TheShadesOfU.com

Konad Nail Art: Music and Me

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:42:00 +0000

super close-up
NOTE: m70 should read m73.

I've always wanted to use this m73 image of the music notes, and I now have the perfect reason to. I love MAC's Mercenary nail lacquer; the burnt bronze color just looks very edgy and classy at the same time. I used the black Konad special polish so that the Konad would look subtle on my nails since I wore this to work. These pictures were shot under direct sunlight or camera flash, but in ordinary lighting, you can hardly see the design unless you peer closely.

For the past three weeks, I've been keenly watching and awaiting news on Michael Jackson. His was the music I grew up on, and until this decade, he and his music were so ubiquitous and just about everywhere, I'd felt that he was - well, immortal. Now that he's physically gone, I feel like I've lost somebody whom I personally knew, and I really feel the loss of arguably the greatest entertainer who ever lived. I don't want to focus on the negative, but no one can argue about the depth of his genius and how he singlehandedly changed the music industry. He raised the bar, then broke the bar, as was spoken about him during his memorial. I thought of doing this Konad image in his memory, and I want to call it Music and Me, named after one of his songs as a young artist.

We've been together for such a long time now
Music, music and me
Don't care whether all our songs rhyme
Now music, music and me

Only know wherever I go
We're as close as two friends can be
There have been others
But never two lovers
Like music, music and me

Grab a song and come along
You can sing your melody
In your mind you will find
A world of sweet harmony

Birds of a feather will fly together
Now music, music and me
Music and me

Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

"Twilight" Star Ashley Greene Wears Lancôme

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:07:00 +0000

Lancôme makeup artist Darais worked with Ashley Greene for Cosmopolitan’s Fun Fearless Female party at the W hotel in Los Angeles. Read on to find out how Darais created Ashley’s young, fresh look.

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

Ashley has the most gorgeous skin so Darais played up her eyes, cheeks and lips. He used Lancôme’s Color Design Liberty Palette in Nude Elegance (NEW from our fall color collection Declaring Indigo) and then applied Lancôme Le Crayon Khôl in Black Coffee to the upper lash line to make Ashley’s eyes pop. Darais added some color to the cheeks with Lancôme Blush Subtil in Miel Glacé. To create her soft coral colored pout, Darais used Lancôme Color Fever Gloss in Solaire. Long, beautiful lashes are all the rage right now so Darais mixed a few Shu Uemura faux-lashes with Ashley’s natural lashes and then applied Lancôme Ôscillation Powerbooster to condition and strengthen the lashes. To finish the look, he coated Ashley’s lashes with several coats of Lancôme’s NEW mascara Hypnôse Drama (which goes on sale today exclusively at Sephora).

Create a Tousled, Beachy Hairstyle on Short Hair

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:51:00 +0000

Create a Tousled, Beachy Hairstyle on Short Hair

Follow these easy steps to turn blah hair into a sexy, lived in style

Eli Thomas, owner of Thomas Chance Hairdressing in Santa Monica, Calif. shows you how to transform a sleek bob into a more playful, tousled look (a la Ginnifer Goodwin, Blake Lively and Jennifer Aniston). All you need are a few key items and you're set!

See how-to

MAC Love That Look Initial Swatches and Review

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Finally, it's almost that time of the year again for my favorite MAC eyeshadow formula - Starflash! Here is a preview of some of the new eyeshadows from the collection. It will be featuring repromotes from the Starflash collection of last year, as well as some new additions. Here are the descriptions of the products in the color story:

Starflash Eye Shadow
Dreammaker Frosty yellow gold (frost)
Grand Entrance Frosty neutral peach beige
Smoke & Diamonds Frosty dirty taupe (frost)
Glamour Check! Frosty reddish brown
Strike A Pose Dirty/deep blue green
Ego Light yellow pink
Fashion Groupie Light Blue Violet
Unbasic White Bright off white
One-Off Mid-tone Green with Silver Pearl
Rated "R" Bright yellow pink
Style Snob Dirty pink brown with gold pearl
Fashion Light grey green with gold pearl
Suggested Retail Price: $14.50 U.S./$17.50 CDN

PEARLGLIDE EYE LINER
Rave Deep purple with purple glitter
Fly-By-Blu Light blue with blue glitter
Molasses Dirty brown mid-tone brown glitter
Black Russian Black with navy blue glitter
Suggestion Retail Price: $14.50 U.S./$17.50 CDN

Zoomlash
Zoomblack Rich Black
Suggested Retail Price: $13.00 U.S./$15.50 CDN

Available
North America July 30, 2009 at all M·A·C locations and www.maccosmetics.com
International August 2009 at at all M·A·C locations and www.maccosmetics.com

I noticed that MAC eliminated those Starflash and Pearl Glide colors that really didn't sell well the last time, and those that were not repromoted ended up in cosmetic company outlets and were seen languishing there by yours truly. I kinda agree with MAC however on those that they decided to repromote, as they are decidedly the best of the bunch.

I really like the Starflash formula because these babies simply glide like butter on the lids, and the pigmentation and staying power are amazing. Here are some of the swatches I took of the Starflash collection eyeshadows released last year:

NOTE: Grand Entrance should read Dreammaker.

(See rest of review and swatches after the jump)

Here are the swatches of the new Starflash shadows. They are amazingly pigmented and they showed up vividly on my skin even without a base underneath. Is that cool or what?

Fashion Groupie is a very pretty blue violet that is very similar to Satellite Dreams. I compared and swatched them side-by-side, and they can be dupes for each other. The only difference is that I prefer the Starflash finish of Fashion Groupie (which is soft and glides like butter on the lids).

