Bobbi Brown Chrome Collection Dazzles For The Holidays!

Just in time for the Holiday season, Bobbi Brown has introduced the ultimate collection for high-intensity, icy-cool shine. Boasting products for both the eyes and the lips, Bobbi has designed some amazing pieces to help you create an infinite number of "party ready" looks. The three key elements to this collection are the Chrome Palette, the Chrome Lip Colors, and the Chrome mini brush set.

The Chrome Palette is a fold-out palette that opens up to display ten eyeshadow shades, four lip shades, a mini eyeshadow brush, and a mini lip brush. The colors are nothing short of shimmery goodness.

The Palette ($75):

Eyeshadow Shades:

White Polar Ice Shimmer Wash Eyeshadow

Storm Cloud Sparkle Eyeshadow

Iron Eyeshadow

Thunder Metallic Eyeshadow

Moonlight Sparkle Eyeshadow

Cyber Grey Shimmer Wash Eyeshadow

Foil Metallic Eyeshadow

Chrome Metallic Eyeshadow

Charcoal Haze Eyeshadow

Lip Colors:

Pink Mist Shimmer Lip Gloss

Winter Bronze Glitter Lip Gloss

Berry Glitter Lip Gloss

Chrome Pink Shimmer Lip Gloss

New Limited Edition Lip Colors ($22 each):

Port Lip Color

Chrome Metallic Lip Color (metallic)

Plum Pearl Metallic Lip Color (metallic)

Chrome Mini Brush Set ($55):

Mini Face Blender Brush

Mini Angle Eyeshadow Brush (new)

Mini Eyeliner Brush

These three great brushes come housed in a chrome colored faux-leather zip case.

Chrome Palette

Chrome Lip Colors (from L-R): Port Lip Color, Chrome Metallic Lip Color, Plum Pearl Metallic Lip Color

Chrome Mini Brush Set

Bobbi Brown's Chrome Collection will be available at all counters in November 2009. If you are feeling impatient (as I know I am!), you can find the products already online at http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/ and http://www.nordstrom.com/.

Tarte's Gift Guide For Holiday '09

Tarte has designed some gorgeous limited edition sets for the upcoming Holiday season. From eyes to cheeks to lips, they have left no stone unturned. I think you could say Tarte has you more than covered!

New for Holiday '09:

Treasure Chest Palette, $52 ($68 CDN)

This limited edition bejeweled palette is a Sephora exclusive. Tarte's annual palette is 30% bigger this year, with an additional tray of eyeshadows.

Here is what you can expect from the Treasure Chest palette:

--16 all new shimmering tarte eyeshadows
--16 all new matte tarte eyeshadows
--16 all new lip glosses
--Mineral powder bronzer in Park Ave. Princess
--All new soft pink luminizer
--4 new powder blushes

All of the products in the palette contain Vitamin E (anti-inflammatory and protects against free radical damage), beeswax (waterproofing agent), mineral pigments (for natural color and to soothe and soften the skin), and carnauba wax (for smooth application).

Crown Jewels Lip Gloss Multi-Gift Set, $39 ($41 CDN)

This set contains three gifts in one. The lip gloss collection houses three individually packaged sets. You can keep them all, or give any number away to your friends.


Glittering Green Goddesses:

--Sheer nude-peach
--Sheer beige
--Sheer sweet pink
--Sheer cotton candy pink
--Sheer shimmering cinnamon

Dazzling Divas:

--Dazzling warm sand
--Dazzling gold
--Dazzling orchid
--Dazzling violet
--Dazzling coral-pink


Twinkling Trendsetters:

--Twinkling strawberry
--Twinkling melon-pink
--Twinkling fuschia
--Twinkling brick-red
--Sheer raspberry

The glosses are rich in jojoba oil (which leaves lips feeling soft and smooth), mineral pigments, and t5 super fruit complex™ (a special blend of the five most active super fruits - goji, acai, maracuja, acerola and pomergranate; replete with antioxidant-rich nutrients and vitamins for anti-aging and skin-restoring benefits).

Three Carats Limited Edition Mini Cheek Stain Set, $25 ($33 CDN)

This set contains three bejeweled mini cheek stains in new limited edition colors.

--Brilliant (shimmering champagne)
--Princess (shimmering rose)
--Cushion (shimmering deep apricot)

Each cheek stain is infused with the t5 super fruit complex™.

Tarte's Holiday '09 collection is available now at http://www.tarte.com/, Sephora stores and online at http://www.sephora.com/, http://www.beauty.com/, Henri Bendel, and other boutiques nationwide.

Senna Cosmetics' Silky Primer: A Primer's Primer

I have discussed the importance of prepping the face with a primer before applying foundation in a previous post. Primer helps to create a flawless canvas, to minimize the appearance of pores, and to grab onto the foundation to keep it looking fresh all day.

Recently, I have added another face primer to my arsenal. I like to "switch up" the skincare and make-up I use to allow me to try different products and to help me discover some new ones that I might not have thought to try. Over the past few months, I have been using the Silky Primer from Senna Cosmetics, a California-based producer of professional and high-quality cosmetics, as a base for my make-up. My motto is "one must prep the face before she puts on the face," and I feel that this is one fantastic product to aid me in achieving just that. The Silky Primer is one of the smoothest I have tried thus far. I found it to be a bit thicker in consistency, and it is only necessary to use a very little bit of this colorless serum. The formula contains a blend of antioxidants and vitamins to help treat the skin and make fine lines, wrinkles, and pores less obvious. My foundation literally glided onto my face after I primed my skin with this product (not to mention, my face felt so well hydrated and smooth!). By the end of the day, I found that my face make-up really stayed put. Even through the sweltering heat (I first started testing out this primer over the summer), I never felt my foundation melting off of my face. I must say, I am quite impressed with this primer's performance.

