The Life of A Ladybug

Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronze Collection

 

The Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronze Collection is on counters now!  The entire collection is full of bronzers for face and body, designed to add a sunkissed effect to the skin, while also giving you a beautiful glow.

The Shimmer Brick for Body is really big - way larger than a typical Shimmer Brick, as it should be, since it costs $75!  Still, if you're a lover of Bobbi's Shimmer Bricks, you'll want this, too!  The massive size of the compact means you'll get your money's worth and the All Over Body Brush is the perfect accompaniment, with the cushiest bristles I've ever felt!  It's like a luxurious pampering procedure to run across your arms, legs, shoulders, and decolletage.  I've been having way too much fun with it.  Make sure that you blow or tap the excess powder off your brush before applying - otherwise, you wind up with a big spot of shimmer that you'll have to rub in with your hand.  I declare both of these - the Shimmer Brick and the brush - Totally Splurge-worthy!

Favorite Things 2008!

 

It's that time of year again!  I've been invited, once again, to share with you all my Favorite Things from the past year.  Now, not all of these products were released in 2008, however, 2008 is the year I became aware of them and fell in love with them.  I'll be adding a link to my previous review of each pick, so you can see my initial thoughts.

1. MAC See-Thru Colour in Not So Shy.  2008 was the Year of the Lip Stain for me, so you will see several of them on this favorites list.  This particular one is a bright fuschia gel and it is love.

2. MAC Cream Colour Base in Crushed Bougainvillea.  Okay, I just lied.  2008 was the Year of the Lip and Cheek Stain.  This past year, my normally uber-oily skin started having patches of dryness and I've had a great time finding more moisturizing products.  Cheek stains are awesome.  This one matches the above-mentioned See-Thru Colour and I almost always wear them together.

MAC Blonde, Brunette, Redhead Collection

MAC's newest collection, "Blonde, Brunette, Redhead" is available on counters and online today!  I've already made my purchases and, if you know what's up, you'll Tonto jump on it (I got that phrase from  my friend, Shanna)!  This is a heavily anticipated collection and from the sneak peeks I've gotten the anticipation is warranted.  If you only have a bit of money, just go out and buy the Mineralize Skinfinishes - they are delectable.

Here's the scoop on the collection (the stuff I bought is bolded):

Redhead:

LIPSTICK
MARQUISE D’ SANDY CREAM PEACH
BLOW DRY PINK CORAL

LIPGLASS
LIVE AND DYE COOL PINK
RED DEVIL CORAL ORANGE

EYE SHADOW
FLIP BRONZE GOLD
FRENCH CUFF BURGUNDY PURPLE
100 STROKES ICE PINK

EYE KOHL
TEDDY DARK-EYED BRONZE

BROW SET
GIRL BOY FAWNED-OVER BLONDETTE

MINERALIZE SKINFINISH REDHEAD GOLD TO SALMON PINK DEGRADE

BRUSHES
165 TAPERED CHEEK/HIGHLIGHT

214 SHORT SHADER

226 SMALL TAPERED BLENDING

Cover Girl Natural Hue Minerals Pressed Powder and Bronzer

"Every woman is a queen!"  The slogan alone is enough to make me love the Cover Girl Queen collection.  Thankfully, the products are good, too!

Cover Girl Queen has introduced their new Natural Hue Minerals collection.  It's great that bargain brands are also getting into the mineral craze, as many beauty lovers want to be able to buy mineral products, but might not be able to afford the products put out by pricier brands.  I got a chance to try both the Natural Hue Minerals Pressed Powder and the Natural Hue Minerals Bronzer.

In the Natural Hue Minerals Pressed Powder, I received Light Bronze 1, which I was skeptical about.  After looking at the website, I thought the shade would be too light for my skin.  I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find that the shade worked very well.  Like the Cover Girl TruBlend makeup, I think the Natural Hue Pressed Powder is formulated to work well with a large range of skintones.  I tried applying the powder two ways: with the included sponge and with a kabuki brush designed for mineral powder application.  When using the included sponge, I found that the Pressed Powder went on quite powdery, however, it soon melded with my skin and looked more natural.  When using a kabuki brush, the powder looked much more natural immediately and seemed to sink into my skin.  I think I will continue using the kabuki brush for application.  I found that the powder worked pretty well at oil absorption - I didn't notice much breakthrough shine until the end of the day and, even then, it wasn't so bad that I felt the need to blot or re-powder.

The Natural Hue Minerals Bronzer is nice, but not fabulous.  I think the shade that I received, Brown Bronze, is comparable to the CARGO bronzer in Medium, and the shine is about the same, as well.  If you've been interested in trying the CARGO bronzer, but it was too expensive, the Natural Hue Minerals Bronzer will be a good purchase for you.  I was a bit disappointed because I thought Brown Bronze would be the right shade for me, but it didn't give me the bronzy effect I was looking for.  Next time, I will try the Ebony Bronze.  Still, it's a good product, if you can find the shade you need.

You can buy the Cover Girl Queen Natural Hue Minerals Pressed Powder and Bronzer wherever Cover Girl products are sold.

Three Custom Color Specialists' Ballet Russe Lipstick

Three Custom Color Specialists' Ballet Russe Lipstick is phenomenal!  Packaged in the elegant but simple charcoal grey lipstick tube, you will find the perfect cherry red lip color.  It is the exact color of a cherry lollipop and it gives the same effect to your lips!  It is a sheer lipstick, but I think of it more as an extremely tinted lip balm, as the formulation of the lipstick is so creamy and moisturizing that it smoothes your lips without having to add a balm beforehand.  It leaves behind glistening color in a red that will knock your socks off.

