A quick post:  If you're in need of some beauty items, head to Sephora.com to save 20%.  It's their annual Friends and Family event.  Enter the code FF2009 online and save some money!  As of right now, it's only online, but if you know a Sephora employee, you may be able to save in store.  The code will be good through November 2nd.

Today's wishing well is short , earlier than usual, and ohly consists of one wish.  It's personal and simply is this: I have the flu and wish for my healthy body back.  I have ceased any beauty habits as I simply try to rest and keep my head somewhat clear.  I had set up posts earlier in the week, that's why some posts went out, even though I've been sick since Saturday night.  Right now, all I want to do is crawl back into bed.

Are you a Bare Escentuals fan?  Well then tomorrow, Thursdsay October 8th is your lucky day.  Rue La La is having a Bare Escentuals Sale!  It's not clear what the products available will be, but expect prices to be at 25-50% off typical retail prices.

(images from Sephora, not necessarily what will be available at the Rue La La sale)

For the month of September (can you believe we're in October already btw?) I decided to try this new skin care regimen.  Skyn Iceland is a brand that says their products are target for "stressed skin" which probably doesn't fit me most of the time, but I thought I'd give this little trial set a whirl.

For $45, you get four products: Glacial Facial Wash; Artic Face Mist: Antidote Quenching Day Lotion, and Oxygen Infusion Night Creme. 
As a set, it's said to last you a month and while I may have skipped a day or two to try some other products, everything did last the whole month.

We'll go in order of what I didn't like:
First up is The Oxygen Infusion Night Creme.  It probably works for oilier skin than mine; it just didn't have the richness of a night creme that I like.  It does absorb quickly into the skin but since it was so "light", I used up the little jar in the month; the only product of the kit I emptied. A weird thing about the night creme; it warms up your skin.  I actually find it more uncomfortable than the day lotion (more on that later), so if you have another night creme you like, I wouldn't bother with this one.

Next up the Antidote Quenching Day Lotion: The Day Lotion didn't do as great a job of keeping my face hydrated as other lotions I've used.  Now at the beginning, I was afraid that I wouldn't have enough to last the whole month so I didn't apply as much, but with the month over and I still have half the bottle full of product, I've tried using more and it really isn't heavy enough for me.  If you have oiler skin and don't need hydration, you may find it rich enough.  I also didn't like that it doesn't have SPF in it; you'll need to add that during the day.  One thing I do like about it, is this cooling sensation you get when you apply the lotion.  It's hard to describe; almost like a tingling, not uncomfortable, but definitely noticeable.

The Artic Face Mist is a toner that you spray onto the face.  It's got a nice refreshing feel to it and my little bottle lasted all month (I still have some left).  I would use 3 to four sprays on my face and I think it's a good way to help extend other products' lives.  I would spray this on my face and while it hasn't quite absorbed, add a serum and use the natural liquidness of the mist to spread the serum around.  This way I'll use less serum and save money!  When it does absorb, my skin feels comfortable, and a little cooler, but I'll still need a moisturizer.  It doesn't have that typical toner/alcohol smell, even though it does have alcohol in the ingredient list.

The Glacial Facial Wash is a good, serviceable cleanser.  It's not great at removing stubborn eyemakeup, but as a pick me up in the morning, it's great.  LIke the Day Lotion and the face mist, it's got a refreshing coolness to it and a little bit goes a long way.  In my little bottle, I only need one pump of product to wash my face - and it's really probably only 1/2 the size of a pea in actual product.  I don't know how much the full-size bottle dispenses, but  I've used maybe a quarter of the cleanser.

So now that September is over, will I continue using the regimen?  Well I will definitely finish up the cleanser and face mist.  I'll use the day lotion in the middle of the day if my skin feels a little warm, but like I said, it doesn't have SPF.  And of course I'm out of the night creme.  If you have oilier skin, you may want to try out the kit, but the Face Wash at $30 is the only one I'd recommend.  It may seem pricey, but with how little you need, I really think a full bottle would last you over six months. The toner is pricier at $35 and would probably go more quickly.  The line of products is available at Sephora.

