Messy Wands

Guerlain Noir G Mascara

2012-02-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

It's official, ladies. I found my HG mascara.

I usually try one and start thinking of the next one I have to get three months later. I got the Guerlain Noir G Mascara mid-January and knew I didn't have to look anymore. Now I'm wondering how long this will last me and when I'm supposed to get the refill.

Instructions on how to open this contraption

The mascara packaging resembles the famed Rouge G, though slightly different in mechanics. You're supposed to tug the handle till you hear a click, which will reveal the mirror handy for on-the-go touchups. Proceed to unscrew and whip up those lashes.

This mascara is ridiculous. Believe me, I was a skeptic when I first got it. The packaging is grand but a touch gimmicky. The tube is of a substantial weight, which makes me reluctant to lug it around in my bag, so I'm not exactly sure when the mirror would come in handy. Then there was all these claims Guerlain was making on the formula (volumizing, lengthening, curling, perfectly defined lashes) and the brush (perfect, fast, even distribution, easy to handle and glides everywhere). I purchased this buying into the marketing and hype and was prepared to be utterly let down.

No mascara

With Guerlain Noir G Mascara

But I wasn't! I don't even need to curl my lashes before I put the mascara on, it'll lift them up by itself (though for more drama I still suggest a routine pinch prior to application). It lengthens marvelously, and for volume all you have to do is put on a couple more coats. The formula is not heavy and does not clump (note: the most I've done is three layers). The mascara is also scented with the typical Guerlain floral, but you'll only be able to snatch a whiff during application.

Guerlain Noir G Mascara retails for $49 and the refills cost $26. I do apologize for this. It's such a painful amount for something you'll need to replace every three months or so. But well, it's always better to spend on something you'll love and finish than five things you'll hate and chuck.

Sunday Riley Prismasilk Eye Color in Lady Godiva

2012-02-25T09:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks to The Beauty Look Book, I decided to give Sunday Riley a try. So far I'm halfway through a generous sample of the Effortless Breathable Tinted Primer (their bestselling product) and I have to say I'm almost sold. It keeps shine at bay and creates a really smooth canvas for foundation. If the performance keeps up, I just might have to purchase the full-sized product.

But today's post is about their much-raved-about eyeshadow. I have on hand Sunday Riley Lady Godiva, a lightly shimmery sandy sort of color.

Sunday Riley wins no prizes packaging-wise. The eyeshadow singles are made of a black plastic base and clear plastic cover. While functional, I can't help but feel (especially if your vanity is filled with the likes of Guerlain and Burberry) that they could do so much better on the design. At $26 each we deserve a little more pizzazz with these things. Yes, I know in the end what matters is how well the eyeshadow performs, but I like my heart to skip a beat when I look at my beauty products, you know?

On the other hand, no one would have qualms about "ruining the design" and wasting a perfectly good eyeshadow. Hmm.

Sunday Riley set up certain expectations when she named her eye shadow formula "Prismasilk," and in this aspect it doesn't disappoint. It is not as buttery soft in texture as Burberry eyeshadows but in application they fare the same. I can't help but think applying these shadows to the eye is more of a "smoothing on" than a brushing on. As for wear, without primer the eye shadow lasts about eight hours before creasing on an oily eyelid. With primer it lasts all day.

I found Lady Godiva to be an ideal there/not there lid shade, like if you weren't paying close enough attention you would think I just had really pretty lids when in fact, I was actually wearing eyeshadow! It won't fool you girls, but I bet it'll work against my boyfriend. Lady Godiva is such a standalone color, and has been quite the lifesaver on days where I only have precious few minutes to color up my face. It's a great neutral to go with more daring shades on lips and cheeks. Actually, it's a great neutral, period.

Cheeks: Burberry Light Glow in Tangerine Blush No. 06; Lips: Chanel Rouge Coco Mademoiselle

Sunday Riley Prismasilk Eye Color in Lady Godiva retails for $26. The line is exclusively available to Barneys New York.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Rose Gold

2012-02-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

Despite its various incarnations throughout the years and ubiquity in Beauty Must-Have lists, I never really thought much about Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks in the past. I didn't know what it was for. It was too frosty (in my opinion) to be a highlighter but not pigmented enough to be a blush. In addition, my perception of the brand was colored by bad experiences at counters and gritting my teeth at unfriendly sales assistants, so I always walked away without purchasing anything.

My indifference has never really been challenged until the Rose Gold collection came around. Dustin was by my side as we rifled through the beauty counters at Bergdorf's, and we stopped at the Bobbi Brown counter. I confessed I didn't understand them as highlighters, and he explained, "well, those are luminizers. You're supposed to put them on top of your blush."

Somewhere in my head a gong (of understanding) was struck, and I left the counter holding my very first Shimmer Brick.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Rose Gold contains five shades of rose, pinks, and golds. Swirled together, the resulting hue is its namesake. While it looks frightening in the swatch, it becomes altogether magical when layered over another color on the cheeks. Case in point:

Cle de Peau Cheek Color Duo in 02

Bobbi Brown Rose Gold Shimmer Brick layered over CdP Cheek Color Duo in 02

What is the word for it? A glow? A luminescence? A sultry flush? (Ha!) However you want to call it, I think it looks fetching on the skin, and especially great for drawing attention to your cheeks.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Rose Gold retails for $39 and is available at Bobbi Brown counters nationwide and bobbibrown.com. Like all good things, it is unfortunately limited edition.

Beauty PSA: List of Discontinued Le Métier de Beauté Products and Neiman Marcus Tweetstakes

2012-02-24T02:26:00.000-05:00

I recently found out from Shawn that Le Métier de Beauté is discontinuing a number of items from their permanent line. Since the Neiman Marcus Beauty Event just started, I thought providing you with this list might help you toward the $125 you need for the Red Velvet Lip Creme (or $200 for the brand new cream cleanser):

Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss in Captiva, Monaco, and Maui
Lip Creme Lip Gloss in Apricot Crème
Dualistic Lip Pencil in Nudité
True Colour Eye Shadow in Kunzite, Angel, Innocence, Mia, and Mulberry (!)
Precision Liquid Eyeliner in Bleu and Aqua
Peau Vierge Correcteur in Shade #3
Liquid Illuminator in Bella Bronze
Classic Flawless Finish Compact Powder Shades #1-8
Classic Flawless Finish Loose Powder Shades #1-3 (in its stead, the company rolled out a universal Translucent shade)
Classic Flawless Finish Liquid Foundation in Shade #12

If any of these are your HG items I would suggest you stock up now before it is too late. As ever, my Neiman Marcus go-to sales associate is Traci Dastou and you can reach her at 617-536-3660 x2111. I told her to be extra nice to my readers!

Update: I just tried the Daily Renew Crème Cleanser (GWP with $200 minimum purchase) and it is made of pure awesome. It's pink, smells like the Replenishing Daily Solution, and leaves your skin feeling super clean and smooth. I think this (with Red Velvet) is Le Métier's best GWP to date!

Since we're on the subject, Neiman Marcus is having a Tweetstakes featuring major prizes. All you have to do is tweet at @neimanmarcus and include the hashtag #NMBeautyEvent between February 20 and March 5 and you will be entered to win:

Guerlain Noir G Mascara
Trish McEvoy # 9 Polish Sugar Scrub
Orlane Créme Royale Neck and Decollete
Kiehl’s Créme de Corps Basket
2 Le Metier Lip and Nail Kits
Sisley Paris Sisleya Face and Eye cream
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat and Mascara
Clinique Chubby Stick Trio
Laura Mercier Eau Gourmande Fragrance in Almond Coconut
Valentino by Valentino Eau de Parfum
Dozen Roses Electron Eau de Parfum
Lalique Fleur de Cristal Eau de Parfum (with body cream)
Tom Ford Casablanca Lipstick and Bitter Bitch Nail Color
Sedu Hair Dryer
Clarisonic Mia 2 Pink

The total retail value of the prizes is over $2,000!

If you aren't already on Twitter, this is a great excuse to hop on the bandwagon. See you there!

Clé de Peau Beauté Cheek Color Duo in 02

2012-02-23T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have a love-hate relationship with Clé de Peau. I think it is absolutely ridiculous that I have to buy separate cases for each palette I want to buy, especially when the palette sans case costs more than say, a Chanel Joues Contraste. I've heard great things about their products, but are they worth that much trouble? Especially when I have to pay so much?

For Clé de Peau Eye Color Quad in Kyanite, the answer was yes, but the company's cheek products were unexplored territory. After reading this glowing review on Time 4 Beauty, I decided I would give them a try, so with a wince, I plunked down a hefty sum for Cheek Color Duo in 02 and an accompanying blush case.

Clé de Peau blush palettes offer you both color and highlighter. The brush that comes with the palette is not only functional but super soft and actually something you would look forward to use. The Cheek Color Duo in 02 contains a soft coral with the finest of micro shimmers, and a white gold highlighting shade.

Eyes: Paul and Joe Face and Eye CS in 076 Siamese, Please; Lips: Lipstick C in 076 Meow!

As for the blush itself, it is what I've come to expect from Clé de Peau - soft, finely milled, and super subtle. The produced effect is like color is peeking out from under your skin. You'll have to layer it repeatedly for it to be more noticeable, but if that was what you were going for you would be better off purchasing a blush from another brand for a fraction of the price.

Clé de Peau Cheek Color Duo 02 retails for $48, while the case and accompanying brush costs $40. If you do not intend to travel with this, I would suggest only buying the refill so that the price is easier to swallow. The plastic casing that comes with the refill is sturdy enough for the vanity table, even with regular use.

Chanel Rouge Allure Belgravia

2012-02-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

Due to my new obsession with the BBC TV series Sherlock (are you watching it? If not, please do), I can't see the word "Belgravia" without thinking about Benedict Cumberbatch (who plays Sherlock Holmes) and that wonderful episode where he meets Irene Adler. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil the show for you and I can't make it relevant by connecting Chanel Rouge Allure Belgravia to Irene (her lipstick selections firmly stay in the red territory). Though, Sherlock is a UK series and the lipstick was part of a limited edition collection only available to Harrods London...

Okay, okay. Moving on!

L-R: Rouge Allure Kensington, Belgravia

Like Paul and Joe Meow!, Belgravia baffled me when it came to swatch and on-lip similarity. I thought (again) that I labeled my swatches wrong but I checked and just had to concede that these lipsticks don't work the usual way. On my hand Belgravia leans red whereas on the lips it becomes decidedly Barbie pink.

It shocks me to realize this is the first time a Rouge Allure appeared on the blog. It is one of my favorite lipstick formulas, as it is actually moisturizing (unlike Rouge Cocos) and lightweight and taste free, and on top of that lasts 4-5 hours. It has an unidentified light scent in the tube which does not translate onto the lips, which I'm beginning to think is characteristic of all Chanel lipsticks.

Chanel Rouge Allure Belgravia retails for $32 and is a limited edition chanel.com exclusive.

Now that I've completed my Serious Beauty Blogger Duties, let's have some fun! Anyone here watches Sherlock and is obsessed about it too? I'd love to hear your likes, dislikes, discussions... You can express how much you want your batch cumbered, if you so wish. (Oh, you know you want to.)

Essie Navigate Her

2012-02-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

This winter-going-into-spring has been such a green season for nails. I chanced upon a bottle of Essie Navigate Her some time ago thought "Dior Waterlily!" but that was just my memory playing tricks on me. They're not even two peas in a pod.

Dior Waterlily on index finger, the rest is Essie Navigate Her

Color descriptions baffle me, so I'm going to venture that Waterlily is a mint green while Navigate Her is muted lime. They both wear wonderfully. No chips at all on the third day even with vigorous package-opening (a job hazard) and though I took it off on that day itself, I am quite certain it would have lasted a full week with minimal wear, provided you use a good base and top coat (Rescue Beauty Lounge's in my case).

Essie Navigate Her officially retails for $8 (prices vary depending on where you look) and can be found at most pharmacies or select e-tailers. I found an Amazon listing for the entire Spring 2012 collection for about $33 with shipping.

For an even more budget-friendly lime green (no promises on similarity), visit Karla Sugar's recent post on Sally Hansen Green with Envy.

Lipstick Bandits: The First One

2012-02-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Your friendly neighborhood bandits (er, lipstick junkies) are back to bring you another edition of joint lemming creation. This time it's the first lipstick we ever purchased or The One That Started It All, "It" being the irrational need to collect every lip color (and then some) on earth. I have long forgotten what my first lipstick was - I didn't know at that time the little tube would represent such a big part of my life, but I do remember my first high end lipstick. It was when Chanel just introduced the Rouge Coco formula and everyone everywhere was saying how perfect Vanessa Paradis was in the promo pic and her lips! Her lips were the epitome of perfect, apparently. And maybe I wanted perfect lips too.

... There's a large amount of hyperbole there. It must be all the TV shows I've been watching that brought on all this drama. For all I know I just wanted to own a Chanel lipstick. Either way, I went home with Rouge Coco Mademoiselle after making friends with a Chanel SA at my local Macy's.

I chose the Rouge Coco formula because it was said to be the most moisturizing of all the Chanel lipsticks (which I later found was false. The Rouge Allures fare much better in that aspect) and Mademoiselle for the rosiness. I can't say this about all Rouge Cocos, but Mademoiselle is really comfortable to wear. It is taste free and has a light scent (unidentified) in the tube but doesn't linger on the lips. While it isn't drying, I don't find that it has any moisturizing properties because I'll need a dose of balm 5-6 hours in. But at some point I start to wonder if it's due to the lipstick or the fact that I don't drink as much liquids with lipstick on.

On Eyes: Sunday Riley Lady Godiva; On cheeks: Burberry Light Glow in Tangerine Blush No. 06

Ah, the ponderings of a beauty blogger.

Chanel Rouge Coco Mademoiselle retails for $32.50 and can be purchased from chanel.com.

I'm off to see what my fellow bandits have in store for me. Hold on to your purses, ladies, because resisting the urge to buy buy buy is going to be tough:

Paul and Joe Blush Sticks in 001 Glamour Puss and 002 Minou

2012-02-18T14:05:00.001-05:00

The cat head Blush Sticks from the Paul and Joe Beaute Spring 2012 collection whipped cat lovers (and you better believe there are a lot of them in the beauty blogosphere) into a major frenzy. I'm not going to lie, I purchased all of them without testing, even though the testers were right in front of me. I mean, that just defies reason!

The best part was I don't have a particular weakness for cats (eep, don't hit me). I've always had a soft spot for top hats, though, and as much as I want to be Adult and Responsible about my purchases, I'll probably always fall for a cat in a bow and top hat. I'm simple like that.

Blush Stick in 001 Glamour Puss

Blush Stick in 002 Minou

Blush Stick in 003 Catfight

L-R: Blush Stick in 003 Catfight, 002 Minou, 001 Glamour Puss

I was quite baffled by the ears, so I milled around the room for a few minutes trying to figure out how I would apply them without breaking such preciousness off. (The horror!) And then there was the question of applying it evenly, because those ears, cute as they are, just get in the way (see above swatch). It quickly became apparent that evenness doesn't matter since the whole point is to blend it out, but there's that irrational side of me that goes, "but if it doesn't apply evenly i can't blend it evenly!" which is um, false.

I did save the cat's face from certain disfiguration by using only the back of the head! (And no the ears did not break off from use.)

I used all three blush sticks in the pictures below (see caption). The difference is almost imperceptible when blended out, but I hope you can still see it! On my lips I am wearing Le Métier de Beauté Vanilla Rose lip creme topped with La Belle lip gloss.