Rated "R" is the equivalent of Sharp (from the Tempting quad of Cult of Cherry) in the Starflash collection. It is a clean yellow green that would be great for summer colors like green, pink, and even neutrals and bronzes.

Style Snob- Oh my goodness. This is GORGEOUS. This is going to be I think my absolute favorite from this collection. It is a dirty pink brown that reminds me of Twillery from the Inventive Eyes quad, but better because of course of the formula. This would be a great everyday shadow, or even to brighten up a brooding smokey eye look. A definite must-have for me.

As for the pearlglide liners, they are amazingly smooth and pigmented, and also glide like a dream on the skin. Here are some swatches from last year's Suite Array collection:

It must be noted however that these are not recommended for the waterline as they have tiny glitters/shards that can irritate the sensitive lining of the eyes.

I can't wait for the official launch of the Love That Look collection at the end of the month. I'm interested in Ego and Unbasic White.

Stay tuned for additional reviews on this collection.

Top 11 Drugstore Mascaras

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Top 11 Drugstore Mascaras

Get gorgeous lashes for cheap with these standouts

Think you need to head to a department store and spend upwards of $20 to get a decent mascara? Think again. TotalBeauty.com readers prove that there are drugstore mascaras that give them the same -- if not better -- results, and all are less than $10!

See mascaras

No. 11: Almay One Coat Nourishing Lengthening Mascara, $5.99

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 8.5*

"This NEVER clumped, did lengthen my lashes a bit, did NOT flake (even after I purposely rubbed my eyes a little) ..."

No. 10: Wet n Wild MegaProtein Mascara, $2.29

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 8.7*

"It's gentle, lasts all day, and my lashes look thick and soft, not at all clumpy ..."

No. 9: L'Oreal Paris Telescopic Clean Definition Mascara, $8.99

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 8.9*

"The brush separates lashes and coats them so that you get long, individual lashes ..."

Want to see what's no. 1? Click here!

MAC Euristocrats (2nd Release) Swatches and Review

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:59:00 +0000

NOTE: For official product images and description, CLICK HERE.

I was able to play with the colors of this collection on the same day I was able to swatch the Colour Craft items. Let me say that I am a dazzleglass bimbo, and I loved the new colors they brought out for this new collection. They are just yummy and the sparkles are fantastic. They really scream "summer!" and they are also great on top of lipsticks to give oomph to an otherwise boring lip look.

Dazzleglasses

NOTE: Extra Amps is not from the Euristocrats collection.

My favorite of the bunch is Local Colour, a neutral yellow-pink with blue pearl. This reminds me of my Baby Sparks dazzleglass. I want to get one of these as a backup for my Baby Sparks. It is a neutral yellow pink with gold pearl, a pretty color that goes well with practically anything, be it a barely-there poolside look or a brooding smoky eye. It is the only dazzleglass from this collection that is truly beckoning me.

Date Night: Honestly, I am at a loss as to why this has been repromoted several times. I mean, it is a petty soft blue purple gloss with pearl, but I don't see too many people raving for it. I have two of these, but I honestly don't use it that much, maybe because it's too dark a purple for my taste (usually).

Roman Holiday - It is a medium brown coral with blue pearl. I like the color, but it might be too warm on my already warm complexion. I haven't tried it yet, though, so I can't make a categorical statement on this.

Rue D'Rouge - a light red with pink pearl, which is perfect for you color-phobia ladies out there. This looks pretty bold and scary in the tube, but morphs into a shade of pretty, just-bitten lips. If you would are wary of wearing reds for fear of stopping traffic, this is for you.

Euro Beat- I love this color. It is a peach coral with gold pearl that would go well with your bronzes, coppers, golds, corals. Very versatile and the shine is outstanding.

Internationalist- It's a yellow pink with blue pearl that would work well with just about any skintone, as it has a combination of warm and cool hues.

Via Veneto - it's a light violet with blue pearl that is a wonderful shade for me as I love anything lilac-ky. I don't have a swatch for it right now but I am really thinking of purchasing it along with Local Colour.

Lipsticks

Honestly, if you like pigmented lipsticks, these ones from Euristocrats II might not work well for you. These are pretty sheer, maybe to suit the summer season. Nonetheless, they are buildable, and you can add pigment and shine by topping them off with dazzleglasses or lipglasses.

Costa Chic is a frosty light coral. One look and I know this wouldn't look good on me. On the right complexion, though, this would be gorgeous.

Naked Paris is a sheer pink brown with multi-dimensional pearl that I would like to try on my lips. Pink-browns are great especially for the office.

Patisserie- I almost bought this one until I realized I have too many neutral lippies in my stash. But I can always come back if prodded.

London Life is a sheer deep berry with multi-dimensional pearl that reminds me of so many berry-magenta-fuchsia lippies MAC has released this year. As for last year, it reminds me of Pomposity from Red She Said. It's lovely, but not that unique.

Cockney is a sheer yellow red with multi-dimensional pearl. Let me repeat what I said about Rue d'Rouge dazzleglass: if you are afraid to wear color, this is the product for you. It is red but sheer, although buildable. It is yellow-based, though, not blue-based, so if you don't like yellow-based reds, skip this.

Saint Germain- this has been repromoted at least twice, and I'd never been attracted to this color all those times. Maybe because pastel pinks turn me off and remind me so much of the eighties.

Milan Mode is a sheer deep pink with pearl. Again, lovely, but not that unique.

Lipliners

Whirl- can you say Holy Grail? I've been using this dirty-rose lipliner for 4 years now, and I've never used any other lipliner that is as gorgeous as this one. This suits my natural lip color to a T, and my lips don't look traced at all whenever I use this, no matter what color of lipstick I am wearing. This is a definite must-have for me.

Subculture- I have this one as well and it is a pretty brighter pink, but this is great for neutrals.

