Periodic Beauty Reviews

Straightener VS Straightener

2010-04-17T07:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry for our absence here at Periodic Beauty Reviews, I think all three of us reached our saturation point with beauty products after this long! You should see Jeanne's epic collection of makeup and nail polishes, it is truly impressive.

I have to say, the most exciting product I've received upon request for review samples has been the H2pro Turbo Trigger Flat Iron, provided kindly by Janice McCafferty PR. You've seen my travels and travails with curly to straight hair, it's been a long process and I have been through a lot of different straighteners. I struggled with my hair, feeling like it was unprofessional when it was frizzy or curly and looked unkempt. Years (and a couple of hairstylists) later, I've somewhat come to terms with it being wavy or curly, and learned how to style it so people at work don't ask what's wrong with me because my hair is crazy. Part of this process did involve learning which tools to use and how to use them effectively, which most women know is excruciating and filled with heartbreak. Allow me to illustrate.

First, there was the Tescom Ione Hot Air Brush that I bought in Japan in 2004, maybe 2005--it's lasted me five years and while I don't know what that science is that they put inside what is essentially a differently-shaped hair dryer with a brush attached, it's made my life a lot easier. It does not, however, get my hair straight, or allow me to restyle or correct dry hair. It gives me lovely manageable waves, but it is obviously geared towards ladies with long hair who want to give themselves an easy, straight blow-dry. Having short hair in a bob as I do, it's fast and easy to use. Even my mother, whose hair is shorter, steals it from me to use. Having a round brush and blow dryer in one tool is super convenient, everybody, especially when all most hairstylists will do to my hair is insist that I MUST dry it straight with a round brush every single morning (yeah, right!).

Then, I invested in my very first flat iron. The drugstore staple millions of teenage girls know and love, the Remington Wet2Straight. I thought it was a huge splurge. My friend A., who always had lovely straight long hair with bangs, recommended I invest in a ceramic tourmaline flat iron because it was the best thing that had ever happened to her besides her husband, but I just couldn't justify the expense. I spent years trying to straighten my hair with the Wet2Straight's hand-burning metal plates that caught and pulled hairs right out of my head. Little did I know, actually flat-ironing wet hair is incredibly damaging for your hair shafts! What! Millions of teenage girls, beware!

Now, since I've used the H2pro straightener in the last few months, I've definitely noticed a difference in the smoothness, health, and ease of my hair compared to the Remington model. The ceramic plates tuck in up under the barrel of the iron, so there are no seams or catches where you'll end up pulling out and frying your own hairs (ouch). The plates are thin enough to make soft curls if you arc the straightener as you straighten, so all those ends will curl under nicely, unlike the Remington, which just gives you locks of hair that have been pressed as if under an actual hot metal iron. I've been using the H2pro on dry hair to avoid damage, as instructed by my stylist at Legar Salon here, who uses a similar ceramic tourmaline model.

I had my hair cut a few weeks ago and while we were discussing the various benefits of different hair straighteners and relaxing treatments, my stylist said, "I know it's raining out and you wanted to go for big, retro curls, but why don't we give you a super-straightened style today and see how long it is?" I went for it, and in a flash, I had STICK-STRAIGHT hair, which I can never achieve at home on my own! I looked like Mariska Hargitay walking out of there, which was pretty much the greatest thing ever. Using the H2pro, my hair hasn't been frizzy or frazzled, I haven't burned myself once on the plates (the things we do for beauty!) The only drawbacks I've found for the H2pro straightener are that the iron has no hinge locking mechanism, so it always sits open, making me worry some small child could reach up and grab a hot iron and burn themselves, and the temperature dial is confusing. Certainly the Remington Wet2Straight makes that easier for you, with a locking hinge and color-coded settings for heat.

The H2pro is making me learn more about my own hair, like what temperatures work best and how to actually straighten the back without looking like a mess. Even though I'm not a straighten-every-day gal, it's nice to have the option and it's even nicer when getting curly to go straight is easy with a tool like the H2pro straightener!

It Girl Details: Bond no 9 Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue and Revlon Fantasy Lengths

2009-11-01T16:10:00.000-08:00

As promised, here's the breakdown of my Edie Sedgwick look!

I used my standard base for my face -- Perfekt Skin Perfection Gel as a primer, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer as foundation, Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster pen under the eyes, and Cargo blu_ray Pressed Powder to finish.

I did my eyebrows while I let my eyeshadow primer (Too Faced Shadow Insurance) set, using the Maybelline Expert Brow Pencil in Dark Brown. Normally if I do my brows, I'd use my DuWop brow wax and powder duo, but since Edie was known for her heavy brows, I went to town with the pencil. It seems a little red to me, as I didn't want to go for a nearly-black eyebrow pencil, but it did its job.

For the eyes, after my primer set, I used the white side of the MAC Persona Screen Vinyl Mineralize Eyeshadow (from 2006's A Muse collection) all over the lid and up to the browbone. I then used MAC Eyeshadow in Suspicion (black with a little gold, from Nocturnelle in 2006) over the lid and really packed it on as much as it could go. I lined the upper and bottom lids with MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack, being sure to get really thick lines on the top, as well as Stila Kajal pencil liner in Pearl (white) at the inner corner. I used Too Faced Lash Injection mascara, and then I added false lashes on top.

I received several pairs of Revlon Fantasy Lengths eyelashes to try out, and the pair I used for Edie are the Intensifying with the self-adhesive strips. I've worn false eyelashes before for stage and other costumes, so I'm very familiar and comfortable with wearing false eyelashes. I know the tricks and tips (trim them from the inner corner, use a toothpick to apply eyelash glue), but I haven't worn them in a long time due to wearing glasses all of the time, and worrying that the eyelashes are going to thwack against my lenses. Since I knew I'd be wearing contacts, and you can't be Edie without false eyelashes (you just can't), I was glad I had lashes ready to go.

The Revlon Fantasy Lengths are particularly interesting because of the self-adhesive strip, which you actually remove after wearing -- the lashes themselves are a standard strip, so once you're done with the two sets of self-adhesive strip included in the box, you can use them with regular eyelash glue. They stayed extremely well and stayed on through the night, which was actually a little bit of a problem at first when I initially applied them and needed to adjust them (as you do). I even had a mighty sneeze at the end of the evening, and worried I might have sneezed my lashes off (a reasonable fear!), but they stayed right on.

At the end of the night, when I pulled them off, I noticed some of the pigment from my eyeliner and eyeshadow was stuck to the adhesive strip (as in, the top of the adhesive strip was shimmery white, and there was a little bare line on my eyelid once I removed the lash strip), so that would be something to watch out for. Also, because of the thick black self-adhesive, I'd be a little apprehensive that they'd be more apparent if you were wearing a non-black eyeliner; since I was wearing thick black eyeliner and shadow, they blended right in, but if I wanted to wear, say, blue or green liner, I think the adhesive line would be much more apparent than if I used standard dries-to-clear lash glue.

I finished off with the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in nude on my cheekbones, used the Blacktrack Fluidline again for Edie's beauty mark, and lined my lips with MAC lipliner pencil in Subculture before applying MAC Charm Factor lipstick (once again from the 2006 A Muse Collection, and one of my 2007 Favorite Things).

But that wasn't all -- I wanted to wear perfume for Edie, too. While I initially thought I'd wear Guerlain Shalimar, which is a classic, I realized I had samples of two of the Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol perfumes: Silver Factory, which I had a sample of from my favorite perfume boutique, and Lexington Avenue, which I received as a press sample. While technically, yes, Edie was part of the Silver Factory days, I felt that Lexington Avenue was a better fit to wear with my (fake) fur and my lashes, as it was much more warm, feminine, and delicious.

The notes for Lexington Avenue are peony, orris, patchouli, sandalwood, cardamom, fennel, almonds, cumin, and crème brulee, which makes it a floral and woody gourmand perfume. It's powdery and vanilla-y, and if you think about the inspiration, which are Warhol's illustrations of ladies' shoes, you can definitely smell a whiff of new leather in tissue paper. It's the type of perfume to wear with a nice coat and cool weather, and it was a perfect fit for wearing with my fake fur collared coat and shoulder-duster earrings.

