started using a primer underneath them, and their texture is excellent and easy to apply.
Here's what I wrote about this palette months ago.

7. Niche Perfumes

Yes, I know that this is sort of a cop out. But, my main fragrance discovery this year has been the world beyond Calvin, Ralph and even Cartier. I don't think I can pick just one scent or even one perfume house. I wish I'd have discovered Serge Lutens a few months before I did, when I was in Paris and could have picked a bell jar or two (or three). In the mean time, I'm falling in love with every (export line) Serge I manage to come across, as well with the creations from L' Artisan, Andy Tauer, Regina Harris, Bond no. 9, Mazzolari (a post coming soon. There's more to them than Alessandro), Lea St. Barth, Sage Machado, Keiko Mecheri and many others. But most notable this year was the nearly religious experience I had at the JAR boutique of Bergdorf. You don't look at fragrance the same way after you smell and try on these unique scents.

8. Tom Ford Black Orchid

Back to the world of mainstream (albeit luxury) perfumes. I know that some bloggers were disappointed with this one, as they expected something very edgy. I didn't have many expectations, as I've always been a bit suspicious of Ford, who is more than a little misogynistic. It took me a few tries to really learn to appreciate this scent, to make it mine and to enjoy it as much as I do now. It's not a Serge Lutens, but it's almost Lutenic (did I just coin a phrase?) in the experience and complexity. I love its elegance and Old World charm. It might not be the mystery lady in a black cape, vanishing into the night. But it is a black dress (not necessarily a little one) and silk stockings scent. How many of those are created these days?
More can be found here.

9. Dallas blush/bronzer by Benefit

This was the color that made my summer. A plummish bronze or a brownish plum was the best and easiest fake tan I came across. It takes a much lighter hand in the winter, but it still works beautifully.
Here's my first rave about it.

10. Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

Another recent discovery that has become an important part of my routine. It can be used in several ways, but to me it works best as a super moisturizing but completely non-greasy hand cream. It's the one I keep on my desk and use while typing, without leaving any sticky residue in my wake.
Here's my original post.

Worth mentioning are my perennial favorites. Most of those I've been using for years and still reach for them on a nearly daily basis. Here they are.

Please visit my fellow bloggers who are also taking part in this end of the year tradition and listing their own favorites:

Afrobella

All About The Pretty

Aromascope

Beauty Addict

Beauty Blogging Junkie

Beauty by Nadine

Beautiful Makeup Search & Beauty Blog

Beauty Hatchery

Beauty Jones

Blogdorf Goodman

Bois de Jasmin

BonBons in the Bath

Brain Trapped in Girl's Body

Capital Hill Barbie

C'est Chic

Coquette

Crazy Jay Blue

eBeautyDaily

Girl's Handbook

Hautemommastuff

Koneko's *Mostly* Beauty Diary!

Legerdenez

Makeup Bag

Monkeyposh

My Muse

No one knows why the wolf laughs

Now Smell This

Perfume Smellin' Things

Peppermint Patty's Perfume Posse

Platinum Blonde Life

Product Girl

Scentzilla!

She'll Be Feverish After So Much Thinking

Slap of the Day

The Customer Is Always Right

The Daily Obsession

The Great She Elephant

The Life of a Ladybug

Urbane Girl

Victoria's Own

A special thank you to Annie from Blogdorf Goodman who organized this project.
Happy New Year!

My Favorite Things for 2006

2006 has been full of beauty discoveries. Of course, I also started my blogging journey this year, which made the experience more interesting. My experiments with color and scent have an audience now, witnessing both Holy Grail discoveries, as well as what happens when I don't wash my hair for four days (in the name of science) or when I try on a fragrance that turns my stomach just before having one mojito too many.

Without further ado, here's my list of Favorite Things for 2006 (in no particular order):

1. Secret de Vie by Lancome

The magic orb holds a cream that is officially targeting an audience older than me (you'll find it on their site under solutions for wrinkles and dermo-creases). I'll go out on a limb here and say that it probably doesn't erase wrinkles. However, it's an amazing active cream that really restores and nourishes the skin. It promises instant, visible results and in the case of my 30-something skin it is delivering just that. I've been using it since early fall, from the first sign that my skin gave about being unhappy with the change of weather. That first sign was also the last, because SdV has done wonders. No redness, flakiness or any other kind of irritation. It feels great, smells wonderfully, doesn't clog pores and actually seems to be helping with healing if the occasional breakout appears. It costs a pretty penny and is well worth it.
My original post about SdV is here.

