Tag: YSL

Making Up Easy on FOX23’s Great Day Green Country

With all the innovation happening in the beauty world, we have no excuse to bemoan a laborious makeup routine. Today’s products make getting beautiful easy (and quick). So if you are a makeup minimalist or looking to speed up your routine, these four beauties featured this AM on Great Day Green Country will rock your world:

Anyone else addicted to lip balm? I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I reach for my pot of Nivea Lip Butter that resides on my desk. But some days, whether it be a professional engagement or a good looking Starbucks barrista, you need a little color on your lips. mark girl all butter now lip treat happens to be my perfect balance of tint and moisture. The formula contains shea, cocoa, and mango seed butters. The coverage is moderate and you’ll encounter an uplifting mango/citrus scent.

I might have mastered the at-home self tan but I can’t say I always have time (or really want) to go through the whole process of exfoliation, application and then drying. Suave Visible Glow Self-Tanning Body Lotion kills two birds with one stone: a subtle glow that is buildable while nourishing skin. Almost more preferable than regular self-tanning, you can build a glow until desired depth. And this latest crop of self-tanners doesn’t have that dreaded smell!

Contouring is all the craze and I admit to loving the chiseled look that it gives. But let’s be honest… sometimes you just don’t have time to go through all those steps. Channel your inner Goldie Hawn/Kate Hudson and go for an all over glow. Just swirl a large blush in a hybrid powder like Hard Candy Contouring Face Trio in 3rd Wheel or bareMinerals READY Face & Body Luminizer and use all over the face.

Last but certainly not least, this luxurious multi-tasker is blowing away the beauty world. YSL’s baby doll Kiss & Blush is perfect for on the go (or when you just don’t want to dig through for two products). The unique doe foot applicator with a roller ball coats lips with a matte pop of color. I use my finger to apply on my cheeks to waken the complexion.

I totally fangirl-ed when I was on air right after Hanson. I didn’t listen to them growing up (I’m too old) but they were so charming and cute!

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Yves Saint Laurent Kiss & Blush

YSL has upped their beauty game the last couple years. Always known as a luxury cosmetics line, their product launches in recent seasons have basically become iconic products (like this gem). Kiss and Blush is no different – a nimble product that does it all. By “does it all”, I mean the perfect lip and cheek duo to throw into your clutch. I’ve been wearing Fuchsia Desinvolte (01) for a flirtatious and springy pop of color.

The feel of the formula is lightweight. I’m able to blend out the shade on my cheeks with a smooth and even coverage. The mousse-like finish is matte and buildable. The doe-foot applicator has a unique roller ball center allowing for the perfect deposit of product.

Samples generously provided by Neiman Marcus as part of the Beauty Ambassador Program, but as always, opinions are my own.

Five Favorite Scents for Spring

Just a little round up on how I am shaking up my fragrance routine this time of year. Here are some of my current new favorites:

Hampton Sun Privet Bloom will take you right to the Hamptons. Lily of the valley, white hyacinth, sea spray, dune grass, blue plum and privet bloom feel fresh, clean and beachy.

Molton Brown Mahina just feels warm. The bottom note is vanilla but this is no sweet, generic scent. Tiare flower, cedar wood, citrus orange blossom and ylang-ylang round out with spiciness.

NEST Amazon Lily feels rich and fresh with Amazon Lilies, tangerine, lime, driftwood, and white musk. And the 18th Century botanical artwork on the bottle is stunning art for your vanity.

Yves Saint Laurent Manifesto embodies femininity but still holding onto some of that wood and spice I am wild about. Jasmine and green notes give it a lightness that makes it perfect for warmer months.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Amyris has both a hard and soft side. The spice gives me a pep in my step while lemon leaf and orange leaf feel feminine. Vetiver and oud give me that warmth I am always drawn to.

Fall Trends Brunch at Saks Fifth Avenue

A couple weeks ago, I had the honor of hosting a Fall Trends brunch at the local Saks Fifth Avenue. We covered fashion trends in the contempory department including jewel tones, leather and lace. I combed the beauty level for what’s hot this fall for makeup to go with the season’s styles. Here are some of my picks:

Aerin Weekday Palette is the centerpoint of a new line by Estee Lauders grandaughter and current creative director of Estee Lauder, Aerin Lauder. Inspired by the busy lifestyle of working women, this fall style palette is mistake-proof and neutral. The pallette contains two eyeshadows, blush and a highlighter.

