2008 January : Beauty and Fashion Tech

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage

Laura Mercier Cosmetics offer an array of products aimed at created the “flawless face.” On of those items is the very good concealer, Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage.

Secret Camouflage is one of the best concealers that I have used. Although it can be purchased in single shades, I recommend the dual shade version because there is more flexibility when two shades are available.The concealer provides full coverage that, if warmed on the hand first and applied with a brush, blends quite well. It isn’t the best concealer for applying with the fingers. For the undereye area, the darker shade of the duo works well. For covering redness, melasma, pigmentation acne, etc, the lighter is used, or is mixed with the darker shade.

It really is all about the coverage with this stuff. It does so much better at covering melasma than most concealers that I have tried. When using it, be sure to apply it after foundation, and set it with a bit of powder.

Interested in more Laura Mercier products? See my previous reviews of the Laura Mercier Oil Free Foundation and Laura Mercier Oil Free and Silk Creme Foundations.

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Popularity: 3% [?]

Nettie Scrub Exfoliating Body Scrub

I seem to be on roll with receiving indie products lately and I love them! Smaller companies often produce products that are both high quality and affordable. Plus, there tends to be that extra sense of personalized love and care put into the products.

Nettiescrub sugar body polish scrub grapefruit

One of the new products I recently tried is NettieScrub, a wonderful natural body polish. This sugar scrub contains grape seed extract (great stuff) and pure alpha hydroxyl acids to polish and treat the skin. It also has just about the most incredible scent ever!

I am a big lover of citrus scents, especially orange and grapefruit. I tried the grapefruit scrub and was completely in love. If you like grapefruit scented bath and spa products, you absolutely must try this one! Another bonus is just how affordable this scrub is. I found it comparable to some of the horribly expensive sugar scrubs that are out there, yet at about 1/4 to 1/3 of the price. The packaging is also adorable, with the scrub contained in a labeled glass canning jar with a spatula for stirring and applying. Do stir before using to mix the oil back into the scrub. Prices range from $7.99-$15, depending on the size. Products can be purchased at several Los Angeles area boutiques and directly online.

Popularity: 2% [?]

M.A.C. N Collection Colour

I am madly in love with M.A.C.’s N collection, which was quite popular at the spring collection fashion week shows. One example of a look from the J. Mendel fashion week show that I really like is below. Consisting of all neutral and nude shades, the collection is perfect for neutral lovers like myself, and can also provide a great backdrop for adding a splash of color.

J. Mendel designer Spring Collection MAC Face Chart

For example, if you want to do a striking red lip, you could pair it up with a neutral eye. Or do a natural looking lid and lips, but add a bright splash of color along the lash line (I suggest Parrot from the originals collection). In the look above, an overall neutral look is used.

Below are some swatches, taken mostly in sunlight. The shadows are all gorgeous, with the brown Dark Edge being my favorite. Nanogold is very, very light, especially in sunlight. It is also more shimmery than the picture shows. It is great as a highlighter under the brow.

The collection also features three paint pots. Groundwork, which was already out, has been one of my all time favorite eye colors. I also love the previously released shade Painterly, which is another great neutral shade. With the addition of two more neutral shades, my paint pot love continues to grow. For more on the paint pots in general see my previous review. As you can see, soft ochre is almost the same shade as my skin, which is quite pale. I particularly love the Quite Natural shade.

The collection also has a couple of nice creamy eyeliners and some great lip shades. For that, and for another face chart look, head on over to my post at Girl Gloss. Keep an eye out for an upcoming look at the nail polish as well.

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Popularity: 9% [?]

Skin Like Butter Shea Oil Lotion

I am a big fan of both indie products and shea butter and shea oil. So I am quite happy to recommend Skin Like Butter. Starting out at the Alamitos Bay, California, Farmers Market with a lavender shea oil product, the company then branched out to add additional items. They now also offer shea oil lotion, shea oil shower cream, shea oil scrub, and shea oil dead sea salts in 10 fragrances.

Skin Like Butter Shea Oil She Butter Lotion

I tried the Pomegranate Shea Oil Lotion and am hooked! I get patches of dry in winter, and trust me it is raging winter here in the Chicago area right now! The Skin Like Butter lotion has really done the trick in soothing and treating those areas. Plus it smells great! My husband also gave it a thumbs up.

