"Tempted by the fruit of another..."

Let's talk eyeshadow, shall we?

I've mentioned before that, for the most part, my heart belongs to high end eyeshadows. They're usually more pigmented, easier to blend, long-lasting, and just higher quality in general. That being said, I'm definitely not a makeup snob. I love my drugstore mascaras more than anything, and I often venture into the beauty aisles, tempted by the shiny displays and allure of low prices, ready and willing to give new products a try.

The other day I was perusing the various sparkly displays Walgreens was trying to entice me with and I came across a new range of eyeshadow quads by Maybelline.

These are the Eye Studio Quads and there's quite a selection of colors. Almost all of these are quite shimmery and let's face it, anything that shimmers is something I NEED to have in my life.

Unfortunately, the price point is a little higher than your typical drugstore eyeshadows - I believe I paid around $10 for this quad - so I fought my initial instinct and only grabbed one palette, the Taupe Temptress.

The verdict? Surprisingly wearable, despite the immense amount of shimmer. It really borders on glitter, actually, especially the white highlight shade, but not too intense. The colors are all really pretty and the staying power was quite good (at least when used on top of Urban Decay Priming Potion - not sure how it is without it). The combination of the four colors gives you a great range of options and I was impressed with how easily they all blended - I've had problems before with other Maybelline eye shadows that wouldn't blend worth a damn.

The texture is super soft so be careful when using a brush to apply as it can get very powdery, but it's really smooth and any stray flakes come off easily. Also, don't be dismayed by the high shimmer effect. The effect is pretty subtle unless you load on layer after layer.

Yay Maybelline for coming out with a great eyeshadow!

Has anyone else tried these? What do you think? What about the other products in the Eye Studio line, like the eye shadow duos or gel liners?

[photo credits: makeupalley.com]

Spot the Carrera?

Since I figured out that all these celebrities were walking around in Carrera sunglasses I have realized that now I can't seem to go anywhere or watch anything on television without spotting more.

Seriously. It's become a pretty amusing habit. I was even watching the Olympics the other day (or every day, who am I kidding?) and the winner of two gold medals in ski jumping, Simon Ammann (the one they keep referring to as a Harry Potter look-a-like even though I don't see it, aside from the fact that they both happen to wear glasses), was rockin' the Carreras after his big win.

Know who else has some serious Carrera love? Usher.

He also follows in the fabulous footsteps of Lady Gaga and Alicia Keys by sporting these:

The 'Endurance' style in his latest video - Daddy's Home.

So, shall we play a little game? See who else is a Carrera fan?

Well, it's my blog, and I vote yes! So, here goes...

I spy with my little eye...

An heiress-slash-amateur-porn-star with nothing better to do with her time or money than match her sunglasses to an atrociously ugly bathing suit.

A rap star at the Grammy Awards lookin' way more serious than one ever should while attending an awesome award ceremony and while wearing bright blue sunglasses.

A tiny, blonde Disney starlet, with her super-cute boyfriend, wearing sunglasses that swallow half of her face.

A former boybander turned solo star/producer/clothing designer with way too much scruff for my liking.

Okay, that's enough Carrera spotting for now. What do you guys think? Maybe I can make this game happen more often. A 'spot the whatever' type column? Let me know if you're as highly amused by any of this as I am.

[photo credits: nbc.com, carrera, celebrity-sunglasses-finder.com]

Excuses, excuses...

Okay, I admit it... Between work, schoolwork, fashion week, and my obsession with watching every single sport during the entire duration of the 2010 Winter Olympics... Everything else has kind of fallen by the wayside. I offer you my most profound apologies and sincerest promises that I will try to get my act together.

These promises, however, come with the stipulation that I cannot be held accountable for my actions, or lack there of, during the Olympics. I've been this way since I was a child. The entire event just captivates every last bit of my attention. I find it very difficult to focus on other activities when I know there is a very important hockey game I could be watching, figure skating routine I could be critiquing, downhill skiing run I could be cringing at, or hell, even curling competition I could be trying to figure out.

Never fear though... I have managed to pull myself away long enough to write a little somethin'-somethin' on fashion week. A post about my favorite looks from all the shows will be up soon, but in the mean time I'm going to mention some fab nail polish spotted on the runways of the Chris Benz show.

[photo courtesy of Blogdorf Goodman]

This is "Sweet Nude" by Lancôme and it looks like the perfect companion to their latest Pout-a-Porter shade, Chris & Tell. The shade is a lovely peachy-pink and it will be available later this year.

By the way, I hurried over to Saks Fifth Ave last Sunday to get my very own tube of Chris & Tell and let me tell you - the verdict is undeniable elation. This little baby really lives up to the hype. I'll try to figure out how to make some decent swatches, since I haven't quite mastered that art yet, and post them up as soon as possible. Seriously, the color is gorgeous. It lights up your entire face, makes your teeth look whiter, and just makes me smile. I'm not sure I've ever had such love for a lipstick before.

