Showing posts with label gifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gifts. Show all posts

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Beauty Squared Round-Up - December 8, 2013

Hello lovelies and a happy December Sunday to you!

The Beauty Squared gals have been busybusybusy lately, so we're behind on our posting. We've got lots to share with you though, and will be getting posts up soon. In the meantime, there's a lot to round-up this week so without haste, let's dig in!


  • It's the shopping season! Here's a round-up of some of the best beauty value sets for those beauty fans on your shopping list, or maybe, as a gift for yourself!
  • And if you're more on the homemade gift side or want to save some cash, here are some fantastic ideas for DIY Beauty Gifts - Vanilla Body Cream and Crayon Lipsticks!
  • Are you bored with your red lipstick? Here are some statement lip looks you should check out as alternatives.
  • Have you seen the new MAC make-up brushes? They're...different. MUA Dustin Hunter has an in-depth review of them here.
  • Check out this gorgeous, sexy and subtly colourful smoky eye on Olivia Wilde. It uses grey, blue, brown and mint green.
  • Does eyeliner confuse you? Are you unsure what eyeliner look would suit you best? MUA Wayne Goss has some great tips that may help.
  • This is a fantastic, simple way to do a retro make-up look without it looking costumey. Classic black eyeliner flicks and red lips won't ever go out of style.
  • Look at this Louboutin-inspired manicure I came across on Twitter.
  • And check out these unbelievably creative optical illusions using only faces and makeup.
  • 'Tis the season for sparkle and parties and dressing up. 'Tis also the season for cold, dry weather and dry skin. New Beauty Magazine has a selection of the best illuminators that will give your skin a healthy, lit-from-within glow.
  • A (depressing) poll done in the UK has found that 15% of women aged 16-85 aren't aware of how prevalent Photoshop is and believe that models and actresses look the same when they're walking down the street as they do in magazines. More info as well as findings regarding body consciousness among the women surveyed can be found here.
  • Store mannequins are designed as a human ideal, a blank canvas on which clothing can be displayed to make us want to buy it. But what if they were more realistic? What if they actually looked like the people on the street looking in the store windows at them? Check out this project done by Pro Infirmis, in which people with physical disabilities have mannequins created in their likenesses. 

Sunday, November 11, 2012

MAC Holiday 2012 - All For Glamour Preview


Fabulousness – Available online October 23, 2012; available in stores October 25, 2012
The Colourways of the MAC All For Glamour Face Kit/Gorgeous Bronze includes bronzing powder in Golden, eyeshadows in Hearts-A-Flutter, Romance Me and Shadowy Lady and lipsticks in Headturner and Barely Lit. 
MAC All For Glamour Touch-Up Kits include blot powder/pressed to reduce, Shine and Sheen Supreme Lipstick, which delivers intense colour with the gleam of Lipglass. Three palettes: Medium, Medium Dark and Dark. 





All For Glamour Face Kit in Gorgeous Bronze
Hearts-a-Flutter Eye Shadow - Warm pink with silver pearl (satin)
Romance Me Eye Shadow - Warm plum with gold pearl (lustre)
Shadowy Lady Eye Shadow - Blackened plum (matte)
Golden Bronzing Powder - Muted golden tan-beige with shimmer
Barely Lit Lipstick - Neutral pink with gold pearls (lustre)
Headturner Lipstick - Mid-tone cool cream plum (cremesheen) 
$59.50 CDN/$49.50 U.S.


All For Glamour Touch Up Kit in Medium
Fashion City Sheen Supreme Lipstick - Neutral coral with pink (sheen supreme)
 Medium Blot Powder 
$47.50 CDN/$39.50 U.S.

All For Glamour Touch Up Kit in Medium Dark
Bare Again Sheen Supreme Lipstick - Pinky neutral beige (sheen supreme) 
Medium Dark Blot Powder 
$47.50 CDN/$39.50 U.S.

All For Glamour Touch Up Kit in Dark
Can’t Resist Sheen Supreme Lipstick - Golden purplish red (sheen supreme)
Dark Blot Powder 
$47.50 CDN/$39.50 U.S.


