OK.. I’m picking the winners for the Cover Girl contest.. but I have NO ENTRIES. Nada.. zip.. zilch.

How do I give all these lovely prizes away, including the $20 WalMart gift card? Ughh.. I don’t know!!! As I have stated in the prize rules before, there will be one random Facebook winner, so a prize WILL be given away for certain. If I receive no entries to the contest, I may have to extend it for another month. So… hurry and get them in!

To enter the Smoky Eye contest, please CLICK HERE to read the rules.

Related Posts

Modern Study of Contrasts

Chanel brightens up the Fall season with rose and pink and even coral and peach tones.. yet there is this amazing blazin’ purple nail polish that gives Fall’s hottest color its own spotlight.

Face

• JOUES CONTRASTE Powder Blush in Rose Temptation, Pink Explosion, or Plum Attraction.

Eyes

• LES 4 OMBRES Quadra Eye Shadow in Enigma.
• OMBRE ESSENTIELLE Soft Touch Eyeshadow in Taupe Grise or Vert Khaki.
• LE CRAYON KHOL Intense Eye Pencil in Clair.
• STYLO YEUX Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner in Cassis.

Lips

• ROUGE COCO Hydrating Creme Lip Colour in  Chintz, Rose Dentelle, or Chalys.
• LEVRES SCINTILLATES Glossimer in Petit Peche, Coral Love, Rose Dilemma, or Pink Teaser.
• LE VERNIS Nail Colour in Paradoxal or Jade Rose.

Model above is wearing JOUES CONTRASTE Powder Blush in Rose Temptation, LES 4 OMBRES Quadra Eye Shadow in Enigma, LE CRAYON KHOL Intense Eye Pencil in Clair, STYLO YEUX Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner in Cassis, ROUGE COCO Hydrating Ceme Lip Colour in Chintz, LEVRES SCINTILLATES Glossimer in Petit Peche, and LE VERNIS Nail Colour in Paradoxal.

My wishlist : That amazing Temptation blush and the rockin’ Paradoxal Nail Color. If anything, I am totally going to rock out the purple nails!

Related Posts

We all know how much I love Dior.. hmm!? So the Dior Fall 2010 collection is all about smoky eyes, purple shades, mystery & seduction. Since purple IS my favorite color, I’m super-stoked on the fall collections coming out. Nearly all skin tones can wear purple shades, so don’t be afraid to experiment with fall’s newest trend color.

New Mascara – DiorShow Black Out

($24) Dior reinvents mascara by incorporating professional makeup artists’ techniques into one ingenious product. Courtesy of Black Fix Complex – a unique blend of deeply saturated pigments – this creamy formula is the first to reproduce the intensity of kohl. Thickening powder adds staying power, while an Arabic gum extract provides a perfect charcoal-like finish and adds to its incredible resistance. I was never a big fan of DiorShow mascara, mainly because the brush was too big. If you love DiorShow or have tried Black Out and want to tell us, leave a comment below! This mascara is getting 5 star rave reviews on Nordstrom.com.

DiorShow Lash Maximizer

This is a mascara base, no color, but a lash treatment that helps bring out the full effect of your favorite mascara. This is the first Dior serum base product with a full lash-boosting effect that works both instantly and day after day. This product is said to thicken and lengthen the lashes over time. This lightweight serum has been reviewed by users and is said to really help strengthen the lashes, resulting in less lashes falling out when removing makeup. Check out this review with before and after photos.

2 Couleurs Couture Edition Eyeshadow Duo – Smoky Mania

($38) Embossed with the Dior Logomania pattern, this limited-edition two-color eyeshadow includes silver and sparkling black shades to light up the eyes with a dramatic, shimmering effect. Limited Edition, so get one asap!

Dior 5-Colour Designer Eye Palette – Pink Design #808

($58) This pretty palette includes a creamy blendable base color, one versatile iridescent eyeshadow, one satiny contouring shade, one shimmering highlighter and one sultry, intensely matte powder eyeliner, plus two double-ended applicators and a cheat sheet of pro-technique design tips from Dior’s top makeup artists.

Dior 5-Colour Designer Eye Palette – Misty Mauve

($58) This eyeshadow palette features colors which could be described as a sheer, icy lilac, a satin grayish purple, a deep blackish purple, a frosty off-white highlighter shade and a soft pink-mauve shimmer. As far as the reviews I’ve seen, some are not impressed with the pigmentation of this and expected more “pop”.

Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss: Plumping Volume

Shades Mauve Sur Mesu & Tailored Mauve, both with a high-gloss shine that features glass microbeads coated in a crystalline elixir to give you luxurious couture lips. Yup, this is a plumping gloss, but I think that the shine and color give the illusion of plumped lips, and it might not be one of those “stinging” formulas that inflate your lips for 5 minutes.

Rouge Dior Serum De Rouge: Luminous Color Lip Treatment

($32) This isn’t just a plain old lipstick, this is a lip treatment with 10 times more skincare ingredients than a classic Dior lipstick. Serum De Rouge boasts 40% more moisturized lips and 25% more smoother lips that are plumped day after day. The shade Ruby Serum is this Fall’s featured shade.

Dior Addict Lipcolor

($26) This lightweight formula packs a punch of color and features a smooth texture of true color. This Fall’s featured shades are Spectacular Mauve and Technicolor Red (shown left).

Related Posts

Giorgio Armani’s new 2010 Fall collection is inspired by the deep blue tones of the night. From cold blue to sophisticated pink tones and warm crimson berry. Reminds me of the colors I saw when I used to sneak home at 7 am. Watching the wake of the day and the sun coming up is beautiful, but not with a hangover. Luckily, we have dear Giorgio to cheer us up!

Maestro Eye Shadow Quad

($60) This exclusive Armani cosmetics shade was made especially for Fall 2010. The colors include Inky Navy Blue, Dark Brown, Icy Brown and and silver. (Actual quad not shown, please click here to see the shades)

Eyes to Kill Eye Shadow Palette

($59) This eye shadow palette was made to create a bold, intense and smoky eye. Each palette features a dark, medium and light highlighter shade. This Fall 2010 palette includes Pure Mauve (Satin Finish), Ink Black (Satin Finish) and Aubergine Purple in a metallic finish.

Eyes to Kill Mascara

($30) This Blue / Grey mascara was created just for the Fall 2010 season and features a voluminous + plush look. This mascara won the Allure Best of Beauty Award.

Rouge D’Armani Lipstick

($30) This lipstick features a long-wear formula that promises 8 hours of color. The exclusive Fall 2010 shades are Soft Pink, Black Purple, and Deep Ruby.

There are also other nice shades available in the collection.

Blending Blush Duo

($49) Following the Armani beauty heritage in blending and layering, the cream texture of this blush allows the blush duos to easily morph and blend easily on the skin. The colors exclusive for Fall 2010 is Shimmering Pale and Dark Raspberry.

Related Posts

• Chanel Temporary Tattoos , Armani Makeup Trends for Spring 2010 Mon 08 Mar 2010

TotalBeauty.com just posted their picks on what the 16 Worst Drugstore Makeup products are.. I thought I’d share and add my own comments! These products are ones which failed the hype.. epic fails need not land in your purse.

#1 Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara :

See my review on this mascara here

Ok, so Maybelline Lash Stylist was the best mascara in the world (at least to me and thousands of other) and it was discontinued. Shortly thereafter, this Lash Stiletto mascara launched and was so highly disappointing that I cannot believe that this stuff continues to stay on the market. Read my review to see why!

#2 Milani Loose Powder Foundation

I really do like Milani eyeshadows and nail polish products.. I tried the pressed foundation powder, with high expectations, and it turned out to be terrible! This Milani Minerals Loose Makeup is basically in the same container that the Revlon ColorStay Minerals loose powder foundation was.. both are horrible! The staying power of mineral foundations are not what they boast it to be. Here is an article about why I think mineral foundation sucks!

#3 Sally Hansen Line Smoothing Airbrush Primer

Umm.. I don’t like the idea of spraying something from a can on my face. Hairspray freaks me out enough (I had my fair share the 1990s with Aquanet) and since I’ve tried the MAC spray-on foundation with no luck, and other types of spray products that just didn’t impress me. If you are going to use a primer, don’t be lazy about it and spray it on, use something good like the Korres Face Primer, which is reputable and used by many great makeup artists. Check out the Airbrush Primer review on TotalBeauty.com.

#4 Rimmel Recover Concealer

The price might be nice at $5.50 for this concealer, but is said to slip and slide all around your face with no staying power. I have never really liked Rimmel’s products (I gave the comb wand mascara a shot and I will not repurchase!) and I heard from friends that they love the brand. What gives? My new favorite concealer is the Laura Geller Real Deal Concealer from QVC. I will say that I did love the lip liner I purchased from Rimmel.. years ago. Click here to see the TotalBeauty.com review of this concealer!