Blush Stick in 003 Catfight

Blush Stick in 001 Glamour Puss and 002 Minou

I applied the color directly to my face then blended it out with my fingers/foundation brush. Both methods "eat up" color, so chances are you'll have more color on your fingers/brush than what is left on the cheeks. This is a good thing (depending on your blush preferences) since all it leaves is a light, natural flush. If you've been following Messy Wands for a while now, you'll know that's how we go! That being said, pigmentation is buildable. The trick is to layer it instead of doing one big swipe from the get-go.

The lasting power for these blushes was great, which wasn't what I expected considering how weightless and not-there they felt. It's not a blush I would recommend for beginners or people who want something that is swipe-and-go easy. There is a learning curve to the blending, since too much of it and the color would be gone. But this stick, just slightly wider than a regular lipstick, would be perfect for retouching on the go, and at this price point (and let's face it, cuteness) really can't be beat.

Paul and Joe Blush Sticks in 001 Glamour Puss and 002 Minou retail for $28 each. Last I checked, all three shades are still available at b-glowing.com.

Le Métier de Beauté Lip Creme in Red Velvet

2012-02-16T19:40:00.000-05:00

I was fortunate to get a taste (literally) of the fabulous Neiman Marcus Beauty Event GWP from Le Métier de Beauté. If you've been waiting for a true red from the brand, consider it done. Here are pictures and swatches of Le Métier de Beauté Lip Creme in Red Velvet.

(Apologies for the lower picture/color quality. I could only grab these with my iPhone camera using shoddy department store lighting.)

Upon swatching, Red Velvet immediately reminded me of a certain Chanel red that was recently discontinued. I wanted to swatch them side by side for you, but unfortunately the Chanel counter did not have a tester I could use. I can't attest to Red Velvet's wear time as compared to Chanel Dragon, but I can definitely say the color and finish is very similar when worn on the lips. *update: my pal @ultimatemakeup tweeted me saying the lasting power is amazing and it leaves a lovely stain after. Now I can't wait to get my hands on it.

While beautiful (and should be considered in the permanent collection), unfortunately the lip creme does not taste like its namesake. It is completely scent and taste free, non-sticky, and as expected, a pleasure to wear.

While the Neiman Marcus Beauty Event officially happens from February 23 to March 4, I was told you will be able to pre-sell the items you want as early as February 21. As always, if you don't have a Neiman Marcus near you, my lovely friends Traci Dastou and Shawn Kelly of Neiman Marcus Boston will be happy to help. You can reach them at 617-536-3660 x2111. Tell them I sent you and they'll be extra nice, I promise!

Beauty PSA: Neiman Marcus Spring 2012 Beauty Event GWPs

2012-02-15T23:07:00.000-05:00

The Neiman Marcus Beauty Event is slated for Thursday, February 23 and lasts through Sunday, March 4. That's what they say, but the gift bags usually run out within the first few days, so if you have anything you want, do call your favorite Neiman Marcus SA to reserve/pre-sell it!

If memory doesn't fail me (I only caught a glimpse earlier today), this year's gift bag comes in three colors, bright yellow, pink, and white. The bag contains Cle de Peau Le Coton, Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Fragrance, A Dozen Roses Electron Fragrance, Kiehl's Line Release Concentrate, La Mer Reparative Body Lotion, Molton Brown Vitamin AB+C Shower Gel, Fekkai Ageless Shampoo, Conditioner, and All-Day Hair Pump, as well as Kate Somerville Clinic-To-Go Pads. Most of them are in sample vials or sachets, though it looks like the Kiehl's, Molton Brown, and La Mer will be in deluxe sizes. The gift bag will be yours with a qualifying purchase of $100 or more in the cosmetics or fragrance department.

Now to the better part of the deal, below is the complete list of GWPs from each brand:

Acqua Di Parma
Gelsomino Nobile: Yellow hatbox with Eau de Parfum and Body Cream; $100 minimum purchase.

Agraria
Luxury Bath Bar; $100 minimum purchase.

Amorepacific
Silver cosmetics bag with Treatment Cleansing Oil, Time Response Skin Renewal Serum and Eye Creme, and your choice of Time Response Skin Renewal Creme, Future Response Creme, or Moisture Bound Rejuvenating Creme sample; $300 minimum purchase. All of the above, plus keepsake box with Korean bojagi scarf; $500 minimum purchase.

Annick Goutal
Eau d'Hadrien Shower Gel; $100 minimum purchase.

Anthouse
Votive Candle; $75 minimum purchase.

Antica Farmacista
Champagne Room Fragrance; $92 minimum purchase.

Atelier Cologne
Leather pouch with Atomizer, $145 minimum purchase.

Baby Quasar
Pure Silk Serum; $350 minimum purchase.

Bliss
Tote with Fabulous Foaming Face Wash, Lemon+Sage Body Scrub, and Lemon+Sage Body Butter; $50 minimum purchase.

Bobbi Brown
Extreme PArty Mascara in Black, Extra Eye Repair Cream, and Heather Neutrals Eye Palette with Eye Shadow in Navajo, Cement, Mahogany, Charcoal, Heather, and Ivory, Heather Mauve Shimmer Wash, and Eggplant Shimmer Wash; $150 minimum purchase.

Bvlgari
Coral clutch with Omnia Eau de Parfum; $80 minimum purchase.

Cartier
Baiser Vole EDP; $80 minimum purchase.

Chantecaille
Organza drawstring Pouch with Flower Harmonizing Cream, Brilliant Gloss in Mirth, full-size Eye Shade, and EDP vial-on-card; $150 minimum purchase.

Clarisonic
Floral bag with Normal Brush Head; $149 minimum purchase.

Cle de Peau Beaute
Navy pouch with Gentle Cleansing Foam, Gentle Protective Emulsion,Brightening Serum supreme, and La Creme; $300 minimum purchase.

Clinique
Cosmetics bag with Youth Surge SPF 15 Age Decelerating Moisturizer, Repairwear Intensive Eye Cream, Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser, Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo in Like Mink, Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher in Mocha Pink, Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Mega Melon, and High Impact Mascara in Black; $65 minimum purchase.

Crystalift
Two Crystalift Refills; $199 minimum purchase.

Deborah Lippman
Full-size Nail Lacquer in Candy Shop; $48 minimum purchase.

Dior
Gray zippered trapeze pouch with L'Or de Vie La Creme Riche, Diorshow Iconic Mascara in Black, Rouge Dior in Rouge Blossom, and 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow in Mystic Smoky; $150 minimum purchase.

Dolce and Gabbana
Light Blue Body Cream; with purchase of any two Light Blue products.

Elie Saab
Le Parfum EDP; $100 minimum purchase.

Estee Lauder
Sumptuous Mascara in Black, Gentle Eye Makeup Remover, and Advanced Night Repair Eye; $100 minimum purchase.

Fekkai
Sheer Hold Hairspray; with purchase of any two Fekkai products.

Fresh
Cosmetics bag with Soy Face Cleanser, Brown Sugar Body Polish, Citron de Vugne EDP, and Seaberry REstorative Body Cream; $100 minimum purchase. All of the above, plus Creme Ancienne; $125 minimum purchase.

Givenchy
NM Exclusive black pouch with Dahlia Noir EDP; with purchase of any large Dahlia Noir fragrance spray.

Gucci
Guilty EDP Travel Spray; with purchase of any two Guilty products. Guilty Pour Homme EDT Travel Spray; with purchase of any two Gucci Pour Homme products. Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme After Shave Balm; with purchase of any large Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme fragrance spray.

Guerlain
Orchidee Imperial: Deluxe case with Cream Longevity Concentrate, Mask, and Eye and Lip Cream; $250 minimum purchase.

Hermes
Eau des Merveilles EDT Travel Spray, Terre d'Hermes Perfume, or Un Jardin apres la Mousson EDT Travel Spray; $100 minimum purchase.

Issey Miyake
L'Eau d'Issey Florale EDT; $100 minimum purchase.

Jack Black
Pure Clean Daily Face Cleanser; $75 minimum purchase.

Jean Paul Gaultier
Le Male Soothing After Shave Balm; $100 minimum purchase.

J. F. Lazartigue
Hair Styling Gel; $85 minimum purchase.

Jivago
Silk Scarves in 24K Gold or White Gold; $130 minimum 24K Gold or White Gold purchase. 24K Gold: Your choice of Body Lotion or Shower Gel; $150 minimum purchase.

Jo Malone
Black leather travel case with Grapefruit Cologne and Lime Basil and Mandarin Cologne; $150 minimum purchase.

Kate Somerville
Organza bag with CytoCell Dermal Energizing Treatment and Dark Circle Corrective Eye Treatment; $200

Kiehl's Since 1851
Clear/black bag with Midnight Recovery Concentrate, Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+, Creme de Corps Soy Milk and Honey Whipped Body Butter, Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate, and Rosa Arctica, $85 minimum purchase. All of the above, plus Olive Fruit Oil Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner; $125 minimum purchase.

Lalique
Eau de Lalique Solid PErfume HEart Compact; $120 minimum purchase.

La Mer
Travel case with Creme de la Mer, The Regenerating Serum, The Eye Concentrate and The Hand Treatment; $350 minimum purchase.

Lancome Paris
Dark gray bag with Absolue PRemium Bx Moisturizer, Eye Cream, and Hand Treatment, L'Absolu Rouge in Voile de Rose, Hypnose Drama Mascara in Black, and Color Design Eye Shadow in Pink Pearls, Little Blue Dress, Pink Zinc, and Clock Strikes 12; $85 minimum purchase.

La Prairie
White cosmetics bag with Cellular Power Infusion and Cellular Cleansing Water Eyes/Face; $300 minimum purchase.

Laura Mercier
Cosmetics bag with Foundation Primer RAdiance, Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara in Black, Repair Creme, and Tightline Cake Eye Liner in Plum Riche; $125 minimum purchase.

Le Metier de Beaute
Lip Gloss Lip Creme in Red Velvet; $125 minimum purchase. (I swatched this in store today. It looks like Chanel Dragon!)

Lollia
Relax Sea Salt Sachet; $75 minimum purchase.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Aqua Universalis Scented Sachet; $185 minimum purchase.

Molton Brown
Heavenly Gingerlily Bath and Shower; $75 minimum purchase.

Narciso Rodriguez
For Her Body Cream; $100 minimum purchase.

Natura Bisse
Diamond White, Intensive Tolerance Booster, The Cure Sheer Cream, and NB-Ceutical SPF 30 Daily Defense Oil-Free Fluid; $300 minimum purchase.

Nest
Mini votive with purchase of liquid hand soap or bar soap.

Nuface
Cosmetics bag with full-size Conductivity Gel; $249 minimum purchase.

Orlane, Paris
Multicolor striped cosmetics bag with Extreme Line-Reducing Re-Plumping Cream, Absolute Skin Recovery Care Eye Contour, Firming SErum Neck and DEcollete, Thermo-Active Firming Serum, and Extreme Anti-Wrinkle REgenerating Night Care; $300 minimum purchase.

Philip B.
Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo; $100 minimum purchase.

Phyto
Phytocitrus Shampoo; with purchase of any two Phyto products.

Revive
Cosmetics bag with Intensite Volumizing Serum, Moisturizing Renewal Cream Supreme, Eye Renewal Cream, and Fermitif Neck Renewal Cream; $350 minimum purchase. All of the above, plus Les Yeux Presse; $650 minimum purchase.

Robert Piguet
Fracas Votive Candle; $120 minimum purchase.

Salvatore Ferragamo
F by Ferragamo Pour Homme Black Shampoo and Shower Gel; $75 minimum purchase.

Sedu
Shortie Flat Iron; $120 minimum purchase.

Sisley-Paris
Cream cosmetics bag with Emulsion Ecologique, Lyslait Cleansing Milk, Botanical Floral Toning Lotion, Sisleya RAdiance Anti-Aging Concentrate, Sisleya Daily Line Reducer, Supremya, Soir de Lune Body Cream, and Instant Perfect; $300 minimum purchase.

Supersmile
45 degree Angled Toothbrush and Professional Whitening Toothpaste in Icy Mint; $125 minimum purchase.

Trish McEvoy
NM Exclusive pink leather pouch with Lash Enhancing Eye Liner, Lash Enhancer Nighttime Conditioning Treatment, Eye Base Essentials in Sheer Gold, and Instant Eye Lift; $125 minimum purchase.

Tweezerman
Full-size Browmousse; $20 minimum purchase.

VENeffect
Folding carton with Anti-Aging Intensive Moisturizer, $150 minimum purchase.

Versace
Bright Crystal: Coffret with EDT, Body Lotion, and Body Gel; $150 minimum purchase.

Viktor and Rolf
Flowerbomb EDP; $100 minimum purchase.

Yves Saint Laurent
Large vanity case with Rouge Pur Couture in Luminous Fresh Pink Peach, Volume Effet Faux Cils Shocking Mascara in Black, Forever Youth Liberator Serum, Instant Eye Make-Up Remover, and Waterproof Eye Pencil in Black; $150 minimum purchase. Opium: Red/black mirrored pouch with EDT and Body Moisturizer; $77 minimum women's YSL fragrance purchase.

Phew, that's one heck of a list to type out! Now, if you don't have a Neiman Marcus store near you, or haven't found a SA you love, might I suggest the inimitable Traci Dastou of Neiman Marcus Boston? She is the nicest and most helpful person ever and the reason I choose to shop at Neiman Marcus when I'm in Boston. You can reach her at 617-536-3660 x2111. Tell her Xiao from Messy Wands sent you and she'll hook you up!

Le Métier de Beauté Spring 2012 Preview: The Northern Lights Collection

2012-02-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

I'm sure most of you have already seen this, but I feel like it's almost a requisite for me to post this information. Oh Le Métier how you make my heart race! March cannot roll around soon enough.

For Spring, the folks at Le Métier de Beauté takes inspiration from the ethereal northern skies and translates the ethereal beauty of the Aurora Borealis into hues for the lips, nails and eyes.

You can click on them to view in mega-high resolution:

The Northern Lights Kaleidoscope Eye Kit contains:

Ionic - a satin/matte neutral peach
Sky - a pale shimmering blue
Magnetic - a blazing copper
Equinox - a satin/matte twilight

The Aurora Kaleidoscope Lip Kit contains:

Illuminate - a shimmering hot pink with a sheer finish
Voltair - a satin nude mauve (seriously. an angel gets its wings everytime someone creates a nude mauve)
Dynamos - an effervescent coral tangerine (effervescent! I wonder how it looks in real life)
Eos - an opaque fuchsia

For the nails, you get:

Aurora - an icy blue
Solar Flare - a dusky rose-pink
Faraday - a shimmering lavender taupe

I had the fortune to see these nail polishes firsthand about a month ago and I can assure you that Faraday will sell out before you know it (with "lavender taupe" as a description, who's surprised?). I'm so glad the company decided to roll out bigger bottles from this collection on. Faraday is a breathtaking nude and I know I'll need a lot of it.

As usual, the eye and lip kits retail for $95 and the nail polishes will go for $18. The Northern Lights collection should hit counters nationwide early March.

And here's a post-Valentine's Day treat to top off the flowers/chocolates/candies from yesterday: Dustin has a few things up his sleeve for Le Métier de Beauté coming soon. There is no other information I can give you (because even he doesn't know what will be in them yet), but when I have it you bet I'll let you know.

Tutorial: Neutral Sculpted Look

2012-02-14T08:36:00.000-05:00

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but when I was younger I used to be very self-conscious about my uneven lids. Oh, the tons of pictures I now regret deleting, just because at that time I couldn't bear my "hideous" eyes. I've largely made peace with it. I know I can't change that part of myself, and frankly, not many people notice until I point it out anyway.