Magenta- It's a vivid pinkish-purple that would look great on fair or medium skin.

Cherry is a vivid red which would be the best partner of a bright red lipstick for va-va-voom lips.

All in all, I believe this collection has a little something for everyone. If you love sheer lippies and sparkling, luscious lips, check out this color story.

L'egere White Multi BB Cream Review

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:14:00 +0000

Okay, I have finally jumped on the bandwagon (at least to try these stuff out) after, what - 2 years? I am still a mineral makeup fanatic and would not stop using it despite this new craze, especially in Asia. I have heard and read about the blemish balm (or "BB") cream craze, and of course, being a beauty blogger, I just had to try it. I am not really keen on trying liquid foundation because I have acne-prone skin and my skin just loves mineral makeup, but hey, this product is called "blemish balm" cream - it is supposed to heal blemishes, correct? So I now have a handful of BB creams in my stash and I intend to post my experiences with all of them, so stay tuned if you are also into this new product.

First of all, what is a BB cream? My Ebay seller who sold me this product gave a few succinct pointers, I quote:

Benefits:

ALL IN ONE FUNCTION - sun protect + makeup base + skin cover + foundations for 24hrs

WHITENING & SKIN CARE FORMULA
- Acts effectively on irritated skin, concealing dermal blemish and helps skin rejuvenation with innovative active ingredient
- Blocks the penetration of UV rays and other harmful factors
- This silicon-based formula defines a natural, long lasting complexion with gentle calming effects of natural, plant-derived soothing particles not only on oily and sensitive skin, but also on irritated skin following peel care.

Good For: Skin that needs protection, irritated skin by peeling and laser procedures, sensitive and troubled skin.

Application:
- After following the daily skin routine, apply generously on face & sensitive area
- For skin protection and natural looking coverage
- Lightly pat a small amount of product over entire face in the final stage of basic skin toning

Ingredients:
Arbutin, Cyclomethicone, Jojoba oil, Polyglceyl-4 Isoterate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1Dimethicone, Bees Wax, Tocopheryl acetate, Propyl Parabem,Sorbita sesquioleate, Petrolatum, Titanium oxides, Cyslopentasiloxane, Iron Oxides / Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Magnesium Sulfate, Methyl Paraben, Sodium Hysluronate, Marine Collagen, Rose Water, Centella Asiaticac

Weight: 50g
Origin: Korea

To my mind, it's basically a makeup primer and tinted moisturizer with healing properties, at least as claimed by the marketers and manufacturers of these products. I really do not like some of the ingredients, because I feel that these will clog my pores like ordinary liquid makeup had. Nonetheless, to create an informed opinion on these products, it's inevitable that I try them. Here are my thoughts on this particular BB cream, L'egere White Multi.

If you squeeze a small amount of the product on the back of your hand, you would see that this is like a medium to dark beige. As it settles on your face, however, it slowly blends into your skin and becomes lighter. Thus, I really think women with very dark complexions cannot use this alone, or would have to add like mineral powder on top to tone down the look. I may be wrong, though, but that is my impression.

(See the rest of the review after the jump)

How I applied the product: I read that these BB creams have very little or just moderate oil control properties, so I just had to use my staple primer and t-zone mattifier. I applied my usual Monistat gel as primer, and applied MAC Skin Refined Zone on my t-zone. These two helped make my face clean and non-greasy as the day wears on. ETA: I also applied Neutrogena Age-Shield Face Sunblock in SPF90+.

I used Coastal Scents' Kabuki On A Stick brush to apply the BB cream. I apply a small amount of product on the back of my hand like what you saw in the photo above, swirl the Kabuki on a Stick on it, then gently buff it in circular motions all over the face. I do two layers of this product. However, let me say that I really can't do without my mineral foundation, so I apply a tiny bit of mineral makeup on top of the BB cream, apply concealer, then set everything with my mineral finishing powder with either kaolin clay or silk powder to finish the look. I can say that I like the results.

I applied a light layer of DreamWorld mineral foundation in Theia over the BB cream. Since Theia has minute sparkle particles (not glitters) that make the skin look radiant, I love how the BB cream and mineral foundation combination made my skin glow.

I can say that I was pretty lucky as to how the BB cream turned out on my skin. This was my first stab at applying BB cream, and I've found a decent BB cream brand to use. I've also read good reviews about this BB cream, so I didn't hesitate to buy this product.

Downside: On my fourth use of this product, I developed three small zits on my chin, which is unusual because it's not that time of the month, and I hardly grow zits anymore, and especially not three new ones popping up all at the same time. I have a feeling it was because of this product, since this was the only new product in my regimen, and I've read several cases of people developing zits after using BB creams. :( I wonder, if this is called a "blemish balm cream", then why do people get zits from these? I don't need to look far, though, because the ingredient list itself hints that some of the ingredients are not exactly non-comedogenic or pore-friendly.

That said, I will continue to use this product and the other BB creams, just to try out if the claims of the manufacturers are correct. Some people do well with certain brands, some do not. That's a shame because I loved the effect of L'egere on me. Oh well. This is a continuing process and will document my adventures with these products and will share my progress report with you.

Vera Wang Flower Princess Fragrance Review

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:03:00 +0000

I've had the opportunity to try this Vera Wang fragrance variant courtesy of PerfumeCenter.com. This is a discount online perfume store that sells original fragrance brand names up to 70% off retail. The store was kind enough to send me a sample of the fragrance to test. First of all, I really, really like the packaging. It is very feminine and I definitely love the pretty crown cap with the faux jewels. This fragrance reminds me of a warm summer day in a flower field. Its notes are Green Ivy, Tangerine, Water Lily, Orange Flower Petals, Moroccan Rose, Jasmine Sambac, Riviera Mimosa, Apricot Skin, Amber, Woods, Musk. It's decidedly lighter than its sister Vera Wang Princess, which for me is perfect especially in this scorching summer heat.