#5 L’Oreal Paris Micro Liner Ultra Fine Lining Pencil

Although I haven’t tried this pencil, I will say that I’ve had experience using L’Oreal pencils .. with no luck. Seems like the crayon doesn’t give off much color when applying, which is the case with a lot of drugstore eyeliners. I stick with my Urban Decay 24/7 Gel pencil liner and I know that works the best. If I want something a little more “smoky”, I’ll use my MAC Chromaline Cream Liner with my favorite liner brush and it stays all day! Click here to see the TotalBeauty.com review for this L’Oreal liner.

#6 CoverGirl Outlast Double LipShine

Once in a while I’ll have someone tell me that I need to use one of those “outlasting lip products” that you paint on, wait two minutes and it stays all day. I’ve tried several brands, and all seem to really irritate my lips and make them dry and cracked. I think the only one I could tolerate for more than 15 minutes was the MAC version. I tried this CoverGirl version myself and I could NOT get it off and yes, it was a bad thing! It started peeling and making a mess, but I had to use baby oil to remove it all the way. If you want a long-lasting lip color, it’s best to use a classic matte formula lipstick, pat with a tissue, then reapply. For events such as a wedding, you might be able to wing it with one of these outlasting lip colors, but I suggest trying out the MAC version first.

#7 Physicians Formula Retro Glow Ultra-Dramatic Mascara

I’m a total sucker for cute packaging, and when I first saw this mascara in the drugstore, I thought, “Oh, wow.. they sell Urban Decay here?” This product is a total rip off of Urban Decay’s retro packaging, and from what I am reading about it, it looks like the formula is too clumpy and too thick. See what people have to say about it here!

Thoughts? Experiences? Respond in a comment below!

Related Posts

• Maybelline Lash Stylist Reincarnated in Cat Form - Hypercurl Sun 22 Nov 2009
• Dita Von Teese - Pin Up Girl - Makeup Tutorial - Halloween Makeup Sat 24 Oct 2009
• Sign Petition for Maybelline Lash Stylist Mascara Wed 12 Aug 2009
• The Magic of White Eyeliner Sun 26 Jul 2009
• Tutorial - Lazy Gaga Glitter Tutorial Sat 18 Apr 2009

Are we ready to preview Fall yet?? I never am.. it makes me sad to see the transition from summery goodness, BBQs and swimming to “here comes boring, old fall”. The makeup collections I am seeing are, well, not so boring! To kick off my coverage of what’s hot for fall, let’s take a look at the dazzling French Coquettes Fall Collection from Lancome.

Lancome French Coquettes Fall Collection 2010

Nordstrom.com says: The seductive color statement captures the spirit of the modern woman at the start of the 20th century, heralding the signature hallmarks of French glamour. Deep plums, shimmering charcoals and sophisticated nudes are sure to inspire.

Well, Eau La La! I love plum.. and I’m on my knees begging to the plum gods that an awesome handbag will come out in this color.. that I can afford.. and make my life complete! I’ve already snooped around the Coach store a few times and wasn’t yet impressed with their fall collection. They did say there might be more plum purses coming in.

I’m also hoping to grab something that I didn’t get a chance to buy last season.. purple suede booties with ruffles. For some reason I feel like channeling Prince, minus the pirate shirt. 1980′s Edwardian revisited!

The products that are catching my eye are the loose powder shadows, Lancôme Ombré Magnetique Eyeshadow, and the Lancôme La Rose Deco Powder. It looks like these items may go fast!

Let’s check out the eyeshadow first, since that seems to have the biggest impact on me!

Lancôme Ombré Magnetique Eyeshadow

($25 each shade)

Featuring crushed mother-of-pearl to intensify the already dazzling colors:

• Black Macadam
• Urban Silver
• Cherry Cherie

Lancôme Color Design Sensational Effect Eyeshadow Quad – Smooth Hold

$42, Limited Editon Quad: French Toast. Very subtle and wearable colors. I love these!

Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge Lip Color

($29 each shade)

• Rose Divine
• Paris Attraction
• Cherry Kiki

Lancôme La Rose Deco All-Over Glow Powder

Rosy Glow ($40)

This is sooo pretty. I need to check this out. Normally when I find “glow” powders, they are pink. This one is different for a change.

Lancome Le Vernis Nail Polish Trio

($29) Kissed by Paris, Limited Edition.