2. Besame Cosmetics makeup in general and lip glaze in particular

Pretty is as pretty does, and in the case of this small and relatively unknown California-based company, it's not just the gorgeous, retro-glam packaging of the products. Inside the gold and red vials, tubes and compacts there is some serious beauty and exceptional quality. The latest product that was launched is the lip glaze, which for me takes the cake. The combination of pretty colors, delicious smell, impressive staying power and, most important, pampering and soothing my sensitive lips, is the best one I came across so far. It can only improve if it came in more colors.
My reviews of Besame products are here.

3. Shea Butter and Dead Sea Salt Scrub from Maryam's Soap Nook

The fact that a body scrub is even on my list of favorites should be telling. After all, this is "just" the stuff that you rub on your body to remove dead skin flakes and wash it away. Some scrubs are better than others, some smell really nice, but how much notice do you really take of them? This product makes a big difference in the way my skin looks and feels. It does the work and then some. The salt is packed into a rich cream of shea butter and several oils. The result is that my skin is not only smoother but also softer and never dry. It's a homespun product in a humble packaging that is far superior to the expensive stuff that's sold in fancy stores and spas.
The original review is here.

4. Gris Clair by Serge Lutens

It took me a while (and a change in weather) to fall in love with this scent, and I still like it much better on my husband than on myself, so I'm listing it as my favorite men fragrance for 2006. What's in it? Mostly lavender with a touch of iris, smoke sweetened with maybe a hint of vanilla. It's understated and sophisticated in its quiet way, and the somewhat earthy drydown is heartbreakingly beautiful. Or, is it handsome? The only problem is the staying power, or lack of it. It's lovely, but gone too soon.

5. Urban Decay eye shadow primer potion

It's my most recent discovery and it makes a lot of difference in the way my eye makeup behaves. I'm not entirely sure that it was only launched in 2006, but since primers of all kinds have become a mainstream essential this year, I'll regard it as such. An extra 30 seconds of applying makeup resulting in eye shadows that not only last and last (and last), but also look brighter and better.
Here's my original review.

6. Lorac Snake Charmer palette

This seems to be the year of palettes, especially the limited edition ones. People were doing crazy things to score Bobbi Brown's Chocolate palette (so much hype over brown eye shadow, albeit pretty), Chanel charged an arm, a leg and your firstborn for their Coromandels compact that looks like a work of art, but isn't the most practical thing ever. The Snake Charmer palette is the one I reach for most often. The blush gives a healthy glow (though it requires a very light hand, as it's quite bright and very pigmented) that I love when wearing warm colors. The four eye shadows also pack a lot of color and quite a bit of non-glittery shimmer. The colors are neutral but they give a beautiful evening look. They never flaked or creased on me, even before I started using a primer underneath them, and their texture is excellent and easy to apply.
Here's what I wrote about this palette months ago.

7. Niche Perfumes

Yes, I know that this is sort of a cop out. But, my main fragrance discovery this year has been the world beyond Calvin, Ralph and even Cartier. I don't think I can pick just one scent or even one perfume house. I wish I'd have discovered Serge Lutens a few months before I did, when I was in Paris and could have picked a bell jar or two (or three). In the mean time, I'm falling in love with every (export line) Serge I manage to come across, as well with the creations from L' Artisan, Andy Tauer, Regina Harris, Bond no. 9, Mazzolari (a post coming soon. There's more to them than Alessandro), Lea St. Barth, Sage Machado, Keiko Mecheri and many others. But most notable this year was the nearly religious experience I had at the JAR boutique of Bergdorf. You don't look at fragrance the same way after you smell and try on these unique scents.

8. Tom Ford Black Orchid

Back to the world of mainstream (albeit luxury) perfumes. I know that some bloggers were disappointed with this one, as they expected something very edgy. I didn't have many expectations, as I've always been a bit suspicious of Ford, who is more than a little misogynistic. It took me a few tries to really learn to appreciate this scent, to make it mine and to enjoy it as much as I do now. It's not a Serge Lutens, but it's almost Lutenic (did I just coin a phrase?) in the experience and complexity. I love its elegance and Old World charm. It might not be the mystery lady in a black cape, vanishing into the night. But it is a black dress (not necessarily a little one) and silk stockings scent. How many of those are created these days?
More can be found here.

