The Life of A Ladybug

NARS Holiday 2009

2009-11-09T17:11:13-05:00

Toasting the year and its 15^th anniversary, NARS is celebrating with red-hot holiday-packaged gifting that boast a variety of products. Below are the highlights:

15^th ANNIVERSARY PALETTES- $75.00 each

NARS introduces two palettes to celebrate 15 years of color innovation.

Everlasting Love contains intense eye hues to create the perfect smoky eye and Wild at Heart featuring bold lip shades for a deeply pigmented pout.

PLEIN ETÈ MINI MULTIPLE SET– $45.00

An exclusive set of mini Multiples boasting three best-selling shades.

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS MINI NAIL KIT- $30.00

The perfect gift for any stocking, this miniature collection includes four glamorously festive shades: Arabesque, Chinatown, Candy Darling and Saratoga

D. LOVELY LIP GLOSS DUO SET- $45.00

Four smaller versions of the successful Duo Lip Gloss in a variety of mix and match shades: Misbehave/All Night Long, Pillow Talk/Sandpiper, Orgasm/Chihuahua, and Greek Holiday/Stolen Kisses.

The Holiday 2009 gift sets and palettes are currently available at narscosmetics.com and the Plein Etè Mini Multiple Set is available exclusively at Sephora.

Get the look using NARS Cosmetics: The Mad Women of "Mad Men" !

2009-11-09T17:05:28-05:00

Mad Men is, arguably, one of the best shows on television and one of my personal favorites. Last night's season finale knocked my socks off and, in honor of this awesome show and the flawless women who strut the set, here's how to Get the Look! with NARS Cosmetics, with insights from Mad Men's Head of Makeup, Lana Horochowski.

Betty Draper (January Jones):

January’s character Betty wears NARS Madrague Duo Eyeshadow in almost every scene when she is at home. “It’s a staple,” explains Lana, “but when she goes out, we spice it up with color.” To add emphasis to her eyes, Lana adds NARS Heart Of Glass Eyeshadow. For her lips, she uses NARS Calliope Velvet Matte Lip Pencil and NARS Belle de Jour Velvet Matte Lip Pencil. “I also love Barbarella Lipstick on January because it’s perfect for her every day look.” For blush, try NARS Penny Lane Cream Blush, NARS Gueule de Nuit Cream Blush, and NARS Gilda Powder Blush!

Click through for tips on how to Get the Look! of Joan Holloway Harris (Christina Hendricks)!

Joan Holloway Harris (Christina Hendricks):

“For Christina’s sexy Joan I love the bold colors of NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils in Dolce Vita, Red Square, Sex Machine, and Forbidden Red.” Lana also uses NARS Heat Wave Lipstick and NARS Jungle Red Lipstick! For her eyes, she uses NARS Madrague Duo Eyeshadow and NARS Fez and Bali Single Eyeshadows. “With Christina's peaches and cream complexion” Lana explains, “she looks great in NARS Gueule de Nuit Cream Blush, as well as NARS Dolce Vita, Gilda, and Gina Powder Blush.”

Mally Beauty High Shine Liquid Lipstick

2009-11-07T05:00:00-05:00

Y'all know I love me some Mally Roncal. And I love her Mally Beauty line. I think she has some really great products and they're all really fun and most work just as well, or better even, than she claims they do.

Mally is a regular feature on QVC's Saturday Night Beauty. Every time I watch her, there's a new product I'd like to try. This last time, it was her High Shine Liquid Lipstick. When I saw her applying this liquid lipstick to her models, I fell instantly in lust with it. I had to have it on my hot little lips. So, I ordered it in three of the four available shades: Perfect Pink, Summer Peach and Sweet Berry. I have extreme lovement for these, y'all! They offer all the opaque-y goodness of a lipstick with the high shine of a lipgloss. They're $20 on QVC.com, but if you buy more than once, you get each additional one for $17. My favorite of the three I have is the Sweet Berry, which looks great on brown skin. I am irritated by the click-pen application, as I think those things are more of a pain than they're worth - you always click up either not enough or too much and there's no way to get it back in the tube once it's out there and they get all messy. But the brush feels luxurious against the lips and the product itself is not to be beat.