Its style is casual and romantic, perfect for a summer night date. It is light and it's not cloying at all, given the fact that I have sensitive olfactory nerves. It fades quite nicely on my skin, although the dry-down scent is not that distinct anymore (the flower factor fades off). If you like flowery, summer scents, this might be a good scent to try. I would have to say though that this scent is not as univeral as some of the other scents I've tried and loved. Some people will really not like this, because it took me a while to like the scent on my skin. If your body chemistry does agree with this fragrance, then it is a keeper.

If you want to check out Vera Wang Flower Princess or other original brand name fragrances all at discounted prices, you might want to check out PerfumeCenter.com. While you're there, use this code to score an additional 10% off your entire purchase: "theshadesofu". Enjoy the coupon code and celebrate the summer with lush, romantic fragrances.

Tousled Hair 101

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:03:00 +0000

Tousled Hair 101

The tools and tricks you need to master a tousled, beachy hairstyle

It's the perfect carefree look for summer, and it's a cinch to do. Just follow these steps and soon you'll have envy-inducing waves in your hair.

See how-to

Quiz: What's the Best Shampoo and Conditioner for Your Hair?

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:34:00 +0000

Quiz: What's the Best Shampoo and Conditioner for Your Hair?

Every great style starts in the shower, so make sure you treat your hair right

Smoothing, volumizing, moisturizing, color-safe, straightening -- with so many shampoo and conditioner formulas on the market, deciding which one is best for your hair can be a challenge. Thankfully, Erin Anderson, co-owner of the Woodley & Bunny Salon in Brooklyn, New York helped us direct you to the right products for your hair type and issues -- get your results by taking this quiz.

Take the quiz

Purple Look Using MAC Colour (or Color) Craft Collection

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:28:00 +0000

Here's a look I made using the products I have from the Colour Craft collection. I was amazed by the colors in the Eccentricity mineralize eyeshadow. I have mentioned in my Colour Craft Review that there are some shades in the mineralize eyeshadows that are gritty in texture, but when I foiled the lavender shade in Eccentricity, it applied buttery and texture was a lot better. I LOVE Eccentricity! I am so glad I got this one. Of course, the whole look would've been better if I used falsies, but I was running out of time and had to create this look in less than 15 minutes. Just imagine long, lush lashes with this look! lol

I also used the rest of the products from Colour Craft. All products MAC unless otherwise stated.

Apply Bare Canvas paint on lids and browbone and lower lashline. Smooth with finger. Foil the lavender/light violet shade in the Eccentricity mineralize eyeshadow using Charged Water and apply on the lid using a stiff shader brush (Loew Cornell Maxine's Mop 3/8" or 239 brush).

Using the same shader brush, apply the darker purple in the Eccentricity mineralize eyeshadow on the crease going down to the outer lid.

Using a fluffy shader brush, apply the brown-bronze side of Eccentricity on the outer V.

Blend in using the 224 brush.

Using the Sonia Kashuk blender brush, apply the plum shade in Odd Bits mineralize eyeshadow on the crease, blending into the outer V.

Blend the colors out using the 224.

Using brush, apply Satin Petals on the browbone to highlight. Using Coastal Scents' mini-detail brush, apply lavender/light violet from Eccentricity on tearducts and inner lower lashline. Using the same brush, apply darker purple from Eccentricity on outer lower lashline. Apply Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Zero to tightline and on waterline. Apply mascara.

FACE:
Monistat gel as primer
MAC Prep + Prime Refined Zone on t-zone
L'egere White Multi blemish balm (BB) cream (review coming soon!)
DreamWorld mineral foundation in Theia (luna formula)
Aromaleigh ultra resolution finishing powder in Translucent
Coastal Scents 6-pc contour and blush palette to contour
MAC Smooth Merge mineralize skinfinish

LIPS:
MAC lipliner in Whirl
MAC lipstick in Madly Creative
MAC marbled lipglass in Eclectic Edge

"Best Friends Forever" Signing at The Lancôme Boutique, NYC

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:08:00 +0000

Come Meet “Good in Bed” and “In Her Shoes” Author Jennifer Weiner!

You and your friends have read her books and cried at her movie, now come meet best-selling author Jennifer Weiner at The Lancôme Boutique on New York ’s Upper West Side on Tuesday, July 14th. Lancome is hosting Jennifer’s very first book signing for “Best Friends Forever”, her highly-anticipated new book. Buy $75 worth of product and you’ll get a complimentary autographed copy, all while enjoying Champagne and cupcakes!

“Best Friends Forever” Signing
The Lancôme Boutique
201 Columbus Avenue at 69th Street
Tuesday, July 14th
4 to 7 p.m.
RSVP: 212.362.4858

If I lived in NYC, I would go there pronto as I am an absolute bookworm. NYC girls, don't forget to check this one out!

Chapstick True Shimmer Lip Balm: A Review

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 04:27:00 +0000

Who doesn't know Chapstick lip balm? If you think Chapstick only carries lip balms in the ubiquitous cherry or strawberry flavors, look again, because Chapstick has come up with new lip balms that have subtle shimmer, in four new flavors. These are the same Chapstick formula that keeps your puckers soft and supple, and preps them for the application of lipstick and/or gloss, but at the same time, these are infused with subtle shimmer to make your lips more noticeable. I've had the opportunity to try the different variants, and here are my thoughts on them.

Botanical Berry- I like the strawberry scent and flavor, and this is one of my favorites out of the four new variants, and the shimmer is soft and subtle.

Peppermint Rush- my least favorite because I find the mint flavor too strong, and it stings my lips. I also don't like the too-white shimmer on my lips.