But because of that, I don't do what I call "Asian makeup" very often. I prefer looks that give me more drama on the eyes, just because that would allow me to even out my eyes a little. Well, last week I threw on an outfit that was very Japanese/Taiwanese of me (I'm abusing stereotypes in this post. Forgive me) and I thought I should have the makeup to go with it. It was a first for me, going for such a clean look, but guess what, it's now stored under my list of favorites waiting to be reused.

For a supposedly simple look, there are a lot of products and steps involved. I have the tendency to complicate simple things, so my apologies. Below is the breakdown for each part:

Hair

I combed my hair pin straight instead of leaving it as the scrunched up messiness you usually see on here. You're looking (perhaps for the first time) at my hair as it naturally is.

Skin

I wanted the skin to look flawless and glowy (let's ignore the dry bits. It's winter). I've been obsessed with dewy skin recently, and have always been curious about how to achieve it without becoming an oil mess within an hour. I think I just might have gotten it.

I started by prepping the skin with Sunday Riley Effortless Breathable Tinted Primer, then applied a pump of Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base all over the skin. Next, I swept a light pink highlighter all over the face (Guerlain Cruel Gardenia), and only then I applied Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge #2 as my foundation. Finally, I used a finishing powder to seal everything in. It is important to avoid mattifying powders because well, that defies the entire purpose. My loose powder of choice is Le Métier de Beauté Classic Flawless Finish Loose Powder #1 (which incidentally, has been discontinued by the company. If it is your HG, stock up while it lasts). Best thing is, all of these products were so lightweight I hardly felt anything on my skin (that's five layers we're talking about). It definitely felt like a rock star after such attention.

Eyes

Shade in your eyebrows following your natural shape.

I used a pearly white shade as an all-over lid wash (I used Bobbi Brown Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow in Opal 13), then lined my eyes with the tiniest flick of wings with MAC Fluidline in Midnight Blues and Le Métier de Beauté Precision Eye Liner in Noir. If you look closely at the second picture you can see the blue underneath the black. I used the remnants of blue ink on my brush to line my bottom lash line one-third of the way, then used Le Métier de Beauté Sugar to highlight the inner corners as well as the rest of the bottom lash line to give the appearance of wider eyes.

Lashes were courtesy of Guerlain Noir G Mascara, the best curling, separating, lengthening, potentially volumizing mascara I've used in my life.

Cheeks

I contoured my cheeks using Burberry Light Glow in Earthy Blush No. 07 and created the faintest of flushes with Le Métier de Beauté Romeo and Juliet Blushing Bronze Duet.

Lips

I went for a semi-matte pink (think natural looking) shade, courtesy of Paul and Joe Lipstick C in 076 Meow!

And done! I hope you enjoyed my sudden tutorial. If you are inspired to recreate the look, please share it with us via Facebook. I would love to see it!

Fashion Picks: NYFW Fall 2012 (so far)

2012-02-13T20:50:00.000-05:00

We interrupt our regularly scheduled program with an obligatory Fashion Week post! But since I'm sure you're absolutely bombarded with these everywhere else, there will be no beauty recreations (yet!) or trend watching here. Instead, let's just have a little fun with fashion.

I picked these based on immediate impulse, so the only looks that surprised me were the DVF and Derek Lam ones (all red leather? Really, Xiao?). There is definitely a pattern here: Peter Pan collars (I have such a need for these), long flowy dresses, sharp cuts, and just well-tailored things in general.

All photos from style.com.

Carolina Herrera Look #10 - for my Morticia Adams fix

Carolina Herrera Look #19 - for the days I want to look like I chicly got out of bed

DKNY Look #2

Diane von Furstenberg Look #32

Derek Lam Look #9

Donna Karan Look #33

Donna Karan Look #8

Ohne Titel Look #2 - because my boyfriend said he wanted to retire in Alaska (uh, no thanks)

3.1 Phillip Lim Look #27

Victoria Beckham Look #17

Victoria Beckham Look #22

Let's Talk About Hair

2012-02-11T23:21:00.001-05:00

Confession: Sometimes I get more excited about hair than makeup. If I had more skill manipulating hair the direction of this blog might have been entirely different, but alas, another confession: I don't know how to style my hair at all. I can barely even handle a respectable braid. This kills me when I see girls with perfect beachy waves, elaborate updos, simple updos even. I just can't do anything but hope my hair looks pretty when I leave it down.

So, I'm not an expert on hair, but I love it. I love good hair so much that having bad hair ruins my entire day. I mean, if you have bad skin at least you can throw some foundation over it, right? Anyway, a few readers have asked how I style my hair and the simple answer is I don't. I don't own a flat iron and my curling iron is relegated to an unknown back closet somewhere.

The only thing I use for now is the Shu Uemura Muroto Volume Amplifying Shampoo and Conditioner. I have pin straight Asian hair, which wouldn't bother me as much if it weren't also so flat. These two bottles are basically fairy volumizing dust in a bottle. It contains Depsea water, an ingredient widely used in their skincare, which softens and nourishes the hair (my hair has never looked and felt this healthy) while delivering the promised volume. It also doesn't hurt that it smells absolutely amazing (the fragrance listed on the website is Aquarelle).

Shu Uemura Muroto Volume Amplifying Shampoo and Conditioner retails for $48 and $58 respectively. It is a shocking amount to spend on hair, but I don't buy any other product. With these I don't feel the need for hair oils or volumizing gels and mousses. They can be found at certain salons but for convenience I ordered them from shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com. Beware though, as I found out the hard way, once you start using this there is no way to go back.

Paul and Joe Spring 2012: Face and Eye Color CS in 076 Siamese, Please

2012-02-10T00:58:00.000-05:00

After hearing from Getting Cheeky that the Paul and Joe Lipstick C in Meow! is already sold out on beautyhabit.com, I went into full panic mode to churn out this post. Originally this was supposed to go up a little later (I'll explain why in a bit) but I decided to move it up just in case. Wouldn't want everything to be sold out before you guys can get your hands on it, right?

Out of the three palettes available for spring, I chose the no-brainer, Face and Eye Color CS in 076 Siamese, Please. Why do I need another brown palette, you ask? I can defensively cite the number of brown palettes I own (surprisingly not many) but really it's just because the cat in the palette has her eyes closed and I can see her three distinctive lashes. Such attention to detail is what I live for!

The palette consists of a beige-nude, a very warm copper brown, and (what I think of as) a generic dark brown with microshimmer. I wish more palettes swatched like these shadows. I barely had to dip my finger into the color to produce this. The texture was in line with what I'm starting to expect from all Japanese brands, so buttery smooth that it should be spread over toast and happily consumed. How is it that Japanese companies can consistently produce such quality items? And can everyone else please start taking a leaf out of their books?

Of course, I did a cat eye to go with the cat palette. Would you expect anything less from me?

The reason I wanted to post this up later was because I wanted to separately feature the accompanying lip shades in the photos below before I get to the eye look. I was going to say something about universality or ease of use or "pair it with whatever you like!" but I'm sure you girls already knew that. It is a brown palette, after all.

Since my plan was thwarted, let's resurrect the guessing game! Want to take a gander at what lipstick/gloss I'm wearing in the pictures below? The hint is: one is a lipstick, one is a gloss, and one is a mixture of both. The products used are relatively new to the US market.

Here's the ingredient list for those who need it:

Paul and Joe Face and Eye Color CS in 076 Siamese, Please retails for $36. Danielle of Bloomin' Beauty (thanks love!) alerted me to a whole slew of e-tailers that carry Paul and Joe goodies. Other than beautyhabit.com, you can also visit b-glowing.com and asos.com to secure your goodies. While the Asos price is higher compared to regular retail, you can use the code "retailmenot20" to secure 20 percent off your entire cart! If this palette (or anything else in the collection) strikes your fancy, my advice is to get it this very minute. Hot cakes don't even hold a candle to these kittens.

Paul and Joe Beaute Spring 2012: Lipstick C in 076 Meow!

2012-02-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Does it damage my beauty blogging street cred to admit that I don't have a pet? If I was new to this world, I would think it was a requirement (still kinda think it is). But cat or no cat, nothing would have kept me away from the new Paul and Joe Spring Creation collection. Paw print lipsticks, cat palettes, cat wearing a top hat blush sticks? Too cute to be missed.

The blush sticks have not arrived at the counter last I checked, and I am starting to feel quite anxious indeed. In the meantime, allow me to introduce the aptly titled Lipstick C in 076 Meow!

I think a huge part of me chose this because of the packaging. I am absolutely in love with this... this red tube stamped with various women's heads. All the women look different and they have matchsticks in their hair. Seriously.

The nifty thing about Paul & Joe limited edition packaging is after you finish the lipstick/get bored with the hue, you can detach the pretty outer section and replace the inner tube with any of the lipsticks in their permanent line.

Meow! swatches decidedly different from how it appears on my lips. I did a double take when I saw the photos and had to check and see if I made a mistake. I didn't, but it still feels odd. On my hand it looks like a regular pink shade while on my lips it is much lighter and cooler in tone.

The lipstick features a semi-matte finish. It is advisable to prep your lips prior to application because while it contains olive oil (among others), it does not claim any moisturizing benefits. My own experience is while it is not drying, it is not moisturizing as well. Considering that this is a semi-matte formula, color me impressed. The lipstick is also lightweight and comfortable to wear. It's another one of those lip products I would forget I had on till I smeared it on an unsuspecting tissue. Lasting power to my best recollection is about 3-4 hours.

I'm wearing Paul and Joe Face and Eye CS in 076 Siamese, Please on my eyes and Cle de Peau Cheek Color Duo 02 on the cheeks. Review forthcoming for both.

Here are the ingredients for those who like to know what they are putting on their lips. You can click on the picture below for the enlarged version:

In an attempt to be reasonable I only purchased one shade out of the available three. I'm now convinced I must have been out of my mind. I will visit the counter again soon to rectify this situation, and hopefully by then the blush sticks will be in.

Paul and Joe Lipstick C in 076 Meow! retails for $20 and is available at Paul and Joe counters and beautyhabit.com. I purchased mine from Bergdorf Goodman. I apologize for not getting the contact number of the Paul and Joe sales associate who helped me, but if you know what you want, Dustin (212-872-8612) should be able to help you!

Guest Post on Karla Sugar: Emulating Laura Mercier Spring

2012-02-08T14:08:00.002-05:00

I've been making so many mistakes and dropping/losing so many things this past week that it just doesn't feel like me. Seems like every day something happens that just makes me want to hang my head in shame. I'm going for a haircut tomorrow (well, a trim) and hope that kills the clumsy streak.

Part of the clumsiness was giving the wrong information to Karla Sugar when she graciously put me up on her blog for recreating the Laura Mercier Spring look she posted earlier last week, the same look in my recent Suqqu lipstick post (sans lipstick).

For a complete breakdown, please hop on over to Karla's.

NARS Spring 2012: Paramaribo Eyeshadow Duo

2012-02-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

Here we are at the end of my NARS Spring collection coverage with NARS Paramaribo Eyeshadow Duo, which consists of a dirty gold and a brown-toned olive.

Paramaribo was a blind purchase (as is the rest of my acquisitions, really) and had I made my way to a counter beforehand I probably would not have bought it. Not that the shadows are not good. This is one of the better duos from NARS and one of the easiest to swatch (seriously. One light dip of the finger), and though the texture is laudable and color insanely pigmented, it's just not something I'd wear very often. I don't know what possessed me in the first place to acquire it, considering that I am very wary of anything that might accentuate the yellow of my skintone and that left shade looked awfully dangerous.

NARS Gaiety on cheeks, Mexican Rose on lips

I was right, the palette is not something I would wear often. I can't think of a suitable outfit to pair them with. But goodness me do I love those colors.

NARS Paramaribo Eyeshadow Duo retails for $34 and is available at major department stores and Sephora. I purchased mine from narscosmetics.com.

Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick 11 Sharegaki

2012-02-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Man. Monday is kicking my butt hard. I was originally going to finish up on NARS Spring but the words weren't coming to me (I'm realizing belatedly that I should speed up collection reviews as I tend to burn out by the time I reach the last item) and if I'm entirely honest, my Twitter timeline has too many people talking about Adam Levine for me to focus. I think I need to start watching The Voice next week.

So something easy for today: Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick 11 Sharegaki.

We've been through this before. The Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick formula remains my HG (it's only been two weeks... but still!) and I check dollyleo.com everyday to see if they've magically stocked the pink shades. With the weather being particularly drying lately, I live on products that save me from wanting to douse myself in moisturizing lotion.

Sharegaki is a light brown peach, and it has single-handedly steered me toward a hue I've always thought I couldn't pull off. I'm all about colors that are out of my comfort zone recently, like peaches and hot pinks and cerulean blues. Must be the advent of spring.

Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick 11 Sharegaki is unfortunately not available at dollyleo.com (where prices are more reasonable). If you feel like it's an absolute must-have, you can visit ichibankao.com for your fix.

Le Métier de Beauté Mint Bliss

2012-02-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

I'm interrupting the NARS Spring coverage (I have one item left to show) because I couldn't resist waiting another day to show you my current manicure. How ridiculously pretty (and trend appropriate) is Le Métier de Beauté Mint Bliss?

I mean, even my horrible application cannot detract from that happy hue. I used a base coat, two coats of color, and top coat in the pictures above. In retrospect, I should have done three to even it out. I've spoken at length about the LMdB nail polish formula and you can read about it here. Mint Bliss is even more of a pleasure to apply, if you can believe it.

Le Métier de Beauté Mint Bliss is $18 and is exclusive to the John Barrett Salon in New York City. For those who do not have access to the salon, you can also purchase them from johnbarrettstore.com.

Sunday: On Achieving Dreams

2012-02-05T11:00:00.000-05:00

Just a little over a month ago, I wrote about someone who told me "dreams are not thought out, they are found," but I neglected to include: "then you'll work so hard to achieve it and still never know if it'll ever come true."

That someone is my boyfriend, Joel Soh, an aspiring film director with humble beginnings but some of the biggest dreams you'll ever hear about. That neglected saying reflects the fear I think everyone has, about the future, about dreams, about not achieving it. Like me, Joel came to the US to study three years ago. He is now in his final semester at Emerson College, working on his thesis film Twice Two Makes Four. While this should be the center focus of this post, allow me a digression to tell you a little about him.

I never admitted this (out of embarrassment, I suppose), but after styling/modeling for a post in a Malaysian style blog, I had the fleeting thought of pursuing modeling as a career. I knew I wasn't tall enough for runway, but optimistically thought, why not beauty? Around the same time, or perhaps partly because of me, Joel became interested in editorial photography. We decided to muck about with some lighting at the school studio and see how it would turn out.

This is the first of our "editorial shoots"

Just from this picture you can see that my eye makeup is uneven, and that was the only part I was responsible for. Joel set up the lighting equipment, adjusted each lamp, brought his camera, and started shooting. When we were done, both of us cringed at the pictures. Me for my absolute lack of knowledge in how to pose and adjust my face, him for his lack of "attention to detail."

For our second shoot we wanted something drastic. He told me to channel Helena Bonham Carter and I happily pulled out my feathery Shu Uemura lashes. I really didn't know what I was doing with my makeup but to slather as much as possible on. He, on the other hand, already figured out which parts of me needed to be lit and how.

He went on to work on a few other projects, experimenting with different lighting techniques at every turn.