DuWop Twilight Venom

2009-11-06T17:36:10-05:00

Shenanigans.

So, DuWop has a "Twilight" version of their popular Lip Venom. The Twilight Venom contains the clear cinnamon-laced gloss, red globules of pigment that are supposed to look like blood and glitter. All mingled together, they look like sparkly blood. When you apply it to your lips, it burns and stings for a minute and your lips swell (from a reaction to the active ingredient), which is what causes the plumping effect. One layer leaves your lips a very, very sheer red, but if you layer a bit more you can achieve a deeper shade. In fact, after several layers, I actually looked like I had bloody lips (my brother asked me what was wrong with my mouth - ha!). So, other than the fact that this stuff makes you look like you've been punched in your mouth, the tingling sensation isn't awesome and, though it's supposed to be a stain, it wears off really quickly. Major disappointment.

Ladybug Loves this week...

2009-11-06T16:20:55-05:00

These are the products I'm loving this week!

Mally Beauty High Shine Liquid Lipstick
Cover Girl LashBlast mascara
Bobbi Brown Gel Liner
Mally Beauty Cancellation Concealer System
Too Faced The Bronzed & The Beautiful Kit

So, what are you loving this week, my lovelies?

The "Twilight" phenomenon has broken its way into the beauty industry! (Talk to me, Yes'n or no v'n)

2009-11-06T15:09:04-05:00

*insert eyeroll here*

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love vampires. As a matter of fact, I love fantasy and fantastical creatures of all kinds, but the creatures of the night - the ones that skulk, that hide, that dwell in the shadows - those are the ones that really tickle my fancy. So vampires, werewolves, bad elves ...yessir. Lovement. However, the vamps of the "Twilight" series. No, ma'am. No thank you. I keep being told that, if I was a teenager, I'd probably love the series. Not so much, though. Even when I was a teenager, teenaged romances made me want to barf. And honestly, the entire "Twilight" thing is like a Harlequin romance for teenaged girls, where the leading man just so happens to be a vampire (and I use that word loosely as homeboy doesn't even drink from people - what's the difference between him and any other carnivore, I ask you?).

Anyway, if you're alive on this planet, there's no way in the world you can get away from all things "Twilight", though I have tried mightily. Today, it got even worse.

I had to go to the mall to pick up some items to add to my kit, as I'm doing wedding makeup tomorrow. As I walked through Nordstrom's Juniors department, what should I spy, but cardboard cut-outs of the "Twilight" stars posed next to the mannequins, with the mannequins posed to "look longingly" at Edward and Jacob. Barf. I rolled my eyes and went downstairs into the beauty department, where, to my supreme horror, I was faced with an entire display of Twilight makeup! Say it isn't so! But, alas. Alas, my friends, it is.

I already knew about the Twilight Venom, a version of DuWop's Lip Venom made to look like a vial of blood and sparkles. (I'll be posting a review of this today, so be on the lookout.) But an entire makeup line? Jiminy Cricket. I mean, good Lord. Products designed to make you look as if you sparkle. Products named after the characters. Barf.o.rama. I cannot believe it. And yet, yes ... yes, I do believe it because these books, movies and various and sundry other "Twilight"-related shenanigans are huge moneymakers right now.

So, okay, talk to me. Where do you stand on this? Will you try this tomfoolery? Have you tried it? What say you? Are you into "Twilight" or do you, like me, refuse to have anything to do with teenaged "vegetarian" vamps? Is this a yes'n or no v'n for you?

Secret Clinical Strength: review

2009-11-03T16:22:29-05:00

While deodorant is not one of the things that I usually review here on The Life of A Ladybug, it is clearly a product that goes a long way toward beautifying oneself, wouldn't you say? I mean, can you really be beautiful if you're funky - I ask you?