MAC Holiday 2012 - Fabulousness Preview


Fabulousness – Available online October 23, 2012; available in stores October 25, 2012
Too pretty not to show off! These chic, satin-tufted compacts are a touch of modern romance with its demure black patent bow accent. Fabulousness with haute class, stylish inside and out. Elegant eye shadow compacts reveal a palette of five perfectly coordinated colours that blend for softly chic or deeply dramatic holiday looks. All for Glamour colourways face and touch up kits. And, for M∙A∙C fanatics who long for the new and fashionably exclusive, this is it, Devine Desires. Four of our finest products, in two softly sensuous colour palettes.


Neutral Eyes
Brun Muted blackish-brown (satin)
Blonde Mink Grey taupe frost (lustre) 
Enviable Cool mint green with pearl (veluxe pearl) 
Smut Muted black with red shimmer (velvet) 
Magical Mist Metallic taupe (lustre) 
$47.50 CDN/$39.50 U.S.




Smoky Eyes
Spellcaster Matte aubergine (matte)
Taupeless Lavender pink (lustre)
Black Slip Rich blackened plum with pearl (veluxe pearl)
Satin Taupe Taupe with silver shimmer (frost)
Love Spice Mid-tone rosy pink with pearl (frost)
$47.50 CDN/$39.50 U.S.

Warm Eyes
Glamour Light Soft beige frost (satin)
Sketch Burgundy with red shimmer (velvet)
Honesty Pewtered bronze (lustre)
Cognac Frosty golden bronze (frost) 
Retrospeck Bleached blonde (lustre)
$47.50 CDN/$39.50 U.S.


Monday, October 31, 2011

MAC Glitter and Ice - Dazzlesphere! Preview

That's American figure skater Johnny Weir in the centre. 

Outrageously opulent ornaments to satisfy all the nice (and naughty) boys and girls on your holiday gift-giving list:

Mini kits packaged in clear, couture-future ornaments. Mini gloss kits are in coral, pink and neutral. Mini eye kits feature four stackable crushed metallics in smoky blue, plum and smoky berry. Mistletoe is mandatory with the petite nail lacquer ornament, housing four little nail lacquers.

Available in November 2011.





Dazzlesphere! Crushed Metal Pigments in Plum Ornament
Light Violet 
Grape
Seasonal Cool - sparkle taupe
Misty Pale - silver
 $28.50 CDN/$32.50 US

Dazzlesphere! Crushed Metal Pigments in Smoky Berry Ornament
Pearl
 Rose Light
Spicy Smoke - dark strawberry
Roasted Chestnut - deep chocolate with gold pearl
$38.50 CDN/$32.50 US

Dazzlesphere! Crushed Metal Pigments in Smoky Blue Ornament
White As Snow - snowy white 
Silver Sleet - medium grey
Wintersky- purple blue
Dark Moon - charcoal 
$38.50 CDN/$32.50 US


Dazzlesphere! Mini Gloss Kit in Neutral Ornament
Bare Necessity (dazzleglass)
Get Rich Quick (dazzleglass)
Boy Bait (cremesheen)
Over Indulgence (cremesheen) 
$38.50 CDN/$32.50 US

Dazzlesphere! Mini Gloss Kit in Coral Ornament
Phiff! (dazzleglass)
Eurobeat (dazzleglass)
On the Scene (cremesheen)
Richer, Lusher (cremesheen) 
$38.50 CDN/$32.50 US

Dazzlesphere! Mini Gloss Kit in Pink Ornament
Rags To Riches (dazzleglass)
Like Venus(dazzleglass)
Fashion Scoop (cremesheen)
Petite Indulgence (cremesheen)
$38.50 CDN/$32.50 US

Petite Nail Lacquer Ornament in Dark Angel
 Style Tip - soft pink nude
Much Adored - sheer white pink with pearl
 Mistletoe - pale gold 
$30 CDN/$25.50 US

To see more of the MAC Glitter and Ice Holiday 2011 collections, visit here, here and here.

C.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

MAC A Tartan Tale Chapter One Preview


Along with the A Tartan Tale colour collection, M.A.C. had come out with its annual collection of holiday gifts. And this year they're all about the tartan (squee!)! This is no preppy plaid, this is vibrant tartan packaging inspired by Scotland and rock & roll.