And he gets better with each subject. As for me, I decided I'm not cut out for modeling, and turned to another aspect of beauty I much prefer. I won't lie. It gets a little stressful being around him. But photography was never anything but a hobby, his true passion lies in film.

Joel always works in extremes. I've never met another person who consistently tests the limits of his capabilities like he does. Last summer, a friend approached him for help to shoot an avant-garde fashion video, thinking it could be done with $200 (uh, no). Instead of dismissing his friend, Joel enlisted me and another friend and we spent an entire month writing to and meeting anyone who might have the slightest chance of sponsoring us. That month of anxiety and no sleep paid off, and we managed to secure the $10,000 needed to get a professional studio, lighting, model, and postproduction equipment to complete the video.

But now he's gearing up for his biggest project yet, and the great thing about Joel is while he dreams big, he also does big things to get him closer to it. Photoshoot after photoshoot becomes more ambitious. Films grow bigger. For his second year film project, his crew consisted of six students. For his thesis, the last count was twenty-five, not including the professors and industry experts who signed on as advisors.

This post is getting long, and I feel like I haven't even begun to say anything. Since I can write everything about him, I don't really know how to narrow it down. I guess I'm trying to say that this is a man who has worked very hard to get to where he is, and will continue to work very hard to go to where he wants to be. But to get there he needs help from other people, and that's where you come in.

Twice Two Makes Four is a 15-20 minute short film that explores a couple's approach to facing the impending death of their cancer-stricken daughter. Joel and his crew aims to make the film look as professional as it can be, and for that their budget is higher than the typical student project's. Out of the projected $35,000, they've already secured $15,000, but the rest they can only hope to rely on the kindness of family, friends, acquaintances, strangers. Anyone who believes a dream is worthy of investment.

Please take a look at their Kickstarter page to find out more about the project. You can also follow their Facebook page for regular updates on the progress of the production. I hope you will consider pledging to the Twice Two Makes Four team. Whether $1 or $10 or $100, any contribution at all means a lot to bringing them one step closer to their goal. Thank you in advance for your kindness!

*Regular Messy Wands posting will resume tomorrow and I hope you're excited. This week I have super cute things to show you. Hint: there are cats involved. Have a happy Sunday, all!

How to Make NARS Douce France Work

2012-02-05T01:09:00.000-05:00

But before that, disclosure: I did not purchase NARS Douce France. Pink eyeshadows are a rarity in my collection, largely because having one really is enough in my book.

A few days ago, I asked on Twitter what everyone would like to see first from NARS Spring on Messy Wands. The overwhelming immediate response was "Douce France" (I'm sorry, but am I the only one who keeps seeing "douce" as "douche"?) but I didn't have it then. Since so many people was curious about it, I thought I should at least go to a counter and check it out myself.

Besides, one of my readers (hi, Mikki!) has been telling me forever about this fantastic NARS counter manager in Barney's that I had to meet. So I went, and Sasha instantly became one of my new favorite SAs.

I told her I wanted to try out Douce France and gave her free reins on application. First she primed the eye area with NARS Eye Shadow Base, then she placed the lightest shade all over the eyelid. This is followed by a more precise application of the middle pink shade over the eyelid and Lhasa lightly blended into the crease. She smudged the brick rose shade near the upper lash line and applied a thinner, wet line of Coconut Grove on top to create the gradient you see in the pictures below. She thought this last step was crucial and I agree. I believe the exact sentiment was "otherwise you'll look like you have pink eye."

So... my lips are patchy and my nose is dry. Anyone has a great moisturizer for the nose to recommend?

On lips: NARS Mexican Rose layered with NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in Born This Way, layered with Le Métier de Beauté Peche Creme, layered with Sunday Riley Cherry Pie (review forthcoming). I'm treating lip layering like my winter outfits. Also messiness (ha!) was my dinner's fault, not Sasha's.

I think this is a great natural spring look. My mind inadvertently goes to green fields and dandelions and budding flowers when I see these colors. It is also an option for those who are looking to make Douce France "usable." But Sasha said she knew I wasn't going to get it as soon as she put the first shade on me, and I knew it too. I'm just not a pink girl, I suppose.

NARS Douce France retails for $45 and is available at major department stores and narscosmetics.com. If you need makeup recommendations or just someone fun to talk to while you shop, give Sasha a call at 212-833-2008 and let her know I sent you!

NARS Spring 2012: Gaiety Blush

2012-02-04T12:12:00.000-05:00

Confession: I was never part of the NARS blush fanatic bandwagon. I suppose now and forevermore, people will sing praises and worship the almighty that is NARS Orgasm, but I personally never understood the draw. The shimmer in that blush feels chunky and I don't find the NARS texture particularly great. Plenty of people look great in Orgasm though, I just have to search for my peachy-pink HG somewhere else.

More often than not NARS blushes also go on patchy for me, but I find myself drawn to them from time to time because like MAC, they are the purveyors of exciting but palatable colors (as opposed to the theatrical standards of Illamasqua and MUFE).

Now, I was initially really excited and gushy about NARS Gaiety. When I purchased it, my cool pink blush phase was going on full force (though currently I am starting to sense a leaning towards peach) and Gaiety cannot fit that description better.

L-R: NARS Gaiety, Dior Rosy Glow

The thing is, by the time I tried Gaiety I was already well acquainted with Rosy Glow. Now, as you can see in the above swatch, Rosy Glow is just a tinge lighter in hue than Gaiety but they are very similar when applied. I find the texture for Rosy Glow far superior to Gaiety. Rosy Glow is finely milled while the NARS one feels chalky to the touch. I think Gaiety applied fine but there's just something about Rosy Glow that stands out.

Rosy Glow also stays on the whole day for me. Eleven hours after application it still looks like I just swiped it on. Sometimes I can't believe that blush.

NARS Lhasa on eyes, Gaiety on cheeks, Mexican Rose on lips

Well, if I had to pick only one, no prizes for which I'd choose!

NARS Gaiety retails for $28 and is available at major department stores. I purchased mine from narscosmetics.com.

*Dear readers, I need your opinion on future blush posts! I've been applying it the way I would wear it to go out, but I don't know if it shows up enough in pictures for you to see how the blush looks. I would be thankful if you sound off in the comments, whether you like it as is or would prefer if I lay it on a bit more to show the color (though I might be in danger of looking like a clown). Thank you for your feedback!

Las Vegas de Chanel Lucky Stripes and Gold Fingers

2012-02-02T23:46:00.000-05:00

I've been waiting all day to get home to show this to you! BlushingNoir and I have been exchanging notes on Twitter for some time about the Las Vegas de Chanel collection after seeing the info on La Chanelphile, mainly how badly we want it and speculating when it will be available. Not getting anywhere, I called the Las Vegas boutique last Saturday in hopes that they would have more concrete answers, which was when I found out it was already there. I ordered two pieces on the spot (I don't need a gold lip liner, and I already have a gold lipstick). Now keep in mind, that phone call happened when I was in a stadium waiting for a concert to begin. That's some dedication, y'all.

Anyway, Lucky Stripes and Gold Fingers arrived today and I had to wait an agonizing half a day before I could get to my camera and photograph them. I'll just stop talking now and show you pictures:

Lucky Stripes on eyes and cheeks, Chanel Belgravia layered with LMdB Creme de la Creme on lips

The Lucky Stripes powder is actually intended for eyes and cheeks, which is why I decided to show you how it works both ways. As expected of something that's paying homage to Sin City, it has shimmer galore. But again, as expected of Chanel, it's refined shimmer.

The thing about this powder is I'm not sure if it was supposed to be a bronzer or an illuminator. I expect it could swing both ways depending on the stripes you sweep through/your skin tone. As you can see from the swatch, it looks like an illuminator, but I used it on my cheeks the way I would use a bronzer and it seems to work. Either way, the effect of the powder is this glowy radiance that I like very much.

Gold Fingers is like a yellow gold version of Graphite, but with less dimension. The polish is somewhat sheer, considering that I applied two coats and could still visibly see my nail line. I think this could be overcome with more coats or thicker layers (case in point: pinky and ring finger), but personally I'm disappointed by it. The brush is slightly longer than what I'm used to for Chanel, but that does not present issues with application.

Chanel Lucky Stripes retails for $95 and Gold Fingers is going for $28 (yikes on both counts). The boutique charges $12 for 2-day FedEx shipping (signature mandatory). To phone in your order, contact the Bellagio Chanel boutique at 702-765-5505.

NARS Spring 2012: Lhasa Shimmer Eye Shadow

2012-02-02T11:35:00.001-05:00

Nars Lhasa Shimmer Eye Shadow took the taupe-loving blogging world by the storm, and though the consensus is that it isn't actually a taupe, it's still a fine eye shadow to add to anyone's collection.

What color is it? There's some gray, some mauve, some shimmer, a lot of people describe it as "lavender gray," and whatever it is, I'm not complaining. It's a shade I'll lump together with Lancome Erika F in terms of ease of use. Just this one color and you're good to go.

NARS Gaiety Blush (review forthcoming) on cheeks, Mexican Rose on Lips

Now, NARS eye shadow singles have a notorious reputation for unreliability, where quality can drastically vary from shade to shade. My personal heartbreak was seeing the beauty of Outremer in the pan but not being able to transfer it onto the eye. To my relief, Lhasa is not a problem child. In fact it might be one who excels in everything it does.

For other views, Best Things in Beauty has a fantastic natural lighting swatch of Lhasa, while Cafe Makeup and The Non Blonde has comparison swatches for it. Now, I own Chanel Fauve and Safari, but I still consider it entirely worth it for the mauve-y goodness.

NARS Lhasa Shimmer Eye Shadow retails for $24 and should hit your local Sephora and major department stores soon, if not already. I purchased mine at narscosmetics.com.

NARS Spring 2012: Mexican Rose Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil

2012-02-01T09:14:00.003-05:00

Once upon a time, there was a chubby Tarte lip pencil I was very fond of. So fond of, in fact, that I brought it everywhere just in case I didn't have any other lip product with me. It was one of those anytime, anywhere, any day hues. It was supposed to be a beautiful friendship.

One day I reached into my bag intending to grab hold of a regular black pen, but instead out came a goopy melty stick smeared in beige pink. I dug around the bag in hopes that it hasn't contaminated the other areas but of course it did. I cleaned my bag in vain (streaked beige pink even till this day), angrily flung said Tarte lip pencil into the trash, and told myself chubby lip pencils cannot be trusted.

I suppose it's good that beauty bloggers in general (or just me?) lack resolve when it comes to restrictions, because NARS Mexican Rose is the most interesting out of all the lip products for this season. In fact, it's the only lip product I purchased from this year's Spring collections, and I would have missed out on it if I stuck to my own rules.

It was difficult to get a swatch picture since the Velvet Gloss texture appears so wet on skin, but that translates to plenty of fun for the lips!

Mexican Rose was my first Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil so I didn't know what to expect. I thought it was just a gloss in pencil form and would have the wear time of one, but it turned out to be a mighty lip stain instead. I wore it through a bowl of udon and only the innermost portion of my lips experienced minor fading. The rest of the lips lost its shine but the vibrant color remained. Another instance of shocking staying power: after it completely dries (be it from eating or wiping your lips on a napkin), try running your fingers over the color. It wouldn't smear nor leave residue on your fingers. When I was removing my makeup at the end of the day it barely budged with regular makeup remover. Only after a good scrub with oil cleanser did it finally consent to part from my lips.

Now, this might sound like too much of a hassle for some but is ideal in my book. If I don't need to reapply throughout the day, I wouldn't need to bring it out! Can you hear the cheerful chorus of my bags rejoicing? Also, for what is ultimately a lip stain, it is not drying at all.

While I do like the precision of the pencil (my own mistakes in application notwithstanding), I wonder if that precision persists when the tip becomes dull. It would be an expensive investment indeed if frequent resharpening is needed.

NARS Mexican Rose retails for $24 and is available at narscosmetics.com.

PS: Speaking of fabulous lip color, I want to give a shout out to dear Jessica of Getting Cheeky, who is now a fellow Lipstick Bandit. Long overdue, lovely!

Beauty PSA: Le Métier de Beauté John Barrett Salon Exclusive Nail Lacquers Now Available Online

2012-01-31T10:00:00.006-05:00

Longest Beauty PSA title ever, but sums it up!

The huge coincidence is I was already planning to post a picture of Kona today:

I sound like a broken record by now considering the amount of times I've posted about Le Métier de Beauté nail lacquers. A quick recap: absolutely no complaints about the formula, usually two coats needed for opacity, yummy colors. I have to say Kona didn't survive on my nails for long (started chipping on day three), but I've been using my nails excessively the past few days and I doubt even the best of polishes would last a second longer.

For those who missed it, I've also done tape swatches of the entire John Barrett Salon Exclusive collection:

Le Métier de Beauté John Barrett Salon Exclusive Nail Lacquers retail for $18. Click here for your fix!

Guerlain Spring 2012: Meteorites Cruel Gardenia

2012-01-30T10:00:00.022-05:00

Much deliberation went to my purchase of Guerlain Meteorites Cruel Gardenia. Much more than I thought was necessary for something that was a) so pretty, b) what is seemingly so universally lauded. But all I had in mind when I saw this at three different counters was "but I already have so many highlighters!" Ah, rationalization. I must be growing up.

As an aside, can I say how pleased I am that I was able to snag this (albeit the last one at the counter) almost a month after it came out? I'm glad Guerlain learned from the Blush G fiasco, where the blush sold out nationwide literally a week after it hit counters.

So why succumb at the fourth visit? I suppose peer pressure is the answer (so much for growing up). Every blog I was reading was hurling praises at this aesthetic marvel, and I thought long and hard and figured I didn't own an opal pink highlighter with such a marvelous texture.

Based on online swatches, I thought the highlighter would be too frosty for my taste. But makeup works in mysterious ways, or perhaps our skin is just different from arm to face. This subtle powder fits well into my "Asian makeup" routine, but I don't know if this is everyone's cup of tea. For example, if you're a fan of really pigmented shimmer powders such as Dior Shimmer Stars, or have an intense need for highlighters to "show up," this is not the product for you. Think veil of luminescence when it comes to this Guerlain powder.

Guerlain Meteorites Cruel Gardenia retails for $67. I think plenty of places would be sold out by now, but check your local counters and you might just be a lucky, lucky girl. While it is sold out at pretty much everywhere online, saksfifthavenue.com curiously still has it for pre-order.

Dior Spring 2012: Rosy Glow Healthy Glow Awakening Blush

2012-01-28T11:33:00.001-05:00

I never pegged myself as a cool pink blush type of girl, but this winter I've been purchasing one artificial flush after the other (damage so far: Le Metier de Beaute Creme Fresh Tint in Mystique, NARS Gaiety, and a Sleek one, though its name currently eludes me). Ever since I saw the promo pics eons ago, I knew without a doubt that I wanted Rosy Glow, so I bought it sight unseen along with Waterlily.

Supposedly this blush "reacts with moisture in each skin type" and changes color after initial application to suit every complexion. I haven't seen another person wearing this so I couldn't quite press my cheeks to the poor soul to see if the statement holds true. Regardless, it is a pretty color on its own. Another pleasant surprise is that it does as it claims and remains on my cheeks all day long. Not many of my blushes can boast that.

Rosy Glow on cheeks, Guerlain Cruel Gardenia to highlight, Burberry Light Glow in Earthy to contour

Dior Rosy Glow retails for $44 and should still be available at major department stores. I purchased mine from dior.com but it looks like it is sold out there. Sephora.com still has it in stock though!

Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 08 Mizuaoi

2012-01-27T18:57:00.002-05:00

As promised, more Suqqu! I bought four out of the available eight of these babies (yes, my heart is content), and the lucky first on Messy Wands is the Blend Color Eyeshadow 08 Mizuaoi.

There is a set theme to all the Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow palettes. The bottom right shade is the base color, usually a matte white; the bottom left shade is for lining, the top right shade for the outer corners, and the top left shade for all over the lid. I applied it as such in the photos below, with a smidgen of the purple and blue on my bottom lash line.

Perhaps it's a Japanese makeup thing. Like my experience with Cle de Peau, the Suqqu quad is super smooth and a pleasure to apply. It imparts a light veil of color on your lids - I don't want to use the word sheer because that's not an accurate description. It's more like their eyeshadows are meant for subtlety, which I suppose is true for "Asian makeup" in general.

Ingredient list (I know this is not the box for Mizuaoi, but except for the colors I think the rest are the same):

If you like this, you're in luck. Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow 08 Mizuaoi is available at dollyleo.com for $71 (though eep at the price!).

Dior Spring 2012: Waterlily Vernis Parfumé

2012-01-26T23:19:00.001-05:00

Before we talk about this magnificent color, I need to confess I'm feeling a slight panic about not purchasing its counterpart Forget-Me-Not. Should I have? Is it possible that I don't need that beautiful purple creme?! I'm trying to cut down on nail polish purchases because of the sheer amount that I haven't even begun to use in my stash, so help me dear readers: will I regret not doing it?

While I pace back and forth before the metaphorical Dior counter in my mind, let us sigh at the marvelousness that I did immediately snatch up. I purchased Waterlily sight unseen, in fact before I even returned to the States (bliss is having a package waiting for me fresh out of the plane).

And why not. I can say without a doubt I have nothing like this in my stash. I don't care for the overwhelming scent that accompanies application, which lingers on your nails throughout the day. After that you'll have to hold your fingers to your nose to detect a faint whiff. It's unpleasant for me but I'd apply it again and again for this gorgeous mint green, which for some reason, makes me crave mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Dior Waterlily retails for $23 and is available at major department stores. I purchased mine from dior.com. Get it. Get it now!

Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick #12 Hiwada

2012-01-25T23:13:00.002-05:00

Finally. Fi-nal-ly. While I won't deny that there are perks to not having a functional computer, after four days my fingers were starting to get withdrawal symptoms. These digits need to run across a keyboard on a regular basis! Anyway, here we are again, and it is my pleasure to introduce on Messy Wands the highly sought after Japanese brand: Suqqu.

I've read about this brand time and time again, from bloggers such as Jamilla Camel, Joey Chong, and The Black Panties, and with each post comes a new agonizing longing. Near the end of my winter break, I had the opportunity to transit in London for a few days before I headed back to the States, and you should see how I jumped at the chance. I didn't even make a list of things I had to do/see/eat when I was in London. All I had was "go play with Suqqu."

The result was hauling in epic proportions, and what emerged (among many things) was a lipstick formula I am pretty sure will be the standard from which I measure all my lipsticks. The verdict so far: nothing beats it.

The formula in question is the Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick, pictured above in #12 Hiwada. You know that frustrating yet delectable feeling of stumbling upon something you've been searching for the longest time? I've been looking for a pale nude lipstick that didn't wash me out to no avail, and this just falls into my lap.

The lipstick is extremely emollient, but not in the way that threatens clown lips if you aren't careful. One swipe is really all you should do, because any more than that might get a little heavy (and at those prices, you should save every bit of lipstick you can). After it settles, the lipstick feels so weightless that I often forget I have it on till I glimpse a lip mark on a discarded napkin. I wanted so desperately to get one of every shade after using this for the first time, but since one hue to another from the brand's permanent line is so similar, I couldn't justify having more than what I currently own.

Ingredient list for those who might need it:

A little Googling led me to this site, which contains swatches of all eighteen of Suqqu's permanent Creamy Glow Lipsticks. I don't know if it's entirely color accurate (in my opinion, the colors are too light in those pictures), but I figured it's at least some kind of resource. Consult at your own risk!

The Suqqu brand is very limited in availability. Other than Japan, the only other two places with counters are London and Bangkok. Thankfully, we poor souls are still able to get our hands on select pieces from websites like ichibankao.com and dollyleo.com. The latter features better pricing, and 10 percent off your first purchase if you subscribe to their newsletter, but the former stocks a larger array of products.

As fair warning (before you use that precious 10 percent coupon), I should let you know I will be featuring more Suqqu items throughout the month. Do stay tuned!

Happy Chinese New Year

2012-01-22T19:04:00.001-05:00

Hello all. Apologies for the silence. I just moved to a new place this weekend and amidst the scramble of making it liveable, I left my laptop charger in my boyfriend's bag and to my chagrin, only found out as his Boston-bound bus was pulling out of the sidewalk. I considered purchasing a replacement, but $70+ can be put to much better use (like, um, buying makeup), especially if I only needed to wait till Tuesday to get said charger back.

So while I gnaw my fingernails (figuratively. Never bite your nails!) in anticipation of repossessing my now-defunct laptop, let's talk. I want to know what everyone thinks of the Spring collections at counters now. My damage is very minimal for this season. I only acquired three items: Dior Rosy Glow, the Waterlily polish, and Guerlain Cruel Gardenia. As ever, and especially due to the daily braving of biting cold, I am now looking forward to Summer.

Also, Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

Ellis Faas Mascara

2012-01-18T11:21:00.002-05:00

There are some reviews I hesitate to do, like foundation, skincare, and well, mascara, just because those items belong in such subjective territory (and if I were to be completely honest, because those are hard to photograph too. I tried taking a million before/after pictures when it comes to foundation but it looks the same). Nevertheless, consider this a shaky first step into expanding product reviews to a broader range.

Along with the lip products, Ellis Faas sent me some eye products as well, which includes a mascara. I was surprised then because I didn't know the comapny made mascara (or blush, the packaging gave me the impression that it was strictly a lip/eye/skin thing). The Ellis Faas Mascara is said to do three things: coat, lengthen, and separate. It is housed in the same bullet-type packaging, but it's the most "normal" of all its products in that you screw the top open to find a regular mascara wand waiting to make an impact on your lashes.

Top-bottom: Bare Lashes, One Coat, Two Coats

As far as its coating and separating and lengthening qualities, all is well. I mean, this is mascara. If it gets the job done on my straight nonexistent Asian lashes (seriously. did you see that first picture?), I'm happy. I prefer using this mascara on top of another, like one with a volumizing formula, to get the best use out of it.

Without EF Mascara

With EF Mascara

I know this mascara comes at a shocking price, but the one thing that justifies it for me is at the end of a long day, my lashes remain curled as if it just went through a round of pinching. 'tis a novel feeling, that.

Ellis Faas Mascara retails for $34 and is available at ellisfaas.com, sephora.com, and Space NK.

The product in this post was sent from the company for review purposes.

P.S: I've picked a winner for the Lancome Erika F giveaway!

Gloss d'Armani #400

2012-01-16T14:12:00.001-05:00

Back to the grind (or not, Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day everybody). I had a wonderful trip back home and my few short days in London was nothing short of perfect. I don't think I've ever been so happy for a full entire month. I also obtained a few covetable items from London that I cannot wait to show you, but jetlag and cleaning and certain preparations for my first day back of school necessitates new pictures to take a step back.

Some digging through the folder of unused pictures ensued and I stumbled upon these of Gloss d'Armani #400. With Chinese New Year coming up in a week, it felt like the ideal item to feature.

L-R: Rouge d'Armani #400, Gloss d'Armani #400

Longtime readers might recognize this eye look from the Rouge d'Armani #400 feature from two months ago. I used Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill #13 (black) as my liner, then placed Burberry Midnight Brown on the lid and blended it into the liner. Continued with Burberry Rosewood in the crease, blended that into the lid color, and finished off with Burberry Trench as my brow highlighter. It was very gradient-y and involved much blending.

As for the gloss, it's the longest wearing gloss I've tried in my life. The Gloss d'Armani formula is one of my favorites: the applicator is squishy in a super fun way (you have to try it to understand what I mean), the gloss itself is long-lasting, super comfortable, and (very important) doesn't dry out my lips like some glosses do. The only downside is it smells like ink.

Gloss d'Armani #400 retails for $28 and is available at giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com.

P.S: Nine hours left to join my Lancome Erika F giveaway!

Giveaway: Lancome Erika F

2012-01-10T00:00:00.005-05:00

Update: I picked a winner and she responded in record time. Congratulations Kayla (whose tweet as @Officially_Kay nabbed her the prize) for winning your very own Lancome Erika F. Thank you to all for participating in this giveaway!

The last time I came back home I gave out the Hong Kong exclusive Les Tendres de Chanel in Les Roses. This time, a lucky reader will stand a chance to win one Euro/Asia exclusive Lancome Erika F.

Here's to hoping that my first foray into Rafflecopter is a smashing success. Just follow the instructions as laid out by the widget below to enter the contest. You'll have to comment on this post to be eligible for the giveaway, but you can earn additional entries by following me on Twitter or Facebook or GFC, and tweeting about the giveaway. Since this is an Asia/Euro exclusive, the giveaway will only be open to readers from the US and Canada.

UPDATE: Of course I made a mistake - my twitter handle is @xiaoo (i inputted the wrong name sigh).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Makeup You Want But Cannot Have: Lancome Erika F

2012-01-09T13:34:00.001-05:00

This hello is accompanied by a bashful wave. I know I haven't been on my regular posting schedule, but I will be soon! My holiday's almost over. I'll be flying for the next few days and back to the States on the 15th. I have the most exciting semester ahead of me, and though my heart (and my body heat) does not want to leave home, I really can't wait to get back into the grind.

Today's feature is the infamous Lancome Erika F, a shimmery green-gray eyeshadow that has reached cult status among beauty bloggers and makeup users alike. It is unfortunately a Euro/Asia exclusive, and I thank my lucky stars that I chanced upon it during my transit in Rome.

The way some bloggers describe this, it might as well be a candy-making unicorn leaping above a rainbow. And well, it really is. The swatch is pretty but no one prepared me for how it will look on the eyes. The pictures below do not do it justice. You know how certain types of books always has a heroine with a glimmer in her eyes (which doesn't make sense in real life)? Well, this is that mysterious abstract glimmer on the eyelids, and a multi-dimensional one at that.

I've been wearing it alone on my lid as I find that the color stands well on its own. On occasion, I might add a deeper shade in the crease, but I actually prefer it by itself.

They're not kidding about Erika F. I'd tell you to run out and get it but I know most of my readers are from the US and don't have access to it. Luckily, I have a way for you to get your hands on a piece of this magic, but more on that tomorrow (yes, I'm dangling that carrot).

Several readers have asked what's on my lips and I'm abashed to say (ah, laziness showing through) it's actually the same lip from the most recent Lipstick Bandits post.

P.S.: Messy Wands is now on Facebook! It's not a robust page by any means yet, but it'll be a better medium for me to share links (especially those with pictures) compared to Twitter. I hope to see you there!

Chanel Rouge Coco Baroque

2012-01-04T10:44:00.000-05:00

Figured I should blog about this before it's gone. If memory serves me, Rouge Coco Baroque was introduced as an online exclusive to celebrate the release of the (then) new Rouge Coco formula. This dark brick red is such a good winter shade, it would be a waste to let the season go by without pulling it out for a spin.

As Rouge Cocos go (awesomeness does vary from shade to shade), Baroque is one of the good ones. It stays put and fades evenly and I'm trying to be objective about this review but that color just absolutely slays me. Apparently I die for brick reds.

Rouge Coco Baroque retails for $32.50 (price hike? sigh) at Chanel.com.

Makeup You Want But Cannot Have: Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Blue Ribbons #214

2012-01-03T03:03:00.000-05:00

I didn't know this palette existed till a chance browse. I was urging my mother to try a new lipstick formula and I brought her to the Dior counter in a bid to hook her on to Rouge Dior, which was where I met the most insulting SA I've ever encountered in my life. I almost missed out on purchasing this palette because I loathed the idea that she would receive a commission for such rude manners.

But makeup prevails, especially since according to Joeyspace, Dior Blue Ribbons is an Asia exclusive.

I've been on a frosty eyeshadow kick lately. Anything with a good amount of shimmer or sheen I'll gobble up in a jiffy. Dior quints are some of my favorite eyeshadow palettes around, and Blue Ribbons doesn't make me change my stance. I think Dior has been on an amazing run lately (though, what does everyone think about the Spring Collection? The more I see it the less I want it, for some reason).

I'm not sure why the blue shadow looks more green to my eye in the pictures below. Maybe it mixed with my yellow skin and turned green? Or maybe I layered it over the peach and placed some of the black over it? Oh I don't remember. But I know it's pretty!

When I muster up some energy for some eye shots - yes, I do live like a fat slug when I'm back home - there will be more of Makeup You Want But Cannot(?) Have on Messy Wands. I haven't decided if it is glee or trepidation that accompanies my writing these posts (what if you hurl carrots at me for showing you things that are impossible to get?), but they'll (the posts, pray not the carrots) come either way.

2011 Introspection

2011-12-31T15:10:00.002-05:00

It's past midnight where I am (happy new year!) but not where most of you are, so I wipe a metaphorical bead of sweat off my forehead for a post written still in time. I don't have a well-edited list of favorites and hesitate to make resolutions, so some candid reflections about the past year shall do.

The best thing to happen to me in 2011 was stumbling upon direction. I've been told once: dreams are not thought out, they are found, which I never understood when I was younger. After all, at seventeen when I was told I had the world in my fingertips, the endless choice felt like I could do everything and nothing at all. What if what I studied in college had nothing to do with what I wanted to do later? I used to be afraid of going into the workforce because I saw a bleak future out of school, thinking of work as the dreary everyday slaving to pay bills. My boyfriend knew what he wanted to pursue since he was five, and while every step of the way for him was one step closer to his dream, I was the blindfolded other half groping for nothing.

If you've been with me from the start, you'll know that I interned at BeautyBlitz.com in summer, an experience invaluable in so many ways I can never repay my debt to the lovely team for giving me a chance when no one else did. It was because of those three months that I could conceive of beauty writing as a "real job," and found out just how much I loved doing it. It is also because of Beauty Blitz that I have the internship beyond my wildest dreams lined up for Spring 2012.

During that summer I also shed my hesitant self and started tweeting the beauty gurus I admire (and received replies!), which led me to creating Messy Wands. In September, Messy Wands was nominated for "Best Beauty Voice" at Lucky Magazine's Fashion And Beauty Bloggers (FABB) Conference Awards. A month later, I was offered the opportunity to meet Essie Weingarten. But the best thing about starting Messy Wands is getting to befriend other beauty bloggers, the high point of which was being invited to be a part of a band of bandits.

And then, there's all you lovely readers. Many a comment has made my day, and there has been a lot of days made. For all your comments and support and emails and just being so incredibly nice to me, thank you thank you thank you. I can only hope you've found Messy Wands helpful enough to repay the kindness you've shown to me.

2011 has been a fantastic year. I think it is one I'll look back upon later in life and say, "that's when I got it." For 2012 I'm going to work smarter, laugh harder, and love better.

Happy New Year to all you lovelies! May you find your dream and/or have a dream come true.

Le Métier de Beauté Resort 2011: The Jet Set Nail Lacquers

2011-12-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

So um, as a warning, coming back to humid Malaysia means my cuticles are in horrendous disrepair (I'm also suffering from breakouts, but strategic photo cropping ensures you'll never have to look at the horror), but we shall trudge on in the name of beauty reporting! I was battling mosquitos and all manner of wildlife while taking these photos, perhaps they thought I had candy drops on the tips of my fingers. I could certainly be fooled.