"I wanted the color to feel really fresh, youthful, and quite sporty. The color very much embodies the spirit of the Spring collection in its cheerfulness." - Chris Benz

That it does, Chris. Two, very enthusiastic, thumbs up for you and Lancôme.

[photo credits: nbc.com, nymag.com, blogdorfgoodman.blogspot.com]

Do You Chris & Tell?

I. Am. So. EXCITED.

Well, way more excited than this girl, at least. Even though her makeup does look fab.

I managed to track down a Lancome counter that hasn't already pre-sold-out of the latest Pout-a-Porter shade - Chris & Tell by Chris Benz! I'm officially on the list, with two tubes reserved (cause I'm an awesome friend like that) and I will be there bright and early on Valentine's Day to pick them up.

You've probably heard about the Pout-a-Porter shades before. Basically, Lancome makes a shade for one designer each season and the models wear it exclusively on the runway for that season. Usually these are impossible to get a hold of, and honestly? I haven't been particularly interested in most of them. I did manage to get my hands on the first one, Behnaz, a beautiful bright red shade made for Behnaz Sarafpour in Fall 2006.

The other shades have been a little...eh, at least for me. I just wasn't inspired by or in love with any of them.

Proenza Schouler's Proenza Pink was a massive hit, and even sold on eBay for a ridiculous $122.50. FOR LIPSTICK. That is insane!

I don't like this shade. Not at all. I don't think it's particularly flattering, though I understand the craze. I'm just not a huge fan of the uber-light lips in general, so this one wasn't cutting it for me.

Next was Peter Som's P.S. Kiss.

This one is actually a really pretty color, I just don't tend to wear darker shades like this, so I wasn't too excited.

Following that was Pixel Pink for Thakoon.

Kind of looks like your basic nude-ish pinky color, right? Very pretty, but again, it just didn't make me drool over it and start calling all over the state to every Lancome counter I could find.

Chris & Tell, though... Man, I've been hearing about this shade nonstop since it premiered in the Spring 2010 Chris Benz show.

All the swatches and test photos are beautiful and the peachy-coral color is perfect to get you through the end of winter and into spring.

Here's one of the models from the runway show. I love how fresh the makeup is, though those eyelashes look a little spidery...but maybe it was supposed to be that way? I guess you never know with runway beauty. Either way, I love the look and I can't wait to get my lipstick!

It retails for $25 and will be available for purchase on February 14th at Saks Fifth Avenue counters around the country. If you want it I would highly recommend calling around to get a tube or two on hold because pre-sales are going fast. I had to call four stores before finding one that wasn't already sold out.

So, what do you think? Is this one worth the hype? I think so!

Have you tried any of the other Pout-a-Porter shades?I'd love to hear about them!

[photo credits: lancome.com, allaboutthepretty.net, makeupbag.net, whosthefairest.files.wordpress.com]

Hydro My Powder

I have a few issues with cream shadows... Mainly they just don't like to stay on my lid. Even when I use my trusty Urban Decay Priming Potion, they just...melt right off. It's pretty annoying, because they tend to be gorgeous when you first apply them, but take a glance in the mirror a few hours later? Nada. A creased mess. Not so pretty anymore.

Well, I was going through my drawers in an attempt to reorganize my mass amounts of eyeshadow and I rediscovered a long lost favorite.

Shiseido Hydro-Powder Eye Shadow ($25)

I completely forgot how much I adore this eye shadow. Aside from the beautiful array of colors and the buildable pigment, this stuff stays on. Forever. You can get anything from a luminescent wash of color to an intense, smokey eye that almost looks like it glows.

Seriously, this stuff is amazing. It goes on really smooth, blends really well, and is all around one of the easiest-to-use products I've ever come across.

I have it in:

H1 - Goldlights (shimmery gold)

H2 - Whitelights (shimmery white)

H6 - Violet Visions (this is the one in the photo above)

H13 -Clover Dew (shimmery pale iridescent green)

I've heard really good things about most of the other colors as well.

Plus the little pots are adorable and best of all - they're durable. I've dropped them many a time and no cracks or or anything in the packaging or the product. I've ruined many products by fumbling them mid-application so durability is a huge plus for me.

Anyone else ever tried these awesome shadows? Let me know! I'd love to hear about it!

[photo credits: sephora.com]

"A Fashion Emergency of Chernobyl Proportions"

Ah, Project Runway... You never fail to disappoint me with your awe-inspiring use of hyperbole! I mean, Chernobyl proportions, really? The fact that you have a real, live woman standing in front of you instead of a beanpole skeleton is that much of a travesty? I get that designers want to design their creations for people with no fat, no shape, no curves, no...well, anything really, but GET OVER IT.

Instead of truly being inspired by a group of women who had overcome some serious heart disease, they shed some slightly-false tears and continued to moan over not having clothes-hangers as models this week.