This post will preview the eye, lip and face sets as well as the bagged brush sets of A Tartan Tale. Call this Chapter One! Chapter Two can be found here and the A Tartan Tale colour collection can be found here. A Tartan Tale holiday exclusives can be found here



Peekaboo! Poking a little fun at the kinky part of the kilt, these incorrigible kits for Lips, Eyes and Face have some flasher fun with mirrored compacts, but remain dignified with proper M∙A∙C family crests. New giftables that prove to be seductive, cheeky, good fun, including 6 Dashing Lassie Eye Shadows,
6 Beauties Play It Cool Eye Shadows, 6 Twists of Tartan Eye Shadows, 6 Reelers & Rockers Eye Shadows, Happily Ever After and A Fabulous Fantasy Lip Kits, plus A Triumphant Blush and Hark The Heraldry Face Kits.




Dashing Lassie eyeshadow set ($43.50 CDN/$36 US)
Once Upon a Time - Metallic vanilla (veluxe pearl)
Bronze - Copper penny (frost)
Buckwheat - Frosty medium brown (frost)
A Dashing Lassie - Metallic milk (frost)
Magical Mist - Metallic taupe (lustre)
Showstopper - Dark brown (matte)

Beauties Play It Cool eyeshadow set ($43.50 CDN/$36 US)
Heather Belles - Dark charcoal/carbon (satin)
To the Ball - Dusty lavender (satin)
Hold My Gaze - Medium grey (frost)
Magic Moor - Purple grape (veluxe pearl)
Altered State - Blackened plum (veluxe pearl)
Silverwear - Metallic lavender (frost)




Reelers & Rockers eyeshadow kit ($43.50 CDN/$36 US)
Carbon - Dark carbon (matte)
White Rabbit - Shimmer white (frost)
Melt My Heart - Metallic silver (veluxe pearl)
Gaelic Gold - Metallic gold (veluxe pearl)
Crown & Sceptre - Metallic copper (veluxe pearl)
Family Treasures - Metallic bronze (veluxe pearl)


Twists of Tartan eyeshadow kit ($43.50 CDN/$36 US)
Vainglorious - Metallic maroon (frost)
Rolled Gold - Gold (lustre)
Lady's Prance - Clay (matte)
High Spirits - Shimmer avocado (frost)
Bows & Curtseys - Metallic hunter green (satin)
Set To Dance - Dark royal blue (matte)




A Fabulous Fantasy lip kit ($27 CDN/$22.50 US)
Storybook Ending - Raisin (lustre)
Imagine This - Pinky beige (amplified)
Heroic Tale - Sparkle flesh tone (gloss)
Happily Ever After lip kit ($27 CDN/$22.50 US)
Cheers All Around - Bright candy pink (frost)
To Joy - Medium pink (frost)
Endless Fun - Sheer frosty pink (gloss)


A Triumphant Blush face kit ($45.50 CDN/$38 US)
Melba - Soft coral peach (powder blush)
Peachtwist - Golden peach (sheertone shimmer)
Smooth Harmony - Neutral mid tan (beauty powder)
Hark the Heraldry face kit ($45.50 CDN/$38 US)
Dame - Sophisticated blue/pink (powder blush)
Plum Foolery - Faint dusty plum (sheertone shimmer)
Oh So Fair - Pale pink (beauty powder)


Once upon a time a bonny lass was in a Scottish ska band. She couldn’t just pick one look – punk or princess? So she chose them all...fancy that! Her loot: Dazzle the Lads Lip Bag, with Baron’s Rose Lipstick, Draw Me Close Lip Pencil and Moth to Flame Dazzleglass; Vain & Glorious Lip Bag, with Mellow Mood Lipstick, In Synch Lip Pencil and Baby Sparks Dazzleglass; Noble Knights Lash & Line Eye Bag with Teal Pigment, Blitz & Glitz Fluidline and Zoomblack Zoom Lash mascara; and finally, Violet My Love Lash & Line Kit, replete with Violet Pigment, Macroviolet Fluidline and Zoomblack Zoom Lash mascara.
Dazzle the Lads lip bag ($43.50 CDN/$36 US)
Creemesheen Lipstick in Timeless - Medium rose
Dazzleglass in Moth to Flame - Sheer neutral beige
Lip Pencil in In Synch - Light pink
Vain and Glorious lip bag ($43.50 CDN/$36 US)
Lustre Lipstick in Mellow Mood - Sheer pink
Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks - Sparkle baby pink
Lip Pencil in In Synch - Light pink

