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Entries from October 1, 2014 - October 31, 2014

Wednesday
Oct292014

Recchiuti Confections Harvest Truffles & Champagne Truffles

The holidays are fast approaching and Recchiuti Confections is offering two splendid options for all kinds of festive occasions. Available through November, the seasonal Harvest Truffles Box ($26; 3.5 oz) would be a popular hostess gift for any upcoming Halloween parties or Thanksgiving dinners. The fall-inspired 9-piece collection includes a melange of Cinnamon Malt, Mandarin and Cranberry Pomegranate flavors.

Cassia cinnamon and barley malt lend a warm, silky texture to the Cinnamon Malt truffle while mandarin orange oil gives a subtle yet aromatic bouquet to the Mandarin. The tart cranberry pomegranate gelee within the Cranberry Pomegranate truffle is refreshing and well-balanced by the dark chocolate ganache.

A perennial favorite, the Champagne Truffle Box ($25; 6oz) are creamy French-style truffles infused with 2010 Schramsberg Blanc de Noir. Crisp, bright notes meld perfectly with Recchiuti's proprietary blend of Valrhona chocolate. Like all the other chocolates offered by the brand, these rich truffles will be a major hit and are available now through February 2015.

To purchase Recchiuti Confection chocolates, go to www.recchiuti.com

For editorial consideration, review products were provided by the brand's PR representative.

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Tuesday
Oct282014

True Nature Botanicals Solid Perfumes

I adore the skincare from True Nature Botanicals so I was pretty excited when I found out about their line of Solid Perfumes. Housed in refillable compacts, each of the three scents are made with 100% natural noble materials. This means that each ingredient possesses the highest purity and concentration available. As a result, the perfumes are much more potent and complex than typical scent sprays.


I like the petite size of the luxurious heavy metal compact — it makes it easy to tuck it into your purse for touch ups during the day. I was quite tempted by the Noble Woods fragrance but ended up trying the Noble Floral. Featuring primary notes of jasmine, rose and tuberose, it also contains citrus, ylang ylang, ginger, vanilla and sandalwood. It feels like I'm sitting in the middle of a lush jasmine garden, but it soon dries down to a sweet and effervescent finish. On my skin I can even detect fresh, delicious notes of cotton candy. 

Can't decide which one to get? You can request a free sampler at truebotanicals.com.

For editorial consideration, review product was provided by the brand's PR representative.

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Tuesday
Oct212014

Tarte Away Oui Go Portable Palette & Collector's Set

Of all the makeup sets that Tarte is offering this holiday season, the Away Oui Go Portable Palette & Collector's Set is one of the most lavish ones to consider. An insane deal for only $48, the set contains $410 worth of products. 

You get sixteen full-size Amazonian Clay Eyeshadows, four Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blushes, three deluxe size Maracuja Lip Glosses, one deluxe size Lights, Camera, Lashes 4-in-1 Mascara, and a cute embossed portable mirror compact to carry your preferred makeup palette.

I love how the blushes and eyeshadows are organized into four different color schemes — just select one to put in the compact and stash it in your purse or travel case. The matte and shimmer eyeshadows are mostly on the neutral side so they should flatter most skin tones. If you've tried their popular Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush then you already know these four limited edition shades will have great pigmentation. This should please every beautyholic!

Available exclusively at www.ulta.com

For editorial consideration, review products were provided by the brand's PR representative.

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Thursday
Oct162014

NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow & Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick

Straight from their Laced with Edge 2014 holiday makeup collection, NARS Cosmetics has a few lovely trinkets to lust after. Architectural designer Chris Kabatsi's delicate nebula print adorns the soft black packaging, which makes the beauty experience all the more special.

The Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow is a gorgeous dark olive shade with micronized gold sparkle. Thanks to the new formula, it's real easy to blend and is very pigmented when applied dry. It can hold up for most of the day without primer but there is some sparkle fall out — something I can overlook as it's so pretty and flattering, especially for the holidays.

The Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick, a warm brown red with a gold copper finish, complements the Gabon eyeshadow perfectly. It's not quite as opaque as their fabulous Audacious Lipsticks, but a few extra swipes will solve the issue. It goes on smoothly and lasts several hours before wearing off. 

The NARS holiday collection is now available at www.narscosmetics.com and at department stores on November 1.  

For editorial consideration, review products were provided by the brand's PR representative.

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Monday
Oct132014

Dolce & Gabbana 2014 Fall Runway Makeup

Elegant yet on-trend, the Dolce & Gabbana 2014 Fall Runway makeup collection consists of warm, illuminated colors for gorgeous eyes and dark, bold shades for lips and nails. 

To achieve perfect smoky eyes, layer on the Perfect Mono Cream Eye Colour in Gold Dust 20 as a base, then blend in Dahlia 100. The pink gold shimmer blends wonderfully with the bronzed plum so you can easily get a sexy look without much effort. I like to apply a thin wash of color before patting on another layer or two to seal in the color. 