Blended Fruit Sherbet- another favorite. I love the bubblegum flavor, and the shimmer is beautiful. It keeps the lips moisturized and supple.

Tropical- has the distinct scent of coconut with a hint of pineapple. Love the scent as well.

Like the traditional Chapsticks, this is great for travel and would be a great staple in your purse or pocket. The bonus is that it gives this subtle shimmer to your lips so you don't need additional gloss if you just want a natural shine. I guess the downside here is that men can't really use this new Chapstick. Too bad since my husband can't leave the house without his chapstick, but I know he wouldn't appreciate shimmer on his lips.

All in all, if you like shimmer, try these new variants out. I like most of the new flavors except for Peppermint Rush. I use these before daily application of lip products, so I know that these really keep my lips from chapping and peeling.

How to Get a Sun-Kissed Glow on Budget

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 23:50:00 +0000

How to Get a Sun-Kissed Glow on Budget

One reader gets a glowing red carpet-worthy overhaul that's a cinch to maintain -- see if it's right for you

After losing 80 pounds, TotalBeauty.com reader Deana felt great on the inside but still needed help on the outside. Inspired by sunny Hollywood blondes like Goldie Hawn and Heidi Klum, our celebrity hairstylists and makeup artist gave Deana a bright new look to help boost her confidence, and kept it budget-friendly to boot!

See tips

MAC Colour Craft: Review and Swatches

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:33:00 +0000

For official product images and description, CLICK HERE.

I was able to play with all of the products from the Colour Craft collection, and if I didn't have many of the past mineralize skinfinishes (MSFs) and mineralize blushes (MB) and eyeshadows (MES) from past collections, I would have snagged almost all of the items in a heartbeat. However, getting many would be redundant at the least, so I got some of the colors I believe would complement my MSF, MB and MES collections the most. Before I get to that, here are the swatches and my thoughts on the collection.

Mineralize Eyeshadows

I like how MAC thought of placing four coordinating shades in each eyeshadow pot, which gives more value for your money and provides more options and combinations for the MAC consumer. This is the first time MAC has placed four shades in one mineralize eyeshadow compact, because the past ones were either singles, duos or trios. This collection offers six mineralize eyeshadows with I believe some really good color combinations.

Assemblage is white with silver pearl/deep grey, black with silver glitter, and warm yellow gold. I love the deep grey the most, and if you look at the swatches above, I love the color combination. This would be a great staple because you can use this for smoky eyes, and the white would be great on the inner corners of the eyes to balance the darkness of the other colors.

Odd Bits has midtone silver grey, dusty rose with gold pearl, dark burgundy, and peachy bronze. LOVE this quad, so much so that I got one for myself. I tend to gravitate toward purples and plums right now, so this is an amazing combination of colors for me.

Fashion Patch has ice blue, off white, black with silver glitter and light white pink. Meh. I am not a fan of the colors of this quad, although the black with silver can be a great staple.

Eccentricity is rich gold, light violet, deep plum, and rich bronze. Again, I got this as I really love the breathtaking purples and plums. The bronze is an amazing color to complement the other colors of the quad. I love the pigmentation of these, except for the gold which really didn't apply well dry. I foiled it using Charged Water, however, and it worked pretty good.

Natural Flare is copper, yellow orange, dirty brown and rich gold. If you love coppers and golds with a tad of brown, this would be a great quad for you.

Girly Romp is dirty violet, yellow white with gold pearl, light pastel coral and midtone pink. To channel the utmost femininity in you, this quad is the perfect tool. The colors are indeed girly-girl and the colors are soft and wearable.

All in all, I loved the colors and the pigmentation is pretty decent. I would have to say however that I prefer the color pay-off of the mineralize eyeshadows from the Red, She Said collection of last year. I just feel that the texture of the MES from that collection was more buttery and easier to apply. However, the texture and pigmentation of the MES from the Colour Craft collection are better than that of the past collections, not counting Red She Said. They still have good pigmentation and texture, and the grittier shades can be fixed by foiling them.

Lipsticks

Honestly, I wasn't that impressed with the shades of the lipsticks and they have many dupes available floating around in MAC-landia. The only lipstick that I figured as unique (and was selling like hotcakes when I dropped by the MAC store) was Madly Creative, a pink neutral with white pearl. It's a beautiful frosty dirty pink that would look great on any occasion. It's also unique and I haven't found a MAC lipstick in my stash that is a dupe for this.

Lipglasses

(See rest of swatches and review after the jump)

These are very similar to Sugar Sweet collection's tri-coloured lipglasses, and of course, instead of 3 different colors in separate layers, MAC opted to swirl the layers together to come up with these new ones. A rehash of an old idea, but I believe these are more pigmented than the tri-colour lipglasses, which mostly just emitted shine, not color. As you can see from the swatches, these lipglasses are pretty pigmented. I was especially attracted to Eclectic Edge, a beautiful cool violet that I saw on this MAC MA, and it was such a drop-dead gorgeous color on her. She didn't use any lipstick underneath but merely applied lipliner, but it was very pigmented and the lavender lips were just amazing. Not surprisingly, I just had to get this one.

Pretty Pattern is a warm dirty beige that I might be going back for, as I love neutrals on the lips, Crazy Haute is a blue pink, Nice Mix-up is a dirty ginger that I think would look great on darker skintones, and Miss Marble is a muted pink which can be your quintessential pink lipgloss. Funky Fusion is a pink coral which would look great on many skintones as well.

