There are few things I love in this life more than Nars and Marc Jacobs* so imagine how excited I was when the face chart from this month's Marc Jacobs NY Fashion Week show arrived in my inbox.
LEAD ARTIST: François Nars, Founder & Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics
TREND: Blushed cheeks and defined upper eyes
INSPIRATION & LOOK: “The look started with a picture that Marc had of Christy Turlington with really fresh skin and rosy cheeks,” said François Nars, Founder & Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics. “Marc wanted ‘icy cold cheeks’ and so the blush is drawn down in such a way that’s unusual...unusual, but decadent. Like a Renaissance painting.”
As is usually the case with fashion week, most of the products used are from future A/W collections but you can achieve similar results with current products.
Man alive am I behind. I have so much stuff to share from NY Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, general life, etc... I'm sorry. I have the flu, I'm mega busy and I'm coming over to the UK next week so things are all manic. But when are things ever different, right? So, here you go... the latest report from Ms Keren, UK correspondent and all round pretty lady.
Sandstorm Collection has launched on the Topshop website!
I was lucky enough to go to the launch of the Spring/Summer 2011 collection, at the Sanderson Hotel in London a few weeks ago, in a room filled to bursting with very excited ladies. It was so full it was quite tricky to get close to the make-up without getting elbowed.
I have to say when I first saw the range it didn’t shout Spring/Summer to me, but having read their description I saw where they were coming from... the idea behind it is the colourful and spiritual 'Burning Man' festival based in the Nevada desert. The packaging instead of being the trademark black and white has accents of gold, and desert hues. From the swipes on the back of my hand my faves were the Metallic Mousse Eyeshadow in Glint, perfect for layering to get a foil finish.
And the 3 shades of metallic liquid eyeliner. Topshop say 'it's so efficient an oil based cleanser should be used to ensure full removal.' And it was pretty hard to remove from the back of my hand.
I also got a press sample of the eye crayon in Zephyr. Which would be very handy at a festival for creating a quick smoky eye with added sparkle.
Looks like it's not all on the website yet so keep your eyes peeled for updates...
I had a good look at their core collection while I was there too (not so many people elbowing around that stand!) They have some really vivid shades of lippy, and I think I’ll be purchasing Oh La La, if I can ever find it on the website, it’s a summery coral.
And their Solid Gel eyeliner is only £8 and it has has serious staying power, so if you want an alternative to MAC’s Fluidline (£13.50) or Bobbi Brown’s Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner (£15.50) but for a lot less pennies I’d recommend the Toppers version.
Congrats to Cath Joyce, Eliza-Beth Pennell, Jenni McKechnie, Melanie Penglase and Nicole Soyza! You've won a June Jacobs lip kit and a signed book! Please let me know what book you'd like sent. Oh, and an address would be handy... email me at lindsey@lindseykelk.com
Did you have a wonderful Valentines? No? You hate all men and want them to die? Hmm. Well, I can't help you out with the mass destruction of half the species but I can offer you a super fun competition? Yay, we have a deal!
The lovely people at June Jacobs want you to be all kissable, all the time and so they've given me a Lip Kit to give away. Each kit contains a scrub, mask and their fabulous mango butter, shea butter packed lip renewal, Amaze. And because it's (practically Valentines) I'm throwing in a signed I Heart book - your choice of New York, Hollywood or Paris. Oh yes, a $60 lip kit and a signed book. Happy Tuesday!
All you have to do to get your mitts and lips on this wonderful prize is to head over to Facebook, 'like' June Jacobs and write 'BeautyMecca sent me' on the wall. The Facebook link is here Easy, right? I don't like to make things hard for you. Especially since I was supposed to do this yesterday but my computer was broken...
You can also check out the entire lovely June Jacobs range at www.junejacobs.com and www.skinstore.com Please excuse me, I must go away and suffer from a hideous cold now. New York Fashion Week updates coming soon!
I don't think I've ever wanted anything more. Not the Disney collection, not the Barbie collection, not even the Hello Kitty collection. Wonder Woman has already launched here in the US, I'm going out tomorrow to BUY ALL OF IT. Credit card and tax bill be damned.
A couple of weeks ago, I braved the frozen New York wasteland to attend the launch of L’Oreal’s spring/summer 2011 collections. Sounds fancy, doesn’t it? WELL IT WAS. Honestly, it was amazing. The event took place at the Andaz on Fifth Avenue: a gorgeous, gorgeous hotel created to make people happy. This was achieved primarily through liberal application of booze and food. Yum.