9. Dallas blush/bronzer by Benefit

This was the color that made my summer. A plummish bronze or a brownish plum was the best and easiest fake tan I came across. It takes a much lighter hand in the winter, but it still works beautifully.
Here's my first rave about it.

10. Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion

Another recent discovery that has become an important part of my routine. It can be used in several ways, but to me it works best as a super moisturizing but completely non-greasy hand cream. It's the one I keep on my desk and use while typing, without leaving any sticky residue in my wake.
Here's my original post.

Worth mentioning are my perennial favorites. Most of those I've been using for years and still reach for them on a nearly daily basis. Here they are.

Please visit my fellow bloggers who are also taking part in this end of the year tradition and listing their own favorites:

Afrobella

All About The Pretty

Aromascope

Beauty Addict

Beauty Blogging Junkie

Beauty by Nadine

Beautiful Makeup Search & Beauty Blog

Beauty Hatchery

Beauty Jones

Blogdorf Goodman

Bois de Jasmin

BonBons in the Bath

Brain Trapped in Girl's Body

Capital Hill Barbie

C'est Chic

Coquette

Crazy Jay Blue

eBeautyDaily

Girl's Handbook

Hautemommastuff

Koneko's *Mostly* Beauty Diary!

Legerdenez

Makeup Bag

Monkeyposh

My Muse

No one knows why the wolf laughs

Now Smell This

Perfume Smellin' Things

Peppermint Patty's Perfume Posse

Platinum Blonde Life

Product Girl

Scentzilla!

She'll Be Feverish After So Much Thinking

Slap of the Day

The Customer Is Always Right

The Daily Obsession

The Great She Elephant

The Life of a Ladybug

Urbane Girl

Victoria's Own

A special thank you to Annie from Blogdorf Goodman who organized this project.
Happy New Year!

Stuff I will not be getting

The spring look limited editions are already here, and it looks like I'm not the target audience of any of them. So many pretty colors, so few that actually suit me. It's not a big issue right now, but soon enough I'll be getting the itch to update my look, to get something new and very fabulous. It's not going to be easy to find.

Here's what we have so far:

Annie from Blogdorf Goodman has reviewed the new MAC collection (and she has great pictures of it). It looks lovely and totally not for me. Pale, icy, pearly... Not adjectives that describe colors that should go on my face.

Nars Spring 2007 collection offers lots of sheer pinks and frosted shadows (am I the only one who is getting Cyndi Lauper flashbacks from frosted mint green?). Their Corinthe sheer lipstick actually doesn't look half bad. It's a sheer almond and I might have to check that one out. Everything else is for a much lighter complexion.

Smashbox Tokidoki spring 2007 collection (a limited edition, of course) is unbelievably cute, Japanese-inspired and very very pink. One of the shadow quads, Modella, with it's deep purple and peweter colors might have some potential for me, if the lighter shades are pigmented enough to even show on my skin. But other than that, another no go (it doesn't even look good on the model Smashbox are using to show this collection. And she's a blue eyed blonde!).

The good news is that I just saved $50 by not buying the new limited edition Bobbi Brown violet face palette. The bad news is that Bobbi Brown is all about violet this season. Violet is a lovely color. In theory. It just doesn't belong on my face, as I don't do the Three Days Decaying Corpse look. The worst news is that some women are actually going to be sporting the orchid and violet shimmers on their faces.

Stuff I will not be getting

The spring look limited editions are already here, and it looks like I'm not the target audience of any of them. So many pretty colors, so few that actually suit me. It's not a big issue right now, but soon enough I'll be getting the itch to update my look, to get something new and very fabulous. It's not going to be easy to find.

Here's what we have so far:

Annie from Blogdorf Goodman has reviewed the new MAC collection (and she has great pictures of it). It looks lovely and totally not for me. Pale, icy, pearly... Not adjectives that describe colors that should go on my face.

Nars Spring 2007 collection offers lots of sheer pinks and frosted shadows (am I the only one who is getting Cyndi Lauper flashbacks from frosted mint green?). Their Corinthe sheer lipstick actually doesn't look half bad. It's a sheer almond and I might have to check that one out. Everything else is for a much lighter complexion.

Smashbox Tokidoki spring 2007 collection (a limited edition, of course) is unbelievably cute, Japanese-inspired and very very pink. One of the shadow quads, Modella, with it's deep purple and peweter colors might have some potential for me, if the lighter shades are pigmented enough to even show on my skin. But other than that, another no go (it doesn't even look good on the model Smashbox are using to show this collection. And she's a blue eyed blonde!).