This lipstick is fittingly named.  This time of year, I find myself getting so amped up to do all my usual holiday traditions.  One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is to watch The Nutcracker.  I usually watch it on television - there are several different versions, danced by several different ballet companies - and have only been able to see it danced live twice in my life before.  I have to admit, the best I've seen is The Nutcracker danced by the Moscow Ballet.  Take a look at this still picture from their version of the ballet:

See!  The lipstick is the exact color of the prince's jacket!!!!  I rest my case!  This stuff rocks!  Ding!  Pick it up!

You can buy Ballet Russe lipstick at www.threecustom.com for $18.50.

Proud member of Total Beauty, The Beauty Blog Network, and Glam.

Tweezerman Precision in Pink (Breast Cancer Awareness Month)

Tweezerman introduces the new 2008 limited edition version of their best-selling Slant Tweezer, Precision in Pink.  With a white background and adorned with the Breast Cancer Awareness pink ribbon logo, this tweezer will keep your brows tame and help support the fight against breast cancer.  Tweezerman has committed to raising $75,000 through their BCA program.  $1.00 from the sale of each limited edition Precision in Pink tweezer will go to Cancer Cares, as well as other charities throughout the country.

Tweezerman is the only brand I use to keep my brows their beautiful best.  If you've ever hesitated to pay the $20 for a set of Tweezerman tweezers, know that buying this one will mean that your money goes toward a higher purpose.  Pick it up!

BBNBCA

Ladybug Loves: Cetaphil Lotion!

Usually I have really oily skin on my face, but dry skin on the rest of my body.  After a recent bout with dermatitis, I wound up with patches of dry, scaly skin on my cheeks and chin.  And what worked to clear up the dryness?  Plain old Cetaphil, cleanser and lotion.  Now, I've always been a fan of Cetaphil Daily Cleanser and bounce between that and Paula's Choice One-Step Cleanser as my cleanser of choice.  But I've never used Cetaphil Lotion.  However, I remembered that, when my daughter was a baby, because of her eczema, Cetaphil was the perfect moisturizer.  If it's gentle enough for a baby's skin, it should be good for mine, too, right?  Well, it is!  It has been wonderful at smoothing out the rough, dry skin and the patches have cleared up beautifully.  Yay!

Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion ... Ladybug Loves!

You can find Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion at your local drugstore or market and it's only around $10, so it's a beauty bargain, too!

Proud member of Total Beauty, Glam and The Beauty Blog Network!

Ladybug Loves: Lancome Rose Fishnets Juicy Tube!

My Ladybug Loves pick for this week is the Lancome Rose Fishnets Juicy Tube!  This stuff is the perfect gloss for days when you want to look pretty and finished, but not overly made up, or if you're going for drama on your eyes and just want your lips and cheeks to go along for the ride, but prettily.  This is the "Your Lips But Better" shade that you have been looking for!

Housed in Lancome's traditional squeeze tube, Rose Fishnets slicks on sheerly without any stickiness whatsoever.  The rosy nude shade, infused with gold shimmer, leaves your lips looking luscious!  I have been rocking it faithfully!  Not only does it look great alone, but when paired with different-colored lipliners, it takes on the tone of the liner, giving you an entirely new shade - try it!

The Lancome Rose Fishnets Juicy Tube ... Ladybug Loves!!!   You can get the Lancome Rose Fishnets Juicy Tube at Sephora, Sephora online, at your local Lancome counter or on the Lancome website.

Proud member of Total Beauty, Glam, and The Beauty Blog Network!

Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes Collection

Next on tap for Bobbi Brown, the Shimmering Nudes Collection!  For all you beauty lovers who are still bitter that you missed out on Bobbi's fabulous Chocolate Eye Palette or those of you who did manage to snag it, but are sorry you didn't buy two (raises hand!), run, don't walk, to your nearest Bobbi Brown counter and pick up the Shimmering Nudes Palette!  This palette is just as awesome and useful, in softer shades - it will be a part of my staple beauty wardrobe for a good while, I can tell.  Featuring three metallic, two shimmer wash and two matte shadows in shades of taupe, beige-y pink and brown, this palette offers the perfect neutral, yet polished and sophisticated eye look!  And, if you've thought of trying fall's trendy colored eye, but are a little gun shy, the Shimmering Nudes palette allows you to give a glamorously neutral effect to the eye that you can accent with a colored liner - all the fun of the colored look without the commitment of rocking the bright colors from lashline to brow!

Pair your neutral lids with creamy, almost naked lips coated in one of Bobbi's four new Creamy Lip Colors, add a bit of pink blush to the cheeks and you're all set!  I'm telling you - go get that palette now or you'll be sorry you didn't!  Ding!  Pick it up!

The fierceness is not to be borne! (Lancome Piha Red & Piha Black)

If y'all are true beauty mavens, you know all about Lancome's limited edition lipsticks and how they have been all the rage for the past few seasons.  I've been "meh" with most of them, except for the divine P.S. Kiss.  However, I am decidedly NOT "meh" over the new limited edition lipstick and gloss!

Lancome's new artistic director for makeup, Aaron de Mey, created this fabulous lip set, inspired by the fabulosity of Christian Louboutin's iconic red soles.  Named after a beach near Aaron's childhood home in New Zealan, the Piha Red Colour Fever Lipstick and Piha Black Colour Fever Lip Gloss are designed to be worn together or alone, for dramatic looks.  Piha Black can be used as an eye gloss, also.

Only 500 of these sets will be available in the United States, at the Bloomingdale's 59th Street location in NYC, www.lancome-usa.com and the five Lancome boutiques.  If you want to get yourself on the waiting list at Bloomie's, you can call 212-705-2886.  I'm on the list and I can't wait!  Woo-hoo!