From top to toe, it was an extremely successful costume, and it was the details, from the drawn-in brows to the beauty mark to the false lashes and the wink to the Andy Warhol perfume that really made it come together for me this Halloween.

images from periodicstyle.blogspot.com and bondno9.com

HerCut Hair Care

2009-08-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

I have something of a rule about specifically requesting products for review here on Periodic Beauty. You will notice that my presence here is limited compared to the number of posts we have on Periodic Style. Here's the thing--my name is Karen, and I am a product serial dater. I have never bought a replacement of any shampoos or conditioners, simply because I was ready to move on and see what else was out there. (Two exceptions: Boots moisturizing face wash and Nivea Soft lotion in the tub. I have to have them.) The only lasting commitment to a hair product I have right now is the Shiseido Tsubaki conditioning treatment. So, when choosing products for scrutiny, I am conflicted between being adventurous, getting stuff that I wouldn't normally buy, and being safe/familiar.

A lot of the PR pitches we get for this blog just make us roll our eyes, but the HerCut e-mail was intriguing. A new product based on caring for your precious haircut rather than your haphazard guessing as to your hair's current condition, texture, or color-treated status? What?

My usual shampoo/conditioner purchases are either scent-based (mandarin olive oil? yum!) or involve deep conditioning, because for a long while I thought my hair frizzies could be cured by a bout of lubing up every morning. Those did not work. I would try various Japanese shampoos while in Japan, thinking that because my grandmother is Japanese, I must be closer to the "coarse" texture of Asian hair. Apparently, according to my new hairstylist, I do not have coarse hair, I have normal-to-thin hair shafts but a high density of follicles per square inch of scalp area. Thus, my haircuts always involve a hefty amount of thinning out the bulky mass.

My most recent cut was, per my specific request, "something between a bob and a pixie, close at the neck but not too short because I don't want to have to shave the back of my neck--gross--with straight-across bangs above my eyebrows." It turned out well! I am still considering going pixie-short a la Jeanne (and much of my high school years) to encourage me to exercise more sans the desperate hunt for a hairband.

So, here enters my test of the HerCut products for the "bob" haircut. I requested the normal-dry shampoo, the medium moisturizing conditioner, and the bob catalyst from their spectrum of customized products.

The Shampoo: Yellowish in color, faint scent of honeydew melon--like when Starbucks used to put melon extract in their matcha latte. A dime-sized or half-teaspoon-ful pour turned into lovely lather. Easy to rinse out, hair felt clean in a jiffy and smooth as silk. I used it after swimming in my gym's heavily chlorinated pool and my hair was bouncy, shiny, and kept a quickly-styled shape for the rest of the night.

The Conditioner: Also smells of honeydew melon, maybe with a hint of citrus? Thin and more like a liquidy lotion than the thick, viscous shampoos I'm used to using. Also took about ten seconds to rinse out thoroughly, compared to the good minute+ I probably spend getting goopy conditioners completely out of my hair. After a little blow-drying and smoothing with my hands, I had little frizz. This morning, I used both the shampoo and conditioner again and towel-dried. There is no feeling of scum left in my hair or that greasiness you get from not-quite-up-to-it shampoos and conditioners.

The Catalyst: This post-towel-dry product, with the two sides of what appears to be a gel and a creme together, reminds me of those funny foundations that supposedly mix magically to approximate your skin tone. I have to blend it myself, in my hands? Seriously? It blends well, but I found it to leave my hair a little crunchy and stringy compared to curl-enhancing mousses or smoothing creams that fill my bathroom sink area. My hair held the bob shape without a lot of flyaways, but as I said before, I have a lot of hair and an aversion to using a lot of product to tame it--I want to avoid the stringy, greasy look a lot of curl products give you.

Having curly hair since puberty, it's been tough battling the inevitable frizz and triangle-head. When the Japanese chemical straightening didn't last beyond three months, I gave up on trying to straighten my curly hair. It has been a battle of wills for over ten years trying to tame the curl--straightening shampoos, curl-preserving shampoos, big-volume conditioner. When I stepped out of the shower and started to towel-dry, I noticed my hair felt pleasantly light and thin, like it does when I leave a salon with a great haircut. My scalp feels refreshed, my hair feels clean, light, without sacrificing any of my admittedly nice wavy/curl volume this morning.

Now, for just a bit of styling, a lick of makeup, and I have to run off to work! Let us know if you try it out with all of your fabulous haircuts, dear readers, and share! HerCut launches this month, three months after the initial launch date of June 1, and already has reviews from BellaSugar and Beauty Junkies Unite. Unfortunately, their website has yet to implement an online shopping option, but keep your eyes peeled!

Mascara to the Max!

2009-05-14T13:01:00.000-07:00

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Max Factor.

Recently I was given the opportunity from BlogHer to try out the new Max Factor2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper mascara and Vivid Impact Lip Color lipstick. Since mascara and lip products are my absolute weakness, I said yes, of course!

First, let's chat mascara. I already have long dark lashes, which is great, but mascara always adds an extra oomph when I'm going out, especially since I wear glasses. The 2000 Calorie Extreme Lash Plumper mascara definitely made my lashes look longer, thicker, and darker, plus added some lift and curl.

But you don't have to take my word for it: I took pictures!

One of my eyes has Lash Plumper mascara on, the other doesn't. Can you guess which is which? (Seriously, this is so easy.)

This is just straight-up mascara on one eye alone, folks -- I didn't bust out the eyelash curler or anything (not even, um, concealer). The other eye is completely bare -- no mascara, no curling, nothing. Just naked eyelashes.

Want to see it again?

Check the bottom lashes -- that's the real story. Boom! Look at those plumped-up lashes on the left!

Do I like the formula? Yes, I do -- it's very long-lasting, even through working out or a long day at the office. Do I like the way it shows on my lashes? Definitely (just take another look at those pictures!). Do I like that the bottom of the bottle is flat so I can stand it up on my bathroom counter? I do (very handy!)!

My only major issue is that the brush is so huge! It's about the size of the tip of my pinky finger (which, granted, is small). I know that the brush is what gives it a lot of the great eye-popping oomph, but I am chronically clumsy and have been known to stick a mascara brush in my eye on more than one occasion. So I have to be very careful to not have a sudden hand twitch and get a giant rubber brush right in the eye. It's just something I have to watch for in particular, and it wouldn't stop me from buying it.

Now, let's talk lipstick! While the color I got to try out, "Pin-Up Pink", is great for the hot spring trend of bubblegum lips (think Drew Barrymore at the Grey Gardens premiere), it's unfortunately not the trend for me. That said, the lipstick itself is great quality stuff. It's super-moisturizing, lasts really well even when drinking from a cup, and you know what else caught my attention? It's unscented. I think this is really interesting and a nice classy touch -- sometimes I don't want to have my lips taste or smell like cupcakes or chocolate-mint or strawberry. It just makes it feel more grown-up and sophisticated to not get a huge whiff of fragrance when I open up a lipstick.

I also think it would work really well if applied lightly like a lipstain -- the dark "Hipster" would be awesome for fall, and you can always take a red lip like "Miss Right" or "Miss Right Now" and apply it very lightly with a lip brush or your fingers to soften the color up for daytime.

I am definitely curious to check out "Miss Right Now", which looks like a great blue-red (seriously, I am so weak for a blue-red, it's not even funny). I really do like the formula a lot, so I would easily go out and pick up another color of Vivid Impact.

Thank you to BlogHer and Max Factor for the chance to try out these products and indulge my weakness for mascara and lipstick -- seriously, does a girl need anything more?

Turns out: she does! And so with BlogHer and Max Factor, I'm giving away a gift pack!

Want to win it? Just leave a comment with your top beauty essential (as I said, mine are mascara and lipstick!) to this post!

Just a few rules:

• The contest is open from 10 am Pacific 5/15/09 until 4 pm Pacific 6/16/09.
• No duplicate comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by linking on Twitter and leaving a link to your Tweet in the comments.
• You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link to your blog post in the comments.
• This giveaway is open to US residents aged 18 and over.
• Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail (so make sure your email address is correct/attached to your profile!).
• The winner must respond to the email within 48 hours; otherwise, a new winner will be selected.
• Please see the official rules here: Official Rules

There are also sixteen more chances to win! Six other bloggers are giving away prize packs, and BlogHer.com is giving away ten! Click, read, enter, win!

Good luck!!