Perfect Mono Cream Eye Colour in Dahlia 100.Perfect Mono in Gold Dust 20.

As for lips, you can opt for either nude or dramatic. I fell in love with the Classic Cream Lipstick in Honey 130, a wearable light pink nude that accentuated and flattered my natural lip color. If you want way more color, other options include Amethyst 330 (burgundy) and Ultra 650 (blood red).

D&G Classic Cream Lipstick in Honey 130.

Nails get the vampy treatment with three limited edition Nail Lacquers: Fiamma 155 (deep red), Vinaccia 171 (rich plum), and Verde Bosco 177 (blackened green). Depending on how you work the brush applicator, the glossy formula is opaque enough with one thick coat or two thin coats. As with their other nail polishes, it should last a week without much chipping. 

The Nail Lacquer in Verde Bosco 177.

The Nail Lacquer in Vinaccia 171.

The Nail Lacquer in Fiamma 155. Swatch of Vinaccia 171.

Swatch of Verde Bosco 177.The Dolce&Gabbana Fall Runway makeup collection is available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and Sephora.

For editorial consideration, review products were provided by the brand's PR representative.

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Tuesday
Oct072014

Clarins Extra-Comfort Anti-Aging Foundation

I have always loved the foundations from Clarins and the new Extra-Comfort Anti-Aging Foundation SPF 15 ($62) is designed for those who need medium-full coverage. The formula is fortified with organic argan oil, anti-aging tripeptides and antsemby plant extract to nourish, hydrate and protect the skin. A proprietary Light-Optimizing+ Complex uses corrective pigments to blur imperfections.

The creamy texture is quite thick so you only need a small amount for the entire face. I find that a pea-sized amount gives plenty of coverage, especially when you really blend it out. Once it's on the skin it stays put for many hours without any caking or creasing. I tried 103 Ivory, which is almost a perfect match if it weren't for my leftover suntan. The result is very natural and flattering unless you apply too much product, so use sparingly and build up as needed. 

Available at all Clarins counters and www.clarinsusa.com.

For editorial consideration, review product was provided by the brand's PR representative.

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Thursday
Oct022014

Dolce & Gabbana Aurealux Skincare

It was only a matter of time before Dolce & Gabbana created their own skincare. The luxury beauty brand recently launched not one, but two collections: The Essential line offers cleansers, exfoliator, toner and makeup remover while the premium Aurealux line showcases a selection of advanced skin treatments.

All five Aurealux products feature the Gold Flavo-Silk Tricomplex, a trio of gold silk sericin, Italian olive oil, and vitamin B3. The silk extract is derived from rare gold silk cocoons, which were grown and harvested with traditional sericulture techniques. Olive oil extract is added to strengthen top skin layers while vitamin B3 increases cellular turnover. 

The Aurealux Cream ($129) is touted as the hero product of the entire line. The gel-cream feels just a tad rich but absorbs quickly, delivering immediate comfort and plumpness to the skin. There is a light floral scent but that dissipates quickly. The refreshing Aurealux Eye Gel ($72) seems suitable for normal or oily skin, but it may not be hydrating enough for super dry skin. 

The Aurealux Serum ($129) helps improve firmness and radiance over time. I find that the Aurealux Cream performs better when you use it with the serum. And if that's not enough hydration, add the Aurealux Mask ($169/6 masks) for an intense moisture boost. Leave the stretchy fabric mask on for 10 minutes and you'll see vibrant results for up to 12 hours.

Both Dolce & Gabbana skincare lines ($35-$169) are available exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue. 

For editorial consideration, review products were provided by the brand's PR representative.

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Wednesday
Oct012014

Sulwhasoo Luminature Essential Finisher

The new Luminature Essential Finisher from Sulwhasoo is pretty amazing. The Korean skincare company is known for using medicinal herbs in its products and this one is packed with a concentrated amount of ginseng and green tea.

Designed to be layered on as a final step in any skincare regimen, each bottle of Luminature Essential Finisher features the Locsamhyo complex, which is the equivalent of 5 ginseng roots and 110 cups of green tea. It's also formulated with Indian lotus, mondo grass, licorice, peony, Solomon's seal, rehmannia, tiger lily and camellia seed to nourish, brighten and hydrate the skin.

I was expecting it to have a light serum quality but the texture feels more like a fluid moisturizer. I can definitely feel and see the difference — my face feels unusually soft and supple whenever I use it. It provides enough moisture without the addition of a rich night cream, but that will soon change when winter begins. It's also a great primer for makeup application. 

Available for $90 (2.7 fl oz/80 ml) at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and us.sulwhasoo.com

 

For editorial consideration, review product was provided by the brand's PR representative.

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