From left to right…

1) Lancome’s Ô My Rose Collection – A collection marked by coral-peach and teal hues, the Pop’n Cheeks Gentle and Lasting Blush promises to be the star product and the centerpiece of the collection.

2) Chanel’s Les Impressions Collection – This spring season Chanel goes neutral and classic  with a stunning collection filled with pinks, beiges, warm browns and khakis designed to enhance a woman’s natural beauty. Choice products include the  Radiant Glow Highlighting Powder pictured above, Rouge Allure Lipstick in Insouciante and Le Vernis Nail Colour in Particulière.

3) NARS – When asked to describe the collection, François Nars, Founder and Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics said, “It’s very sophisticated and bourgeois in a Parisian ‘16th Arrondissement’ way.”  It features soft, sexy shades and pops of colors. Try Ophelia Gloss (strawberry nectar) for that perfect spring pout, and Cruising Lipstick (a nude pink)

4) Stila Dust to Diamonds Collection – Add sparkle to lids, lashes and lips with Stila’s latest. Eyes glisten and reflect with jewel shadows, lips twinkle being slicked with Stila’s Exclusive Gem Complex (which contains diamond, emerald, jade, ruby, moonstone, rose quartz, sapphire, topaz, amethyst, amber, garnet, mother of pearl, and opal) and lashes gleam with mascara swirled with genuine diamond powder.

5) Bobbi Brown’s Cabana Corals Collection – This Spring collection comes with a hint of summer, inspired by cabanas and beachy corals.  Sport fresh new pinks on lips and cheeks with bright, cheerful glosses and a new Shimmer Brick in Nectar Shimmer.

6) shu uemura’s egerie’s collection -  shu goes beyond the borders of seasonal makeup with their 130th collection where audacious meets elegant. Kakuyasu Uchiide, shu’s artistic director, says “I want every woman to created their own spin on my glam-rock image; they can play with this collection like enjoying their favorite music,  like they are about to jump on stage and shine in the spotlight. ” With the collection comes several new products including the limited edition Eye Shimmer Duos and Satin Radiant Sticks.

7) Smashbox Heartbreaker Collection Pop-art inspired boxes and flirty colors make up this collection which features Smashbox’s first ever fragrance.  The Beauty Bug’s picks include the pinwheel-inspired Heartbreaker Fusion Soft Lights and the Heartbreaker Lip Shine.

8) Dior’s Boudoir Collection – Lace up in Dior’s newest collection, inspired by fancy femme’s from the 1920’s. Dainty and subtle, yet sensual and alluring, the intricate, detailed compacts that house the illuminating lace-effect powder will be hard for any beauty junkie to resist. The Beauty Bug loves the Dior Addict Gloss Reflect in Beige Veil, and of course, the sleek, ultra-feminine lace finishing powder.

While She was gone, She’s instituted a new morning skin care regiment.  With the recent change of seasons, it was necessary.  The new products in Her daily morning routine include Chanel’s Hydramax + Active Active Moisture Gel Cream and Chanel’s UV Essentiel Protective UV Care-Anti-Pollution SPF 30. Trust The Beauty Bug when She says that they are quite the dynamic duo.

She applies the Active Moisture Gel Cream first. It’s a refreshing, airy, pale blue gel/cream hybrid that glides on skin. The silky lightweight texture is ideal for applying under makeup as it’s absorbed into skin almost as quickly as it’s applied. The subtle floral scent is pleasant, yet doesn’t linger.  The  science behind the gel is Chanel’s Hydrabarrier System™ which traps water, helps to restore skin’s barrier function, and stave off water evaporation so skin’s moisture reservoir stays optimally filled. A must have for the spring and summer.

Step #2 – the Anti-Pollution SPF 30. Very versatile, it can be applied by itself, or mixed in with the moisturizer of your choice. Chanel’s new moisturizing formula , which protects against UVA and UVB rays, combines mineral and plant-based ingredients.  Key ingredients include licorice extract, which helps to eliminate damaging evidence of sun exposure, and Vitamin E, which aids in guarding against free radicals. Also great under makeup, the formula is transparent and matte.

Available on CHANEL.com, and at department and specialty stores, the Active Moisture Gel Cream is available for $70, and the Protective UV Care — Anti-Pollution SPF 30 is available for $48.

And if it wasn’t Malaga Wine, it was Chanel’s Vamp that graced our finger nails. Back then, Vamp was our Black Satin. We were obsessed with Vamp – it was always on our minds. The Beauty Bug distinctively remembers one Friday – She and Vamp were at the local movie theater. It was a more serious movie, so the crowd was quiet. There was a close up of the female leads finger nails and Vamp excited blurted out “I think it’s Vamp! – definitely loud enough for the whole theater to hear. For some odd reason, The Beauty Bug compares it to the scene in Dirty Dancing when Baby’s mother exclaims, “I think she gets this from me!” Vamp was just innocently calling it as she saw it…..

Read about her switch from MAC to Chanel….

I’ve been using MAC since middle school. I loved it! Plus, I’ve have always had a small acne problem and MAC was amazing at covering up my problem areas. However, for years my mother harassed me about having a makeup line around my face and would always tell me my makeup never matched my skin tone. She said my makeup looked caked on. Soon, she had my father agreeing with her. They thought the MAC studio makeup was made for the people in front of a camera. And of course, because she’s my mother, I ignored her and thought she was just plain wrong.

About 2 years ago I started a new job as an event planner in New York City. In this business, it is important to look your best especially at high profile events. About a month into my new job, one of my co-workers approached me about my makeup and made the same comments my parents had been making for years! She said she wanted to help. She had only known me about a month when she made these comments, so I realized my parents may have been right. And that day, after over 10 years of exclusive MAC use, we went to the Chanel counter and I was a changed woman.

