Category: eyes

Le Metier de Beaute Fall/Winter Kaleidoscope Eye Kit – GIVEAWAY

We all want to know: “how do I create a smokey eye?” It is the beauty question of the decade.  I’ve searched high and low for kits, palettes and individual shadows and concluded Le Metier de Beaute developed the best kit to achieve the smokey eye.  The colors are stunning, it is goof-proof and translates from day to evening. 

I met with Le Métier de Beauté while I was in New York for Fashion Week for a Fall Trend event.  Mikey Castillo, Le Métier de Beauté’s Director of Color and Education, featured the Fall Silk Road Kaleidoscope.  It has to be noted that these shadows are quadruple-milled – and this basically translates into incredibly fine, blendable shades.  They appear on the eye much less vibrant as they do in the pan.  And I think this is a good thing.  No need to be intimidated by the bold colors – the look is actually quite neutral.

While these shades definitely can be used on their own, I am sold on the Le Métier de Beauté signature eye shadow application technique, “Couches de Couleur”.  “Couches de Couleur” is the layering of color, each hue is selected to evoke one element in a sequence of crescendo: 1. Warm 2. Cool 3. Hot 4. Cold.  I use a flat, small eye shadow brush and press in each color from my lash to crease.  If I want a more “daytime” look, I skip the final color or only use it right along my lash.


Le Métier de Beauté usually releases these Kaleidoscopes each season, and I have yet to be disappointed.  By this Fall’s version is a stunner and by far my favorite.  Fall Silk Road Kaleidoscope was inspired by the silk, satin, spice and jewels of the Silk Road in the Far East.

  • Tapestry—a shimmering, translucent plum.
  • Damask— a polished brass.
  • Ikat—a silk-matte pinot noir.
  • Brocade—a deep chocolate with sequined copper effervescence.

The spread the love, I am giving away one of these kits (retail value $95) to one of my readers.  How can you enter to win this contest?

Leave a comment on this post.  Make sure to include your email address.

To earn extra entries:

1. Follow this blog (through an e-mail subscription or though one of the many Google readers – see sidebar at right) or by subscribing to my newsletter.

2. By tweeting this contest. You must include “@bellebellebeau” (without the quotes) and the contest title in your tweet. Only one tweet will be counted as an entry.

3. “Like” me on Facebook.

4. Share the contest info on your Facebook Wall.

The deadline for entries will be Saturday, October 8, at midnight central time. The next day, I will use a random number generator (random.org) to select the winner. I will e-mail the winner on Sunday. The winner will have 48 hours to reply to my message and provide a shipping address. After 48 hours, the prize will be forfeited, and another winner will be selected.

This contest is open to anyone anywhere however, I cannot insure the prize for overseas shipment.

UPDATE: We have a winner! It is Jenny aka @FashionistaJR. Congrats!

Dior ‘Diorshow Maximizer’ Lash Plumping Serum

I am having a week of rest and renewal with my parents in town.  And I figured my lashes deserved a little break while we were at it.  I have been mascara-free since Monday – I know, Shocking! 

One reason I was intent on giving my lashes some tender loving care, is they have really been through the ringer.  I decided to give eyelash extensions a try earlier this summer.  It was only a partial application, but they destroyed what were really nice and full lashes.  Where the extensions had been applied, the lashes were broken.  Now, this is not a testimony to lash extensions in general.  It is my experience (and I sure as heck won’t go near them again).

So, back to “Project Lash Renewal”.  I always have liked Dior Show mascara, so when I was playing at the counter last month, the Dior ‘Diorshow Maximizer’ Lash Plumping Serum jumped out at me. 

The formula is light weight and actually white in color.  It is easy to get a full coat on all my lashes.  The hydrolyzed soy proteins go to work, conditioning the lashes.  This  promotes long-term lash growth and strength.  Over the last six weeks, my lashes are well on the road to recovery.  They do actually look fuller.  But I am most impressed that I can really sense they are once again healthy.

Chantecaille Gel Liner Pencil

I am a sucker for innovation.  So, it wasn’t tough to get me to try the first ever gel liner in a wooden pencil format.  Add in an amazingly high quality brush on the other end and I was sold.

Chantecaille recently released this pencil in two colors: Jet and Hematite.  Jet was stunning, but the smokey, metallic grey called my name.  The color is quite dark, and full of pigment.  But it is a great alternative to black.  You definitely can detect the silver/grey when applied, but its effect is still inky.

The application is exactly like a gel liner applied with a brush.  There was no pulling, but the application lent to precision.  Flipping over to the other side, the brush was perfect for fine-tuning and striking the perfect mini-wing.

Just like other gel liners, the liner stayed like a champ all day.  And there is something so retro and rewarding, sharpening that wooden pencil, old-fashioned style.

Maybelline Eye Studio Master Drama Eyeliner

In a blind test, I know I would guess this liner is far more than its $7 price tag.  The pigment is insanely rich, the roll-up pencil glides beautifully, and staying power is unbelievable. 

I created a cat eye with Midnight Master – easy to fine tune, worked well on lower lashes and dramatically pigmented.  The packaging, overall, is adequate.  There were a couple hiccups rolling up the pen, but with the quality product and amazing price, I am not going to complain.

This fall, bright hues are huge, so I plan on picking up Sapphire Strength or Vibrant Violet.  This is a great option to experiment with a trend with a relatively small investment.

Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Collection

Excellent quality at a super low cost. Impossible, you say.  But, Eureka! Wet n Wild offers some of the most highly-pigmented, blendable and vibrant colors just at your local drugstore.  I found mine at Walgreens for $4.99.  That’s right – eight colors for under $5 (I just had to pick up two).

I figure a budget buy is an awesome opprotunity to try out a color outside my comfort zone.   I read somewhere that blue eyeshadow – even if it is subtle – can tame red eyes.  With lots of late nights that come with a new business, I am no stranger to this problem.  So I picked up Blue Had Me at Hello:

For a more neutral option, I snatched up Pedal Pusher (someone told me purples enhance hazel eyes):

What is so super cool about the palettes is they come with instructions.  While they are super pigmented, they offer a “how to” on what they call a “sweet look”: the lightest shadow to the brow. Next “Flirty Look”, adding second color to crease.  “Dramatic Look”, adding third color in the crease. Last, “Wild Look” with the definer.  The two darkest colors in both palettes are almost too pigemented for me. I use them both as a liner.  They work really well over a liquid liner like Le Métier de Beauté Precision Liquid.

These shadows perform so well – I don’t know how they do it? For those who want a more neutral look, the palatte also comes in Comfort Zone:

Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies Spoon Brush Washable Mascara

In honor of @Maybelline Great Lash Birthday Bash (40 years! Wow!) and the GreatLash Twitter party is from 7pm-9pm EST tonight, I had to mention my new, most favorite mascara.  Since you must really trash your mascara after three months of use, drugstore offerings are much more economical.  Especially when there are some serious super-power performers like, Maybelline Volum’ Express The Falsies Spoon Brush Washable Mascara. 

This mascara has the staying power of Great Lash, but with dramatic effects.  I love the way the spoon brush can lift and separate my lashes.  For evening, I like to build this mascara to mimic false lashes.  Clumping just doesn’t happen – how do they do it? But for everyday wear, this mascara adds just the perfect amount of volume while coating my lighter lashes with great color (always very black for me).