Precious Jewels: Kevyn Aucoin Loose Shimmer Shadows

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If you want the saturation and shimmer of loose pigments but hate the mess… Kevyn Aucoin Loose Shimmer Shadows are for you!

Create a bold and beautiful statement with these jewel-toned, multi-dimensional pigments that impart lustrous high-color payoff and long-lasting wear. The buildable, powdery-fine formula blends seamlessly for ease of application and can be layered for a variety of looks. From soft and neutral to strikingly colorful these six silky and shimmery shades compliment every eye color.

Designed with an innovative roller ball tip for effortless application, the finely-milled pearlescent shadows glide on with exquisite precision. The crease-free, mineral powder formula makes this shadow perfect for shading and illuminating the eyes.

The Loose Shimmer Shadows can be applied wet or dry to achieve various shade depths. Use a wet brush to apply the shadow if a darker hue is desired. For a lighter finish, simply roll the applicator over eyelids. Things to know:

• Gives luster, sheen and glimmering effect to your eyes
• Unique roller ball applicator is convenient and fuss free
• Ultra-light weight formula blends instantaneously without creasing
• Offered in 6 luminous gem-inspired shades: Citrine (gold), Rose Quartz (warm pinky gold), Amethyst (bright purple), Jade (vibrant green), Topaz (warm bronze), and Lapis (bluish plum)

I have never seen pigmentation like this. It is so concentrated it almost looks and feels like liquid. The roller-ball makes application a cinch and there is no messy clean-up due to fall-out. The colors are absolutely magnificent and range from basic to bold. They are crease-free and long-lasting – even without a primer. Kevyn Aucoin Loose Shimmer Shadows  are great for a simple wash of color or dramatic smokey eye and perfect for your New Years look!

Pint-Sized Palette: Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

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Launching in the US tomorrow, November 29th, is the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. This pint-sized palette features five matte shades and one demi-matte shade. Four of the six shades are new and exclusive to this palette.

Perfect for travel or on-the-go, this palette can fit in your wallet or purse. It contains six full-sized eyeshadows, which include: Venus (soft, off-white demi-matte), Foxy (very light yellow/beige matte), Walk of Shame (very light pinky nude matte), Naked 2 (rosy taupe matte), Faint (warm, dusty brown matte), and Crave (deepest, darkest brown/black matte).

Urban Decay’s matte eyeshadows are some of the best I have used. They are in no way chalky, powdery or dry but super silky, finely-milled and pigmented. They are also long-lasting and true-to-color.

Starting on November 29th the Naked Basics Palette will be available at Urban Decay, Sephora, Ulta and select Macy’s. If you love neutrals and nudes to create a subtle and dramatic definition, then you will love the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette.

How To: Nude Lip

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Originally applied to downplay the rest of the face when having a dramatic smoky eye or a major blush moment, the nude lip has transcended from a trend to a classic.

Your perfect nude lip will depend entirely on the shade. Remember nude is not the same as neutral, you must take into consideration your skin tone and lip color. The right color will create depth and contour as the wrong color can make the entire face look dull or washed-out.

Choosing a color for your skin tone:

• For fair or pale skin: Avoid beige tones. Opt for soft pinks, peaches or pale apricot as your base shade.
• For the golden girls: Creamy, caramel-toned nudes and warm beiges. Avoid anything too cool, like grays or silver-toned shades.
• For olive tones: Just about any nude shade will work, from beige to bronze to pinks.
• For skin with yellow undertones: Light, creamy-toned beiges like latte or mocha.
• For dark-toned skin: Go for chocolate tones such as rich golden browns and coffees.

Needed:

• Foundation
• Nude Lip Liner – Favorite: Here
• Lip Brush
• Nude Lipstick – Favorite: Here
• Nude Lipgloss – Favorite: Here

How To:

• Prep and moisturize the lips.
• Blot a layer of foundation onto the lips. This will let lipstick perform at it’s truest color.
• Define lips with a liner that is the half-a-shade deeper than lipstick. This will give the illusion of plumper lips.
• Using a lip brush, apply lipstick.
• Blot the lips with tissue and reapply.
• If a glossy finish is preferred – apply nude lipgloss.