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Are you afraid of color?  I'm not!  I live in color and try to incorporate it into my look, whether it's with clothing or makeup.  One of my favorite ways to dress up an otherwise plain outfit is with lipstick or lipgloss.  If you check my purse right now, I probably have at least 5 lipsticks and another 5 lipglosses in there.  It's an obsession that I'm trying to hold under control.  One of my favorite formulations are the Dazzleglasses from MAC.  They are full of shine and glitter.  It may not be for those who want the "no makeup" look, but the range of colors are beautiful.  They're fairly thick, but not goopy.  They're pigmented but not opaque and not sticky.  I normally don't care too much about stickiness, but I know there are a lot who do.

MAC recently released the Dazzleglass Cremes, which look similar to the regular Dazzleglasses, but like the Cremesheen launch a couple months ago, are a bit creamier and have more opacity than usual.  Still chock full of glitter though!  I currently have five of the Dazzleglasses; three of them original and two of them the cremes.  Since a picture is worth a thousand words, consider this post over 5,000 words!

Sorry my picture quality is low; I'm researching a new camera that will take better closeups. These pictures will go in order of color intensity, from the most neutral to the most vibrant.

First up: Smile.

Next is Steppin' Out

Third is Roman Holiday.

Now the Dazzleglass Cremes.  Totally Fab is up first.

And lastly, but not least, is Creme Allure.

Aren't they all lovely?  I wish the glitter would show through more in these photos, but hopefully you'll get an idea.  And don't be afraid of glitter -it works well in these! I swatched these one after another so you can see some smearing, so ignore that please.  MAC seems to release a lot of shades that are similar, but I think I've got a good mix.  About the only type of color I think I would add would be a coral color but for now, my collection looks good!  Here are a couple of shots of the Dazzleglasses lined up so you can see how they compare.
without flash
with flash

From L to R: Smile, Steepin Out, Roman Holiday, Totally Fab, Creme Allure

Yesterday was a look into some new trends of polish with OPI's suede formula.  Today, it's traditional with a twist.  While I don't have any acutal swatches, it's a color that I'm pretty sure will sell out for one reason: it's Chanel.  As a lover of all things fashion and beauty related, I've come to accept the fact that I will never own any clothing that says Chanel on the label, but at $20-$30 a bottle, I can afford a bottle a polish every now and three.  My current collection includes three shades and I think Chanel polishes are lovely, but I'm personally going to skip these two.  They're perfectly lovely colors but not unique or special enough for me to bite the bullet.  Chanel is generally a more tranditional brand, but this mint green color is Chanel stepping out of the box. From all the swatches I've seen,  Jade and Jade Rose have some shimmer in them that is so subtle, you'd only see them in direct, bright sunlight.  If you're going to purchase one, I'd suggest Jade.

You'll have to hurry though because the polishes are limited edition and only available at Chanel.com or at Chanel Boutiques.

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The hottest trend in nail polish right now is matte polish.  I was initially pretty hesitant to jump on board, but after trying out Sephora by OPI's Metro Chic Matte at the store, I was sold.  I haven't purchased it (since I have the original), but it got me over my objections and I decided to make the plunge.  Other blogs have done the research for me.  The first matte shade I bought was La Paz-itively Hot by OPI, which was the only color I liked from All Lacquered Up's swatches.  On a whim, I ended up also buying OPI Ink at the same time and loved it as well.  Normally I am not a purple fan, but I had to admit that the dark purple/blue with shimmer was simply stunning.  I call it a blurple - or is it burple?  This was a couple of months ago and so after enjoying the blurply sparkliness, I read that OPI was coming out with a new formula - SUEDE.  It sounds weird, but I guess after applying it and seeing it in person, I understand it.  The suede finish is hard to describe; I acutally think if we're using fabric descriptions, crushed velvet or velour might be more accurate.

Okay first up, we have the original Ink.  Dark purple with bluish undertones; it photographs much bluer than it is in person. (For all photos, ignore the bad application)

Pretty right?  And now OPI Ink Sude.  Totally different from the Original.