Product Chatter: 4/24/09

2009-04-24T15:45:00.000-07:00

Karen: Omg dude, this Jez thread on favorite discontinued brands/stuff is a-ma-zing.
Jeanne: I KNOW I AM READING IT RIGHT NOW
Karen: I AM LOVING IT
I also want to take a little trip down to the beauty supply and see if I can't find the Touche Eclat equivalent product someone was singing the praises of the other day
Jeanne: It was Sally Hansen, no?
Yay, I have a Sephora box to pick up today!
That has my Dior SkinFlash and the Philosophy shower gel in it.
And my Happy Birthday present.
Karen: Yes.
Jeanne: Hell yeah Sephora Beauty Insider.
Karen: Courtney recommends Laura Mercier tinted foundation, btw.
She was like, "CHECK IT OUT I TRIED HARD AND PUT MAKEUP ON TODAY--TINTED MOISTURIZER AND BLUSH, WHATUUUP BISHES"
Jeanne: Yeah, I like the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer.
The Estee Lauder stuff is pretty good too.
I think I'm going to try out the Shiseido tinted moisturizer with SPF next, though, once I run out of what I have.
http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P204004&categoryId=B70
SPF 20 and non-comedogenic, hollah
And their primer has SPF 15, too.
Karen: Nice!
Jeanne: http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P173687&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=5337
Karen: I think you know, I've been blending my Neutrogena SPF30 tinted moisurizer with about a tsp of regular ol' lotion, it works SO WELL.
Because the Neutrogena stuff doesn't blend/absorb/cover very well. My complexion looks awesome today, I switched lotions from a little sample-size bottle of Neutrogena sesame lotion to a thing of Bath & Body Works lotus petal/whatever lotion I found.
Jeanne: Just straight up body lotion, or a face lotion?
Karen: And I think I'll continue to do the lotion-blend once I'm all out of the Neutrogena, since the Estee Lauder sample you gave me is just a smidge too dark/yellow, but gives good coverage when blended.
Just straight up lotion.
Jeanne: So stuff you would put on your legs?
Karen: With the same amount of tinted moisturizer as you would normally try to slather on le face.
I think it's more like hand lotion, it's just something I found around the house.
Obviously I tested it on my face first to make sure it wouldn't be like AUGH STINGING BURNING IN THE EYES HORRORRRRR
Jeanne: Yeah, for sure.
I would probably still use a face-y lotion, but that's me.
Karen: I am always skeptical about face VS body lotions, I think it's just a marketing difference.
Jeanne: If just because some body lotions could be like "pores? pores! let's get in 'em."
Karen: Yeah.
True, I think that's what the problem with the Neutrogena sesame stuff was.
Jeanne: Or fragrance-y body lotions, I would not want on my face.
Karen: It just felt...oily.
That rose cold cream from Bigelow Chemists is okay.
Jeanne: I swear to god the NARS/Origins combo has saved my face.
Karen: I think I just don't really know how to use it properly? I put it on before washing my face and let it sit like a mask, then wash per usual. That combination alone DRIES MY FACE OUT LIKE HELL.
Jeanne: I don't know which of the two is doing it, but yeah.
Don't you usually use cold cream as a night cream?
So after you wash?
Karen: It's so OILY, though.
I'm an idiot though, I've only ever seen cold cream used in movies, so I imagine that I am sitting in my dressing room with a mirror surrounded in lightbulbs, putting cold cream on my face.
Jeanne: OH
Did you see the BeautyHacks post on Marilyn Monroe's beauty products?
And the specific routine you have to do?
http://www.blogher.com/we-try-out-marilyn-monroes-favorite-beauty-products-do-they-still-work?wrap=beautyhacks/beautyhacks/skin
Karen: whoooaaa
http://www.ernolaszlo.com/i57/information.html
Jeanne: I know, it looks amazing, right?
Karen: The prices are OUTRAGEOUS, but I want to try it~
Jeannee: <-- going to fill out the survey!
Karen: !
<-- signing up for the newsletter in case there's a fire sale
Jeanne: Is my skin concern acne and breakouts, or dullness and discoloration?
Karen: Acne and breakouts, or so it seems to me.
Jeanne: because really, it's clogged pores, which is different than acne.
Yeah.
http://www.ernolaszlo.com/shop-by-skin-type-slightly-oily/c1_9/index.html
Karen: I am Slightly Dry!
Jeanne: TRAVEL SIZES
http://www.ernolaszlo.com/more-ways-to-shop-travel-sizes/c4_60/index.html
Karen: STILL SO EXPENSIVE
$39 FOR A TRAVEL-SIZE FACEWASH
Jeanne: I don't want to fill my sink with hot water.
It's a slow drain.
So unless I wash my face in the bathtub, yeah.
Karen: Yeah.
If it's as amazing and life-changing as it sounds, I would only use it in the morning--regular ol' face wash and toner at night is good enough for me.
Jeanne: Well, nighttime is really when you need to be good to your face because you're getting all of the crud of the day off.
Morning, you don't really need to wash it as heavily.
Karen: But I want it to look Marilyn-good for work.
If I'm going to go through all those steps with special, expensive products, I want somebody to SEE IT
and APPRECIATE IT
Jeanne: True.
Basically, I think I'm going to get the Origins night cream eventually/soon, as soon as I use up my sample, which should last me another couple of weeks.
Karen: Man, if it's worth the investment, go for it.
Jeanne: http://www.origins.com/templates/products/sp_nonshaded.tmpl?ngextredir=1&CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY21424&PRODUCT_ID=PROD14506
Karen: ooo.
Jeanne: It's amazing.
Although like I said, I honestly don't know if it's the NARS or the Origins, but whatever it is, the combo's working.

My 25 Beauty Confessions!

2009-04-16T21:43:00.000-07:00

Jeanne has pressed upon me that I should fill out this Sephora top-25 list, as anti-beauty as I am...being a young, working woman, I really can't avoid the beauty industry! The other day, my boss took a long look at me and said, "You look different today. Are you okay?" It took me a moment, but I realized that due to a rushed morning I hadn't had time to put on mascara. Voila, a noticeable difference!

1. What is the 1 product you'd grab if your house was on fire?
Facial wash! (I'm using Boots' Botanicals moisturizing face wash and I like it. Did you know actress Keeley Hawes is the face of Boots No. 7 in the UK? LOVE HER.)

2. Which friend would you let make you over?
Jeanne! Homegirl knows my likes and dislikes, and she is always super-stylish. Or, fictional friend, Joan Holloway of Mad Men--she would probably tell me to hike up my ta-tas and wear tighter sweaters.

3. What celeb do people think you look like?
I want to say Winona Ryder, but really? I would absolutely DIE OF SUPERFICIAL JOY if I grew my hair long to look like Anna Friel.

4. What beauty product do you save for date night?
Benefit BadGal lash mascara. It's a bit va-va-voom for the everyday work face, particularly because I tend to smear mascara on my glasses lenses and BadGal is close to impossible to get off.

5. Which of your guy friends takes longer than you, to get ready?
Like Jeanne, anyone who takes more than 20-30 minutes. I take ten minutes to shower, towel-dry my hair, style it, throw on some clothes, and bing bang boom! We have our routines down pat.

6. If you could create your own miracle beauty product, what would it be?
A fine, non-flyaway powder that provides SPF and good, even coverage to smooth out my red areas and make my face look less freckly. A friend once told me there is laser surgery to remove freckles in South Korea, in order to achieve "porcelain face." Just give me a powder and a big ol' brush, please!

7. How many different Sephora stores have you been to (and in which cities)?
Stanford Shopping Center, San Francisco (Powell)--with Jeanne, San Francisco International Airport departures terminal, and probably New York City...somewhere? Yikes.

8. What's your best beauty tip?
Definitely sunscreen, and don't skimp on the SPF number--stick to 30 or more, most formulations I've used around 30 still protect your skin and don't feel like zinc oxide library paste.

9. What beauty products do you love to splurge on?
Hair conditioners and/or deep conditioning hair masks, because I have a misguided notion that conditioning my hair will make it straighter and less frizzy. I bought a tub of amazing honey deep conditioning goop in Japan that lasted me a good year and a half, so it's pretty much always a good investment.

10. Which of your girlfriends would you bring on a Sephora shopping spree?
Kati, Jeanne, Miss C., and probably my mom. She buys crazy, impulse things at Sephora that I then get to use because they don't work on her. Win!

11. What is your signature scent?
A mixture of my Chai-scented deodorant and Satu Vanille from Anthropologie, which I picked up on sale and on a whim. I think the scents blend well with one another. Otherwise, I am still looking for the perfect citrus perfume for summer, but I don't want it to clash with my deodorant--very important.

12. I am on an endless quest for the perfect _________.
Oops! See #11. Citrus/lemon/orange-scents. And tinted moisturizer that doesn't feel like I'm smearing dried-up paint on my face.