The good news is that I just saved $50 by not buying the new limited edition Bobbi Brown violet face palette. The bad news is that Bobbi Brown is all about violet this season. Violet is a lovely color. In theory. It just doesn't belong on my face, as I don't do the Three Days Decaying Corpse look. The worst news is that some women are actually going to be sporting the orchid and violet shimmers on their faces.

Stuff I will not be getting

The spring look limited editions are already here, and it looks like I'm not the target audience of any of them. So many pretty colors, so few that actually suit me. It's not a big issue right now, but soon enough I'll be getting the itch to update my look, to get something new and very fabulous. It's not going to be easy to find.

Here's what we have so far:

Annie from Blogdorf Goodman has reviewed the new MAC collection (and she has great pictures of it). It looks lovely and totally not for me. Pale, icy, pearly... Not adjectives that describe colors that should go on my face.

Nars Spring 2007 collection offers lots of sheer pinks and frosted shadows (am I the only one who is getting Cyndi Lauper flashbacks from frosted mint green?). Their Corinthe sheer lipstick actually doesn't look half bad. It's a sheer almond and I might have to check that one out. Everything else is for a much lighter complexion.

Smashbox Tokidoki spring 2007 collection (a limited edition, of course) is unbelievably cute, Japanese-inspired and very very pink. One of the shadow quads, Modella, with it's deep purple and peweter colors might have some potential for me, if the lighter shades are pigmented enough to even show on my skin. But other than that, another no go (it doesn't even look good on the model Smashbox are using to show this collection. And she's a blue eyed blonde!).

The good news is that I just saved $50 by not buying the new limited edition Bobbi Brown violet face palette. The bad news is that Bobbi Brown is all about violet this season. Violet is a lovely color. In theory. It just doesn't belong on my face, as I don't do the Three Days Decaying Corpse look. The worst news is that some women are actually going to be sporting the orchid and violet shimmers on their faces.

Into the Dark

October is nail polish month at Blogdorf Goodman. We all seem to be going darker and darker, though I'm still not caving in for anything black. It looks like I'm not the only one who was seduced by the powers of Essie's Wicked. I've blogged about it last week and have been sporting it since, just like the Beauty Addict. It's the darkest color I've ever worn on my nails, and I absolutely love it. It's definitely more elegant than goth, which is a very good thing once you're of a certain age. I second Kristen's advice about keeping nails short. The color has more than enough personality by itself, no need for milage.

The other color I bought last week was Essie's Double Dip. I was hoping for a chocolate, but the color sample on the site was misleading. It's a pretty metalic medium red, that today looks very nice on my toes. But it's definitely not what I was looking for. So in my quest for that perfect brown, I'll be trying next Estee Lauder's Dark Chocolate.

Into the Dark

October is nail polish month at Blogdorf Goodman. We all seem to be going darker and darker, though I'm still not caving in for anything black. It looks like I'm not the only one who was seduced by the powers of Essie's Wicked. I've blogged about it last week and have been sporting it since, just like the Beauty Addict. It's the darkest color I've ever worn on my nails, and I absolutely love it. It's definitely more elegant than goth, which is a very good thing once you're of a certain age. I second Kristen's advice about keeping nails short. The color has more than enough personality by itself, no need for milage.

The other color I bought last week was Essie's Double Dip. I was hoping for a chocolate, but the color sample on the site was misleading. It's a pretty metalic medium red, that today looks very nice on my toes. But it's definitely not what I was looking for. So in my quest for that perfect brown, I'll be trying next Estee Lauder's Dark Chocolate.

Into the Dark

October is nail polish month at Blogdorf Goodman. We all seem to be going darker and darker, though I'm still not caving in for anything black. It looks like I'm not the only one who was seduced by the powers of Essie's Wicked. I've blogged about it last week and have been sporting it since, just like the Beauty Addict. It's the darkest color I've ever worn on my nails, and I absolutely love it. It's definitely more elegant than goth, which is a very good thing once you're of a certain age. I second Kristen's advice about keeping nails short. The color has more than enough personality by itself, no need for milage.

The other color I bought last week was Essie's Double Dip. I was hoping for a chocolate, but the color sample on the site was misleading. It's a pretty metalic medium red, that today looks very nice on my toes. But it's definitely not what I was looking for. So in my quest for that perfect brown, I'll be trying next Estee Lauder's Dark Chocolate.