I quickly learned about Chanels oil free line!! That day I bought Chanel Double Perfection Compact Intensity 4, and a powder blush in Cedar Rose. For the days that I feel like I need more coverage, I use Chanel Teint Fluide Universel Multi-Vitamin Natural Make-Up with SPF 15 before I apply the powder. That evens out my skin tone. When I don’t use the tint, I always apply an oil-free moisturizer before the powder.

Soon after I started using these products, my acne improved. It did not disappear, but it improved. No miracles here girls, sorry! Also, my face did not get as oily by the end of day. Best part is, I feel like I don’t have any make up on and the shades match my skin tone perfectly. I am now complimented on my complexion, and more importantly, my mother is pleased. Most people don’t even know I have make-up on – they always comment on my natural look.

I have to say a big thank you to my co-worker. Without her, I would still be walking around with a makeup line and an unnatural look! Now I am obsessed with Chanel. Sorry Beauty Bug! We’ll always have Vamp!

This photo is for Mom – thanks again for my Black Satin!

P.S. The little Vietnamese lady who gave me this manicure thought “I was going to look like Halloween” with my nails like this.

P.P.S. Thanks Joel for being the patient photographer!

]]> http://bitbythebeautybug.com/2006/12/18/jazz-hands/feed/ 1 http://bitbythebeautybug.com/2006/12/17/hanukkah-loot/ http://bitbythebeautybug.com/2006/12/17/hanukkah-loot/#comments Sun, 17 Dec 2006 22:32:57 +0000 The Beauty Bug http://www.bitbythebeautybug.com/?p=250

The Beauty Bug had a truly beauteous Hanukkah thanks for her mother and step father, and her boyfriend. Thank you all.

She received clothes, and beauty products galore so expect a lot more reviews of the products pictured above. She got:

Sonicare Elite e7300 Power Toothbrush – This was a total surprise and something she’d never buy for herself, thus making it a perfect gift.

Jonathan Product Create Smooth Anti-Frizz Volumizing Serum – I’m obsessed with Jonathan and Blow Out, and am looking forward to trying this product out.

Jonathan Product Create Straight Straigtening Serum – Perfect for the Beauty Bug who straightens her hair everyday – thanks Mom.

Chanel Black Satin Nail Polish – No link to this item because you can’t buy this product ANYWHERE, but leave it to my Mom to get it. She just walked up to the counter, worked her magic and got it for me. She didn’t have one reserved or anything. I won’t attempt to tell the story, because I don’t do it justice, but I nearly lost it when I opened this up -complete with Chanel wrapping paper and a red bow. Perfection.

Patricia Wexler Universal Daily Trio – This is a great sampling of Wexler’s line and will come in handy on my upcoming trip to Florida.

Best of Origins Set – Again, I can’t find a link for this because I believe it’s sold out. It’s a 12 piece set for Origins worth $152. It’s really a great deal because all the items are full sized. I was eyeing it around Thanksgiving – and now I can’t wait to try everything.

Happy Holidays to all my fellow Beauty Bugs!

While everyone is sitting patiently by their phones waiting for their local Chanel counter to call and say that their bottle of Black Satin has finally arrived, the trends are changing! According to Beauty and the Blog, the new trend as seen on the Spring 2007 runways is pewter nails and sparkly makeup – like the one pictured above, it’s called DS Shimmer, from the OPI Designer Series. So go stock up on the all the pewter colors out there before we have another Black Satin situation on our hands.

Another look-a-like which FABSUGAR.com left off their list is the Chanel Glossimer and the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss. Both are solid products, but you can’t deny that they are look-a-likes. I love the Chanel Glossier in Black Tie (great for any skin tone) and the Revlon Super Lustrous gloss in Shine City.

Prescriptives Moonbeam reflective gloss – I was very close to buying this one, but I needed to walk around with it on for a while and get use to it. In the tube, it looks very dark, but it’s not that extreme when you put it on. I think I like it because it’s less purple and more deep cranberry.

Lancome Juicy Tubes Smoothie in Exquisite – I didnt even know that Lancome had different types of Juicy Tubes – where have I been? I went to check out Exquisite because Allure recommended it, and it’s just not for my skin type – has a lot of purple it in. Alblaze looks pretty though, another one to check out on my next lunchtime beauty break.

Chanel Glossimers in Imaginaire – This one was my second favorite, because while still being a true berry color with a purple/rasberry tinge, it still had a sheerness to it with lots of sparkle. If I won the lottery, and could buy every beauty product I wanted, I would make sure that I have this one!

Pur Minerals Pout Plumping Lip Gloss in Deep Amethyst – Another one that Allure receommended, espeically for the paler ladies (that’s me!). I didn’t get a chance to check out this one yet because I think it’s only sold at Sephora, but I certainly want to check it out before I buy anything – but lord knows I don’t need anymore plump to my lips.

To be continued when i make my purchase…

I love Beauty Addict – it’s one of my favorite, if not my favorite beauty blog! Well, she just informed us to VAMP it up and get out to that Chanel counter, because apparently they are bringing back their Black Satin collection. Yes, the same nail polish that sold on EBAY for over $50! The New York Times even wrote and article about it! So ladies, I don’t know about you, but I know where I’m going after work today.

UPDATE: The entire country is sold out of this nail polish! RIDIC! I visited 2 CHANEL counters, and each have waiting lists of about 200 people. This is crazy! It just irks me because I can just imagine the people who are waiting to get it – people who don’t really like the color, they just want to be in style. It’s also stupid on CHANEL’s part because it’s going to be on EBAY again for $50+. BAH!