eye candy, by linda mason.

where has this book been all my life?! it seems so sad that we are only able to begin our love affair now.

makeup artist linda mason nails the essentials of colorful and dramatic eye makeup looks in her newest book, eye candy. it is a must-have for anyone who loves dramatic (eye) makeup (which i would think is most people who read mlm!).

i have bags of bright eyeshadow shades and all sorts of ideas floating in my mind, but sometimes the execution of these looks may leave something to be desired. that's where eye candy/linda mason steps in. this book breaks it down, so when you want to rock bold color on your night out, you will know how to look elegantly dramatic instead of hot (tranny?) mess.

but my favorite thing about it is that it shows you how to create a few classic starlet looks - like bridget bardot and audrey hepburn. i've rocked the bridget bardot for the last few days and i look so sultry and siren-ic! i wish i could tell you how to do it, but alas, it's not my secret to share. eye candy is available on amazon.com for $10.17 right now (bargain!).

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cream eyeshadows for summer 08 - clinique and stila swatches.

along with temperatures, cream shadow releases are on the rise. and with good reason. the new cream shadows dry to a long wear finish, which can make the difference between wearing your powder eyeshadow for an hour on a humid summer day, and still having it on when you get home that night.

the top nine swatches are all of clinique's quick eyes cream shadows - $15 each (don't you love muffin?!). the bottom swatch is stila's kitten silk eyeshadow wash $22 (kitten is their best-selling powder shadow shade which they've turned cream!). but be warned, beauties, all these shimmering neutrals can really make a girl look gorgeous!

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givenchy summer escapade '08.

some makeup is so carefully crafted that it looks like art. and givenchy has that art down to a science. their summer escapade 2008 collection, makes me simultaneously desperate for summer so that i can justify diving into these palettes everyday and dreading how summer will lead to the destruction of their artful beauty via my playing with them.

just looking at this collection makes me escape to a world of shimmers and bronze.
the collection (and my thoughts):

prisme again! eyes in 10 summer escapade - $49.50
*four shades of iridescent magic*

prismissime mat & glow in 71 natural and 72 sunny - $53
*sun-kissed bliss in a mix and match, matte and shimmer, format*

tan to go in 01 sandy tan and 02 amber tan - $45
*spray paint your way to a safe tan*

pop gloss crystal in tahiti coral and ibiza pink - $23.50
*true, shiny summer glosses*

glitter to go fresh'n shine body gel - $35
*10 singlets of body shimmer, filled with pink and gold tones to attract the eye and erase imperfections*

available at sephora and givenchy.com (though the summer collection is not yet listed on their site).

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erth minerals.

animal, vegetable or mineral?

i never thought this would be how i would start grouping my newest product finds, but with all the great animal hair brushes, the moisturizers with fantastic vegetable extracts and the growing world of mineral makeup, how can i resist?


erth minerals falls into the third category - definitely mineral. if you are new to mineral makeup i recommend trying out the following two products (they are good introduction into what the world of minerals can offer):

1. moth veil powder - this mineral powder gives a the flawless finish i always want from a powder but am unable to get from the non-mineral variety. as far as i can tell this item only comes in one shade, which made me a bit concerned, but it worked for me! $11.

2. intense eyeshadow collection - if you love a vibrant, long-wearing shadow, you can't go wrong with these. though it may seem counter-intuitive, mineral shadows have more color intensity. $6 a piece.

see all their offerings and decide if you are going to embrace mineral makeup at erthminerals.com.

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loving my therapy.

you may not realize it yet, but you need therapy (systems).

their spring/summer 08 collection is launching on april 1st (tuesday)!), but i got a little sneak preview of the new shades to share with you.

at first glance, i was a bit nonplussed by these little silver compacts. but, as i tirelessly try everything for you beauties, i dove in. and even though they may not look like much, i now fully understand why therapy systems has a cult following amongst beauty editors. as an added bonus, the mediterranean-inspired names given to the colors in this collection bring me right back to my trip to beautiful italy trip last spring.


there are three products in this colletion that i loooove, but if you only get one, please make it mykonos eyeshadow (top picture). this is the best color product i've tried of late - a true find. the press release describes it as "a soft metallic eye shadow with specs of gold shimmer and comes in a portable silver compact with mirror", and i don't think i can explain it better. oh, and its $19.


the other two darlings of this collection are the gel blushes - in both portofino (rose, middle picture) and santorini (coral, bottom picture). gel combines the best of a liquid and powder blush to give most natural glow and these two colors are just angelic - $24.

the collection also includes tequila sunrise powder blush ($30), capri lipstick ($20), and naples lipstick ($20). but you still have a couple days to wait - the products aren't up yet at therapysystems.com. but on april 1st they will be available on the website, at private edition, at the cosmetic market and at the therapy systems store in nashville or at 1-800-733-8606.

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nars' shanghai lily product review.

using high sheen nudes to contour the face, cheeks and eyes is what makeup is all about right now. and not one to miss the trends, i've been working on my perfect contoured eye.

despite the semi-goth promo picture for the nars spring collection (which i still love), shanghai lily is actually comprised of mostly neutrals. after swatching the alahambra eyeshadow duo ($31), i could not believe the amazing sheen of both colors, without being at all glittery or sparkly. the two colors can work together to create a contoured eye by putting the color on the right side of compact on the lid and the color on the left in the crease. then just a add a little black liquid liner at the lash line for depth. the look is super neat and crisp.

i have been rocking it for the last two weeks, coupled with the stolen kisses/pampa lip gloss/lip stain gloss ($28). at first glance i thought this lip stain/gloss set would be waaaay too dark for me, but is the perfect compliment to my light skin and auburn hair. oh, and i have, of course, i have been finishing this look with the multiple in orgasm ($36.50). it is the perfect look to wear to la office and to carry you into a glamorous evening.

all products mentioned are available at narscosmetics.com and sephora.

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lancome's colour focus palette 4 ombres in the night is young.

i lust hard after limited edition holiday products.

this year lancome's colour focus palette 4 ombres in the night is young made my list. the gold case is so chic and what's inside is just as good! the shadows have a light shimmer to them and can be worn as singles or layered to create more depth.

only $40. and did i mention limited edition? i know someone on your list (perhaps you?) needs this.

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elizabeth arden's color intrigue eyeshadow quad.

i got it for my momma! and with christmas around the corner, you should think about getting one for your momma!

i try to bring my mom a little something when visit to remind her that i think she's fantastic. this thankgiving i brought her an elegant and high quality eyeshadow quad by elizabeth arden. however, had i realized how beautiful the compact was, i might have kept it for myself (just kidding, mom)! the outside of the case has the most beautiful french/deco enamel picture of woman, which makes it a little extra special and perfect for a gift.

image: beautywad.com

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