Author: Lindsay

Dior Beauty Three-Color Smoky Eye Shadow in Smoky Violet (Spring)

Dior has managed to create an easy-to-open palette with an intelligent and sturdy mirror that pops up when you slide the palatte open. And this “ready-to-wear” palette in Smoky Violet from their Spring collection is all you need to achieve a smoky eye (or neutral violet) look.  It certainly isn’t the only fool-proof palette out there, but the construction and base color make this one stand out.

I’ve found myself reaching for Smoky Violet just to take advantage of the creamy, powder base. The very slightly pink shade brightens my eyes immediately and is so easy to use just using a finger. The second shade (top left) is a very sheer and equally blendable eggplant. Using these two together is perfect for those who don’t want a dramatic look. The third shade (top right) is deeper and with serious shimmer. At first, I didn’t think I would ever use this shade, but over the holidays the bit of drama and sparkle was a welcome addition.

Lastly, violet does loads of favors to my hazel eyes.  I love using purples to make the green in there really pop. The added benefit is this palm-sized palette is a breeze to travel with and all you could ever need for a casual vacation.

 

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush

Tarte is one of the cosmetic brands that I haven’t really explored extensively. It wasn’t that I had a negative impression of the line – I just haven’t found a product that really called my name. Then along came their Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush. I can actually take or leave blush as long as I have some bronzer. Because I have a lot of red in my skin, “doll-face” blushes tend to look more like a skin condition than makeup on me. So, if I do use blush, I want it to be nude and Tarte’s Exposed fit the bill. Exposed is a peachy/brown with just a hint of a pink note.

For an extra bonus, this blush has skin care properties that can benefit basically any skin type. The clay from the Amazon River minimizes oil and pores. I’ve found, with my dry skin, the clay is actually nourishing and doesn’t look powdery or flakey. While I can’t really say it stays on 12-hours, it does have staying power and easily makes it through an evening. I like these blushes even better than NARS which is saying quite a bit. I’m not surprised it made the cut as Allure’s Best of Beauty.

Essie Bobbing for Baubles and other news

I am definitely on an Essie kick and have another favorite from the winter collection: Bobbing for Baubles and Set in Stones from the Luxeffects collection for glitter effect. I like the starry night look of these two layered. But word of caution, this glitter is not easy to remove.

A bit of celebration is in order because my fashion blog, SU-PERB, is featured today at College Fashionista. Check out my interview here.

And don’t forget to enter to win a metallic scarf from Express and a five-bottle set of polishes from Cult Nails here!

 

Bumble and Bumble Pin Tin

I am a bobby pin novice. In fact, before the pin tin, I had only used Goody Spin Pins.  I love the spin pins for the simplicity, but their construction limits you to pretty basic styles. I decided to broaden my horizons with the Bumble and Bumble Pin Tin, an adorable set of 50 custom-designed hair pins in winter white.

You can tell these are quality pins. After quite a bit of abuse, mine have retained their shape and strength. The silver tin comes with an assortment of pins, all designed for different functionality.

  • 5 3″ hair pins for heavier updos (these are my favorite, probably due to my long hair)
  • 10 2″ hair pins for tacking down chignons and twists (these work well for my tighter buns)
  • 25 2.5″ bobby pins for a wavy side up or down for a neat hold
  • 20 2″ bobby pins used for finishing

What’s the difference between the hair pin and bobby pin? So glad you asked. Hair pins have roots in China, Japan and Korea but the “bobby pin” came into wide use in the 1920’s with the new bobbed hair styles. A bobby pin is a double-pronged hair pin that slides into hair with the prongs open and then the flexible prongs close over the hair to hold it in place. A trademark on the term “bobby pin” was held for some decades by Bob Lépine Corporation but eventually became part of the common hairstyle vernacular.  It wasn’t until the late 1990’s that it became fashionable for this pins to actually be a visible part of the hairstyle.

There are some tutorials on a slip of paper included in the pin tin. Frankly, I haven’t paid much attention to them. The key to exploring these new tools is some surf spray and a couple minutes playing in front of the mirror. I was surprised by how well the simple pins hold up my hair. My favorite so far is a haphazard pony pinned up into a messy bun. But the smaller hair pins are my go-to for a simple and neat low bun during a workout when I want to avoid that “pony-tail bend” effect.

 

Essie Winter Collection Nail Color – School of Hard Rocks

This shade is sneaky – it doesn’t look like anything special among the other brillant Essie winter shades. And it is easy to get distracted by the new Nail Polish Essie Luxeffects Glitter Top Coat collection. But I am glad a simple look was on my mind last night. I didn’t reach for that festive cherry red, “Size Matters”. I wasn’t tempted by layering glitter (hangover from struggling to get that last glitter manicure off). I went for the subdued (what I thought was) green.

Talk about a pleasant surprise! I was guessing this was going to be a evergreen shade, but on my nails it is a charcoal, green/teal. School of Hard Rocks is unique but relatively understated compared to all that glitter out there. My manicure is mysterious and attention-getting – I’ve had loads of compliments. But not overly done or in your face. I love it.