13. How old were you when you were allowed to wear makeup AND how old were you when you actually started wearing makeup?
Oh boy, was I a late bloomer. I made a brief foray into trying to buy makeup at the local CVS in my college town, but never made much an effort beyond face wash and lotion until senior year of college. I had a NARS makeover at our local Sephora while home on break and the makeup artist was so refreshingly frank and really listened to my needs, it turned me right around. I started experimenting and finding what worked well on my when I lived on my own two years ago. Living in Japan for a while was a makeup disaster, I was sweaty and oily all day long, although makeup shopping in Tokyo is endlessly entertaining. Whitening lotion!! Ladies, really.

14. How many beauty products does it take to get you ready?
Let's see. 1: Face wash, 2: lotion, 3: Neutrogena tinted moisturizer blended with previously mentioned lotion, 4: eyeliner in bronze, brown, or black, 5: mascara, 6: pressed powder. Occasionally, I'll use blush. In the car, I put on lipgloss and/or lipstick and that's it. I sure don't look camera-ready by any means!!

15. What lipstick/lip gloss is in your purse right now?
Blistex Deep Renewal with SPF15 and CoQ10 formula (it smells like marshmallows!), Maybelline shiny-licious gloss 87 in pink sorbet, Kiss My Face lip balm in vanilla honey, and Sonia Kashuk lipstick in sheer calypso, from Target.

16. Who is your celebrity beauty icon?
Obviously, love Keeley Hawes and Anna Friel, they are badass ladies. I love Thora Birch's look as Enid in Ghost World, that movie is basically my life, after all.

17. Where is the craziest place you've ever applied your makeup?
The bathroom on the 30th floor of the United Nations Headquarters? It didn't seem particularly momentous or crazy at the time, mostly just lazy and sloppy.

18. Who of your tagged friends is ALWAYS camera ready?
Does my mother count? The lady certainly didn't pass on the photogeneity genes to me!

19. Name the beauty brand you'd most love to be a spokesperson for?
Anna Sui, that packaging is so elegant and Gothic I want to EAT IT.

20. If you could name your signature nail polish, what would you call it?
Purple Primal Scream.

21. Out of your tagged friends, who's the most Sephora-obsessed?
Uh doyyy, as Liz Lemon would say, Jeanne.

22. Fave mascara right now?
I wear Maybelline Colossal Volume Express every day for work, it's...fine. Neither colossal nor really volume-adding, but as long as it makes me look more awake than I actually am, I'm not complaining!

23. The last thing you bought at Sephora?
I probably got a bunch of sample-size things. This reminds me, I need to go pick up an eyeliner pencil sharpener and a new brush...and maybe add to my not-quite-right pressed powder collection.

24. I try never to be seen without wearing _______.
Sunglasses. And lip balm.

25. One beauty product you recommend to ALL of your girlfriends?
DHC foaming cream facial cleanser! So, so great.

Copy and paste this to pass it on with your own answers, we love seeing everyone's personal takes on beauty and makeup!

Sephora's 25 Beauty Confessions!

2009-04-16T07:39:00.000-07:00

If you didn't get caught up in the "25 Things You Might Not Know" thing that went around Facebook, then you... probably don't spend a lot of time on Facebook.

Anyway, Sephora posted up a list of 25 beauty questions/confessions, and so I'm answering them here...

1. What is the 1 product you'd grab if your house was on fire?
Sunscreen!

2. Which friend would you let make you over?
I would have to say J, the younger sister of my good friend, S.

3. What celeb do people think you look like?
I've been told Leelee Sobieski, Helena Bonham Carter, and Ingrid Bergman.

4. What beauty product do you save for date night?
I don't think I have any special products just for date night -- I definitely put in more effort when I go out for any reason, not just dates. But I would say foundation/tinted moisturizer, since I don't wear it to work unless I'm planning on going out (or getting my picture taken).

5. Which of your guy friends takes longer than you, to get ready?
Anyone who takes longer than half an hour -- and that includes shower time.

6. If you could create your own miracle beauty product, what would it be?
A tinted moisturizer with good but not too heavy coverage that heals zits as it covers them, doesn't clog pores (in fact, it would be awesome if it could unclog pores, since it's a miracle product) or get oily, and has SPF but doesn't smell like sunscreen.

7. How many different Sephora stores have you been to (and in which cities)?
Stanford, San Francisco (Powell), Seattle, Times Square, Champs Elysees, and Rue de Rivoli (I think -- I went to another, non-Champs Elysees, Sephora in Paris as well). I'm sure I've been to others, but those are the ones I can think of off of the top of my head.

8. What's your best beauty tip?
SUNSCREEN.

9. What beauty products do you love to splurge on?
I would say skincare masks and treatments. (Although I don't really *love* to splurge on them.)

10. Which of your girlfriends would you bring on a Sephora shopping spree?
Kati and Karen, naturally.

11. What is your signature scent?
I don't have one! I wrote about this for BeautyHacks back in October and I still don't have one. I would say the closest I have is L'Artisan Parfumeur's Mure et Musc Extreme, but even then I want something else for spring. I'm thinking Yuzu Rouge...? Or I could go back to Fresh Sugar, maybe.

12. I am on an endless quest for the perfect _________.
Tinted moisturizer with SPF -- see #6.

13. How old were you when you were allowed to wear makeup AND how old were you when you actually started wearing makeup?
I never really wore make-up to school or class (and I still don't wear much to work); my mom brought me in to the Dior counter when I was maybe fifteen or sixteen, then MAC when I was seventeen or eighteen (before I went off to college).

14. How many beauty products does it take to get you ready?
Ready for work or ready for a night out? For work, it now takes six (sometimes seven or eight), not including toothpaste. (That's face wash, moisturizing lotion, eye cream, sunscreen, Dior SkinFlash concealer/brightener, Benetint, sometimes powder, sometimes bronzer).

15. What lipstick/lip gloss is in your purse right now?
I have three lip balms (Dr. Pepper LipSmackers, Yes to Carrots balm in Carrot, Chocolate Mint Ganache) and Lipstick Queen lipstick in Saint Natural.

16. Who is your celebrity beauty icon?
Jean Seberg and Blair Waldorf.

17. Where is the craziest place you've ever applied your makeup?
I tend to apply it on the commuter train a lot, which is fun when you're doing mascara or eyeliner.

18. Who of your tagged friends is ALWAYS camera ready?
I'm not tagging anyone, and I almost never have my camera with me, so I'm not really sure! But my ladies always look great.

19. Name the beauty brand you'd most love to be a spokesperson for?
Fresh, since Alina Roytberg is awesome.

20. If you could name your signature nail polish, what would you call it?
It wouldn't be "Jeanne in a Bottle", that's for dang sure. Maybe "Jeanne Bikini".

21. Out of your tagged friends, who's the most Sephora-obsessed?
Again, not tagging anyone, but it would probably be me.

22. Fave mascara right now?
Blinc Kiss Me, since it makes my lashes SO LONG and doesn't smear at all.

23. The last thing you bought at Sephora?
Erm, officially I bought something online today... and that's the new Philosophy Unconditional Love 3-in-1 (I knoooow) and a replacement Dior SkinFlash concealer/highlighter pen, because I'm paranoid about my current one running out and I NEED IT.

24. I try never to be seen without wearing _______.
Clothes. Oh, wait. Cheek stain.

25. One beauty product you recommend to ALL of your girlfriends?
Urban Decay Primer Potion, hands down.

Go ahead and grab this and post it yourself in your own blog or in the comments -- I'd love to see everyone else's answers!

Getting All Doll'd Up!

2009-02-09T12:42:00.000-08:00

This is a compensated post from BlogHer and Mattel.

Jeanne:

Let's face it: Barbie has it pretty good. In fact, she has it better than good! She's a legend, an icon, and forever eighteen.

And this year, Barbie's having her 50th anniversary! She's the muse to fifty designers this New York Fashion Week, as they send looks inspired by her down the runway on Valentine's Day. She's getting her own Dream House in Malibu, decorated by Jonathan Adler! And that's just the start of the year...

And, of course, she's collaborating with Stila Cosmetics to showcase several of her signature looks throughout the years. Kati and Karen both know that I've been wavering back and forth, adding and removing and adding and wondering and doubting and wanting, in regards to the 1959 #1 Ponytail Doll kit, which features a three-pan palette (two eyeshadows in blue and black and a coral blush), a red lipstick named "Ponytail" (perfect!), and, of course, black liquid liner. Hard to resist, right?

But I knew I had what it took to recreate the look on my own, and so, whether you jump for the 1959 #1 Ponytail Doll kit yourself or have some of these pieces in your own collection, here are some handy tips for getting the classic Barbie look.

