Category: Beauty

Shop Etc. – Shop Talk – Fall Preview: Stila Fall in Love Eye Shadow Trios

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Fall In Love Eye Shadow Trio in Forest Clove

I want the eye shadow trio in Forest Clove (pictured above), which features shades of shimmery gold, olive, deep brown olive. Available from Sephora.com.

I’m obsessed with olive green eyeshadow (see my profile). Other good eyeshadow trios featuring olive shades are MAXeye Shadow in Baja Bronze from Max Factor (the colors – a yellow matte, a tan “British khaki” matte, and a shimmery olive do not display accurately at all) and Vital Radiance Soft Dimension Powder Shadow in Fresh Meadows.

As a single, I like jouer Eye Compact Eye Shadow, Peridot, described as a “shimmering olive”.

NOTE: Sephora.com is discontinuing Jouer, along with Beauty Buffet, Diane von Furstenburg Beauty, Girlactik, Passport, Pinkie Swear, and She She. Shop now to stock up.

While olive green is complemented by golden or yellow shades, I’ve also used Joe Blasco Eye Shadow in Green Genie, available from makeupmania.com.

What’s new in Beauty

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Only two weeks after we completed an update of the Bookstand pages, we have completed an update of the Beauty pages on The Style Page website. Check out the many new links, including new links for nearly 30 cosmetics brands on our Cosmetics page.

Also, check our web pages for the linkrolls, which provide links to interesting articles on beauty. For example, did you know that India was a major supplier of human hair for wigs and hair extensions? Find out more by visiting our Salon page.

Fragrances and More is offering our readers a discount of 10% for orders of $50 or more now through August 31. They offer many boutique brands of fragrance, bath and body, skin care, candles, and more. To take advantage of this offer, enter “stylepage” as the coupon code.

Review of Jouer Les Essentials d’été Summer 2006 Limited Edition Value Set

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Since my June 23 posting on Jouer Les Essentials d’été Summer 2006 Limited Edition Value Set, I’ve purchased the set.

Essential Matte Touch does the job of preventing breakthrough shine on my nose. I wear it under the i.d. Bare Escentuals mineral powder foundation.

The Essential Lip Enhancer is another matter. The user is directed to apply it 3 times a day for 29 days to see a difference. It is different from other lip plumpers like DuWop Lip Venom Lite Spicy Lip Gloss, Half Strength, Clear, which includes essential oil of cinammon to create a burning sensation for the lips to appear bigger. Jouer’s Essential Lip Enhancer creates a vague sense of numbness upon application and dries to a finish that reminded me of Revlon’s anti-feathering treatment sticks. The jury is still out on this one.

Jouer Les Essentials d’été Summer 2006 Limited Edition Value Set

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I posted a positive review of Jouer Cosmetics in December 2004. I particularly like Jouer’s unique customizable palettes which allows you to connect individual containers together side-by-side and back-to-back. These cosmetics are designed to be applied with the fingertips – no fuss makeup application for the warmer months.

I’m looking forward to trying its Les Essentials d’été Summer 2006 Limited Edition Value Set, which features Essential Lip Enhancer (admittedly, I am skeptical of lip plumpers) and Essential Matte Touch (I get unwanted breakthrough shine on my nose, so I’d like to see if this is effective). Purchased separately, the Essential Lip Enhancer costs $14 and the Essential Matte Touch costs $24. The set costs $28.00 – a savings of $10.

Jilbean: The Great Eyeliner Hunt

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SpillToJill has announced Jilbean: The Great Eyeliner Hunt. Here are favorites of The Style Page:

I prefer using eyeshadow with an eyeliner brush to using pencils. Pencils are too much a hassle to keep sharp. I like charcoal brown, almost black eyeshadow for a smoky eye. I’ve already stated my fondness for Sonia Kashuk’s eyeshadow in Night, available at Target stores. My new favorite is ModelCo ColourBox Eye Shadow Ibiza 13 (pictured), available from Sephora.com.

As far as a pencil is concerned, I like Jordana Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Bittersweet. At less than $2, this is a best buy. Find Jordana at Walgreen’s or prowl dollar stores.

What’s in my makeup travel kit

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I’m off for two days of meetings. In my makeup bag:

Cosmetics that have caught my eye

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From Elke von Freudenberg’s The Beauty Newsletter, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Balms in Tarred (black) and Feathered (white). No, these products are not supposed to color your lips black and white for a Goth look, but are supposed to serve as transformers: Tarred is supposed to darken and deepen your natural lip color or lip stick, while Feathered is supposed to lighten your natural lip color or lip stick.


Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Balms in Tarred and Feathered

Paula Begoun, the consumer reporter whose web site now describes her as “the creator and innovative force behind Paula’s Choice skin care and cosmetics,” has now added gel eyeliners to her ever-expanding collections of skin care and cosmetics products. I’ve liked most everything I’ve purchased from Paula, as her products are effective and well-priced – I have many of her eye shadows and especially recommend her 2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion for treating acne. My least favorite product is her Close Comfort Shave Gel.

I want Paula’s Constant Color Gel Eyeliner in Earthen (described as a medium soft brown) and Nightfall (described as an “almost-black brown with a subtle hint of plum”). I won’t need Espresso, as I am content using Sonia Kashuk’s eye shadow in Night (a deep charcoal brown) as an eyeliner: it is perfect for the smoky eye!
Constant Color Gel Eyeliner from Paula's Choice
Constant Color Gel Eyeliner from Paula’s Choice

Please share your comments if you’ve tried any of these products. I’d like to know what you think. You can see other wished-for items on the Beauty page of our web site!

Tom Ford Estée Lauder Collection :: Azurée :: now online

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The much-hyped Tom Ford Estée Lauder collection Azurée is now online. As with his previous Youth Dew collection, Tom Ford researched the archives of Estée Lauder and reinterpreted another classic. There are three different color palettes: Azurée (peach and coral), Cap Bronzée (sand, amber, and bronze), and St. Tropée (mauve, violet, and plum). Ford describes the Azurée collection as “a collection for the woman whose fantasy takes her away to sexy, remote beaches” – Whew!

Tom Ford Estée Lauder Collection Azurée
Tom Ford Estée Lauder Collection Azurée

While it was hard to come by the makeup for the Youth Dew collection – it wasn’t available from esteelauder.com or gloss.com and was available at only select stores – you may purchase items from the Azurée collection from esteelauder.com.

Beauty Addict has a review of the Azurée collection in her May 30, 2006 post That Long Weekend Glow. I swear, I didn’t copy that quote by Tom Ford from her article – she and I picked that quote independently!

The Style Page Joins The Mineral Makeup Revolution

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I was running low on loose powder (Clinique translucent, which has been my standby), so this seemed to be a good time to try out mineral makeup. I succumbed to buying the starter kit from the most aggressively marketed of all mineral makeup brands – i.d. Bare Escentuals, which is hawked via informercials, 30-second TV ads, shows on QVC, and retail outlets including Sephora, Ulta, and its own Bare Escentuals boutiques.


Bare Escentuals Get Started Kit

The starter kit I selected includes mineral foundation in Light and Fairly Light (which, as I discovered, didn’t mean “somewhat light” but in between Fair and Light), Mineral Veil finishing powder, Warmth all-over color, a face/blush brush, a fluffy kabuki brush, and a concealer brush. This kit also contains MD Formulations Facial Cleanser and a DVD showing makeup application, but as I have not used these products, I cannot comment on them.

I was skeptical about the claims, as the “before” and “after” pictures shown on TV looked fake – if anything, the “after” pictures showed how eye makeup can really brighten one’s appearance. But I found that the application helped tone down the ruddiness of my cheeks. The application of Swirl Tap Buff® (yes, it’s a registered trademark) is simpler than my routine of dotting on liquid foundation and blending, and then applying loose powder, and there is no obvious demarcation. The mineral makeup finish was matte, but not dry and flat. I used the Light mineral powder foundation as my base color and the Fairly Light mineral powder foundation as a concealer.

The foundations are formulated with titanium and zinc oxides (yes, the same stuff in the white ointment favored by lifeguards), occlusive agents that serve as physical barriers to sun exposure. While the products are rated as SPF 25, it’s unclear how much one should apply to get that level of sun protection.

As the mineral foundations give a nice matte finish, I don’t know if the Mineral Veil finishing powder really adds anything, although I do apply it. The principal ingredient in Mineral Veil is cornstarch, which does blot up oil; also, baby powder is often formulated with cornstarch, as it is soothing to the skin.


Cornstarch – the principal ingredient in Mineral Veil

The Warmth all-over color is the color of rust, which suggests that it contains iron oxides. I’d rather stick with my regular blush, which is Aveda’s Tesserae, which features 3 shades of different intensities that I can blend together.

Am I a convert to mineral makeup? I expect to continue to use liquid foundation, but I am pleased with the results of mineral makeup. Mineral powder foundation is a nice alternative to liquid foundation and great on those days I don’t want to fuss with blending liquid foundation into my skin (I’d rather spend the time on eye makeup application). As the weather gets warmer, I will probably be relying more and more on mineral makeup. All things considered, mineral makeup was a pleasant surprise to me.