Laura Mercier Bonne Mine Healthy Glow is another palette that is all about the healthy, radiant glow. Laura designed this universal compact to “wake up” their skin. It contains a bronzer veil, two cheek veils and two glow veils. These creamy, nourishing shades can be used to contour and highlight. I love just applying with my fingers and letting my creative juices flow. 100% of the profits from the sale of this product will be donated to the Laura Mercier Ovarian Cancer Fund.

Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Éclat Foundation SPF 30 is inspired by the cult-classic product, Touche Eclat. The innovative foundation comes in 17 shades and is superbly lightweight. Coverage is medium with the radiant finish we saw all over the runways. It has that slightly heavier coverage I crave in the fall and winter without feeling the least bit heavy or cakey.

Estée Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer is unmatched this fall. No one has done jewel tone nails better. I love the rich blue of “Blue Bloods”. The metallic component is measured so it still is sophisticated. Viper is an equally vampy jewel tone in green.

Lancôme L’Absolu Nu in Rouge Riselle is my pick for a bordeaux lip this fall. It is the perfect balanced color with a hydrating formula. The key to this bold lip is healthy lips and this stuff can heal while you wear it. You can apply with a lip pencil for a full, opaque look or try applying with your ring finger for just a wash of the seasonal color.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain

I’ve run across some incredibly clever video vignettes from the cosmetics companies lately, like this one from Chanel. Literally, as I was testing out the new YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain, I stumbled on this charming video about making the glosses.

http://youtu.be/pN5zCZqfkbM

A product this inventive is deserving of it’s own movie. The formula is literally like no other. It bills itself as a “glossy stain”, but I think it falls slightly more on the stain side of the spectrum. What makes it different is the supple, shiny application. It looks like a shiny lipstick after applied. After a couple hours of wear, it fades into a stain. It is not drying in the least and in the stain phase, works great under a sheer gloss.

This bottle looks deceivingly like nail polish and I love the shock factor of pulling it out and swiping it on my lips. And it has a subtle but pleasant fruity flavor. I was worried about the relatively large applicator but it is actually quite nimble. I chose Rouge Gouache (a slightly darker version of what appears to be a blogger favorite, Corail Fauve). It is a bold red with just a touch of fuschia. Even though it is darker, the texture is so lightweight, it is perfect for summer. Those little boxes online are horrible indicators of the color, so I suggest checking out Karla’s gorgeous swatches to help you decide which shade to pick up.

YSL Beauty Youth Liberator

YSL Beauty recently launched a new collection with a catchy little name: YouthLiberator. The star of this collection is a scientific break through called Glycobiology. This stuff is big time – Glycobiology was awarded 7 Noble Prizes. So what does this have to do with skin care? Check out what YSL has to say:

Glycobiology is the study of glycans, molecules which are naturally present in the skin. Glycans are responsible for directing communication between cells, ensuring that they send and receive the messages required for optimal performance. Without glycans, cellular communication breaks down and the body cannot properly function. With age, the quantity of glycans naturally decreases, slowing the skin’s regeneration process and triggering the visible of aging: wrinkles, loss of density and dullness of complexion. Yves Saint Laurent introduces GLYCANACTIFTM, a patented complex which imitates the action of glycans, helping to restore your skin’s youthful beauty.

The line is developed for skin over 30. And I have really enjoyed the products. The Forever Youth Liberator Creme does not plump like some other moisturizers, but it does lend to radiance with its mirror-effect micro-shimmer particles. Makeup is a dream to apply over the Cream and adds a luminous look. And the real highlight, for me, is that includes SPF 15. I usually use two seperate products – moisurizer and then SPF – so this is a time saver. If you are willing to have two different creams – one for evening and one for morning – this is a great option.

I also tried the Yves Saint Laurent Beaute Forever Youth Liberator Eye Cream. The consistency is relatively thick, which I like. I feel like there is more control in the application. Again, there wasn’t a lot of plumping but definitely a illuminating effect. My puffiness and dryness was soothed and the under eye area was refreshed.