You can find the Silky Primer online at http://www.sennacosmetics.com/, where it retails for $38. Senna offers an extensive range of products and I highly recommend checking out their line. You can definitely expect more Senna reviews to come!

The Beauty Chick Scores! Korres Skincare At T.J. Maxx

Whenever I'm in Marshall's or T.J. Maxx, I always run to scope out the beauty section. On occasion, I find some great items - hair care, perfumes, beauty tools, etc. - hiding out among the disarray (one thing that rubs me the wrong way is when make-up and other products are opened, tested, and thrown back into the mix!). Yesterday, I was out and about with my mom, running errands. I stopped by a T.J. Maxx store to return a pair of shoes, and I figured I would spend a few minutes checking to see if any new and worthy products had come into the store. To my great surprise, I found several sets of three travel-size Korres Body Butters for $6.99!! I have been itching to try out Korres' body lotions (I had eyed them at the Makeup Show last May, but by that point I had done enough damage, lol), and there was just no way I could pass this trio by. The set included 50 mL tubes each of Guava, Quince, and Fig Body Butter. Korres makes some great products (everything I have tried thus far I love!), and the Greek brand's high-quality natural cosmetics and skincare are widely sought-after. If you love Korres, as I do, be sure to check out your local T.J. Maxx or Marshall's locations now (yes, I did spot the set at Marshall's as well)! What a great deal!

New From NARS: The Eyeliner Stylo

NARS has introduced their version of the liquid eyeliner pen, the Eyeliner Stylo. Available in three shades - Nuits Blanches (a shiny black), Blue Bayou (a teal blue), and Nabucco (brown) - this felt-tipped pen allows for smooth and even application. The precision tip is designed to easily deliver a thin or a thicker line, with intense pigmentation and a quick-drying formula.

I am now very interested to see how this liner pen compares to others on the market. MAC offers their Penultimate Eyeliner in Rapidblack ($16.50 at MAC stores, counters and online at http://www.maccosmetics.com/) and Stila has recently introduced their Barbie Loves Stila Liquid Liner in black ($20 at http://www.stilacosmetics.com/). The Eyeliner Stylo in the teal shade looks particularly gorgeous. I can't wait to my hands on one to try it out!

You can find each of NARS' new liquid liner pens for $27 now at http://www.narscosmetics.com/, http://www.sephora.com/, and other locations where NARS is sold.

The Damage Has Been Done: Sephora Friends And Family Haul

Sephora's Friends and Family sale has officially arrived! I was determined to get my order out as soon as possible, before items that I wanted had a chance to sell out or the website suffered from traffic overload, so I ended up staying awake until 3 AM EST when the code was released for use. If that's not dedication (or maybe it's just an addiction!) then I don't know what is! My list changed a bit from its original version, but there were products that I have absolutely been waiting to get my hands on with the 20% off sale.

Without further ado...the beauty damage!

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. II, $48 (after sale $38.40)

Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Topaz, $18 (after sale $14.40)

NARS Day and Night Palette, $50 (after sale $40)

NARS The Multiple Coffret (includes Orgasm, Copacabana, and South Beach minis), $40 (after sale $32)

Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Singulier, $30 (after sale $24)

The Urban Decay palette was a no-brainer. I knew I had to have it! Sixteen gorgeous shadows, two mini 24/7 eye liner pencils, and a mini Primer Potion for $48 is a great deal. NARS palettes have yet to disappoint me. I have the Holiday palette from last year and I use it ALL the time. Their shadows are buttery smooth and so easy to use. The other items I added out of curiosity. I was intrigued by the Stila Kajal in Topaz, a nude, peachy pink shade. I thought this could be great to use to brighten up my eyes (I have a lot of dark areas and I don't always like to wear dark liner on my lower lashline/waterline). Also, with my complexion being so fair, I might even be able to use this pencil to spot conceal. As for the set of NARS multiples, I was interested to try out a few of the most popular shades of this universal stick. These minis are perfect to carry in your purse for any touch-ups or pick-me-ups your skin might need during the day. I have never used a YSL mascara before (though I always hear stellar reviews of the Faux Cils!) and while they are pricier, there will never be an opportunity to score one of their lash enhancers at a discount greater than 20%. I decided on their new mascara in black (the colored versions were enticing!)

So, there you have it! I am very happy with my selections, I must say. The only other product I was contemplating was a new foundation. I've been eyeing the NARS Sheer Glow and I have also been hearing some positive feedback on the Philosophy Supernatural Superbeautiful foundation. I'm a bit hesitant to order foundation online without being color matched first, though, so these might have to wait for a later date. Unless, that is, I can get to a store before the sale is over ;-). This could get dangerous!

Just A Friendly Reminder: Sephora Friends and Family Sale Starts Monday!

Hello lovelies! By now, I am sure that you are aware of Sephora's Friends and Family sale, which is set to hit their website this Monday. The sale, which will be exclusively online, will run from October 19-November 2, and will feature a discount of 20% on all purchases. To redeem the offer, enter the code FF2009 at checkout.

If you can, definitely try to take advantage of this discount. As beauty junkies, we know that sales on cosmetics, skincare and hair care are few and far between!

So what do you think? Will you partake in the Friends and Family offer? If so, what's on your list??