- Barbie has incredible skin for a permanent teenager! Start with a foundation primer before you apply your foundations of choice; it'll help you get an even complexion.
- I never realized how amazing Barbie's brows are. When I do my brows, I do a wax-and-powder duo to tame my brows without making them look too-too heavy or severe.
- Use an eyelid primer before applying your make-up; this will make it last all day and all night without creasing. I put mine on and let it settle in while I do my brows.
- Start with a sheer or neutral wash from under the brow to the eyelid. I used "Magic Dust" eyeshadow from Barbie's 2007 collaboration with MAC. (What? I had to!)
- Now load up your brush with your blue shadow and pat it onto your eyelid. It's okay to start sheer at first, then build it on up.
- Using a liquid or gel eyeliner (I used a gel eyeliner and an angled eyeliner brush), line your top lid; feel free to go a little thick here. I learned the hard way, though, that it takes a little bit for gel eyeliner to dry. (Oops.)
- Use an angled eyeliner brush and pick up some black eyeshadow. Go over the top line with black shadow to soften the line and make it a little more smokey and less stark. Use the eyeliner brush and shadow to line your bottom lid as well.
- Now it's time for mascara! Go for it! And if you feel like putting on false eyelashes, I don't see why not!
- The Lips. Yes, they're capitalized. Use a lip liner (yes! a lip liner! You know Barbie uses one too!) to line your lips before applying your lipstick with a lip brush. The lip brush gives you a lot more control and definition, which is important when you're doing such a strong red lip.
- Finish up with just a hint of blush and a rocking pair of giant gold hoops.

Honestly, it seems like a lot of work and a lot of time, but I did my whole face in under twenty minutes from primer to photos.

Which means... I have photos. You bet I do, and here I am!

What do you think? I'm pretty excited, actually! I think I actually will use the blue and black smokey eye more -- it's so hot for spring, and don't you know that Barbie knows it! Which classic Barbie look is inspiring you this spring?

Karen:

I was always fascinated by the de rigueur fashion model aspect of Barbie's persona. Just like the Clara Bow, the Marilyn Monroe, the Jackie Kennedy, the Twiggy, and the Kate Moss personas have become icons of beauty in their time(s), Barbie represents a certain kind of idealized female beauty. Certainly, Barbie dolls are made for girls to play with, but do you remember the best part about Barbie? The girl could change outfits like no other! I spent hours wishing I had just the right shoes, or top, to make Barbie's outfit perfect (I never did get it right).

Par example, we have the classic 1960 "Fashion Designer" Barbie. The occupational Barbies were always my favorite -- just as fashionable as the regularly marketed Barbies, but they came with a PURPOSE. I was a career-oriented child (who dressed up as "A Businesswoman" for Halloween, pinstripe suit, briefcase and all), I wanted to see that an older girl at age 18 had ambitions. Fashion Designer Barbie is fabulously power-suited. Really, it's what I'd love to see Peggy Olson wear on Mad Men next season, as she grabs Sterling Cooper in her hot little hand and runs the place with her little pinky finger, new hair and all.

If you can't see yourself pulling off the vintage candy-stripe bow blouse and matching pencil skirt suit set in hot pink, I've created a sleek, modern version for your styling pleasure.

inspired by 1960 "Fashion Designer" Barbie - by periodicstyle on Polyvore.com
Modern Career Barbie's ensemble is still a little sassy, a little girly, creative, practical AND professional. Who didn't want Barbie's wardrobe when they were a girl? The raspberry Aquascutum trench is classic -- the same brand worn by military officers in the UK during the first two World Wars, so there's an unexpected tinge of history to it. A pencil skirt with a comfortably loose sweater simulates that 1960s suit shape in an updated, understated pinstripe. I just couldn't resist the open-toe rosette pumps, and neither could 1960 Barbie!

Fifty years and still going strong, that's our girl! You can read Barbie's All Doll'd Up blog at www.barbie.com/alldolldup, friend Barbie on Facebook at facebook.com/barbie, or follow her on Twitter at @barbiestyle.

We're not the only ones being inspired by Barbie -- check out what everyone else has to say about Barbie's celebrations!

images from barbiemedia.com, periodicstyle.blogspot.com, and polyvore.com

Product Chatter: 12/23/08

2008-12-23T15:38:00.000-08:00

Jeanne: Did you see that MAC released their Dame Edna collection online today?
http://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/collections/collection.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY28291
Karen: aaaahahaha I would totally wear Dame Edna.
Jeanne: The looks are actually very cool
http://www.maccosmetics.com/templates/looks/look_category.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY28293
Karen: Varicose violet nail lacquer!!
Jeanne: It hits counter on the 26th, I think.
Karen: Hot Frost looks like David Bowie.
Jeanne: It does.
I dig Kanga-Rouge, though.
Karen: But I would totally wear Divine Night or Kanga Rouge.
Jeanne: Yes.
I'm considering the Kanga Rouge lipstick but I already have so many reds.
Karen: Although I do not look fondly upon pink eyeshadow.
Jeanne: It makes your eyes more green!
Like purple does.
Karen: pink eyeshadow=KABUKI FACE in my house.
Jeanne: I actually wouldn't mind doing a cool kabuki look every once in a while
because, uh, i wear avant garde make-up ALL THE TIME
<-- doesn't
Karen: Whenever I try a red lip, I always start doing the maiko-lip with just the bow, not applying any to the rest of my lips.
And then I go, GODDAMMIT I SMEARED IT and take it off.
Jeanne: I do that too sometimes.
Karen: It's fun.
Jeanne: Just because it's like... I don't really like having lipstick in the corners of my mouth?
Karen: Oh, I hate it.
Jeanne: It makes me feel like the Joker or something.
Karen: I think it makes me look clownish.
Stop reading my mind, goddamit.
Jeanne: WHY SO SERIOUS

NARS Cosmetics: The Multiple Duo and Multiple Bronzer

2008-12-11T08:03:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about what's new from NARS Cosmetics? They've come out with two new products based on the Multiple, which I've already used and loved and written about. So when I got the opportunity to try them out, of course I took it -- and of course I shared with Karen!

First up is the Multiple Duo. I received two (!) of them, in Portofino/Malibu (shimmering coral/pinkish brown; pictured above!) and Orgasm/South Beach (peachy pink with shimmer/shimmering apricot). Since I already had the original Multiple in Orgasm (my goodness!) and already knew that Portofino/Malibu would be the better color match for me, I gave Karen the Orgasm/South Beach duo.

Since I already knew and enjoyed the Multiple in the stick form, I was curious to try it out in the duo. Since it's so creamy, I'm not sure what, if any brush, you would use on it (and Karen even tried before remembering "oh, it's creamy!"), so I've been dabbing it on with my fingers. I've been layering Portofino and Malibu -- again, I love a good coral blush, and particularly like cream blushes, so this is definitely something I'll be using quite a bit.

At the same time, though, I don't think it's something I would use on my lips -- I tried applying Portofino (the coral shade) onto my lips before going out on Sunday and wasn't overwhelmingly thrilled with the results. Then again, I don't really use my other Multiple on my lips very much, mostly just as a cream blush (or highlighter). I might use Malibu (the pinkish brown) as an eyeshadow, though. I'll definitely have to play with it more!

NARS also came out with a new Multiple Bronzer -- exactly what I'd been looking for earlier this summer! I had been hemming and hawing over the existing NARS Multiples (and ultimately couldn't decide between South Beach and Palm Beach, so I didn't buy either) for a cream bronzer stick. Like the original Multiple, it's easy to use -- I swipe it onto my cheekbones and on my nose, then blend with my fingers. Unlike the original Multiple, it's matte and not shimmery, which makes it really look like you've gotten sun and you're not just sparkly. The one pictured here is Malaysia, but I tried out Tuomota, which is for "light to medium complexions with golden undertones" -- again, just perfect for me! (Seriously, this is the second time NARS has sent me the perfect colors. I don't know how she does it!)

Much like the Multiple Duo, though, I don't know if this is really a product I'd use on my lips or on my eyes, though -- yes, it's awesome to have a creamy bronzer stick, but that's about all I can see myself using it for, as I don't think I'd want to put matte golden-brown on my lips (maybe on my eyes, but again, something I'd have to play with).

So, as a fan of the original Multiple, I can say yes, the new variations on the classic are definitely worth having. The duos are convenient and the bronzer definitely fills a gap in my collection (cream bronzer, yay!). Definitely check them out at NARSCosmetics.com -- the Duos are limited edition, so go get them!

images from narscosmetics.com

Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond and Party Collections

2008-11-10T09:33:00.000-08:00

I was really excited to get to know some of the women working behind Bobbi Brown Cosmetics when I went to Fashion Week in September, and when they offered to send me some of the new Copper Diamond collection and a few pieces from the Party Collection to test out, I was so excited! So of course I said yes, and I've been playing with them all week.