Mineralize Blushes

I really couldn't choose a favorite among these blushes as all of them are quite lovely. I do have several in my stash that have similar texture and color, so I decided to pass on these. I would probably go back and get one of these, most probably Hand-Finish which is a beautiful color. It is a light pink with deep gold veining which would look amazing on nights out or even during daytime as the color is not too dark. I am also attracted to Fad-dabulous which is a dirty brown coral with yellow gold veining. Daft Pink is a deep blue pink with light white yellow veining that might be similar or a combination of either Gentle and/or Love Rock which I both own. Improvise is a mid-tone neutral coral with light white yellow-gold veining, although I have many similar colors. Cheek & Cheerful is mid-tone bronzy brown with yellow gold veining, and Style Demon is a dirty brick red with copper veining that might be too similar to either Gleeful or Merrily which I also both own.

If you don't have any of these colors yet, and you want a great blush with shimmer and glow, these would be a good buy.

Mineralize Skinfinish

Maybe some of you know that I collect mineralize skinfinishes, and I have every MSF MAC has released except Pleasureflush. This time, though, I have decided to skip the other MSFs and just get the one that I don't have yet, because, really, what will I do with MSFs that are similar in finish and color? I am impressed with this new batch of MSFs, however, as some of them are trios, they have 3 different shades in one compact, which would again give MAC consumers more bang for their buck. I bought Smooth Merge, which contains 3 different shades: soft champagne pink, deep rose, and pale cool pink, which would be amazing either used separately or swirled together using your 187 stippling brush.

Sunny by Nature is a rich bronze with pink pearl which I passed up on because this reminds me of other MSFs like Shooting Star or So Ceylon. Sunny by Nature is semi-matte, however, so this would please those who are not fans of shimmery MSFs. Cheeky Bronze is a soft golden coral with bronze pearl, and if you love corals, you might want to check this out. Triple Fusion is a trio of soft champagne, soft golden pink, and rose pink with gold nuances. If you like highlighters, this one's for you.

Warm Blend is the bronzer of the batch and has antique gold,mahogany bronze, and copper, which would look amazingly good on darker skintones. As always, these MSFs have shimmery finishes and would work great as highlighters, shimmery bronzers, glows on the cheeks, eyes, even the decolletage.

MAC has also come up with the 131 brush, a new twist to the classic 187 brush. It's duo fiber powder/blush that has a flat, tapered head that contains a combination of short and long fibres, ideally suited for MSFs. I have said in my previous entries that I love flat duo fibre brush like the 131. The part that made me love it is the shape of the head - it has an almost flat, oval head that makes it easy to apply heavily pigmented mineral blushes exactly where you want it without creating clown cheeks. Use it with a mineral bronzer (or a MAC MSF), and as long as you applied the product on the hollows of your cheeks, you will end up with a beautifully chiselled look. It's a bit tricky to apply mineral bronzer or blush with the 187 or a regular fiber optic brush because the head is round, thus, the pigment gets scattered all over the cheek area, which defeats the purpose of contouring. With this brush, you get beautifully angled blushes and bronzers right where you want them because the shape of the head makes it easier for you to apply the product exactly on the targeted spot.

However, I skipped the 131 because even before it came out, I already have a flat-headed duo fibre brush in Aromaleigh silk fibre optic blush brush:

It is very similar to the 131 because of its flat head, and I posted the pictures so you can imagine for yourself what the 131 looks like.

All in all, I love the collection because I am a fan of MSFs, MES and MBs. I love shimmery makeup, but I also like my share of mattes. For summer, though, glows and shimmers are in, and this collection celebrates summer via shimmery, bronzy shades.

Check these out at your MAC counters and stores to see for yourself.

8 Classic Beauty Products We Still Worship

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:32:00 +0000

8 Classic Beauty Products We Still Worship

Product reviews from TotalBeauty.com readers prove you can never go wrong with these timeless buys

Whether it was your first grown-up purchase or a secret passed down through generations, some classic beauty formulas just can't be beat. Read on to see which oldies but goodies fans continue to adore.

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Quiz: How Free Spirited Are You?

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:39:00 +0000

Quiz: How Free Spirited Are You?

Free as a bird or a mouse in a maze? Answer these questions to find out what your free spirit quotient is

When we think of what it means to be a free spirit, images arise of great aunt Myrtle freak dancing at the family reunion, but all jokes aside, it really means possessing a whimsical way and living life to the fullest. Your free spirit quotient could determine how much stress you feel and how happy you are in your everyday life. Are you flapping those wings or timidly awaiting your take off?

Take the quiz

New Coastal Scents Brushes Review

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:01:00 +0000

When I got the 88 Piece Warm Palette from Coastal Scents, I also got some of the new brushes, as well as good old staples that I needed to have. Here are my thoughts on them.

Kabuki-on-a-stick

This has been compared to Bare Escentuals' Handy Buki brush, and although I don't have that particular brush, I own several BE brushes that have the same hairs as this Kabuki-on-a-stick. This also reminds me of MAC's 109 brush that I own. First of all, it has a small, albeit dense head of hair. I haven't tried this on mineral makeup yet, but I discovered that this is good for liquid makeup, actually. I used this to apply Joeur Luminizing Moisture Tint, and this brush worked amazingly well on spreading the product evenly on the skin and creating a smooth, flawless finish. I also use this brush to apply BB creams (reviews and thoughts coming soon!), and this also worked great; it spread the product neither too thick nor too thin, and it gave a pretty finish to the makeup. The only downside I can think about this product is that it is a tad scratchy, although it didn't bother me much, and the longer I use it, the more I get used to the sensation. Remember to wash this brush before using it. Using conditioner on the hairs may probably make it feel softer on the skin.

Jumbo Italian Badger Fan Brush

Whoever named this brush "Jumbo" wasn't joking. This fan brush is HUGE. It also has this nasty smell upon washing. It reminds me of the smell of a wet dog, probably because this is made of animal hair. Take heart, though, because you can deodorize your new brushes using this technique from Enkore of YouTube.