The Le Métier de Beauté Resort Collection Jet Set Nail Lacquers consist of a hot pink, a neon yellow, and a fluorescent orange. The keywords we're looking for are "bright" and "bold." They remind me of M&Ms.

L-R: ShocKEN Pink, Yield to Yellow, Not So Safe Orange

L-R: Yield to Yellow, Not So Safe Orange, ShocKEN Pink

While Yield to Yellow comes in the regular formula, Not So Safe Orange and ShocKEN Pink dry down to a sort of jelly finish. It was my first time encountering the squishy texture and I was positively giddy with delight. In the picture above I painted each nail with two coats and no top coat so you can see the texture of the polish.

The only one I might hesitate to recommend is Yield to Yellow, since the formula is thicker than the other two and a little harder to go on smooth (like most other yellow polishes). In the picture above and you can see that with two coats it is still a little uneven, but with careful application I believe it will be fine.

A little runway inspiration: Thakoon Fall 2011 featured these exact three colors.

Photo credit: style.com

You must also visit Cult of Pretty for her sunset ombré manicure with the pink and orange shades.

The Jet Set Nail Lacquers retail for $18 each and will be exclusively available at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus in-stores and online in early January 2012.

The products in this post were provided by the company's PR for consideration only.

Le Métier de Beauté Resort 2011: Orange Juiced and HibisKiss Sheer Brilliance Lip Glosses

2011-12-29T21:47:00.002-05:00

While I was waiting for my taxi to arrive the day of my flight home, I got a knock on the door from a darling postman who brought an unexpected package around. Thinking it was an older purchase, I tore it open and squealed like the little girl I really am when it wasn't. Out came the brightest, happiest colors to combat the oncoming gloom, and in the nick of time too! I would have been too late to give you my thoughts by the time I got back to Boston.

I am talking about the Le Métier de Beauté Resort 2012 Jet Set Collection, another collaboration with Neiman Marcus Fashion Director Ken Downing. Today I'll be featuring the two glosses, Orange Juiced and HibisKiss, and tomorrow we'll look at the neon bright nail lacquers.

Orange Juiced

HibisKiss

L-R: Orange Juiced, HibisKiss

First, a note about the Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss formula. When swatched they look vibrant and opaque, but they don't appear the same on the lips. It works with your lip color to provide a sheer layer of gloss, so do keep in mind that these might look different on you as my lips are quite pigmented. The Sheer Brilliances are scent and taste free, and aren't sticky or tacky. In my experience, they usually last around three hours.

I was struggling with a color description for HibisKiss and remembered Best Things in Beauty calling it a fuchsia red, which is spot on. On my lips it looks like a fuchsia-red-rose. It didn't look the best on me, but I have no doubt this shade will be flattering on a lot of women.

But oh! I've been wanting to show you Orange Juiced since I tried it on. I mean, who knew an orange gloss would not turn me into a yellow mess. I thought it would pull out all the yellow in my skin and make me look like a lemon, but instead it's a sheer layer of orange that adds some warmth and much needed sparkle to my lips. It's such a quintessential spring shade (and because I'm in the land of perpetual summer I can wear it now and be happy).

Le Métier de Beauté Sheer Brilliance Lip Glosses retail for $32 each and The Jet Set Collection will be exclusively available at Bergdorf's and Neiman Marcus in-stores and online come January 2012. Will you be digging in?

The products in this post was provided by the company's PR for consideration only.

Lipstick Bandits: Festive Red Lip

2011-12-28T08:00:00.014-05:00

Nothing like a Lipstick Bandit post to get me back into the groove of writing. I have to admit coming home has been such a treat I haven't been able to muster up the energy to blog. I suppose home brings out the best and worst in me. I become less of a hermit (due to warmer weather), I spend copious amounts of time with my family, but I become such a sloth when enveloped in this warmth. I'm very thankful I spent last summer away from home because Messy Wands wouldn't have been created otherwise.

This post was originally scheduled for before Christmas but most of the Bandits couldn't make it then (I was on the plane!). I do think that a festive red lip, "something red and sparkly," is still relevant now with New Year and Chinese New Year celebrations looming around the corner.

My weapons of choice are: Tom Ford Cherry Lush, Burberry Nude Gold No. 15, and Chanel Fantasme. When we received this assignment, most of us panicked at the thought of sparkles. I had nothing in my stash that could remotely fit that bill. I went to different makeup artists at counters and asked what I could do. Dustin suggested red glitter (which I decided was too cumbersome for you to replicate, though wouldn't that look awesome?), Shawn whipped out a La Prairie red gloss that looked really sparkly, but I wasn't about to pay that price for something I'd only use once.

In the end, I bought Fantasme, which I can justify because I've wanted it since the Illusion d'Ombres were introduced to the Chanel lineup.

Tom Ford Cherry Lush

Burberry Nude Gold No. 15

Chanel Fantasme

L-R: Cherry Lush, Nude Gold No. 15, Fantasme

For the lip, I painted on Cherry Lush and topped it with Nude Gold No. 15, then dabbed Fantasme onto the center of the lips for the sparkle. As fair warning, I should let you know that I do not know if that is lip safe!

It's nice to be back! I have some posts lined up for the next few days and an exciting giveaway to announce in a week or two. It's many a blogger's Holy Grail and I'm jumping up and down on my sister's bed (shh don't tell her) at the anticipation of someone receiving it.

I'm about to check out my fellow Lipstick Bandits' interpretations of "sparkle" and I do hope you do the same. No doubt they'll make me want to buy glittery things to add to my collection:

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-23T15:24:00.001-05:00

I don't have any photos of Christmas trees so here are two of Bergdorf's holiday windows for cheer. If you happen to be in New York for Christmas don't miss these! They tear it down by the time Boxing Day rolls around:

look at the detail/textures!

Have a wonderful Christmas and happy holidays, everybody!

Essie Winter 2011: Luxeffects Collection

2011-12-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

The Essie Luxeffects Collection is, in my opinion, the most exciting nail collection to hit stores this holiday season. It features five top coats of shimmer, flakies, and chunky glitters guaranteed to spice up any polish already in your collection. These are so. much. fun. If there is only one nail collection you look at this winter, I fervently hope this is it.

L-R: A Cut Above, Set in Stones Shine of the Times, Pure Pearlfiction, As Gold As It Gets

Productivity is all about hitting as many birds as you can with one stone, so I used one of my new Le Metier nail acquisitions as the base color. I'm glad there really is nothing new to add to the conversation in terms of the formula. It's everything you want in a nail polish. The only difference from my usual routine is since Je N'ai Se Quoi has a slightly thicker formula, I left my application at one coat instead of two.

Je N'ai Se Quoi

Size comparison. Incidentally, Jaded Love (bottom) is an exact dupe for Je N'ai Se Quoi

Je N'ai Se Quoi

Now, the stars of this post. Please ignore the atrocity that is my ring finger and the injured pinky! I botched up my application on the ring finger and was in the process of fixing it, and I... fell down and scraped my pinky while I was coming out of the subway. Um, concentrate on the sparklies!

Set in Stones

A Cut Above

Set in Stones and A Cut Above are top coats containing different-sized chunks of glitter. These are designed well in that the glitter spreads out evenly in one coat. In retrospect, the blue-green base is perhaps not the best to show off A Cut Above, but I hope you get a sense of how it performs on the nail. A friend of mine tried these on and worried that they made her look like a twelve year old. While I personally don't think so, I can see why she would be worried about wearing it to work.

Pure Pearlfiction

As Gold As It Gets

Pure Pearlfiction and As Gold As It Gets are my runner-up favorites of the collection. After all, you know my love of layering! These two polishes are like silver and gold snowflakes, featuring tiny bits of shimmer to add some very interesting dimensions to your base color.

Shine of the Times

Shine of the Times is my favorite of the collection, featuring a top coat of copper/gold flakies! Again, the blue-green base is not the best to show this off but I can't stress how great they look, not to mention super fun! Shine of the Times was my first experience with flakies and I have to admit, I might be hooked. I need more of these.

Essie nail polishes retail for $8 at physical retailers, but you can get them at a lower price from select e-tailers. I bought all five of mine as a set from Amazon.

Winter Solstice

2011-12-22T14:50:00.002-05:00

A little fun fact about Winter Solstice and how we Chinese celebrate it! For years all I knew about it was that I get to make fun little balls immersed in sugar water to eat on December 21/22. But there's a little more to it than that.

Winter Solstice (冬至 dongzhi) occurs on the shortest day and longest night of the year, traditionally marked as the first day of winter (you can read more about it in this fairly comprehensive Wikipedia article). On this day, we make a treat called 汤圆 tangyuan, which are glutinous rice balls, usually served with sugared water.

Though I've been having these since I was born, only today I found out the reason why these balls are round is because they symbolize reunion (the word for reunion in chinese is 团圆 tuanyuan), which made me all fuzzy inside because I was home.

Uncooked tang yuen

How they look cooked

I like to make special shapes with it. One of the only times we are allowed to play with food

Though my sister's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle heads take the design cake

Technically you're also supposed to eat according to your age as a commemoration of a year gained in life, for example since I'm 22 I should eat 22 balls, but um, I never followed that rule.

Happy Winter Solstice, everyone. May we all have a bearable winter ahead!

Le Métier de Beauté Couches de Couleurs

2011-12-21T12:30:00.005-05:00

I got into these late, which is ridiculous because for over a year now I've known these are the best eyeshadows in the industry (this statement said after author has been through every aisle in Sephora and every counter in Bergdorf/Neiman's). But there's something about beginning your experience with the brand with a kaleidoscope (Splendid Frost, in my case): It's all there arranged for you. When you throw me into the wild with 34 eyeshadows to choose from, I start to panic. Like what I said in my lip creme tutorial, sometimes people just need a little bit of structure and guidance before they know how to experiment.

So after pestering Dustin for another hour of instruction, here you go! We throw the words Couches de Couleurs around fairly often without really explaining what it means (I personally just thought it meant layering), but now I have a comprehensive chart detailing exactly how you should layer eyeshadows according to the Le Métier de Beauté technique. Keep in mind you can always experiment any way you want. The chart below is not the be all end all to eyeshadow layering. I just personally hold that you should know the "rules" before you start breaking them, you know?

Oh to own the whole array

There are four types of colors according to the Couches de Couleurs technique:

Brighten: Resembles skin color, but has a little radiance to it
Warmth: Resembles your natural blush color. Everyone has a different color, some people have more red, some more pink. He suggests using the knuckle trick (clench your knuckles and look at the color by the protruding bones) to determine which tone you are
Focus: What the overall look is going to become
Depth: Usually placed at lash line, gives a veil on the entire look. The texture of the Depth colors are harder, thus it's usually a little difficult to pick up pigment from them

And you layer them accordingly! I swatched the colors according to type in the chart below. Do click on the picture to access the enlarged version. For arm swatches, please visit Karla Sugar's fantastic recap of the entier Le Métier eyeshadow line.

If anyone is interested to know, my Brighten and Warmth colors are Jojo and Tuscan Sunset.

Click to enlarge!

I should tell you that Dustin was hesitant to label certain colors under "Brighten" or "Depth," because women have different skin tones thus use different Brighten colors. For example, people with darker skin tones can use certain Depth colors (like Spicy) as Brighten colors. So do take the chart above with reservations if your skin tone is much darker than mine!

Also, notice I labelled Corinthian under "Everything." Corinthian is unique in the sense that it could be used as a Brighten, Focus, or Depth color (or if you're lazy or in a rush, it's pretty enough on its own that you can just slap it on and call it a day). I'm surprised it's not one of my first acquisitions - in fact, I only got this a few weeks ago when I was visiting New York, largely because Joeybunny and Dustin both gave me looks of acute disbelief when I admitted I didn't own it. Ah peer pressure!

Now, you probably realize by now that the seasonal kaleidoscopes don't exactly follow this technique. A prime example is Violaceous Splendor, which is basically an explosion of color! To this Dustin says the seasonal kaleidoscopes are unconventional ways for color to go together, like fashion-forward accessories that are just made for the season. This is not to say they'll go out of style as soon as the snowfall ends or the spring flowers bloom, but like the ubiquitous cape of Fall 2011: nice to have now, but you bet I'm going to wear it over and over again in the years to come.

In response to Larie's question about the eyeshadows and whether they contain paraben (and my horror at not finding even one picture of the ingredient list online), here's a picture for those with sensitive skin:

Le Métier de Beauté single eyeshadows are $30 each. I'd love to thank Dustin for sharing his knowledge, so if you don't have a counter near you, I hope you will give him a call at 212-872-8612. Let him know I sent you and I promise he'll be extra nice (not that he isn't already)!

Le Métier de Beauté Brown and Metallic Nail Polishes

2011-12-20T10:00:00.001-05:00

This last installment absolutely slays me in the foam-in-mouth I-want-all way. Le Métier de Beauté does killer browns and metallics and had the holographic/glitter top coat thing going on way before Nails Inc. came over to the States. Looking at pictures now, I wish I bought all three of the browns and the top coat, but hey, these are not limited edition so we can get it whenever we want!

L-R: Kona, Bali, La Belle, Tres Taupe, Grey Gardens, Silver Belle, Femme Fatale, Disco Fever

I knew I couldn't capture accurate colors in the salon so I placed all the tape on a paper and brought it home for a dose of my regular lighting and camera. As you can see, the browns and metallics completely reflected light, so I'm thankful the photograph above was as close to true color as it could be. That taupe color is so intriguing, but I wouldn't purchase that without trying it on my finger before. If you have it, let me know how it looks!

These Le Métier de Beauté nail polishes retail for $18. They are exclusively available at the John Barrett Salon in New York City, but you will be able to order them through the lovely Heather at 212-872-2700 x2714. Let her know I sent you!

Le Métier de Beauté Nude Polishes

2011-12-19T10:00:00.002-05:00

I'm not big on nude nail polish. They're typically reserved for interviews, and even so I still go for edgier nudes, like the holographic goodness of Butter London All Hail The Queen, or a mushroom taupe like Rescue Beauty Lounge Grunge, or even Chanel Particuliere. It's not that I have anything against a good nude polish (I'm sure there are plenty), it's just ballet whites and pinks usually clash with my skin. I guess it's a good thing I didn't grow up doing ballet, though a huge part in me is rueful about my utter lack of grace.

L-R: A La Carte, Love Poemes, Kiss Me Couture, Mon Petit Cheri, Ma Belle Amie, Tussled Tulle

So maybe I'm just making up for not learning how to dance like a swan, but I purchased three of these. Watch me use it and descend into despair because demure pinks and me just cannot happen.

Each of these polishes retail for $18. Tomorrow will be the final installment of this nail series, and I definitely saved the best for last!

Le Métier de Beauté Orange/Red Polishes

2011-12-18T10:00:00.002-05:00

Today we delve into the brights with varying shades of orange and coral, and one lone red. I can see these being a major hit during summer, though if you need a little pick-me-up come snow time these will brighten up your day.

L-R: Clockwork Orange, Wango Tango, Riviera, Orange You Lovely, Krazy Koral, Red Hot Mess

These polishes retail for $18 each. Stay tuned for the next couple of days and I'll show you the browns, sparklies, and nudes! If you absolutely cannot wait, you can give Heather a call at 212-872-2700 x2714. Do tell her I sent you!