I've been wearing the Shimmer Brick on my cheeks and the bridge of my nose -- like a bronzer -- for the past week or so. It's a great way to get some extra glow, which has been really helpful because I've been under the weather the past week. It's subtle enough to be an excellent transition-into-winter bronzer for me. Everyone always says you should keep wearing bronzer throughout the winter, but honestly, we're not getting the same amount of sun in winter as we do in summer, so a lighter bronzer, like the Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick, works wonderfully.

Here's the Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick on the right, with the Gold Shimmer Brick that I already owned on the left. (Hooray for Shimmer Bricks!)

Another thing about the Shimmer Brick is that you can also use the individual strips of color as eyeshadow, which I did today. (Since I didn't use any primer, it creased, but that's because it's my eyelids and not the fault of the shadow. Anything and everything will crease on my eyelids. "Crease free" will crease on my eyelids.) But warm-and-neutral-metallics are always a good call for eyeshadow collections, I think.

Plus, um. Yesterday morning I totally dropped it on the bathroom floor, swore a little, picked it up, and found that it didn't break (hooray!!) so I would say that this is safe to travel, especially if you don't want to take a whole ton of eyeshadows -- just one Shimmer Brick and you've got eyeshadows and bronzer/highlighter. Easy. Done. (I took my Gold Shimmer Brick to New York for my first trip last March, and it survived, as you can see.)

I also tried the Copper Diamond Glitter Lip Balm, which I found to be a little brown for me, but I tend to favor more colorful lips overall. That said, for a balm it has really good color and a glitter that's not going to blind people and doesn't feel gritty on the lips. (Since I've been sick and, um, mouth-breathing, my lips aren't in the best of shape for testing out lip products.) I think the Pink Crystal or Crystal Diamond balms would be good picks for stocking stuffers, and I'm tempted by Pink Crystal too. It comes in a circular pot with a little mirror, which is cute, but requires you to apply with your fingers or with a lip brush.

From the Party Collection, I received the Metallic Eye Shadow in Glitz, which is a lovely white-gold shimmer (totally goes well with the Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick colors for that metallics-are-the-new-neutral look), and Martini Glitter Lip Gloss. I've heard a lot of good things about the Metallic Eye Shadows, and Glitz is gorgeous. I'm also thinking of checking out Bash (forest green -- would be so great for a smoky eye) or Indigo Nights (because I am a sucker for metallic navy shadows) or After Hours (ditto for metallic purples).

Martini is a lot of fun -- clear glitter gloss -- to put over any color of lipstick for some more shimmer. It's in a square compact, just like the eyeshadows and blushes, so that it can be popped into a custom palette of all your favorite colors. Like Copper Diamond, though, you need to use your fingers or a lip brush to apply. (I am highly lusting over Velvet Rope, which is a red glitter gloss. Yes, I deeply love Hedwig, why do you ask? Pink Soiree looks to be adorable too...)

All in all, I'm really enjoying what Bobbi Brown has for us this holiday, and highly recommend that you go check them out. The Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick is a total winner and will likely be disappearing off of counters awfully fast... (Curse these limited edition collections!)

Thank you to Bobbi Brown Cosmetics for the opportunity to try out their new collections! I... will probably wind up spending some money on the other colors in them! (I'm talking to you, Velvet Rope and Metallic Eye Shadows...)

images from bobbibrowncosmetics.com and periodicstyle.blogspot.com

Backstage with MAC - Preen

2008-09-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

For my second full day of Fashion Week, I went backstage with MAC to the offsite Preen show. Luckily the weather lifted (like magic!), so I walked up 42nd Street from the Bryant Park tents to Espace, where the Preen show was being held, on a beautiful Sunday. I was whisked backstage through the clothes and the chaos to the key artist, James Kaliardos, who created a beautiful -- and totally wearable -- look for Preen.

James' theme for the look was "androgynous portraiture" -- considering each girl as a portrait, and enhancing her own look as she is versus trying to homogenize each girl into a robot. It was about bringing out the features of each girl versus projecting an identical look onto her, with particular emphasis on the eyes, brows, and bone structure.

The coverage was very light, allowing the skin to show through while covering up anything that needed covering. Some of the major players were the MAC Pro Blushcreme "Cherche" used on the eyes along with "Omega" eyeshadow (which everyone should have already, right? I'm pretty sure I do). Cheekbones were contoured with MAC Pro Sculpt, while the high planes of the cheekbones and the bridge of the nose were highlighted with Cream Color Base in Pearl (which, okay, I've been considering buying and might have to). All in all, it's a very natural and easy look.

I've also included the face chart here, buuuut since it wasn't included in the MAC face charts that have been hitting the interwebs, I'll give you a special exclusive treat: here it is -- bigger and better. Who loves you? I do! (Also, who loves her new digital camera with better megapixels? I do!)

I also managed to run into Gordon Espinet, the key artist from the Rosa Cha show, and I caught up with him a little on Rosa Cha (and we chatted about Twitter, of course.) So, from Gordon's Twitter, here are his thoughts on the Preen show:

Another day another lot of Fashion Shows. I am going to Preen. James K is doing the makeup. I always love to see theeir show. 06:27 AM September 07, 2008 from TwitterBerry
James K is doing the demo to show the team the look at Preen. Very soft and focused on skin. Very androgenous. 09:19 AM September 07, 2008 from TwitterBerry
colours like SCULPT, OMEGA, CHERCHE, PEARL and DIM lip erase a must for the Preen Look. 09:21 AM September 07, 2008 from TwitterBerry
Boy brow are back! 09:24 AM September 07, 2008 from TwitterBerry

As a brow girl myself, can't say I'm not glad that brows are back!

Thank you again to MAC Cosmetics, Gordon, and James for allowing me to pop my little head in, ask some questions, and have the wonderful experience of getting to see the masters at work! I had a great time at Fashion Week and hope to do it again soon!

images from periodicstyle.blogspot.com

Backstage with MAC - Rosa Cha

2008-09-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, I went backstage for the Rosa Cha Spring 2009 collection to chat with Gordon Espinet of MAC Cosmetics about the look he created for the Rosa Cha show.

I asked Gordon who the Rosa Cha woman is, and he replied that she's a woman who loves. the. beach. She's someone who's fabulous and takes care of herself -- her skin isn't too tan or too pale, but the right amount of healthy glow. "Instead of doing lunch, she goes to the beach," he said.

The key to the Rosa Cha look is the emphasis on the warm beautiful skin, which was achieved with body make-up as well. In addition, he said, the Rosa Cha woman "loves mascara -- too much of it, gobs of mascara." As a mascara fan myself, I totally got it.

I also managed to catch a glimpse of the pedicure going on, which is a gorgeous warm gold polish. Of course, Jamie from The Beauty of Life revealed that it's "Crowned" from Creative Nail Design. It's a great color that I... will likely have to get my hands on. It goes perfectly with the light tan, and will definitely be a great color for next spring. (Also, how gorgeous are those sandals? I love them and must have them, for they are perfect.)

I also got the amazing opportunity to catch up with Gordon backstage at the Preen show on Sunday and ask him how the Rosa Cha show went. He said that it was wonderful, except the show went on right as the horrible rain that Tropical Storm Hannah was dumping on New York. He said that the tents started leaking as the girls were lining up, and all of a sudden he heard a cry from a model -- she'd gotten water in her eye, and unfortunately ProLash (the MAC mascara used on the models -- a whole tube on each girl, Gordon said!) isn't water resistant. So Gordon rushed to the rescue and dabbed her eyes dry. "But I couldn't help thinking it would have been so cool if they'd all come out with Tammy Faye mascara running at the final walk out," Gordon laughed.

