beauty squared: December 2011

Saturday, December 24, 2011

MAC Metal-X Preview

Platinum pop…Gold groove…Silver shimmer…after a smashing debut in Winter 2007, a treasure chest of precious metals is back at your disposal with M·A·C Metal-X Cream Shadow, a cutting-edge formula that transforms powdery cream into liquid metal before your very eyes – on your very eyes (or cheeks, brow bone, décolletage…anywhere a multi-dimensional metal effect is desired). Created with a new mélange of pigments that allow superior blendability and spreadability, this luxurious highlighter goes from medium to high intensity coverage in a simple one-stroke application. Whether you’re into heavy metal or just a fleck of gilded foil, this molten magic is sure to elevate any look with its extreme brilliance, shine and dimension.

M·A·C Metal-X Available December 26, 2011 through January 19, 2011

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Cyber
Metallic silver with silver pearl
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Fusion Gold
Light pinky beige with gold pearl
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Gold Carbon
Metallic taupe
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Palladium
Metallic ash
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Red Hot Copper
Warm copper
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Rusty
Dirty peach gold
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Venetian Tarnish
Golden tarnished bronze
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Vintage Coin
Metallic olive green
$24 CDN/$20 US

Metal-X Cream Shadow in Virgin Silver
White with silver pearl
$24 CDN/$20 US

Friday, December 23, 2011

December Glymm Box

My December Glymm Box arrived last week - a Christmas gift for me! This is the second in my year-long Glymm subscription (click here to see my first).

Bright pink box, ribbon writing, check!

Inside, a ribbon wrapped bundle.

A list of the items inside my Glymm Box.

$10 off the Glymm shop

The goodies inside...

A sample of Caudalie Vinoperfect Enzymatic Peel Mask.

This innovative formula is enriched with revitalizing grape acid and antioxidant-rich grape seed oils which work together to gently dissolve dead skin cells and reveal a perfectly nourished, balanced and luminous skin complexion.

Sula Natural Lip Gloss.

Playful, yet sophisticated, this trendy line is designed to compliment not define! Sula Lip Gloss is formulated with natural ingredients that will smooth, soften and moisturize your pretty lips. Go ahead and break the rules, set trends and always be pretty!

Ahava Mineral Hand Cream.

Ahava lightweight lotion goes to work the minute you apply it, with a powerful blend of ingredients to treat hand dryness and dermatitis. It's rich, nourishing Dead Sea minerals hydrate and restore moisture to even the most rough and scaly skin. The hazel extracts soothe and soften dry skin, without making it feel greasy.

YSL Parisienne perfume

Once upon a time there was Parisienne, who lived and loved in the moment - the portrait of a woman incredibly free. Parisienne is a floral, feminine yet sensual fragrance which will leave a trace of mystery everywhere you go. This luxurious scent wraps up a woman's body and stays with her all day long. Scandalous, some say?

And of course, a little glass jar of jelly beans!

I have tried and loved all of the products I got in my December Glymm box. The Sula gloss isn't something I'd buy though. It's very light and doesn't last very long. Pretty, but for a product junkie like me, I have plenty of light, glossy lip products and don't need another!

Did you get a Glymm Box this month? What was in yours?

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Daphne Guinness for MAC Preview

An Artist who values her freedom to discover the myriad ways to express and transform the human soul, from couture and punk, to historical research and the metaphysics peculiar to mankind. Mother. Model. Muse. Journalist. Actor. Once again, the Honourable Daphne Suzannah Diana Joan Guinness has added another project to her resume with her latest creative endeavour, which could be her most electrifying and beautiful yet. Everyone’s most obsessed-over, free thinking and cross-disciplining aristocrat has teamed up with M·A·C to create a collection of colours as sophisticated, authentic and refined as Daphne herself. Someone who defies the labels with which society brands those they can’t explain. A person who is not only unafraid to dirty her well-manicured hands, but one for whom the actual process is an ultimate pleasure and not just a means to an end. Someone for whom life is an infinite journey of discovery.

To create this magnificent collection, Guinness kicked off her towering shoes and threw herself into the world of makeup artistry to concoct a truly elegant wash of watercolour-inspired shades that recall the classically beautiful cool and rich tones of the Old Masters and the stark light of northern Europe. From inception to final incarnation she took instructions, and for weeks applied herself to personally mixing palettes of differing hues. Her ethos is that unless you do it yourself or are part of the process, the final result is not interesting or authentic. For her that is unacceptable. In M·A·C she found a team that was willing to support and help her bring this first collection from the drawing board to the final product, so each colour is curated to perfection.

Her inspiration? The stories and influences of her life: the whispered luxury of an antique Chinese porcelain vase, the way the light illuminates the clouds of her childhood home in Northern Spain. Inspirations range from the blues of Duccio, to the discovery in the 18th century of Prussian blue, to pigeon’s blood and the watery greens reminiscent of a Whistler painting, to how the intricate wings of a butterfly resemble the images of deepest space.

Much like the artistic expression looming within each skein of silk thread on a finely wrought couture gown, the same attention to detail has been applied to a collection that is perfectly tailored for the woman who is eternally youthful, possessed of intellectual, spiritual and artistic integrity, and of course, great beauty. In short, the Daphne Guinness in all of us.

Available December 26 in North America.

Blush Ombré in Azalea Blossom
Light cool pink
$31 CDN/$26 US

Blush Ombré in Vintage Grape
Mid-tone violet pink
$31 CDN/$26 US

Cremesheen Glass in Borealis
Pale grey pink with iridescent pearl
$22 CDN/$18.50 US

Cremesheen Glass in Japanese Spring
Pale dirty pink
$22 CDN/$18.50 US

Cremesheen Glass in Narcissus
Dirty eggplant
$22 CDN/$18.50 US

Cremesheen Glass in Richly Revered
Deep brown plum
$22 CDN/$18.50 US

Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Grey Utility
Uniform grey
$22 CDN/$18.50 US

Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Engraved
Rich black
$22 CDN/$18.50 US

Interior Life Quad
Stratus - light pink (matte)
Interior Life - mid-tone grey blue (veluxe pearl)
Bruised Sky - dark lavender-grey (satin)
Heather Belles - dark charcoal/carbon (satin)
$45 CDN/$38 US