Le Métier de Beauté Pink Polishes

2011-12-17T10:00:00.004-05:00

Welcome to our weeklong feature of the exclusive Le Métier de Beauté nail polishes available only at the John Barett salon. I'm providing swatching services in case anyone is interested in them! These polishes are in the larger-sized bottles and the formula lives up to its usual top notch standard (oh so smooth). Yesterday I showed you the blues and greens, today it's the pinks and um, one shimmery lilac.

Again, I apologize for the lesser quality of these photos. That blurry swatch photo is the most color accurate out of the bunch I took. I hope it still gives you some inkling of what the colors look like.

L-R: Summer Soiree, Cheeky Rendevous [sic], Paris, Grape To See You, Monaco, Uma Paro, Rio de Janeiro, Palm Beach

These polishes retail for $18 and are exclusively available at the John Barrett Salon. Stay tuned for the next few days and I'll show you the oranges/reds, browns, metallics/sparklies, and nudes! If you absolutely cannot wait, you can give Heather a call at 212-872-2700 x2714. Do tell her I sent you!

Le Métier de Beauté Blue Polishes

2011-12-16T10:00:00.004-05:00

Consider this fair warning: you will be hearing about Le Métier de Beauté very often in the next week. I hope you don't get sick of them (and me!) by the end of it.

Anyway, the treasure trove at the John Barrett salon wasn't solely limited to vintage kaleidoscopes. It turns out the company also designed 34 exclusive (but permanent) large-sized nail polishes for sale only at the salon. I know how you feel about exclusives, and I feel the same, but I understand this one since the salon offers manicure services and Le Métier has the monopoly on beauty up there.

Unfortunately, I only had my iPhone with me during my visit, so these are not terribly color accurate, and some of them are a little hazy. However, let's still salute my brazen lack of self-consciousness when I took these pictures! There were scores of posh women going in and out of the salon but I just plopped myself at the counter and snapped the pictures without a care in the world. Shout out to Heather for being so accommodating to my crazy blogger tendencies!

Today we begin with the blues (and a stray forest green):

L-R: Mint Bliss, Bon Voyage, Je N'ai Se Quoi, Gilded Lily, Hope Diamond Blue

Each of these retail for $18 and are only available at the John Barrett Salon. Stay tuned for the next few days and I'll show you the pinks/purples, oranges/reds, browns, metallics/sparklies, and nudes! If you absolutely cannot wait, you can give Heather a call at 212-872-2700 x2714.

Le Métier de Beauté Lip Kaleidoscopes

2011-12-15T10:00:00.004-05:00

More pretty things! This second edition features my (relatively) measly lip kaleidoscope collection. I don't use these as much because I wake up too late every morning and dipping a lip brush through four colors is an additional two minutes I cannot spare (woe the night owl in me).

Les Artistes, details here

Ecumes d'or

Empress, details here

Red Rapture

For those interested in acquiring some vintage kaleidoscopes (and missed out on the ones from John Barrett), I recall seeing a tester of Sterling Beauty, Les Artistes, and Autumn Embers at the Neiman Marcus Boston counter, though I don't know if they still have them in stock. Doesn't hurt to try! You can contact my lovely SA Traci Dastou or the Le Métier artist Shawn Kelly at 617-536-3660 x2111 and inquire about the availability. Do tell them I sent you!

Every time I meet a Le Métier artist I joke that I own half the counter. Turns out I wasn't exaggerating. That's equal parts awesome and awful (oh dear imaginary pursestrings)!

Click here to visit my eye kaleidoscope collection.

China Glaze Colors From The Capitol Collection

2011-12-14T23:33:00.000-05:00

I rarely post up press releases on Messy Wands but this shall be a fine exception. I am beyond excited for this Hunger Games-inspired collection by China Glaze available early next year (exact date unknown but you bet I'll let you know as soon as I find out). I see great potential in Riveting, Harvest Moon, Electrify, but if I had to choose one it will be the moss green Agro.

SO. Any Hunger Games fans on Messy Wands? Let's chatter about your favorites from this collection, or about the books, or Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss (which I heartily approve), or that Movie Peeta is blonde (which I disapprove)!

Beauty PSA: Vintage Le Métier Kaleidoscopes Available

2011-12-13T15:45:00.003-05:00

Oh you girls are going to love this. I was up at the John Barrett salon at Bergdorf's and found a treasure trove of vintage treats. They have eye kaleidoscopes in Penelope, Splendid Frost, Aphrodite (!), Violaceous Splendor (!!), and Le Cirque, as well as lip kaleidoscopes in Les Artistes, Autumn Embers, and Red Rapture. Also available are the dual kaleidoscopes Sterling Beauty and Golden Beauty.

Everything is in severely limited quantities so if you see anything you want you should call immediately! The number is 212-872-2700 x2714. Ask for Heather and tell her Xiao from Messy Wands sent you.

*Update: In case you aren't the comment reading sort, dear reader Megan and Passion4Art alerted us to more available Splendid Frosts (I swear this is like a treasure hunt)! The person to call is Alex from Neiman Marcus Las Vegas at 702-731-3636, or you can text her at 702-722-7400. I know I haven't featured Splendid Frost on Messy Wands but it's my all-time favorite kaleidoscope (yes I said it).

Also, can I say how much I love being able to text an SA to order stuff? Absolutely amazing.

Le Métier de Beauté Eye Kaleidoscopes

2011-12-12T22:54:00.000-05:00

A reader gave me a fantastic idea earlier today. Since I can't photograph myself right now, why not photograph some of the prettiest things I have in my makeup drawer? By the way, have we ever discussed my dream to own a beauty closet? I think that's what I need to store these things in a way that makes sense, unlike the haphazard mess taking over half of my study table right now.

While I regret that I don't have the space in my room nor the photography skills to do my Le Métier de Beauté eye kaleidoscope collection justice (if you haven't already, you must read this post where Sabrina showcased her stupendous collection of Chanel quads), I hope you still enjoy the photos below.

this is actually called Aphrodite. It was a gift from my beauty editor at a previous internship

Violaceous Splendor, more details here

Smoldering Embarkment

this one was not for sale. Dustin made a few prototypes and gave me one but it never went to production. I call it "the green kaleidoscope"

Capitol

The elusive Oscar de la Renta kaleidoscope

Not individually pictured are Silk Road (worn on the eyes in this post), Splendid Frost, Penelope, and of course, Antiquité Poupée.

I'm pretty happy with what I have, but I so fervently wish I was around early enough to purchase Devotion and the amazing Roopal Patel palette. Those are my only two Le Métier de Beauté regrets.

Nude Lip Combo: Guerlain Rouge Automatique #103 and Le Métier de Beauté Bondi Beach Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss

2011-12-11T22:17:00.000-05:00

These pictures make me want to cry. My skin does not look like that anymore. Especially now, just emerging out of the cave I lived in to write my final papers, a quick inspection shows new acne scars, enlarged pores, ingrown brow hairs (!!), a pimple or three around my face. It's the beauty blogger equivalent of falling from grace. Perhaps skincare posts should ensue?

Anyway, while I fix up my face, I thought I would share my favorite fool-proof nude lip combo: Guerlain Rouge Automatique #103 topped with Le Métier de Beauté Bondi Beach Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss. While many cite daring reds as their go-to special occasion lip, I prefer mine to be non fuss and impossible to screw up. I worry too much while wearing reds to really have a good time!

An oversight: I just realized I don't have any photos of Rouge Automatique #103 in my folder. If anyone wants a swatch, let me know and I'll try to do it soon.

Le Metier de Beaute Bondi Beach Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss

Rouge Automatique #103

Bondi Beach Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss

Rouge Automatique #103 and Bondi Beach Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss

There aren't many makeup items I will repurchase if I lose or finish them, but RA #103 and Bondi Beach are two that I will run out and buy as soon as I don't have one in my reach. You cannot imagine how grateful I am that they're both permanent items.

If memory serves me, I packed Burberry Taupe Brown eyeshadow on my eyes, then dabbed a little of Armani Eyes To Kill Intense #14 at the center of the lid. Cheeks are courtesy of Chanel Tempting Beige, one of my all time favorite blushes!

Not Beauty-Related But...

2011-12-09T16:49:00.000-05:00

Spotted these fantastic things on DKNY PR Girl's tumblr.

Photo Source: style.com

Pretty much what I want to wear every day for the rest of my life. I'm huge on billowy circle skirts and hourglass silhouettes. Pass me any well-tailored white shirt and I will have a mini gushing fit.

Then there's also this pair of platforms from the DKNY Summer/Pre-fall show.

Photo Source: style.com

All I'm saying is they better sell them because I've been looking for platforms like that since April.

I Suppose One Calls This A Filler Post

2011-12-06T21:45:00.001-05:00

Apologies for the absence (as explained here). I promise Messy Wands will get back on track next week.

In the mean time, a photo from last July when I had fantastic lighting in my apartment. The only thing I remember about this picture is that I used Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense #15, which I won't be reviewing now (though you only have to read my thoughts on #19 to know how I feel about it). This is a huge problem because I want to know what I was wearing on my lips.

Others I found in the folder to better illustrate ETK #15:

Ah, that window and the constant rays flitting into my once-room. If only I still had them.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 in Honey and Passion

2011-12-04T04:49:00.002-05:00

I often fidget about shorter posts, thinking it might suggest negligence or laziness, but I forget that there are times when brevity better suits the occasion, and when products speak well for themselves, there really isn't much else needed to be said.

One such product is the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15. I've tried both Honey and Passion and I've been thinking about the Rose and regular versions ever since.

L-R: Passion, Honey

The Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments are lightweight balms housed in a sturdy lipstick canister. It differs from regular packaging in that you have to twist the cap to access it. There is no chance that the cover will dislodge in your bag - always a plus.

Lips without any product

In one of my very first posts on Messy Wands, I mentioned that I used to be highly sensitive toward lip products. While the (unknown) allergies have since subsided, occasionally it still rears its ugly head. Burt's Bees and Chapsticks don't do well on my lips, even the oft-raved-about Jack Black Lip Balm tends to make my lips swell when left on overnight. I've had no problems with the Fresh balms. They work as they should, are tasteless, and while there's a slight odor to the bullet it doesn't linger on the lips. I don't find that frequent re-application is needed.

Fresh Honey

Fresh Passion

The two that I have give me an extra pop of color, which I like. Those who prefer colorless balms can choose to explore the original version.

I couldn't recommend them enough.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 retails for $22.50 and is available at Fresh freestanding stores and Sephora.

Le Métier de Beauté Holiday 2011: Antiquité Poupée Redux

2011-12-03T02:06:00.004-05:00

I know we've had plenty of coverage for Antiquité Poupée, but it's just so gosh darn pretty!

Oh but there is a point to the post! While I couldn't for the life of me grab a decent full face photo, I wanted to show you how it looks layered on the eyes. For the main part of the lid, I layered the top three shades from top to bottom, and added the fourth color only in the crease. I lined the top lid with Le Métier de Beauté Precision Eyeliner in Noir and patted the fourth shade over it with a flat liner brush.

That last step is crucial in getting a sharp, defined eye line.

L-R: Fourth shade by itself, fourth shade over black liquid liner.

Here comes the point: While you may have heard that all 100 units of Antiquité Poupée sold out within the first day of release, the good news is Le Métier de Beauté will be producing an additional sixty so more will have the opportunity to revel in this kaleidoscope's magnificence. I've worn this kaleidoscope thrice (!) this week and I received compliments on it every time. This is the one Le Métier exclusive I would loathe to miss. As always, you can reach Dustin Lujan and his team at 212-872-8612, tell him I sent you!

Speaking of exclusives, allow me to slip in a reminder about the ongoing Beauty Bloggers Charity Auction, where plenty of discontinued amazingness is up for grabs. And oh hey I'm just going to slip in another shameless plug! My discontinued amazing exclusive Le Métier de Beauté Modernist Merlot palette is sitting on my desk right now just begging to be shipped off to the highest bidder.

Makeup Tip: The Trick to the Au Naturale Brow

2011-11-28T20:16:00.001-05:00

One thing I always believe is you don't have to buy a how-to book to learn how to apply makeup. In our (in this case) blessed age of technology, there are too many YouTube tutorials and beauty blogs and magazine articles out there dishing out advice to those unfamiliar in this territory. My venture into painting faces began from watching YouTube tutorials, then beauty blogs, then examining editorials, which I still do. Now that I'm much more at ease at makeup counters, I either ask the artists at hand for tips or observe the techniques they use on me and emulate it when I wield the brush on myself.

I thought I might start sharing some of these nuggets of wisdom, whether borrowed from makeup artists or acquired through "eureka" moments of my own.

This first tip is "taken" from Dustin. I noticed him doing it when he was making me up to look like a doll. Prior to the makeover, I had already drawn in my eyebrows using Shu Uemura's retractable eyebrow liner (for those new to the site, I've written a fairly comprehensive eyebrow shading tutorial that I'm shamelessly proud of) but the downside to using that formula is my brows can look a little harsh if not combed through correctly after. I suppose it was one of those days when I met him, because he took the flat Le Métier de Beauté eye shadow brush and dipped it lightly into a dark brown shade, then ran the brush through my brows to blend it out. I thought my brows looked fine before, but this step made me realize how important evenness of shading is to a natural-looking brow.

You don't need that specific brush to do the blending. However, I would recommend using a flat, tapered brush that isn't stiff - think brushes like Chanel #2 and not those of the MAC #217/#239 variety - so that the area covered by the brush wouldn't exceed the thickness of your brows, or that the brush wouldn't move the pigment.

Beauty Bloggers Charity Auction

2011-11-27T19:22:00.000-05:00

I am proud to announce that Messy Wands is part of the Beautybloggers.org second annual charity auction! I am the last blogger in the world to be announcing my participation as the others have already blogged about this weeks in advance. Let my late posting be your absolute last reminder that it will go live tomorrow, November 28 and last through December 12.

For those who aren't familiar with the auction, O Queen of Swatching Karla Sugar organized the same event last year, where she gathered beauty companies and bloggers to donate some (oft rare and discontinued) items to this charity event, where the proceeds will completely benefit Doctors Without Borders. Some of this year's treasures include two of Chanel's discontinued polishes, the limited edition Karla Sugar lip gloss by Le Métier de Beauté, the eternally sought after MAC Stereo Rose and Marine Life (!), the discontinued Rescue Beauty Lounge Recycle, and the entire Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge skincare line (!!!).

My own contribution is Le Métier de Beauté Modernist Merlot, created exclusively for Neiman Marcus Fashion Island to celebrate Fashion's Night Out. While I was not able to review it, Best Things in Beauty and Raeview have both done fabulous write-ups with great pictures and swatches, so I encourage you to head over and see if Modernist Merlot tickles your fancy.

In light of the recent Come One, Come All fiasco, where three of the colors are exact duplicates from recent kaleidoscopes (I don't know if we will ever have time to discuss this, though I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments), I made sure to compare Modernist Merlot to every single kaleidoscope I owned. I am currently in the process of asking Karla to make a correction to my listing. The third shade of Modernist Merlot is the same as the one in Silk Road. The other three shades are original.

That said, the complete effect of layering Modernist Merlot from top to bottom produces an entirely different look compared to Silk Road and the fourteen other kaleidoscopes I own (unlike what you get with Come One, Come all). It is a worthy palette for a worthy cause, and I hope you will add my humble contribution to your list of bids.

