Love's always been my game...

A review of Lancôme Rouge in Love and Vernis in Love
By Jessica M and Angie W

Annie has been curious about Lancôme’s spring products for a while, so she when she shared her invitation to Lancôme’s launch of its new Rouge in Love (lipsticks) and Vernis in Love (nail polish) lines, we were happy to attend the party and report back to her.

Lancôme held its event at the jewelry boutique of cult designer Solange Azagury-Partridge on Madison Avenue in Manhattan. The shop is a gorgeous little space, like a combination of Aladdin’s cave and a private nightclub from the 1970s. It has red walls studded with tiny crystals, a rainbow-patterned carpet, and shadowboxes and vitrines displaying colorful, unusual pieces of jewelry. Showstoppers include the Zodiac inspired ring collection; Angie had her eye on an white enamel Aries ram’s head ring. Jessica couldn’t take her eyes off a glamour-Goth ring of tiny white-gold “bones” surrounding a shimmery, diamond encrusted skull.

Between admiring the gems, sipping complimentary champagne, and nibbling caviar hors d’oeuvres, we were offered lipstick applications by Lancôme makeup artists who chose colors for us. Lancôme has divided the colors into three categories: Jolis Matins (M) for classic daytime wear, Boudoir Time (B) for trendier looks, and Tonight is My Night (N) for glamorous evenings out.

Angie was dressed up in Rouge Valentine, a classic blue-red pin-up shade (185N). She was also intrigued by Cocoa Couture (292N, pictured), a deep, chocolate wine shade that would have suited Theda Bara, and Midnight Rose (377N, pictured), a vibrant fuschia that will look gorgeous for spring and summer.

Meanwhile, Jessica was matched with Roses in Love (353M, pictured). Its muted-bright medium pink brings a fresh glow to the face, so she’ll be wearing it well into 2012!

Rouge in Love’s colors appear matte in the tube, but they apply with a silky finish and a slight sheen. Their texture feels like a lip balm and the color has terrific, even coverage. The packaging is a little bit contemporary and a little bit retro: the matte silver cap has a line of red “stitching” running down the back, like the seam of a stocking!

Lancôme also gifted its guests with free Vernis in Love manicures at this party. Angie gravitated towards Vernis in Love in Rose Thé (350M) a muted, brownish pink, while Jessica fell for Rose Plumetis (300M, pictured), a cool-toned rosebud pink with a creme finish. Angie also admired Madame Tulipe (179M), a deep reddish wine, and many women at the event adored Rose Pitimini (343B), a vibrant cotton candy pink. The polishes apply smoothly and easily, thanks to a specially grooved and tapered brush, and two coats give full coverage that lasts for days.

Overall, the Solange boutique was the perfect setting for trying Lancôme’s romantic, lushly colored new lipsticks and polishes. Have you seen Rouge in Love or Vernis in Love in person yet? Have you found any favorite shades for this spring? Feel free to share in the comments!

Lancôme Rouge in Love ($25) is available at the Lancôme website and Lancôme counters. Vernis in Rouge ($15) is currently exclusive to Nordstrom and the Lancôme website; it will reach all Lancôme counters in May 2012.

Title: lyrics from “Falling in Love Again,” performed by Marlene Dietrich.
Photographs by Jessica M and Angie W for Blogdorf Goodman; ads courtesy of Lancôme.
Disclaimer: products were offered by Lancôme for review

I can tell that we're going to be friends

Have you ever despaired of not having a place to gush over Frederic Malle's Carnal Flower?
The dream has been realized.
Frederic Malle has joined facebook.
http://on.fb.me/fmallefb

So far the page has discussed the candles, included quotes from the new book "Frederic Malle: On Perfume Making" and the greatness of Une Fleur de Cassie. This fragrance does not get enough love or appreciation.

Let us all wish for a Frederic Malle twitter account for 2012.
For now...go become buddies with the rascal that is responsible for all my fragrance lemmings!

Credit: Frederic Malle
Title: We're Going To Be Friends by The White Stripes from White Blood Cells.

Lancôme’s Spring 2012 Collection: Roseraie Des Delices

I just opened the press release for Lancome's Spring 2012 collection.  I had to post it because it looks like a spring collection should look like.  It is bright cool waters and whispery pinks. Like a tropical paradise.
You just want to jump in that picture. I love the looks of the pink powder with the etched Lancome rose and that lipstick tube. I am currently having a "mint" moment.

I have been "missing in action" once again.  I want to thank everyone who has checked in with me on twitter.
A special shout out and thank you to ellemazing101, selfstyledsiren, boisdejasmin, alyssaharad and lipstickrose for the final push to get this blog back into gear.  My friend Christine is going to revamp and convert the blog to Wordpress.  If you have any ideas to make this site better and modern....please contact me or leave a comment.  I have been out of the game...so I need to know what gets on readers nerves...besides not blogging!


Back to spring and new beginnings.....
 
