Almost Pretty

Borghese Splendore Brightening Makeup

We are naturally incredulous about shimmers and other ski brightening products. The appeal of brightening one's complexion is natural but we have never actually seen a product that delivered on the promise of a more luminous complexion through the power of sparkles! You usually look like you spent too much time in arts and crafts with the rest of the toddles. But we recently were given a sample of Borghese's Splendore Brightening Makeup at the opening of their new boutique at the Manhattan Bloomingdales.

We generally mix tinted moisturizers to achieve a color that goes with our unique skin tone but we were out of our lighter shade on this particular day. Searching for a solution to "mask face" we mixed our darker tint with the Borghese. It was love at first application. We literally glowed just as one does after a good facial or on one of those perfect good skin days. We may actually spring for this product when the sample runs out.

100% Pure Shea Butter

We are beginning to feel like we have full body chap with the frigid temperatures we have been experiencing. Having been up in the mountains we began to experience serious aprés ski skin on our face with full on red blooms and peeling skin.

We somehow ran out of our facial moisturizer and left in a bind we began applying the 100% Pure Shea Butter we had purchased at our favorite hometown herbal apothecary Rebecca's. And low our ski skin was repaired! We are seriously considering using shea butter on our entire body and chuck the rest of the products we dabble in. We would even go so far as to suggest bulk ordering shea butter as the prices one sees for shea butter products can be pretty astronomical. But if you like L'Occitaine has 100% Shea Butter. Its quite pricey at $8 for .25 ounces when you consider that buying in bulk will give you a pound for 7 dollars.

Barex Tricolife Serum

Living near the ocean we often forget just how stressed hair can get when subjected to dry climates. Compound that with a little bit of altitude and you have classic Colorado hair static.

Our hair has been going wild ever since we came home for our Holiday break. Thankfully we rediscovered Barex Tricolife Serum. We had purchased it a few years back after an obsession with blonde highlights made us frizz prone. We had left the jar at home one season because we wanted to carry on our bags. And to think if we hadn't left it we might be facing all this static and freeze with no product to save us!

Beauty Classic: Estee Lauder Youth Dew

The allure and romance of youth is a classic theme of the pastoral story. We have been giving it a lot of thought on our other blogs. But one key element that most evokes the imagination is scent. All the imagery and sounds of romance can't even begin to touch the emotions that bubble to surface from one whiff. We imagine that is part of the success of Estee Lauder Youth Dew. It captures the beauty, mystery and power of youth in a scent. Or at least that is what the marketing team want you to believe. The Youth Dew Sumptuous Favorites might just make a nice gift.

Are You a MAC Original?

M·A·C Cosmetics announced the “Are You A M·A·C Original?” contest to launch their new limited edition collection The Originals.  The contest is a celebration of one’s individuality and originality—qualities intrinsic to the M·A·C brand.  Launching nationally through the M·A·C website, the contest will also run regionally in 6 key cities across the United States: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Houston.

The Originals pays tribute to popular product shades both discontinued or existing that consumers covet and can’t live without.  The Originals, a collaboration of the new and the old, introduces new textures and modified formulations of must-have Lipsticks, Lipglass, Eye Shadows and Pigments. We personally love the creative that goes with the campaign.

MAC has always celebrated the unusual and even though too much  deliberate originality can in fact have the opposite effect we think MAC toes the line perfectly.

Gucci Westman To Leave Lancome

We are a tad sad to learn that Gucci Westman will be leaving her home as the International Creative Director of Lancome. We have always enjoyed her work and found her collaborations to be particularly innovative.

Before Gucci came to Lancome we had in truth never given the brand much thought, considering it to be a staple of our mother's beauty closet. But in the last two years it has grown into one of our favorite brands. So long Gucci! We can't wait to see where you end up.

Beauty Classic: Pantene Pro-V

We took a trip to Chicago this weekend. In order to avoid checking our bags we decided to forgo bringing most toiletries with us. Instead we went to a local Walgreens and picked up sample sizes of shampoo and conditioner. We ended up with Pantene-Pro-V and truth be told we had forgotten just how great it was.

Something about the scent evokes simpler times. It brings a smile to our face for reasons we can't just discern. We couldn't help but giggle and say "don't hate me because I'm beautiful" as we lathered up just like Kelly LeBrok. Though our hair certainly isn't nearly that big.

Coach Beauty Collection

Saint Augustine said “You aspire to great things? Begin with little ones.”

We are starting to believe that Coach is bent on world domination. They started with simple logo bags and now they are a full fledge multinational lifestyle company. But why stop with bags, clothing and tchotkes when you can literally corner the market on aspirational products?



Coach Beauty has products ranging from shimmering powders to embossed lipsticks. What can they possible sell next? Thanks to I Love Makeup for turning us on to this new development.

Sheisido and The Importance of Plump Lips

Having plump lips seems to be something of an obsession these days. And according to this Japanese Sheisido commercial for their soft color lipsticks it is the best way to capture a man.

Aside from the curious trampoline metaphor (your lips must be springy now too?) we find ourselves wondering about the implications of this capturing technique.

If a man just has to fall into your big plump soft lips we imagine he probably doesn't want to accidentally drown in a stinging vat of DuWop Lip Venom.

Unless of course you are doing your best Venus Fly Trap impression. Actually these flowers do look a little bit like made-up lips. And the Japanese have always been fond of that very unsettling dentata thing in their anime.

 

Tarte FRXtion Sugar Lip Exfoliant and Balm

We just got our hands on Tarte's FRXtion Sugar Lip Exfoliant and Balm and we are addicted. With its dual sided action it moisturizes and exfoliates all at once. Plus it has teeny tiny little mirror! Nothing like a touch up mirror when you are applying what is essentially chapstick. Not to mention it tastes FANTASTIC.



Whatever your oral affliction, Tarte has got just the Rx for you! One side of this stick contains brown sugar grains to scrub your pout smooth, and the other side, a vitamin E balm to help soothe dryness.