Gordon is also one of the MAC artists who's Twittering for MAC, and you can find his Fashion Week coverage at MAC_Gordon_E. Specifically for Rosa Cha, here's what he had to say:

It is gettinf crazy hare at Rosa Cha. There are cameras everywhere and the girls are all wearing too much ProLash mascara 10:54 AM September 06, 2008 from TwitterBerry
The Rosa Cha show was gorgeous. The girls were sand coloured with too much mascaca. I wanna girl's swimsuits. 01:07 PM September 06, 2008 from TwitterBerry

It was a wonderful experience getting to go backstage with MAC! So wonderful that I got to do it again the very next day! Stay tuned for the Preen write-up!

images from periodicstyle.blogspot.com

Product Chatter: 8/20/08

2008-08-20T16:22:00.000-07:00

Kati: I just keep finding more tees EVERYWHERE.
Also I am wearing the perfume today.
It smells like perfume.
Jeanne: Sephora just called me to tell me they're having a Smashbox event on Saturday.
I was going to go to Anthropologie after work today to smell the perfume Annie blogged yesterday.
Kati: Nice!
Jeanne: Yeah, me and Sephora, we're homeslices.
By which I mean, they know I spend my money there.
But honestly, since Cult of Cherry hits counters tomorrow, I... would rather go buy that than Smashbox, maybe?
Kati: ahahaha. That is like me and Starbucks. Except not.
True.
Jeanne: Does Starbucks call you on the phone and ask you to come in?
Because that would be kind of hilarious and awful.
"KATI. COME IN. WE HAVE A SPECIAL CAFFEINE EVENT. WITH CAFFEINE."
Kati: I WISH. No, just the spending my money there.
ahahaha.
Jeanne: Although if the Smashbox people are there on Saturday, I can scold them for discontinuing my favorite thing.
Kati: So true.
Jeanne: And that's, like, the only Smashbox thing I have, too.
My mom has some, though. From QVC.
OMG, I didn't tell you, she got cosmetic surgery done on Monday!
She got her undereyes done.
So now she's just lying in bed with ice on her face.
Kati: Oh man. Ow.
Jeanne: Yesterday I walked in and I saw the phone and her credit card next to her on the bed, and I was like, "MOM. Were you buying things off of QVC without actually looking at them??"
And she was like, "No, I was making a donation."
Kati: ahahaha.
Jeanne: But she did get a package from QVC yesterday.

Product Chatter: 8/13/08

2008-08-13T21:42:00.000-07:00

Jeanne: dude, I should have listened to you about the Veganese.
You said it like four different times in four different places and I still bought it like the idiot that I am.
Kati: If I had known you wanted to try it, I would've sent my bottle down.
THE TOP NOTE IS AWESOME.
DECEPTIVELY AWESOME, ALLRIGHT?
Jeanne: I was standing in the Lush, all brain-addled from being bleached out, and I was like, "I know I need Daddy-O because it's purple and that's good for bleached hair, but I need a conditioner."
Kati: Yeah.
Jeanne: And they were like, "Marilyn is good for blonde hair." And I was like, "...I don't need a deep conditioner, I just want a conditioner."
Kati: Oh HAY.
Jeanne: And they're like, "Veganese is good for blonde hair!"
And an alarm bell went off in my head, but I was like, "Okay, sure" and like you said, deceptive top notes.
Daddy-O smells like violets and civet.
Kati: Yes, indeed.
Jeanne: And by civet, I mean "cat ass".
Kati: ...Dude, that sucks.
Jeanne: I'm like, "I smell violets! ...And butt."
Kati: I've been pretty down with the Seanik solid shampoo though.
Jeanne: I liked Godiva when I used it in Japan, but it is STRONG
the jasmine scent
And so now whenever I smell it I think of Japan.
Which is weird.
Kati: Although honestly, I think I'm going to stick with alternating John Frieda Sheer Blonde with Herbal Essences Body Envy, because the ES smells fantastic and the Sheer Blonde does actually work for me.
I have stuff like that.
Jeanne: I was using an SLS-free color safe set, but yeah.
I don't know if color-safe means "good for bleached", is the thing.
Kati: Victoria's Secret Strawberries and Champagne always reminds me of being in high school.
Jeanne: But that's why I got the purple shampoo, because I figured it would be better for the bleached hair.
So far I've used it twice and I've been overwhelmed with the smell of my hair.
Kati: Yeah. That was my thing with Veganese.
Jeanne: Yeah. I mean, it's probably a combination of all of it.
My hair just smells really strongly of Veganese.
Kati: True.
I want to like it!
Jeanne: I know!
Kati: I want to like the Veganese.
Jeanne: I do too!
I want to like both of them!
Kati: It's just so hippie smelling!
Jeanne: And now I don't know what to do because I have the two little bottles and I just can't go on like this.
Kati: I have the Veganese staring at me every day in the shower, and I'm like, "...no."
Jeanne: Yeah, I don't know what to do.
I haven't used it enough to know if it's really that different for my hair.
Or if I should just go back to my old shampoo.
Kati: Honestly, I just was like, "I can't take the smell, it's driving me insane, so uh, no."
Even the bestest shampoo and conditioner I will not use if the smell bothers me.
Jeanne: Yeah, it really is driving me crazy.
Kati: It's why I don't always use the product body stuff even though I heart it, because the scent is so strong.
Jeanne: Yeah.
Kati: Although far more delicious than the Veganese.
Jeanne: Yes.
So I guess I'll switch back, then.
I only use it like once a week anyway.
Which isn't as gross as it sounds because a. I'm not supposed to wash my hair all that often anyway and b. I wash it at my boyfriend's.
Kati:Yeah. I'm just disappointed, because pretty much every other lush thing I've liked, you know?
Jeanne: Yeah, for real.
Kati: Yeah.
Jeanne: Boo.
Although I smelled one of their retro washes and it smelled really good.
I find Ghost to be kind of overpowering and lingering too.
Kati: I think I got something from retro lush in my last order.
Really?
I do not.
Like, the scent is so strong in the shower, but as soon as I get out there is like no scent.
Jeanne: It sticks to my skin throughout the day.
http://usa.lush.com/cgi-bin/lushdb/00638?expand=retro&vm=r
that's the one
it smells really good
Kati: I either got that one or the other citrus one.
Ah, the other one.
Jeanne: Man, I'm looking at the other conditioners and they're all "the smell lingers in my hair all day!"
And I just don't want to smell my hair all day.
Kati: http://usa.lush.com/cgi-bin/lushdb/01409?expand=retro&vm=r
I'd be okay with it if it smelled really good?
But I have longer hair, so I'm more used to catching whifs of my hair.
...I need a hair cut.
Jeanne: I feel like I'm filling the whole cubicle with patchouli.
Because bleached hair doesn't dry as quickly as unbleached hair, so I wind up going to the office with a full wet head of hair that reeks of patchouli.
Kati: FROM THE VEGANESE??? YES.
Jeanne: YEAH I KNOW
Kati: SO MUCH HIPPIE SMELL.,
Jeanne: I might try American Cream, but jeeeez.
I just don't want to smell something all day.
It makes me queasy.
Kati: I want to, but...the patchouli scares me.
Jeanne: Yeah.
I'll probably just go back to my SLS-free bought-at-Whole-Foods real-hippie stuff.
That doesn't smell all day!!
Kati: Good call.

NARS Cosmetics: Blush, Eyeshadow, and Lipstick!

2008-08-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

Yaaay, my first actual product review post!

I've already been a happy NARS Cosmetics customer -- I have a blush, some eyeshadows, a lipstick, and that lovely Multiple Orgasm (ahem). So when NARS asked if I'd like to review a couple of their products, I said yes -- of course I did! And somehow, magically, they sent me some colors that all worked for me, which was even more awesome. They must either be psychic or have some sort of intel on me. (I am guessing psychic.) That or they sent a whole bunch of warm-toned neutrals, crossed their fingers, and I got lucky. Either way, it's all good.

First up is Torrid blush, which is described as "coral with shimmer". Since I'm olive-toned, corals and warm colors are really good for me, I've been finding, so getting a new coral blush to play with is great. The color's really flattering on its own, which is how I've been wearing it. Usually I layer powder blushes over cheek stains, but I can use Torrid on its own. I've been carrying the little compact around with me in my overnight bag as well, and so far it's stayed intact, which is a relief, since I tend to not be super-gentle with my stuff. (For example, this past weekend the bag accompanied me all over San Francisco, including three separate buses and wandering around the Haight.) There's a reason NARS is famous for their blush, and it's because it's good stuff.

Secondly is Promiscuous, a "shimmering honey beige" satin formula lipstick. I will say that I don't really do the dark smoky eye/pale lip look because I don't really like the way I look with pale lips. It's just not my best look. That said, I think Promiscuous is a good choice for a soft pale lip without going too opaque or too light, especially if you have warmer tones in your skin. Who knows, maybe I'll rethink the pale lip. And Promiscuous is a good lipstick to have if I do.

