Splendid Reads!

The Situation’s New Celebrity Fragrance

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:30 GMT

The first Jersey Shore cast member to get his feet wet (no pun intended) in the world of beauty is Mike Sorrentino – aka “The Situation”. Already planning (and taking steps) to get his nickname trademarked, Sorrentino is already planning to launch a new cologne called “The Sitch”. Coty, do I hear you calling??

If it does actually happen, I wonder whether or not like the Jersey Cast members themselves, the fragrance launch will have staying power? The shows popularity is somewhat a culture phenomenon. Huge viewing figures have left MTV bosses with huge smiles on their faces and the success of the show means that season 2 is already in the works. All the original cast members have signed on the dotted line and are ready for action. How has the media responded? Will the cast are everywhere at the moment. You can’t pick up a magazine or witch TV stations without seeing some reference to the show. The stars are already celebrities (be it Z-list) and have been spotted on the red carpet at The Grammy’s and have had guests spots on huge network shows such as Jay Leno and The Today Show.

So is this idea does come to fruition who will the target audience be? I envision a new generation of MTV teen males, with tans and muscles, prancing around nightclubs and bars, on the prowl, smelling of tanning lotion and locker sweat. I am sure the cologne itself will be marketed in a similar way to the Axe deodorants. You know, as a way of intoxicating the person you are interested in and ensuring that you don’t go home alone on a Saturday night. Will it be a great launch? Well, I guess it all depends on the longevity of show and characters themselves. Not sure how beauty editors at the top monthly glossies will react on deskside with The Situation, maybe they actually be able to resist his charm! Either way, it will be interesting to see if The Situations first foray in to the beauty marketplace will leave him fist pumping all the way to the bank.

Tuesday

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:51 GMT

I tried to get to work today...

My sister and my offices were open and we had a lot of work to do so we headed to DC. For those who don't know, the DC area received up to 30" of snow over the weekend. Yesterday (and today) the Federal government was closed as were most school systems in the area. Yesterday my office was closed; my sister attempted to go in but the roads were so bad she turned around.

We got almost to the DC border and gave up and turned around. The roads were horrible and the drivers even worse. We came back to my house and made a makeshift workstation at my dining table.

All the necessities - cell phone, external hard drive full of music, lip gloss and baby monitor!

Anyway, today I put on a black scoop tee from Old Navy that I have had for about two years, my gray Caslon ruffle-trim cardigan, a few different silver chain necklaces, my dark Gap Long & Lean jeans, and my DUO "Bern" boots in tan (my makeshift snow boots). Black quilted coat from Lands End and berry colored scarf from Ann Taylor LOFT.

Hair was washed and dried pretty quickly. Makeup is Stila Illuminated tinted moisturizer blended with Estee Lauder Doublewear Light foundation, Laura Mercier Secret Camoflauge and bronzer, Lorac shadow in Serenity, DiorShow mascara, Sephora lip gloss in Precious Pink, Tarte Indelible Wink liner. It's far easier to work from home when I feel slightly sassy!

They expect another 10 - 20" in the next day or so. I may be hanging out at home for quite a while. In fact this attempt at going to work today (and a quick stop at Starbucks) was a welcome change for I was getting quite the cabin fever!

WhatWentWrong: MOM JEANS STRIKE AGAIN

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:57 GMT

I'm always startled and saddened when I turn a corner and spot some poor women wearing these horribly tragic ill-fitting jeans. You just know they're over 10 years old and not doing the unsuspecting culprit any favors. Why is this a problem you ask? Let's see. These jeans make her: * bum look bigger and flatter than it probably it is * thighs look larger because of the faded thighs * look as though she cares nothing about the way she presents herself to the world. So sad. And so unnecessary. If you're wearing jeans that look like this, ditch...