Unfortunately booze and food does not guarantee great results from good products. Happily, the name L’Oreal apparently does. In all honesty, it’s never been a brand that’s front of mind for me but when I delved into my make up bag while trying to make myself decent for the event (you should see the girls at these things out here) I found myself using Voluminous Millionize Mascara, my trusty True Match pressed powder and my newest favourite thing ever, Infallible Never Fail lip colour in Beyonce Red. No, really. It’s taken becominga redhead to give me the balls to start wearing red lipstick and this bad boy Does Not Move. So, with a face smothered in L’Oreal products I didn’t realise I already loved, I went to see what I could find.
The first big thing they wanted to tell us about was a foam new hair colour. At first I was a wee bit confused. Colour Mousse was an epic part of my teenage years but here they were, telling me that this was a brand new breakthrough. Turns out they’re right, this new product is permanent as opposed to Wella’s wonderful paint-the-bathroom temporary paintbox colours of my youth. Well, temporary on my hair, permanent on my mum’s bathroom carpet (sorry mum).
After that, we moved into a new smoothing hair system, EverSleek, that claims to smooth frizzy hair without the use of parabens, silicone and all the usual baddies. I’ve passed this over to someone who actually suffers the frizzies and will be reporting back soon. Early indications suggest it’s good shit.
And finally we entered my happy place. Make up. First up, a fab new Magic Smooth ‘souffle’ foundation which, HURRAH, comes in a shade pale enough for my deathly pallor. I’ve been adding it into rotation for the last week or so and I have to say, I quite like it. I’m usually a bit of a snob about foundations but this is nice. The texture really is beautiful and the medium coverage is pretty even and nice. Win one for L’Oreal. After that, we looked at the new addition to the Double Extend mascara range. I love the original so this new version, with eye colour enhancing pigments (aka sparkly bits) was another win for me. I've never really been sold on coloured mascaras but this is pretty subtle. And you know, sparkly.
The final product was the new Infallible Le Rouge, a traditional lipstick style product rather than a paint on stain. Now, just like Ms Keren in the previous post, I've always struggled with lipsticks. I'm a gloss girl, a tinted balm preferably so lipstick is a struggle for me. The Beyonce Red Infallible Never Fail was such a big deal, my friends thought it was a turning 30 crisis. Well, no more because O to the M to the G, this lipstick is amazing. It's not quite as long lasting as the Never Fail but it is sort of wonderful. Less drying than other long wear colours, tons of pigment and here in the US, only $9.99.
Amaze.
So in summary - L'Oreal* = good. Snow = bad. Moving house = bloody awful.
*I also want to say, the lovely ladies of L'Oreal totally gave me a memory stick with images for all these products on it but I lost it mid-move. When I find it, I'll repost.
Sorry L'Oreal but you know, excellent work.
Since I am an appalling beauty blogger letdown (I WAS WRITING A BOOK), it's left to the wonderful Ms Keren to tell you all about her adventures in lipstick today... She's very good though, so we'll let it go. Here you go!
According to an article I read a few weeks ago in Stylist, in my 30's to 40's (cough, splutter!) I should be ditching the girly lip-gloss and embracing much more grown-up lipsticks. So it got me thinking about my very glam grandma and her penchant for orange lippy, and my mum painting her lovely bow-shaped bouche in wide spectrum of reds.... And I’ve decided it’s time for me to grow up!
I am rubbish at re-applying lippy and it has usually disappeared by lunchtime to be replaced with a bit of lip balm. So imagine my joy at receiving a Max Factor Lipfinity Lip Tint Pen in Berry Burst for Chrimbo.
It does do exactly what is says on the tin... Well the Max Factor website: Lipfinity Lip Tint Pen has a non-transferable water based formula that doesn't just sit on top of your lips but permeates the upper layers for a stunning kiss-proof effect. And its nifty pen applicator is perfect for precise application so you can build up the colour as much as you dare or keep it light and simple – you're in control!
I say: OK, so it’s not technically lipstick but I am sold on this, it has serious staying power. Even after I have scoffed my lunch. And there are two more shades just released to add to the four it launched with. And lucky me, I got my mitts on the Nice n Nude shade to try out from a PR event. I am now using this shade for daytime and t’other to look glam in the evening. They are a very affordable £7.99.
PS. I did not apply the make-up or do my own hair in this picture! The hair is thanks to Liz Taw, Aussie Hair Ambassador and the make-up by a lovely Max Factor Make up artist whose name I didn’t catch. I’ll be posting about the hair products and Liz’s tips for styling very soon . . .
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