Related Posts

Some of you have been patiently waiting while I’ve been frantically trying to find the time to get this Cover Girl contest show on the road. FINALLY, I’ve recorded my video, which didn’t come out as clear as I had hoped for, but it was my first time using my FlipCam to do a video on makeup and it was hard holding it and doing the makeup at the same time. So the back story is that Cover Girl sent me a gigantic box to my office, which barely fit into my cube, which contained all three of their smokey eye kits, which are available at Wal-Mart and wal-mart.com. (Possibly other stores as well)! I tried out two of the three kits and the Natural kit was my most favorite, and apparently everyone elses since it’s sold out at wal-mart.com!! Not only is this kit inexpensive ($16.50) but it contains everything you need to get the quickest smokey eye I’ve ever accomplished. There’s no mess since the double-ended eyeshadow is cream-based. You get not only the double-ended eyeshadow, but you also get Lash Blast Volume mascara and a Line Exact Liquid liner.

Cover Girl Smoky Eye Kit in Natural – Tutorial

Watch the video to learn about how to use the Cover Girl Smoky Eye kit, get ideas for your own video or photos for the contest!

1. Use the rounded tip of the Smoky Shadow Blast, the lighter shade of the eyeshadow stick, to apply all over your eyelid, except under your brow bone. You may use your favorite eyeshadow primer before applying.

2. Apply your favorite highlighting product under your eyebrow.

3. Apply the dark contour color, starting from the outer corner, working your way in. Apply to the bottom lash line for a bit more of a dramatic smokey look.

4. Blend crease with flat shadow brush. Shape your crease line with Q-tip.

5. Apply liquid liner starting from the inner corner and out towards the edge of the outer corner. You can wing out the end of the liner as shown.

6. Optional: Apply your favorite eyeliner on the inner bottom rim.

7. Apply the mascara (Lash Blast Volume) as shown. I added two coats, but it is up to you how much volume you want!

Now it’s Your Turn! Win Prizes!

Get your video camera, digital camera, cell phone camera… and show me how YOU apply a smokey eye!

Girls and guys, makeup artists, gurus, bloggers, beginners, etc. please send me your photos, video, or blog URL showing how you create your favorite smokey eye look. I will judge based upon creativity and quality / clarity of your media sent to me. I will feature the winning entries on KristaDior.com.. and of course the PRIZES are as follows:

1st Prize-

Awarded to best smoky eye demonstrator as judged by Krista Dior. A $20 Wal-Mart Gift Card, which can also be used on walmart.com, a Cover Girl USB Flash Drive to keep all of your awesome photos on, and a cute Cover Girl makeup bag. Your entry will be posted on this blog for thousands of people to see!

2nd Prize -

(left) A Cover Girl Smoky Shadow Blast in Tempest Blue along with a Black Lash Blast Volume Mascara.Your entry will be posted on this blog for thousands of people to see!

3rd Prize -

(right) Cover Girl Line Exact Liquid Liner in Brown and Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume Mascara in Brown. Your entry will be posted on this blog for thousands of people to see!

Random Prize -

Given to a random Facebook Fan! Become a Facebook Fan today for a chance to win! A Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume Mascara in Blackest Black!

The Rules and Disclaimer!

Contest begins on August 1st, ends on September 1st, 2010 at midnight. Winners will be chosen about a week after contest ends, depending on how many contest entries received. Winners names and contest entries will be posted to this blog unless requested to keep private. Krista Dior will not be responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged prizes. If winner is under 18 years of age, I must receive verbal parental consent before posting photographs or videos to my blog.

To enter: Please send your full name, age, state of residence, photos or videos of yourself demonstrating a smoky eye look on yourself or someone else to krista@kristadior.com with subject header: COVER GIRL ENTRY. If chosen as a winner, I will need your full address so that I may send prizes. Prizes may take up to 4 to 8 weeks to arrive via USPS. Contest open ONLY to US residents.

Related Posts

It’s here! I’ve been waiting for Burberry cosmetics to arrive at Nordstrom for months now. I haven’t been in the store to try it out yet, but I’m sure somebody out there has! Please DO tell me if you love it or hate it! Everything LOOKS amazing.. but is it really? I hope it lives up to the hype.

Burberry ‘Lip Cover’ Soft Satin Lipstick: ($30) These 21 shades of moisturizing color are already receiving a couple rave reviews on Nordstrom.com.

Shades I’m excited to try: #08 Tea Rose, #03 Cameo Pink and #19 Brick Red.