Dear designers - Just FYI - I'm guessing 99.9% of people on this planet don't look like size-nothing models and they probably never will. Eventually real people are going to have to buy your clothes for you to be successful.

Almost all the designers were toeing the line between over-dramatic and straight up insulting. One designer was practically salivating over the fact that his "model" was so skinny, while others were moaning about their models being a "tough fit" or using the words "real woman" in hushed tones, as if it was some kind of communicable disease.

My advice? Figure out how to design flattering clothes now. You know, while you have the fabulous Tim Gunn for a mentor, and while you have a captive Project Runway audience at your disposal. Impress us now, people. I don't know about you guys, but if you piss me off now? I'm probably going to hold a grudge and swear to never look at your clothes ever again.

Okay, rant over. Now... Was it just me, or were most of these dresses just uninspired, safe, and boring? I know they had a limited budget (don't they always?) and very limited time (only 1 day) but seriously guys, I was just bored.

Also, the challenge was being sponsored by Campbell's Soup for their AdDress Your Heart Program Gala. In an apparent homage to Andy Warhol, the designers were supposed to incorporate Campbell's branding into their designs... What a joke. I was ready for some awesome geometric prints or super-cute retro looks, but alas, nothing like that came down the runway. What happened to the amazing creativity of the Hershey's challenge from a few years ago? So disappointing.

Alright, let's discuss the runway, shall we?

First, the judges had the most fabulous guest on their panel this week - Georgina Chapman - co-founder of one of my favorite fashion labels ever, Marchesa. They didn't mention this on air, but I believe Georgina is the wife of uber-producer, Harvey Weinstein, whose company produces Project Runway and which might explain her involvement, but I don't care how she got there. I'm just glad she was. Not that I'm biased or anything.

Can we have her back every week? Seriously. She looked fabulous. She made legitimate observations and gave valid critiques about the clothes rather than making flighty comments about whether or not she would "totally wear that" (I'm lookin' at you, Nicole Ritchie). Thumbs up, Georgina.

So... The runway. Right. I was so bored by the blah runway that I wasn't even inspired enough to make catty comments about all of the designs. Instead, here's my take on the final outcome.

Amy Sarabi wins the runway this week with a very pretty, nicely flowing, relatively flattering gown.

I thought Amy did a pretty good job. I think her dress was, by far, the best of the bunch, though that's not really saying much. The fit underneath the bust line is questionable, but I don't hate it. I like the small amount of Campbell's fabric woven into the sash and I'm pretty sure anymore branding would have ruined that particular dress. The movement was my favorite part. The model walked down the runway and it just looked as if a giant fan was blowing the dress back. Excellent execution on that part.

I'm also ignoring the fact that this was essentially a Marchesa rip-off mostly because I love Marchesa that much.

Congrats to Amy!

Oy. This dress was nothing short of a mess. Michael Kors declared that Jesus must have had a checklist of every possible tacky thing he could've done and managed to incorporate them all into one garment. Shiny red, short, tight, and rhinestone straps? I was expecting someone from Dynasty to come out on the runway. The only word I can think of is gaudy.

There is nothing okay about this dress, aside from the construction. He clearly knows how to sew, but that's about it. The racing striped logo on the side just made her look like she should have been one of those girls walking across a boxing ring, holding up a sign for applause or something equally lame.

Also, did the model look miserable, or what? I mean, I know these aren't professional models, but this woman could certainly give lessons on how to perfect the sour-puss look while strutting down the catwalk. Though, if I was wearing that? I'd probably look kind of miserable, too.

So, with that, 21-year-old Jesus is banished from season 7 of Project Runway. I doubt anyone didn't see this coming as he's had some questionable taste the last few weeks, but it's a little sad to see him go. He seemed like a sweet guy, but he's clearly got a lot to learn.

Auf wiedersehen, Jesus!

[photo credits: projectrungay.blogspot.com, mylifetime.com]

Why, Why, WHY???

Can somebody please explain to me why in the world these people were at the Grammy Awards??

Is this a joke? Are we being punk'd or something??

Please, somebody, just explain to me what qualifies these brainless Jersey Shore losers to be present at the Grammy's? I just don't understand.

Dear Snooki - You are disgusting. Your dress is not flattering, your hair is trashy, your booties look ridiculous, and that tan makes me want to cry for your poor skin. You're not hot, you're not cute, you're just obnoxious. Stop mugging for the damn cameras and realize that people are LAUGHING AT YOU, NOT WITH YOU.

Dear The Situation - I do not care about your situation. I do not care about your skills, or your fresh haircut, or your blindingly blue shirt or your Sopranos-esque suit. I really just think you're a freakin' brainless idiot. And I have to tell you the same thing that I told Snookie. People are laughing at you, not with you. Get with it. Step away from the tanning bed. Get a grip on reality. Fist pumping on the red carpet is not allowed.

That is all.

[photo credits: justjared.buzznet.com]