Statement Sandals: Graphics

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From abstract florals to eye-catching ikat, summer sandals are getting graphic. Found in an overwhelming array of colors, styles, prints and patterns, complete any outfit with a bold statement sandal.

Keeping it neutral. Make these statement shoes the focal point of the ensemble by keeping the rest of the pieces neutral and/or monochromatic.

Mixing prints. Sometimes the best combinations are the ones that do not seem suitable. There are no rules here, only to look for prints and textures in complementary color families. The pieces do not have to coordinate exactly, but there should be a common theme.

Spice up your wardrobe with some vibrant graphics. Here are few of my favorite stand-out sandals.

Zara ~ Fabric Sandal: $99.90

Theodora & Callum ~ Hippie Heel: 229.99 (sale)

Loeffler Randall ~ Dita Platform Pump: $425.00

BCBGeneration ~ Hosanna: $87.99 (sale)

Alice + Olivia ~ Juliet Platform Wedge Sandal: $295.00

Cynthia Vincent ~ Naomi Aztec-Printed Platform Wedge Sandal: $197.00 (sale)

Colorblocking: Eyes/Lips

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Layering bright eye shadows, liners and lipsticks can result in a fun makeup look that’s right on trend for the season. Just like colorblocking clothes, there are a myriad of possibilities one can create with makeup as well.

There’s a much-heralded rule in beauty that if you do a bold eye, the rest of your makeup should be neutral. With colorblocking, this rule does not necessarily apply. The bright colors will play off each other and make your features pop.

Throw all traditional “rules” out the window and be creative. A lot of these looks are used in editorial or runway features, to make it wearable stick to only two areas of the face, i.e. eyes/lips, cheeks/lips. Tone down the colors and heavy-handed application for a sheer wash of color. This will create a more modern and everyday look.

Fashion & Function: Bleulab Reversible Denim

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Having a hard time committing to new denim trends? Try reversible. Bleulab has created a new breed of denim that is the perfect combination of fashion and function.

Bleulab’s founder and inventor Carl Jones discovered a double-faced fabric during a trip to China in 2009 and brought it back to the U.S. to begin testing various washes and treatments. The jeans’ design uses a double-headed tack button and a reversible zipper with five pockets featured on either side to achieve two distinctive looks per pair.

Built for today’s woman “an adventurer who is constantly in motion” the styles are named with that in mind: shortcut, paved, curve, rotate, detour and interhoodie.

Great for travel, reversible jeans mean more suitcase space and spending money. These jeans will take you from day-to-night with “superman-like” abilities. And lastly, I love how one is able to dive into a new trend (i.e. colored denim, coated denim, printed denim) without bellyflopping. The reversible side is always a neutral more mainstream style, wearable for years.

Double your outfit options with Bleulab.

Get Naked! Urban Decay Naked Palette

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Urban Decay Naked Palette

Everyday makeup couldn’t be easier with Urban Decay’s Naked Palette. Great for back to school, this palette contains every shade needed for neutral makeup looks.

This palette arrived for Fall 2010 and flew off the shelves. Now available as a staple in Urban Decay’s collection, the Naked Palette can be found wherever the brand is sold.

Urban Decay Naked Palette contains twelve shades, ten with shimmer or glitter and two matte. The two matte shades, Naked (beige-brown) and Buck (dark beige-brown) are two of the best shadows I have ever used. They can perform as eyeshadow, contour or even to fill-in light to medium colored brows.

Each of the twelve shades are soft, buttery and richly pigmented. Shades range from delicate champagnes and warm golds to rich chocolates and dark charcoals. The colors are universally flattering and can can be used on all skintones.

Included with the palette is a mini Urban Decay Primer Potion and a pro-quality “Good Karma” eyeshadow brush. This is an essential palette to have in your collection. With twelve beautiful neutral shades to choose from there are hundreds of looks that can be created.