Category: Stila

What is with the nostalgia craze?

Cold Cream 'n' Roses


Hello Kitty collection from MAC

This week, MAC launches its highly anticipated Hello Kitty collection, complete with an online charity auction of designer clothing inspired by the Hello Kitty collection. Expect this collection to sell out immediately.

Of any item with Hello Kitty’s face, here’s my favorite:

Hello Kitty HK-AK-47 with hand-crocheted cover for shoulder stock

What is with this craze for themes based on favorites from childhood? Stila has a Barbie Loves Stila collection in honor of the doll’s 50th anniversary – MAC had its own Barbie Loves MAC collection two years ago. Too Faced has a Smurfette collection, which is sold exclusively through Sephora and Sephora.com.

With the nostalgia craze in full swing, might we expect a revival of Tinkerbell (not to be confused with Disney’s Tinker Bell) cosmetics?

The triumph of marketing over all else

Cold Cream 'n' Roses

Here are a couple of products that represent the triumph of marketing over anything else:


Stila Smoky Eyes Palette

This $40 compact embeds a one-minute recording explaining how to create the smoky eye look – with named Stila brushes. In other words, you’re paying $40 for advertising, the same reason I find logo tees so stupid.


Cargo Daily Gloss

Cargo Daily Gloss is an example of making money from a product that had previously been given away free – Mary Kay and Merle Norman provided blister packs as a hygeinic means for customers to test lip colors. Similarly, CARGO’s ColorCards™, upon which eyeshadow color has been embossed, is yet another means of commercializing what had been given away for free.

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.