The nasty smell aside, this is a great tool to brush away shadow fall-out when you're doing your eyes. This would also be a great blush and highlighter brush. I guess the effect is akin to that of a duo fibre or stippling brush. It deposits the sheerest whisper of color on the skin, making you look like you're lit from within. If you have very pigmented blushes, try this brush and you will not have clown cheeks. It would also be a good brush to gently blend out blush or glow to make it look seamless on the face.

Chisel Detail Mini Brush

I don't know how I'd done makeup without this brush. It is very small, inconspicuous and dirt cheap, but it really does the job. I use this to apply highlighter on the inner corners of the eyes (tearducts). The very small head guarantees that you will be able to apply product precisely where you want it. This is also a great brush to apply eyeshadow or pigment on the lower lashline, and even to line the upper lashline. This has a wide variety of uses, so much so that I now have four in my stash. I think this is my favorite brush out of all the ones I'm featuring in this post.

Pink Oval Taklon Lip Brush

Another inexpensive but heavy-duty brush. I love the oval or cat-tongue shape, because it is very easy to control the product with this brush. I also like that the taklon bristles are short and stiff, because it allows you to apply the lip product precisely where you want it. If you are using a very bright red lipstick, a lip brush is almost always recommended to give the smoothest curves and lines. Essentially, a lip brush is almost always used regardless of the lipstick color if a flawless application of the product is desired. I believe this brush can deliver.

All in all, I really like these brushes, except for the nasty smell of some. It doesn't take much effort to deodorize them, though, so you might want to try these out. If you have very sensitive skin, I suggest you skip the Kabuki-on-a-stick, otherwise, this is a very good alternative to the MAC 109 or the Bare Escentuals' Handy Buki Brush. As for the Chisel Detail mini-brush, I haven't really found a brush similar to this, so I believe this is a must-have and of all the brushes I had just mentioned, this is my most favorite and I highly recommend it.

Best and Worst Avon Products

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Best and Worst Avon Products

Find out which body lotions, mascaras and more you should buy -- or stay away from

There are thousands of products you could buy from your neighborhood Avon rep, so it can be tough to know which to choose. Luckily, TotalBeauty.com readers have tried almost all of them and told us in their unbiased product reviews which Avon goodies are keepers -- and which they won't be reordering.

See products

The Worst: No. 4: Avon Goddess Eau de Parfum Spray, $22.50

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 4.9*

"It doesn't stand out in my mind or fragrance cache as being anything unusual or fun ..."

No. 3: Avon DARING DEFINITION Mousse Mascara, $3.99

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 4.5*

Instead of defining, readers say this "left my eyelashes very clumpy and just felt goopy ..."

The Best: No. 11: Avon Clearskin Invigorating Cleansing Scrub, $12

TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 9.2*

"It washes away dirt and oil and keeps my complexion healthy, clear and glowing ..."

Want to see the rest of the best and worst? Click here!

Lavenders and Purples Using MAC Eyeshadows and Pigment

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Here are some purples using my MAC eyeshadows and pigment in Milk from the Hello Kitty Collection. I also used for the first time the Vibrant Grape eyeshadow that I got from the Style Warrior collection. I like how the name of the product describes how vibrant this color is. It's definitely not a flat purple and it really perks up the colors in this look that I made. I also used Stars N Rockets, Top Hat, and Baby Petals, the last one from the Heatherette Trio No. 2 palette.

Here's a step-by-step illustration. Sorry, no face pics this time! All products MAC unless otherwise noted.

Apply Bare Canvas paint on lids and browbone and lower lashline. Smooth with finger. Using a fluffy shader brush, apply Constructivist paint pot on lid. Foil Milk pigment using Charged Water and apply on the lid using a stiff shader brush (Loew Cornell Maxine's Mop 3/8" or 239 brush).

Because Milk pigment tends to be a bit gritty, apply a little bit of Stars N Rockets over Milk using the 239 brush to smoothen the finish. Using the 217 brush, apply Vibrant Grape on the crease, going down to the outer V.

Using the Sonia Kashuk blender brush, apply Top Hat on the crease and blend the colors together using the 224.

Using the 217, apply more Vibrant Grape, blending into Top Hat.

Apply more Top Hat if necessary.

Using Stila No. 5 brush, apply Satin Petals on the browbone to highlight. Using Coastal Scents' mini-detail brush, apply Stars N Rockets on tearducts and inner lower lashline. Using the same brush, apply Top Hat on outer lower lashline. Apply Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Zero to tightline and on waterline. Apply Red Cherry falsies. Apply mascara.

Your Ultimate Flirty Hair How-To Guide

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:50:00 +0000

Your Ultimate Flirty Hair How-To Guide

Get expert tips and tricks, plus the perfect products, for seriously sexy hair

Raise your hand if you want gorgeous, sexy hair! It's easy to achieve with these tips. No matter what your hair length or type, get ready for some seriously stunning hair.

See tips

Deep Clean Your Way to Perfect Skin

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:19:00 +0000

Deep Clean Your Way to Perfect Skin

Use these tips, tricks and classic beauty products to get your most gorgeous skin ever

Your skin has to be clean before you can even think about trying to treat any skin issues. Find out how to get your skin clean and healthy, so you'll have the ideal foundation for a perfect complexion.

See tips

The Perfect French Manicure Kit: A Review

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 05:55:00 +0000

As previously mentioned, here's part 2 of my French Manicure Kit review. Part 1 discussed Kiss French Manicure Kit. This time, I am doing a review on The Perfect French Manicure Kit.