Inspired by a rose garden on a balmy, tranquil afternoon, the collection features blush, eyeshadow palettes, and lip colors in soft pinks and greens.
Aaron De Mey hoped to capture the palette of summer nature, translating water, sun and sky into makeup shades that illuminate both sun-kissed and fair complexions.

Cheeks
La Roseraie Illuminating Powder, is a multi-color powder blush embossed with a delicate rose. This looks so pretty!

Eyes
Color Design 5 Pan Shadow and Liner Palette, $49 – in Rose Romance and Vert Tendresse

Lips
Le French Touch Absolu Nu, $35 in Cotton Candy – Sheer pink lipstick in playful ornate packaging

L’Absolu Nu Replenishing & Enhancing Lipcolor, $29.50 – Rose Petal and Sweet Marmalade

Color Fever Gloss, $26 –Green Petal, Tangerine Petal and Rose Petal

Credits: Lancome

Let me show you the world in my eyes: Anna Sui Fall 2011 Makeup Collection

A preview by Jessica M

I’ve mentioned before, here and on Now Smell This, that I’m a devoted admirer of Anna Sui’s fashion and her overall style, including her fragrance and cosmetics lines. I attended a party at the flagship Anna Sui boutique during Fashion Week last month, and I promised Annie a post about it; my non-blogging life has been busier than usual this fall, so I’m a little late, but I’m finally ready to share what I saw and learned.

This party was planned to preview the Anna Sui cosmetics collection for Fall 2011, which definitely emphasizes the eyes. The collection includes four new color cosmetics products: Colored Lash Amplifying Mascara in three shades (black, hot pink, and bright blue, for $28), an Eyebrow Color Compact palette in a range of three browns ($28), Perfect Mascara in black ($28), and vivid and sparkly Eyeliner Pencils in five shades ($19). There are also three limited edition decorative compacts for powder foundations ($15).

All the packaging is typical rock-and-romance Anna Sui style, of course; I particularly like the bow-shaped compacts for the brow powder.

I ended up buying myself yet another Anna Sui dress that night, after browsing the cosmetics and eating cupcakes and saying hello to the ever-gracious Ms. Sui herself (that’s her with one of her fantastic boutique staff in the picture).

I’m planning a return visit to the boutique to pick up some of the cosmetics soon. I’d like to own one or two of the eyeliners, possibly the Neon Green (really more olive than neon) and Pearl Bronze shades, as well as one of the “Elegant” green-and-white powder compact.

I’ll also be keeping an eye out for the repackaged nail polish line. Its bottles are shaped like dressmaking forms wearing party dresses. So clever! The new shades will range from shimmery nudes to rich purple and glittery green, so there’s something for everyone.

Anna Sui’s cosmetics line is available at the Anna Sui boutique in New York (113 Greene Street, New York, NY 10013, phone 212-941-8406).

Title lyrics from Depeche Mode.
Party/boutique photos by Jessica M for Blogdorf Goodman
Review by Jessica Murphy

CHANEL Goes Grellow

By Melanie Parker

I’ve been on a break from my typical dark nails this autumn. There’s a bevy of beautiful new colors out by OPI, Orly, and China Glaze, but I’ve been playing it demure with pale pinks and and occasional mid-toned plum. I got engaged last month and it’s been all about the diamond ring. I’ve named her Juliette. My beau bought her for me and bought himself a Chromebook at the same time, so we named his purchases Chromeo and Juliette. We are dorks like that. This is just further proof that there really is someone out there for everyone, girls! And, yes, I’m pretty sure my Juliette is French, so I tarted up the spelling. But it wouldn’t be Halloween without a fun and flashy color like Chanel Peridot, no matter how much her golden metallic clashes with Juliette.

I have to admit that when I hear CHANEL is doing a duochrome or a green, I have to snap it up — sight unseen. They become so rare and hard to find, and I like to encourage the company to keep producing avant-garde colors.

Despite the name, this color isn’t the traditional lime green of the August birthstone. It’s got that iridescence that makes it flash yellow, green, and blue depending on the way the light hits it. Nail lacquer lovers refer to these flashy colors as duochromes. The metallic finish is always tricky to apply without showing brushstrokes, but this formula was easy for me to apply in thin coats. It is a big formula improvements from the Chanel polishes released last year, which were thicker and left drag marks along my cuticle line.

In the bottle, Peridot shows an acid green hue, which is why I think it is a good choice for Halloween. However, on the nail, it goes on more grellow (a golden yellow with just a hint of green). Disappointing. I wanted a heavier blue flash with Peridot to soothe my cool-toned skin. But if you have a dark, olive, or warm golden skin tone, I think you cold totally rock this with black or olive clothes and the green would really pop in the most fabulous of ways.

Chanel already has a chameleon polish with Kaleidoscope, which transitions from a golden beige to green, and I think it is better suited to my coloring. Here are some comparison pictures of the two polishes together.

What’s your go-to color for Halloween? I lean toward greens and black creme, but OPI Music Hall Curtain Call is a lovely pumpkin foil finished polish.