Compared with the original, you can see the the Suede has a much more matte finish.  It has this great frozen shimmer that comes out if you put a top coat on it.  Exhibit below:

I can't decide which finish I like the best.  Each one is different and stunning in itself.  I have to wonder why OPI decided to release this collection of previous released colors when the suede finish colors don't always resemble the originals.  I would rather OPI try to come up with new colors.  So you can see for yourself, here are the finishes next to each other. From left to right:  Ink Sude; Ink Suede with top coat; Ink Original; Ink Original with matte top coat.

I'm a lipstick fiend and while I have entirely too many, I am always trying out different combinations and usually return to old standbys.  In fact, in a smaller clutch that I put in my purse, I have a bunch of lipsticks, glosses and balms that I take with me so I always have a variety of colors.  One of the colors is Clinique's Black Honey Almost Lipstick.  It's a very wearable shade despite how dark it looks in the tube.  It makes me feel like I have natural lips, just with more color!  Adding the Lipgloss (currently only available at Sephora in the Black Honey shade) gives it a little more pop, but both are wearable alone. The gloss is sheerer than the lipstick although as you'll see in the picture, looks dark in the tube.

Here's Black Honey by itself.

with the Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss:

The gloss by itself:

And just for reference, here's what the tubes look like:

Simple and neutral, but still put togehter.  I like it!

It's been a while since I've highlighted any new collections, so most of you probably know that this is out already.  DSquared by MAC is a small-ish collection that came out Monday, September 28th.  It includes a couple of Sculpt & Shape powders that are usually only at pro-stores, so if you're looking for something different, check it out.  Grease sticks, lipsticks, lip balms, and an eyeliner round out the collection.

From MAC:
Every season the fashion crowd is up and on the run, crazy for the fierce and sexy fun we’ve come to expect from designers Dan and Dean Caten, the Canadian twins who know how to pack a punch and throw a party! With their haute hi-jinx and body-beautiful clothes for boys and girls, a collaboration with MAC simply could NOT be avoided! “DSquared2 and MAC are on the same trip!” says Dan. This collection brings us to the Ziegfield Follies by way of Grey Gardens, a bit disheveled, a little Girl Interrupted, both dramatically hip and dangerously sexy.

It starts with a strong, sooty, blackest-ever wild-child eye…a new Greasepaint Stick also in blue and violet versions, and Pro Gloss to create it. Neutral and perfected skin will get more drama with highlighting and low lighting from Sculpt and Shape Powders and the 165 Tapered Cheek/Highlight Brush all the better to achieve it. And finally, the totally nude Pro Lip Erase does its stuff, followed by a light Lipstick and Lip Conditioner to put the lilt and lift back in…. But the cynosure of this season’s scintillating collaboration is the daring, dramatic slightly demented DSquared2 eye. Have fun with it!

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Yesterday I highlighted the Stila Kitten products; today it's time for Nars and the Orgasm collection.  Honestly, I don't understand the names of Nars; very errr...sensual. I think part of its allure may be its name, but whatever the reason, Orgasm blush is a best seller and usually tops beauty editors' lists of flattering shades.

I'd describe Orgasm as a light peachy pink.  I don't think it's the most flattering blush shade for me personally, but I've used it on some other friends with different coloring from me and it really does highlight the cheekbones in a beautiful way.  I make Orgasm work with my skintone by using it with the Laguna bronzer that it's often paired with.   With the success of Orgasm, Nars capitalized on its popularity to release a slew of other products in with the same name.  Other products include a nail polish, lipgloss, and what they call the "multiple", a creamy stick that can be used on the eyes, cheeks, lips, and the body.

The Multiple in Orgasm
Lip Gloss (not in Orgasm)

Orgasm/Laguna Blush Bronzer Duo plus Orgasm Nail Polish Set

Super Orgasm Blush - similar to Orgasm, but with even more gold glitter.

As a whole, I think the Orgasm works best on fair to medium skin tones.  I did try the lipgloss at Sephora a little while ago and while it was okay, I find that there are more flattering colors that suit me.  As for the original blush, like I said it's not my best color, I personally prefer Sin, which is the color on the left in the picture.