Product description according to the website:

PERFECT FRENCH MANICURE 3 EASY STEPS

The unique French Manicure Wand is the easy solution for applying the perfect white tip on your nail every time. The water-based white formulation is correctable with water until it is sealed. Now quick corrections can be made without removing your base color.

Step 1 Bright Base Coat gives your nails a natural healthy look. It contains a brightener, which brings out the natural color of you nail bed and filters out any yellow coloring in your nails.
Step 2 French Tip Wand is uniquely designed for easy application.
Step 3 Sealer coat creates a high gloss finish to make your Perfect French Manicure dazzle.

Directions:

Step 1 - Paint one coat of Bright Base Coat on your entire nails, let dry 2 minutes
Step 2 - Use the White Wand to paint the tip of the nail.
Place the applicator on one edge of the white of your nail. Move the applicator from one edge of the nail white to the other in one smooth motion.
Let it dry for 2 minutes
The white paint can be removed with water if you wish to make a correction. It is okay if the white appears streaky or not smooth, the Step 3 sealer will fix it.
Step 3 - Paint one coat of the Sealer Coat over the entire nail. Let dry.

You can find a video tutorial on how to apply the french manicure kit on the website above. I was provided with a sample of this French Manicure kit to try. The innovative feature of this kit is the white french tip polish. It is housed in a slim bottle with - get this - a sponge doe foot wand applicator instead of the usual nail polish brush:

I would say that this is remarkable as I'd never seen a nail polish with a doe foot applicator before, but it made perfect sense. The doe foot allows you to apply the white tip with better control and precision than with a brush applicator. It is less messy, and you come up with neater, better looking white tips compared to using brush applicators. The instructions are also very easy to follow, everything is done in 3 steps flat. I was also surprised that the instruction says that the white polish can be removed with water if you want to correct it. I was impressed, because I'd never encountered any nail polish that can be erased with water before.

However, not everything is as easy as it looks. I admit, there is a definite learning curve to this. I thought that the doe foot applicator was easy as pie to apply, but I realized that there is a certain technique to it. In my experience, I had to dip the applicator in the bottle every time I paint one nail tip, because it would come out uneven if I didn't. If I double-apply the white polish, it gets messy and ugly, so you have to perfect the line on the first stroke. If you don't, it's better to just erase the whole white polish with water and re-start.

Here's my finished french tip look. I love the bright pink base as it gives the illusion of pink, healthy nail beds. I was able to do a decent line on the first try, so this was pretty lucky. However, I didn't get to give a nice, even "smile" to my french manicure as the doe foot applicator doesn't give allowance for the crescent shape. I also wasn't able to use my technique of the french tip brush dipped in acetone to clean up the smile, because acetone would ruin the base polish.

UPSIDE: Convenient doe foot wand applicator, easy 3 steps, beautiful base color, white tip easily erased with water.

DOWNSIDE: It takes practice to apply the white tip using the doe foot wand applicator, cannot use acetone to perfect the crescent shape because it will ruin the base polish (but yes, you can use water!).

All in all, though, if you enjoy applying french manicure on your nails, this would be a very interesting and innovative product to try. I like the idea of the sponge tip applicator, especially since it really speeds up the application of the french tip. I will definitely be using this french tip manicure set as I want to challenge myself to perfect the white tips using the sponge applicator. The base color is also quite pretty. The high gloss sealer is likewise the perfect product to protect your beautiful new french tips.

Ultimate Hair Makeover & Free Makeup Sweeps

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:23:00 +0000

Ultimate Hair Makeover & Free Makeup Sweeps

Enter for your chance to win!* The first 1,000 also take home free e.l.f. Cosmetics

Want a whole new look? Like, a fabulous, fancy cut and hair color makeover - the kind that only a celebrity stylist can do? Just install TotalBeauty.com's brand-new app on My Yahoo! Not only will you be entered in this exciting sweepstakes, you'll also get TotalBeauty.com's awesome app - featuring deals, free beauty samples alerts and the latest hair and makeup trends.

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OPI, Essie and China Glaze Nail Polish Swatches

noreply@blogger.com (The Shades Of U) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:07:00 +0000

I swatched some of my nail polishes, and I did a lot, only for my memory card to get corrupted after taking the photos! Thankfully, though, I was able to salvage some of the pictures, so here they are. I did some haulin' at my favorite nail supply store, so here are some of the stuff I got:

Gawd, I love this color. In a previous entry, I blogged about Essie Fiesta, which is an electrifying hot pink. It can be similar to Big Spender, but the latter is more of a magenta or deep fuchsia with such beautiful purple undertones. It's amazingly pretty and would look gorgeous on any skintone. This is such a beautiful color especially for summer. Imagine this worn with sexy strappy heels. Wow.

Another great summer color. I love the electric teal, and it is pretty on the toes as well. I also love the finish of this polish - it is cream-based but has amazing shine with tiny gold flecks.

I am attracted to mauves in the bottle, but don't like them very much when I wear them. This one is pretty nice when worn, however. I love that it doesn't give your usual mauve hue, but it gives a nice purplish touch to it.

This is another mauve, but more brown-based. I don't like the consistency of this particular polish as it comes as too runny for me.

This is one of OPI's bestsellers, and the color explains why. The dark inky purple based color is such a gorgeous accessory statement. It's a head-turner. Period.

Lastly, here's a Konad attempt using China Glaze Romantique polish in Passion. I am so impressed with Passion. I read that Romantiques make great Konad polishes, so I tried one of my Romantiques lanquishing in my drawer, and I am amazed at how easily it transfered from the plate, to the stamp, to the nail. I also like that the Romantiques have a metallic finish to them, so that when the image on the nail is created, it comes out as a lot more subtle, and not as in-your-face as the other Konad special polishes. I am so glad I have read that these are great Konad polishes. I can't wait to try the other Romantiques that I have.