Disclaimer: This product was purchased for the reviewer
Photos by Melanie Parker

Octopus Garden: Springtime with Chanel

I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus' garden in the shade
He'd let us in, knows where we've been
In his octopus' garden in the shade
(The Beatles)

I have been slightly obsessed and enamored with the Chanel show. Everything from the octopus garden set to that Aurora Borealis white sequined jacket that will most likely wind up in the closet of Rachel Zoe.  Pearls peppered the model's hair and face.  It was a new level of pretty.

That Lovely Face
A new Chanel foundation is arriving in April 2012 called Vitalumiere Aqua Fresh and Hydrating Cream Compact Makeup SPF 15. The rest of the village that created that flawless complexion was Poudre Universelle Libre Natural Finish Loose Powder, Eclat Lumiere Highlighting Face Pen and Correcteur Perfection Long Lasting Concealer.
The blush, Glowing Blush Harmony, will be available in January. Just a touch of peach.

The Eyes Have It!
Illusion D'Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Fantasme and Emerveillé
Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner in Ebène
Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil in Clair
Crayon Sourcils Sculpting Eyebrow Pencil
Inimitable Waterproof Mascara in Black
Ecourbe Cils De Chanel Precision Eyelash Curler

Our Lips Are Sealed
Rouge Coco Baume Hydrating Conditioning Lip Balm (available January 2012)
Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in Plaisir (available March 2012)

The Future Lemmings
As always...Chanel nail polishes look like a breath of fresh air. June appears to look like a soft apricot shade.  A conch shell underbelly could have been the inspiration.
Le Vernis Nail Colour in April (available January 2012)
Le Vernis Nail Colour in May (available January 2012)
Le Vernis Limited Edition Nail Colour in June (available January 2012). 
The pearly white nail shade featured on some models was created for the runway show.  I wish I could find a more detailed shot.  Did I detect an aurora borealis vibe?

You can see the nail polishes on the blog of Lisa Eldridge.
http://www.lisaeldridge.com/blog/20237/lisa-loves-june-is-busting-out-all-over/
She is a Makeup Artist God and an overall lovely twitter buddy. Follow her on twitter and bookmark her blog.

Photo Credit: Vincent Lappartinet
Credit: Chanel PR

I Love New York by Bond No. 9: A Review

I Love New York by Bond No. 9

Bond No. 9 is starting a new fragrance series in their collection. After the great success with the collaboration with the Warhol Foundation, Bond is partnering with the I Love NY brand for a series of 15 fragrances. This series will center on scents inspired by the Empire State. I have no idea what future scents are planned but the idea of a Hudson Valley or Catskills fragrance sounds appealing.

The series begins with three fragrances. I Love New York For Her (Pink Bottle), I Love New York For Him (Blue Bottle) and I Love New York For All (Black Bottle). I have been pledging my allegiance to all three fragrances during the labor day weekend. My first favorite was I Love New York For All. It is wildly quirky and compelling. It is a gourmand that centers on coffee,cocoa, creamy chestnut with a drydown of patchouli and vanilla. The overall effect is a cup of coffee with a dollop of thick cream and chocolate. Traditionally delicious. The drydown takes a turn into green pastures. A mixture of hay or grass. The ending  note is all about leather.  Buttery soft.  The whole thing is kind of a weird and kooky perfection. 
Promise me that you will give this scent a whirl.

I Love New York For Her is the crowd pleaser at my job. The ladies love feminine fragrances. Anything that veers masculine is given the "side eye". The notes for this fragrance is mandarin zest, spicy nutmeg and the boldest blueberry note ever captured in a fragrance. The middle notes are just a cornucopia of pretty. It is a bouquet of roses and pink peonies. The drydown is patchouli, musk, vanilla sandalwood and a naughty touch of leather. The lasting power of the blueberry note is much too brief. I wanted it to last forever.

I Love New York For Him was a runaway hit with the men in my office. They have tested fragrances for me in the past. But never have they bickered over who would keep the lab bottle. One co-worker offered me $25. I laughed the offer off. He proceeded to stare me down in a bullying way. The opening notes are ginger, juniper berry and grapefruit zest. It is a bright green. Peppy and full of energy. The middle notes are a lavender(soapy), geranium, patchouli (rooty) and leather. The drydown is a cloud of sandalwood, labdanum, musk and amber.

The lasting power for the three fragrances are good. I have found I Love New York For Her to be too fleeting on me. It lasted splendidly on my co-worker Gela. This made me jealous. I Love New York For Him was a smash with drydown and silage. The bully co-worker got compliments from men and from women. I Love New York For All has a very powerful drydown. You will smell chestnut and coffee all day.
Price points for the 50 and 100 ml. eau de parfum will be $105 and $175, respectively.

I LOVE NEW YORK by Bond No. 9 arrives on counter September 18th at Bond No. 9 boutiques, Saks Fifth Avenue and select Nordstrom stores. The limited edition, charm 100 ml bottles will be $255 each. These bottles will arrive November 1st, 2011.

Credits: Bond No 9 PR
Disclosure: Bond No 9 lab bottles were provided by the company