The Spring Season: MAC Cherish Lipstick

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:25 GMT

The Spring Season: MAC Cherish Lipstick

MAC Cherish Lipstick ($14.00) is a rich, creamy beige nude. It has an incredibly smooth and creamy feel with a light glossy sheen. I love it, because it's well-pigmented and gives me nearly full coverage on my lips. Cherish is one of my go-to nude lipsticks for whenever I wear a really dramatic, smoky eye. It works well to complement the look without competing with it or washing it out. Like all MAC lipsticks, it's vanilla-scented (but not too sweet or cloying–one of the best lipstick scents of all-time, in my humble opinion!), comes in a black bullet, and lasts a good four hours or so on me.

Is this the right nude lipstick for you? Would you wear it?

The Spring Season is a series of posts featuring my favorite soft beige, coral, and pink lipsticks and lipglosses — all perfect for the first blossom of spring — that runs through March 2010.

See photos and swatches…

NARS Spring 2010: Kuala Lumpur Eyeshadow Duo

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:02 GMT

NARS Spring 2010: Kuala Lumpur Eyeshadow Duo

NARS Kuala Lumpur Eyeshadow Duo ($32.00) is a newly-released eyeshadow duo from NARS Spring 2010 Collection.

On one side, it's a melon-y peach kind of shade with a shimmery, slightly frosted finish–it would appear that this is just one of those shades for the spring season (like Benefit Nice Melons, MAC Flip, Urban Decay Muchness; or even MAC Melon Pigment). The other side is a reddened burgundy with a softer frost finish and sheen.

I don't love this eyeshadow duo, and I really thought I'd be all over it, given the way it looks. However, this is an eyeshadow duo one really needs to use wet, because the color pay off is not up to my expectations for a brand like NARS when they're used dry. When used dry, particularly on the lid, they tend to look incredibly sheer and have a good deal of fall out (primarily of the shimmer). I didn't expect to have any fall out troubles with this, considering they're pressed powder shadows with shimmer, rather than glittery bits!

The texture of Kuala Lumpur is very soft–the shadows are smooth and soft to the touch, and when swatched, they look nicer than it was when I attempted to use the colors dry in a look. In order to make the look come together better, I ended up using the colors wet, which definitely helped quite a bit. I didn't love it even wet, though, because once it dries, it does fade back a bit. It's like, when you use the eyeshadow wet, it doesn't remain looking like it does when wet, but it doesn't completely become how it looks when dry. Instead, it settles somewhere in between. (You can see me wearing this duo in this look.)

For $32, I want an eyeshadow I can truly use wet or dry, not just wet. I also don't want to have to work too hard to make it work for me, either. I can get down with having to experiment a bit for just the right application method when we're talking about a $2 eyeshadow, but if you're going to buy high-end, it should work right outta the compact, you know?

The good news, for those concerned with the $32 price tag, is you get plenty for your money. The math works out to NARS eyeshadow duos being cheaper by the ounce than both MAC and Make Up For Ever. But maybe you're better off picking up a different duo…

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! :)

Product: 25/30
Value: 8/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation: If you like your colors soft, I think you'll still enjoy this new shade for spring.

Availability: BlueMercury

See photos & swatches!

(Swatched dry.)

(Swatched wet.)

Product Review: Biore Moonlighting Night Moisturizer

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:57 GMT

Reviewer: Suziesaurus Brand: Biore Name: : Moonlighting Night Moisturizer Size: 50 mL Price: approx. $20 CAD From Biore’s website: "Bioré® moonlighting moisturizer works while you sleep, alleviating dry skin, uneven texture, and dullness so you wake up to smooth, glowing skin. This non-greasy cream with Botanamide technology, a ceramide-based technology with botanicals and natural antioxidants, provides 24 hour moisturization and smoothes the appearance of fine lines. Immediately boosts skin...

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Valentine’s Day Ready With Tarte Cosmetics

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:00 GMT

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Angela from Tarte Cosmetics shows us some great tips and tricks to look flawless whether you’re getting date-ready or just ready for a night out!

Lip Tips For Valentine’s Day

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:00 GMT

Valentine’s Day makeup should be all about the lips according to celebrity makeup artist, Christopher Drummond, and we definitely agree. We asked him to share a couple of tips to make the most of our kisser this Feb 14th. • To feel more romantic, use naturally scented lip products. • If you are hesitant to wear bright red [...]