Unfotunately, I am not in love with Secret Clinical Strength. I find that it's hard to get the product to "click" up enough for application, the product itself is somewhat dry and hard to rub onto the skin and the scent leaves a lot to be desired. I tried it in "Marathon" which is designed for athletes - it's supposed to renew itself through hot and sweaty conditions. What I have noticed is that, when I begin to sweat, the deodorant takes on a tacky, sticky feel, which is uncomfortable and, honestly, I don't think the scent renews itself at all (which is actually kind of fine with me, since I don't like the scent). I'm loathe to say that I don't really care for this product, however, I do like Secret's other antiperspirants/deodorants, so I would advocate going with one of their other products.

(This review was based on a free sample provided for me by a PR company. For more information, please see my Disclosure Policy.)

Maybelline Great Lash BIG

2009-10-23T17:42:56-04:00

I have been blatantly obvious about my feelings on Maybelline Great Lash mascara. I am not a fan. I have never understood how it is the #1 best selling mascara on the market, unless it's because it's the most well-marketed and the cheapest. I'm also irked by Great Lash because Maybelline makes great mascaras, otherwise!

Well, let me just say that Maybelline has shut my mouth with this new iteration of Great Lash - Maybelline Great Lash BIG! As opposed to its older sister, Great Lash BIG is excellent at producing length and volume in just one coat. This is a great drugstore brand mascara and Maybelline finally got it right.

NaturallyCurly.com teams up with Miss Jessie's to challenge Curlies to Go Natural!

2009-10-23T16:42:43-04:00

NaturallyCurly.com invites curly girls (and guys!) to embark on the ultimate rewarding journey of "going natural." The NaturallyCurly.com 2009 Grow Out Challenge dares you to experience the liberation of wearing your hair natural, by embarking on a six month journey of transition.

NaturallyCurly has partnered up with Titi and Miko Branch, ownders of the Miss Jessie's line for curly hair. Over the course of six months, from October 5, 2009 to March 31, 2010, Miss Jessie's will award over $3,600 worth of products to the participants who show the most dedication over their transition journey. Participants need to submit pictures, videos and testimonials and the winners will receive a personalized hair "prescription" and Miss Jessie's products that fit their individual hair needs.

For more info on how to join the Challenge, click through!

About Transitioning

Transitioning is the process of leaving behind over-processed, relaxed and damaged hair by cutting the relaxed ends little by little or by cutting off all the relaxer at once with one big chop. Transitioning occurs while the hair takes on its natural texture. Having the support of a community of curlies and the incentive of a bag full of goodies makes it empowering and exciting!

How to Participate

Each participant will begin by snipping dead, dried ends or (for the very brave), cutting their 'do completely, to begin the process of re-growth. You'll be able tos hare your experiences and learn from others throughout the process by updating your personal blog and photos on NaturallyCurly.com.

To start the process, simply become a registered member of NaturallyCurly, create your first blog post and upload images of the first stages of the challenge, read other transitioners' blogs and check their progress, update your blog and add new photos as you notice more growth. Each month, four winners will be selected to receive a personal hair prescription and products from Miss Jessie's valued at approximately $150.00.

For tips on transitioning or for additional information on the 2009 Grow Out Challenge, visit www.naturallycurly.com/growoutchallenge.

Estée Lauder Introduces: Holiday 2009

2009-10-22T17:54:03-04:00

For the Holiday season 2009. Estée Lauder is introducing two new collections: Ultimate Red Color and Holiday 2009 Compacts.

The Ultimate Red Color Collection is all about opulence. The classic Estée Lauder packaging has been transformed to a holiday gold, containing jewel-inspired shades of plums and gold-flecked caramels. Lip shades come in cranberry and blackberry and they have included a luminous, shimmer powder for skin.

The classic Estée Lauder collectible compacts are back this Holiday season! Color stories such as Asian Opulence, Draped in Jewels and Wrapped in Red show compacts that are detailed with enamel and Swarovski crystals.

You can find these collections available at Estée Lauder counters and at www.esteelauder.com.