The all natural lotion contains shea oil, shea butter, avocado oil, jojoba oil, vitamins and natural essentials. It is on the thicker side, which I particularly like, and it absorbs well. If you haven’t tried a shea butter lotion before, you should, and this is a good one to start with. At $10, the price is great too! The company has amazingly reasonable prices and has trial products available for .99 cents plus shipping. Products can also be arranged for pick up at their Farmer’s Market Sunday store.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Spongelle Bath and Body

Looking for a gift for the bath lover, or perhaps something unique for yourself? Spongelle makes cleanser filled bath sponges in fun shapes and fragrances.

One side of the sponge is an exfoliating pad, while the other is a standard bath sponge. Those with sensitive skin might want to stick with just the sponge side because it gives a pretty strong scrub.

The one I received was infused with a Peony Cassis scent.

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Popularity: 3% [?]

Splendid Weekend Reading

From the Splendicity community comes the best beauty and fashion links of the week.

BEAUTY
Viva Woman offers 5 tips to get the most out of your facial moisturizer.
Beauty and Fashion Tech reviews Laura Mercier Oil Free and Silk Creme Foundations.
Makeup and Beauty Blog says Glow in Style with Shu Uemura Glow On Blush.
Temptalia provides a detailed diagram on the parts of the eye you should know before applying makeup!
Beauty Secrets Revealed shares a Relaxing And Soothing Foot Soak Recipe.
Ellen from Spa Beautifully says that you may not need to get that liposuction done - now there is lipomassage.
Savvy Skin shares some Beauty No-Nos.
Henna at Canadian Beauty tells you about her new favourite primer.
The Mineral Makeup Blog shares info about Blusche Minerals’ Phoebe Mineral Veil.
Aging Fabulous is in love with The Hand Treatment by La Mer.

FASHION
Style…a work in progress questions the advisability of following the trend for sheer hosiery set by some designers in their Spring shows when she asks “I can see clearly?”
Shopalicious finds a cure for wardrobe malfunctions with the Bosom Button.
Indie Style File wants to warm up with Finnish knit socks.
All that & a wants to know: can you have a jazz shoe and a sneaker in one?
Petite Fashionista shares how the fashions of designer Laura Dahl are “petite friendly”.

SHOPPING
Laya’s EYE is drawn to the glamour of Gold & White.
ShopDiary gives us the scoop on the California gift card law: get cash back from your gift cards!
Her Accessories has teamed up with Nomination Italy to give away one of their “Prisoner of Love” bracelets.
NY $pender is in love with these colorful handbags!
ShoeBlitz love these Jimmy Choo Lois Snake Patent Pumps.
CelebLOOK tells us where to get a pretty red wool coat just like Katie Holmes’.

Popularity: 3% [?]

M.A.C. Cosmetics Originals Collection

I have been having quite a bit of fun with the M.A.C. Originals collection. Based on past best selling shades, the collection has some fun colors, pigments, and glitter, with a bit of a retro feel.

I have a number of favorites in the collection. In the eye shadows, Frisco is a great pink shade that stands out, yet isn’t overwhelming. It might sound odd to pair pink shadow with a blue eye pencil, but I did, with a bit of gray/blue shadow in the corner crease, and I liked the look.

The excitement that the collection’s navy blue eye pencil, indigo, caused me is hard to describe. Last year, I spent a ridiculous amount of time searching for a navy blue eye pencil and could not locate one–not even a cruddy cheap one. So obviously the one that appeared in the M.A.C. originals collection has been getting used a lot! It is a great shade, and the pencil is very smooth. No tugging with one. I love it!

The collection also features one heck of a good mascara. M.A.C.’s Mascara X has a funky looking football shaped brush and I was initially skeptical when I first saw it. But this mascara creates wonderfully defined lashes. This has to be one of the least clumping mascaras that I have tried in some time.

The collection also includes some great lipsticks and lipglass shades, including a couple of deeper lipglass colors, avarice and real desire, that have quickly become new favorites for me. For more on that see my post over at Girl Gloss.

Shop for M.A.C. Cosmetics

Popularity: 5% [?]