I also received Voyage -- a "golden sand" shimmer single eyeshadow. I have several NARS eyeshadows that I've bought, including Abyssinia (which is pictured above), and I've always been impressed with the softness and quality of their eyeshadows. Voyage is a warm gold-brown with gold shimmer, which would be perfect for wearing as a wash to the office during the day, then easily smoking up with a darker color for night. I think this color would be a lovely wash on someone with blue or blue-green eyes, since the gold would really enhance the blue. However, the pan fell out of the little black packaging upon opening, which alarmed me -- maybe it wasn't glued in tight enough and got knocked loose during shipping, so I have to be careful with it. Unlike Torrid, it can't go traveling around with me, which is a bummer. I was worried that the eyeshadow itself broke (which happens with soft pigment-rich eyeshadows), but it's only the pan... but still, it broke and that makes me a sad Jeanne.

Finally, I also received the Black Orchid mascara, but since I received it during the last month of the second go-round of the Great Mascara Experiment, I haven't managed to try it out yet. I will say that when I read the name of it, I thought, "Oooh, Black Orchid, it is probably a gorgeous purple-black! That will look AWESOME." Somehow I missed the "black" part and jumped right to "orchid" in my mind; Black Orchid is pure black, which is kind of a bummer for me, since I was hoping for purple-black, but there's nothing wrong with a good black mascara, either. Anyone want to let me know what I've missed?

Thank you again to NARS Cosmetics for giving me the chance to try out these colors!

image from narscosmetics.com

Product Chatter: 8/6/08

2008-08-06T18:07:00.000-07:00

Kati: http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?categoryId=A17&id=P186507
Yay!
Jeanne: Yay! On sale!
Kati: Super sale!
I'm just sad their moisturizer is out of stock there.
...AND SO IS 55, WHAT IS THIS CRAP, SEPHORA??
Jeanne: They're phasing out NP stuff.
That's the thing about Sephora; they'll bring in brands and then get rid of 'em.
Kati: Eh, it's not a huge deal, I can get more when I come visit you.
Or switch brands, I guess, but that sounds like a lot of work.
Jeanne: I think NP sells through napoleonperdis.com too?
Maybe?
Kati: Esp when the system I've got going now can stand up to the kitchen.
Jeanne: Oooh, what's the system?
Kati: Nothing exciting, just NP dream cream (extra moisturizer!) NP primer, and then MAC select SPF.
It's pretty sheer, so I still get red occassionally, but it evens out my skin tone and masks the undereye stuff a bit.
I don't want anything heavy.
Jeanne: Right.
Kati: It's not 100%... but I'm pretty happy with it.
Jeanne: Yeah, I mean, I like You Rebel, but water hits it and game over.
Even if it's cheek stain.
Or gel cheek stain.
I'm going to try the Perfekt stuff next because apparently that's what they use on BL and LM for GG.
Kati: And the thing is, I don't want to look for a new foundation or primer that might make me break out.
Jeanne: Yeah, exactly.
My issue with the Perfekt is that it's expensive and doesn't have SPF, but apparently it's just like a tinted primer?
http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P189500&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=5812
So I guess I can put it on over my sunscreen.
Kati: It'd be nice to have a tinted primer, but SPF is important to me.
Jeanne: Yeah, for sure.
It would just be an extra step for me since I already do sunscreen.
Kati: Because most of the time I don't bother with sunscreen on the face because I'm not outside THAT much, so I reply on the SPF in my foundation when I am outside.
(I mean, obvs I put sunscreen on if I know I'm going to be outside, but that's rare.)
Jeanne: Yeah, I do sunscreen on my face every day no matter what, because I'm always walking somewhere.
Plus I was so shitty to my skin all through high school and college.
Kati: I just worry about drying out my skin even though I use the neutrogena stuff, so I tend not to use it unless I have to.
Jeanne: Yeah. I use moisturizer with SPF versus the actual sunscreen-in-a-tube kind.
Kati: I need to get some of that for my face.
Jeanne: I use Aveeno, but I bet Neutrogena does one too.
(They're both J&J.)
And Philosophy just started making Hope in a Jar moisturizer with SPF.
Kati: oooh.
Jeanne: Aveeno sponsored the Venus Festival fashion show, so we all got swag.
Kati: Nice.
Jeanne: http://www.drugstore.com/templates/browse/default.asp?catid=21513&cmbProdBrandFilter=7519&trx=BSMMP-7519&trxp1=CP-10209&trxp2=0&trxp3=21513&brand=7519
Boom.
They even have a build-a-bronze with SPF.
Kati: Nice.
Jeanne: I bet my mom would want me to use that since she gripes about me being so pale.
Kati: Weird.
My mom always gripes when I get sun.

Welcome to Periodic Beauty Reviews!

2008-07-06T16:08:00.000-07:00

Hello, and welcome to Periodic Beauty Reviews, or PBR for short! (No, not the beer.)

We started this blog as a companion/spin-off of The Periodic Elements of Style, our shared blog where we write about all sorts of things ranging from beauty to fashion to pop culture, food, and travel.

Recently, we've been wanting to write more beauty product reviews, but it can weigh down a multi-topic blog like Periodic Style if we're just writing about products all the time.

In addition, we follow editorial standards that place monetary limits on what we can put on Periodic Style -- if it's given to us for free and it's worth over $40, we can't put it on Periodic Style. It also makes sense: the whole point of Periodic Style is to focus on things we love and are in our post-college pre-fancy career budget, so a limit of $40 is more than fair for us.

So we've created this spin-off blog just for writing about beauty products and such -- it'll be the same voices, the same style, and our full opinions of things we've tried out. We fully disclose if we've purchased something or received it for our review, because we know it's important to share that with our readers; we also don't believe in posting up press releases. In addition, we'll likely have posts that are just chatting about collections, things we're trying out, and our opinions.

For more product reviews, you can catch us at Total Beauty under the user name "PeriodicStyle".

You can also contact us at the email address periodicstyle at gmail dot com as well.

Thanks for joining us, and we hope you enjoy PBR! (Not necessarily the beer.)

About Jeanne, Kati, and Karen

2008-07-06T16:06:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick guide to Jeanne, Kati, and Karen, the three writers behind Periodic Beauty Reviews. You can always find our articles/reviews under the tags "jeanne," "kati", or "karen," respectively, both here at Periodic Beauty Reviews or at The Periodic Elements of Style.

Jeanne:

Age: 25
Hair Color: Naturally brunette.
Eye Color: Hazel
Skin Type/Tone: Combination; olive.
Favorite Products to Buy/Review: Lip gloss and lipsticks, eyeshadows, eyeliners, blushes/bronzers, mascaras, concealers, nail products, body scrubs, body washes, perfume.
Favorite Brands: MAC, BeneFit, DuWop, Stila, Urban Decay, Lancome, Fresh, NARS, Smashbox, Philosophy, Product Body, Bare Escentuals, Bliss, LUSH, OPI, Essie, China Glaze, Aveeno
Always Looking For...: Great colors, natural/organic lines, cute packaging, good scents/flavors, something new and exciting.

Kati:

Age: 25
Hair Color: Light Brown
Eye Color: Green
Skin Type/Tone: Dry; pink
Favorite Products to Buy/Review: Lipglosses, Nail Polish, anything that moisturizes.
Favorite Brands: Lush, Product Body, Neutrogena, MAC, Chanel, Philosophy, Stila, Burt's Bees.
Always Looking For...: Things that baby my sensitive skin, matte colors of nail polish that are chip resistant, things with SPF, citrus scents, more coffee.

Karen:

Age: 25
Hair Color: Medium brown
Eye Color: Green, with glasses
Skin Type/Tone: Dry and sensitive; fair, with freckles
Favorite Products to Buy/Review: Shampoo/conditioner, lotion with SPF 15+, mascara
Favorite Brands: Soap&Glory, Burt's Bees, NARS, Shiseido, Laura Mercier, Boots
Always Looking For...: Vanilla and citrus scents, deep purple eyeliner and nail polishes, pressed powder, high quality natural makeup that lasts, and anti-frizz hair products.

Periodic Beauty Editorial Guidelines

2008-01-01T12:04:00.000-08:00

Updated July 2009

1. All content on Periodic Beauty Reviews is written by one of our three contributors, unless noted as a guest post -- we pride ourself on our original content, and do not accept press releases or "suggested topics" for posting on our blog.

2. Any and all compensated posts on Periodic Beauty Reviews are disclosed as such in the post.

3. Items that are sent to us for our review are reviewed at our discretion, and are disclosed as received for review in the post.

4. We do not accept link exchange requests; we only link what we like.

Any questions? Want to send us something for our review? Please contact us at periodicstyle at gmail dot com for more information.