Obligatory Black Friday Sales Post

2011-11-24T12:00:00.000-05:00

I know you're inundated with the millions of sales coming up this weekend. If you're interested in taking part, I found Temptalia's list to be the most comprehensive. Here are the ones I have taken/will be taking advantage of:

YSL: 20 percent off now through 11/26 with code CYBER. If you wait till Cyber Monday, 20 percent off with code MONDAY with free gift when you spend over $100. Free shipping on all orders.

Shu Uemura: 20 percent off with code WISH2011 now through 11/29. Free shipping on orders over $50.

Best thing about online shopping - no lines!

Le Métier de Beauté Antiquité Poupée Inspiration

2011-11-24T11:41:00.000-05:00

It is less than ~~a week~~ a day till we get our hands on Dustin's Antiquité Poupée Kaleidoscope eye kit for Le Metiér de Beauté, so here's a short inspiration feature to whet your appetites and a last reminder to get your orders in. No guarantees any stock will be left after its debut!

Dustin's inspiration for Antiquité Poupée is its namesake, an antique doll you might find while rummaging through vintage stores or your grandmother's attic in search of the elusive beauty of yore. Sometimes I wonder how it would be like to be of a time where mass production is a rarity, where everything would be hand-crafted and delicate and exquisite.

A shameful confession: When Dustin first sent me this, I was reminded of those American Girl dolls that we both absolutely loathe. Needless to say the doll above, adorned in luxurious silks, cannot be compared to those plastic monstrosities (I hereby apologize if you actually like said American Girl dolls. They just remind me too much of Chucky).

Here's a shot of Dustin touching up the model's eyeliner. For those who haven't had the fortune to get a makeover from him, um, this is how it looks.

Once again, Le Métier de Beauté Antiquité Poupée will retail for $95 and will be exclusively available at Bergdorf Goodman. I just got wind that the kaleidoscope is enjoying an early release and will arrive just in time for Black Friday! The number you need to call is 212-872-8612 to get your own. Thank goodness I'm in New York for Thanksgiving because I'll be getting mine hot off the shipping box.

Nail Sociology and A Happy Holiday To You!

2011-11-24T01:44:00.001-05:00

My sister sent me some pictures a few days ago with a note letting me know that she, my mother, and my baby sister all went for a mani/pedi together in preparation for a cousin’s wedding. I always take these happy updates with a tinge of sadness. While I love knowing what the family is up to back home, the unfortunate side effect is the acute pangs of homesickness that accompanies each photo she sends.

Nevertheless, I derived considerable enjoyment from these photos for three reasons: 1) my mother doesn’t pamper herself often enough, 2) that picture of my baby sis? Priceless. (Nevermind that I think 9-year-olds shouldn’t be getting manicures), and 3) their choices. They strike me as so age-appropriate it’s stereotypical, and I chuckled over this little bit of beauty socialization.

Here are their manicures:

Maroon toes for mum and metallic purple toes for sis

Peach gel mani for mum

Holographic beige mani for sis

Pastel purple sheer base with chunky heart-shaped pieces

Said priceless photo

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful time stuffing yourselves with turkey (pun?). I expect to hear stories about the wonderful food you had and inevitable food comas you’ll be getting.

Rescue Beauty Lounge: An Introduction, 360 and Anne

2011-11-22T02:46:00.006-05:00

I consider this super time-sensitive information so I'm taking a not-so-quick break off my reading to post this!

I haven't blogged about Rescue Beauty Lounge before, but let it officially be known that it is my favorite nail polish brand. Within my modest nail polish collection Rescue Beauty Lounge trumps all other brands in terms of the sheer number that I own. I've also had the pleasure to visit the physical salon before it closed down and it is where I received the best and cleanest mani/pedi of my life. The experience set such a high standard in me for how nail salons should be that since then I haven't been tempted to visit any other. I'm afraid I've become something of a nail salon snob.

I've also had the pleasure to meet RBL founder Ji Baek, who is so incredibly stylish (she looked like an elegant phoenix the day I met her) and nice in person. It was great to put a face to the name and stellar personalized customer service I receive from the company. I also stalk the Rescue Beauty Facebook page quite frequently and actually remember the conversation where RBL fans first coined the term "ReBeL" to describe the most ardent of followers.

So why is this time-sensitive? For those who aren't familiar with the brand, the Rescue Beauty Lounge color collection only consists of about four to five "core" colors, while everything else is limited edition. Once it sells out, it will be gone forever unless voted back during Bring it Back events. RBL has one of the best and most consistent nail polish formulas in the industry and many of the colors Ji doles out are truly unique (unfortunately, currently many of "the best" are already sold out).

Now, Ji just released a new batch of BiBs, consisting of some of the most coveted shades in recent RBL history. Mismas, Scrangie, and Orbis Non Sufficit were created in collaboration with three premier nail bloggers and was brought back in one go due to overwhelming support. There's Locavore, which I didn't get because I'm not too huge on multi-colored glitter, and then there's 360 and Anne, which I voted for and was so grateful they came back because they were sold out by the time I joined the party.

360

I don't know the back story for 360, but I used this shade for my manicure when I visited the Lounge and thus an instant love and longing for this dusty blue-green shade was born. It's a total one-coater (though of course I did two) and like all RBL shades was a dream to apply. They last like you wouldn't believe as well. When I did my nails at the Lounge it took two weeks before they even started to chip. While I don't have the same skills of their technicians, I've done my dishes thrice since application and I barely spot a chip in my manicure. This definitely does not happen with most of my other polishes.

Anne

The dusky olive-green Anne was part of the Tudor collection inspired by four of Henry the VIII's wives. This collection has been in such high demand that Ji has promised to Bring it Back before the end of the year. I already own Catherine H and Jane, and I'm excited to be able to complete my collection of the four queens soon.

My photos don't do Anne justice. In this two-dimensional view I can't seem to capture the warm brassy undertones you'll see when it reflects light. This polish is a delight for the eyes, as it will look different in every lighting situation. Even just looking at the color in the bottle provided me with an inordinate amount of fascination and fun.

The great thing about Ji is she makes sure she has ample quantities of limited edition goods so they won't sell out before the collection reaches the public (email subscribers get first dibs on new releases). That said, some of her products are in such high demand that I heard a couple of these BiBs are already at less than 50 percent inventory.

I recommend a good amount of anxiety at the thought of missing out on RBL's limited edition shades. I've learned from previous mistakes that it is better to trust Ji and order every single piece in her new collections rather than wait, because it's easier to swap or sell the unwanted shade (if any!) than to procure it on a later date (a quick eBay search will show that some of her older colors go up to $50 or higher).

Rescue Beauty Lounge 360 and Anne retail for $18, as do all of her other polishes, and are exclusively available at rescuebeauty.com. The company provides free shipping to U.S. orders over $100 and international orders over $200.

Giorgio Armani Holiday 2011: Eyes To Kill Intense #19

2011-11-20T06:46:00.001-05:00

This final piece rounds up my Giorgio Armani Holiday collection feature. If you're new to this blog, you can access my reviews on the gloss and palettes here and here.

The company offered three new limited edition Eyes To Kill Intense shades for Holiday. #17 is pure silver, #18 is pure gold, and #19 is a blend of both. I chose #19 because... well, if I was only going to pick one, #19 would make me feel like I had all of them. My logic is not sound, but let's carry on!

Eyes To Kill Intense #19

This will be the first of many features on ETK Intense to come. It's widely known as some of the best shadows in the industry. Don't be deceived by the pot (traditionally used to house cream/gel formulas), Eyes To Kill Intenses are highly pigmented powder shadows. The company makes some outrageous claims for this product: "twenty-four hour wear, crease proof, flake proof, waterproof, sweat-proof"; "slides on, stays on, but wipe off in an instant." Most of which are (even more outrageously) true in my experience. I couldn't test out the twenty-four hour wear claim for obvious reasons, but sixteen is enough for me!

L-R: Gloss d'Armani #604, Eyes To Kill Intense #19

Eyes To Kill Intense #19 is a mix of silver and gold. I'm inclined to describe the blended shade as "platinum gold." When applied on the skin, it produces a soft, ethereal sheen.

This is one of those shades that everyone should own because it's just so easy to use. Place it at the inner corners of the eye, use it as a base, dab it on the center of the lid to complete a look, anything! You can pair it with any color in your stash and I bet they'll go swimmingly. Worn alone like above, the shadow works to subtly brighten the eye area.

My peeve with ETK Intense shadows is that they don't seem to work as well when applied with an eye brush. The swatch and application above are done with fingers, which seems to be your best tool when it comes to using these shadows. One would think I would be glad, but I am a fan of the precision my brushes offer me. My finger applications tend to come off sloppy. I'm also not the happiest about it being in pot form, though I don't see how they could change that. Screwing and unscrewing the lid takes up more time than I prefer in the morning, where every second saved is one more better used for another task. Nevertheless, these shadows are of such high quality that I gladly bear with the inconvenience. For the record, #19 is the fifth pot in my growing collection.

Eyes To Kill Intense #19 retails for $32 and is available at giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com. The company is offering 20 percent off and complimentary two-day shipping on purchases above $75 till November 24, so the timing couldn't be better for you to get your Armani goodies. Just enter GAHOLIDAY1 during checkout. I'm a little peeved because I just got my package from them, but one can't have too many of their glosses, or lipsticks, or shadows... oh just give me the entire inventory already.

Rouge d'Armani #400

2011-11-19T05:35:00.007-05:00

One of my recent assignments was a critical research paper on Memoirs of a Geisha, and after watching the film I had a huge craving to don red lips and apply my makeup using only yachiyo and itabake brushes. While the latter two are quite impossible (though I did put in an order for a yachiyo), the red lip urge was easy to satiate. Since I've been on an Armani kick lately, I picked Rouge d'Armani #400 as my color of choice.

Rouge d'Armani #400

Rouge d'Armani #400 misled me. I thought it would be more orange based on how it looked in the tube, yet it turned out to be a vivid blue red. A relief, since I've been accumulating far too many orange-reds recently.

I wouldn't have known this lipstick feathers if not for this closeup. Granted, in the picture above my lips had vestiges of lip balm on before I slapped on the color. On another testing sans balm, I noticed just the tiniest bit of feathering. Note, however, that I could only see it while straining my neck at an angle and holding the mirror two inches away from my face. It is quite impossible for anyone else to spot it.

The company promises "up to eight hours of intense color" with this lipstick. At this point of writing, I've been wearing it for four hours, all of which was spent rigorously snacking on chocolates and drinking orange juice, and the color has not budged one bit! Even the center of the lip is untouched.

(Six hours in, I ate an apple and found the center of the bottom lip slightly faded. I'm still inclined to believe the eight hour claim. It's a given that lipstick will wear off when you consume food.)

In my experience, Rouge d'Armani lipsticks wear comfortably on the lips. The formula is creamy, so the lipstick has a lot of "slip" when first applied. It will swim around your lips for a minute or two before settling down to the vibrant finish you see above. After which, the lipstick will not budge from your lips. The subtle feathering I spoke about happens from the get-go. It does not worsen throughout wear. The sheen disappears in an hour or two, which alters the finish to a semi-matte. This makes Rouge d'Armanis a great alternative to traditional matte formulas, as they do not sap moisture from my lips. For an immediate matte effect, just apply and blot lightly with a tissue.

Great Red worthy? I think so.

Rouge d'Armani #400 retails for $30. I purchased mine from giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com.

Giorgio Armani Holiday 2011: Madre Perla Face and Eye Palette #1 and Eye Palette #2

2011-11-18T02:21:00.005-05:00

I frequently go into bouts of beauty coma. Throw enough mediocre makeup at me and I start to feel like there's too much going on. When it actually becomes too much I hide under my table for a bit to weather it out. (I kid. Or do I?)

I was on the verge of seeking shelter under my table when I received my Giorgio Armani Holiday goods in the mail. Then I breathed a sigh of relief. All is right in the world again. The company swayed away from ostentatious display (remember the jacquard palette I didn't like?) and concentrated on the products themselves this time around. The result is a well-curated assortment of items that complement each other. I swept most of the collection clean and now am the proud owner of the Madre Perla Face and Eye Palette #1, Eye Palette #2, along with Gloss d'Armani Plum #604, which I featured earlier this week, and Eyes To Kill Intense #19.

Madre Perla Face and Eye Palette #1

L-R: All three blended, swatched top to bottom.

I couldn't get the three varieties of gold from the Madre Perla Face and Eye Palette #1 to show up in the picture, probably because the bottom two shades resemble my skintone a little too closely. I'm just glad the blended swatch turned out noticeable. You'll have to trust me when I say this is apparent on my cheeks. I can't for the life of me figure out why I can't capture the very visible gold sheen I get from this palette (again, probably my skintone). But it's there. And the effect is a certain iridescence when applied to the skin. A note to glitter haters, there are super fine glitters accompanying the aforementioned sheen. They're not overabundant - think sparser than what you get from Guerlain Meteorites - but again, they're there.

The Beauty Look Book allayed my mediocre swatching skills! She has her Armani Holiday feature up and her swatches are much more distinguished. Go forth and be tempted!

Madre Perla Eye Palette #2

Madre Perla Eye Palette #2 is made of three light (not sheer!) hues - a white gold, taupe, and the palest of pale lilacs. Again, these don't look so impressive when swatched over my hand, but they perform brilliantly when placed on the eyes.

White gold shade all over, taupe in the outer corners, lilac swept just below the browbone

I've heard plenty of women who shy away from lilac shades because they're afraid of how it would look on their eyes, but I want to set the record straight. Lilacs are magical brighteners for tired eyes. After all, light purple tones actually work to counteract sallowness in the skin. If you need more convincing, do watch this video by Lisa Eldridge. The makeup guru concurs, calling lilac "a universally flattering pep up shade." In the photo above I probably had only 3-4 hours of sleep the day (and entire week) before. I don't think I look it!

The shadows are a pleasure to work with. Soft but not flaky, smooth, and easy to blend. However, since the shades are so light, I suggest you use a nude base or primer beneath to ensure they'll show up.

And here is a (half) face shot using all Giorgio Armani Holiday items:

The Madre Perla palettes retail for $59 apiece and should be available at major department stores. The Holiday collection just arrived at giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com and is missing the rosewood gloss I've been waiting for. Sigh.

Blog Stalk: à la peach

2011-11-17T03:46:00.002-05:00

I promised I would stop tweet-stalking her but it doesn't mean I can't blog about her. Through an absolutely scintillating conversation with a few beauty bloggers about cameras, lasik surgery, and procrastinating my paper due in 12 hours, I stumbled upon Peach of à la peach and I'm smitten smitten smitten.

I just cannot stop going through her archives, browsing her twitpics (girl's from Japan - go figure that I'm in love), and marveling at her nails and cuticles and application I can't even dream to have.

Here's a few examples. If you recall, Chanel released a limited edition trio of denim-hued nail lacquers for Fashion's Night Out. Bloggers covered this collection to death when it came out, but not one of them managed to sway me to purchase. Until I saw this on her fingers:

Now, I'm thinking of hitting up my Chanel counter to see if they might have any of this left. The chances are infinitesimal, but a girl can dream.

Another done-to-death coverage is the Julep Maven membership program, where for a fee of $19.99 a month Julep will send you a box containing over $40 worth of goodies every month. It sounds like a good deal, but I've never considered joining it. At the risk of sounding like a huge marketing pitch for Peach, I'm... toying with the idea because of her extensive Julep coverage:

She might also be the only person ever to make me want a ballet pink polish so. much.

I've long since crossed the boundary line to stalker zone (seriously I think she's a little afraid of me now), but I whole-heartedly invite you to do so as well. Visit her beautiful site and marvel/agonize!

All images published with permission from Peach and taken from à la peach.