Burberry ‘Lip Glow’ Natural Lip Gloss : ($27) The buzz on the web is that this creamy gloss formula is non-sticky and sheer.

12 shades to choose from, and the ones I can’t wait to try are: Tea Rose, Cameo Pink and Cameo.

Burberry Lip Definer Shaping Pencil : ($27) This luxurious lip pencil features a soft and delicate texture made of natural waxes and vegetal oils to help soften the lips. Includes sharpener.

Burberry Sheer Luminous Compact Foundation : ($55) This foundation powder can be used dry for a sheer finish or damp for an intense coverage. Includes protective pouch.  I am always in the market for a new foundation powder, so I will definitely give this one a try. There are 9 shades in this collection.

Burberry Sheer Luminous Fluid Foundation : ($52 for 1 oz.) This liquid foundation is said to be very sheer and lightweight with a gelled structure. There are 9 shades of this formula, which all look to be light shades on the website. Very cute Burberry packaging for this product, but 1 oz is a small amount of foundation for the price.

Burberry Sheer Eyeshadow : ($29) 20 very natural and sheer eyeshadow shades which have been created to reflect the English countryside. Already getting rave reviews for being super-blendable and pretty, these shadows are on my “must-try” list!
Burberry ‘Effortless Mascara’ Volumising Enhancer : ($28) From Nordstrom.com -Formula: This gelled structure helps obtain an airy texture and improved color expression. Marine plant glycogen works like a natural lash extender, accelerating fiber growth and strengthening lashes.

Benefits: Fool-proof mascara for adjustable lash volume, from the most natural to the most sophisticated look. It combines thickening agents that coat each lash effortlessly along its entire length.

Protection: Protective film forms on the lash surface, shielding against humidity, rain and extreme heat.

Burberry ‘Eye Definer’ Eye Shaping Pencil : ($27) This pencil features a long-wear and water-resistant formula and is safe to use in the inner rim area of the eye. Silicone waxes are used in the product to guarantee unfailing resistance to heat and humidity. Sounds impressive, right!?? It’s available in 5 shades, including plum and midnight blue.

Burberry ‘Light Glow’ Natural Blush: ($42) 5 shades of cheek colors, ranging from peach, to nude to pink, providing a sheer and healthy glow. I am dying to try #03 Rose Blush (pictured on left) and Cameo Blush #02.

Burberry ‘Warm Glow’ Natural Bronzer : ($48) There are 4 shades of bronze in this collection, all sheer for a sun-kissed look. Fabric pouch included.

Burberry Beauty Kabuki Brush : ($52) At first glance I knew this brush would be amazing. Although I haven’t tried it out myself, this is one of the most talked about items in the Burberry collection. Perfect for the bronzer, blush or powders, this is also a very compact brush that would make for easy travel.

Burberry Sheer Luminous Pressed Powder : ($45) This sheer pressed powder is formulated to provide a shine-free complexion with ingredients like Wild Rose and a micro-fine texture. Includes fabric pouch.

Related Posts

One word for this look on Natalie Portman.. FIERCE!!!

Natalie will play a troubled and talented ballerina in an upcoming flick called “The Black Swan”. I love it so much! It brings me back to the days of Star Wars and how inspired I was by the makeup for Queen Amidala.

If anyone has more information about this makeup (what studio, artist and brand this is) let me know in a comment below!

Related Posts

You heard it correctly, my dear readers… I am holding a contest! My first ever contest.

VERY EXCITED to announce my Cover Girl contest with a special prize provided by Cover Girl.

Here is a picture of the smokey eye kits, the secret PRIZE and the box and the director’s chair they sent to me:


I am only giving away very small details about this giveaway today because I have to prepare photos and a couple videos of THREE smokey eye looks using Cover Girl’s newest products. Once I post the photos / video, etc. I will also post instructions on how YOU can win the grand prize and appear on this blog (KristaDior.com) as a guest poster — just think, thousands of people will see YOU on this blog!

Like I said.. I am giving away very little details today. PLEASE do “Like” this blog by clicking the Facebook widget on the upper right side of this website so you can stay updated on the latest news concerning the contest!!! Or click here: KristaDior.com on Facebook

Related Posts

• Cover Girl Lash Blast Length Mascara! New! Mon 17 Aug 2009
• Blasting Lashes into Space - Cover Girl Lashblast Luxe Mascara Sat 11 Apr 2009
• CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain Review Fri 20 Mar 2009