Noble Knights lash & line kit ($43.50 CDN/$36 US)
Fluidline in Blitz & Glitz - Black
Pigment in Teal - Bright metallic teal
Zoomblack
209 Brush

Violet My Love lash & line kit ($43.50 CDN/$36 US)
Fluidline in Macroviolet - Dark grape
Pigment in Violet - Bright metallic purple
Zoomblack
209 Brush


A drawbridge lowers, an electric-guitar wails... and a Princess makes an entrance – with her bag of tricks! New M∙A∙C Brush Bags are here for every girl who wants to arrive at the ball in flawless fashion, with everything she needs in these nifty, handsome, heathery tartan modern mash-ups, trimmed in shiny patent: A Lady & Her Tricks Buff & Line Brush Collection with 168SE, 187SE, 209SE, 219SE and 252SE; Sweep Me Off My Feet Sweep & Define Brush Collection,
with 129SE, 190SE, 212SE, 227SE and 275SE; She’s Got It All Apply, Define & Line Brush Collection, with 194SE, 204SE, 224SE, 266SE and 275SE. Throw on your favourite Vivienne Westwood tartan frock (knickers optional) and off you go, perfectly ready to raise a ruckus!




A Lady & Her Tricks Buff & Line brush collection ($58 CDN/$49.50 US)

168SE, 187SE, 209SE, 219SE, 252SE


She's Got It All - Apply, Define and Line brush collection ($58 CDN/$49.50 US)
194SE, 204SE, 224SE, 266SE, 275SE



Sweep Me Off My Feet - Sweep & Define brush collection ($58 CDN/$49.50 US)

129SE, 190SE, 212SE, 227SE, 275SE






I'm in love with the little tartan bags!


C. 




Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Picks and Skips - MAC's Holiday Offerings Part Three - Miracles Happen Viva Glam


MAC's Miracles Happen Viva Glam lip palette is a PICK for the simple fact that 100% of its sales go to the MAC AIDS Fund.

The palette contains two of MAC's easy-to-wear Viva Glam lipsticks - Viva Glam V, a pearly purpley-pink and Viva Glam VI, a warm russet-plum with pearl - and one Viva Glam lipgloss - Viva Glam V, a warm pinky-orange with pearl.All of these colours are highly wearable - most skin tones and colouring can look good in these colours.

So this is a no-brainer for me. If you have someone who loves MAC, loves make-up or if you want these gorgeous, easy-to-wear shades for yourself, PICK this up. It goes for $27 CDN ($22.50 US) and every cent of it's purchase price goes to the MAC AIDS Fund. This isn't one of those "10% of the total profits go towards " or "25 cents of every dollar goes towards helping ". The MAC AIDS Fund, which you should read more about here, is one of the beauty industry's best-known and longest-standing causes and even though Estee Lauder has taken over the company, every cent of the purchase price of Viva Glam products goes towards the MAC AIDS Fund.

PICK! PICK! PICK!

C.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

LUSTING: Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Chrome Palette


Really, just look at it. Bobbi Brown's Limited Edition Chrome Palette - ten eyeshadows and four lip glosses in gorgeous shades of silvery shimmer and rosy sheen. My Gunmetal and Roses FOTD? This is your palette.

Bobbi Brown is a world-renowned make-up artist whose product quality is impeccable, so you know that you're going to wear these shades over and over again. It's not a question of loving this palette, it's a question of what are you waiting for?

Also, I have to love a palette that splits the creams from the powders. I loathe palettes where a lipstick is next to an eyeshadow and the lipstick, of course, ends up getting all gritty. Stop it, beauty companies, stop it now!

It isn't cheap ($75 US) but it is gorgeous and you do get ten shadows and four glosses as well as Bobbi Brown's impeccable quality of product. Yup, I'm lusting.

LUST LUST LUST

C.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Picks and Skips: MAC's Holiday Offerings Part Two - Mineralize Kits

MAC has two Mineralize Kits out for Holiday 2009. Both kits retail at $71.50 CDN ($59.50 US) and each includes a Mineralize eyeshadow duo, a Mineralize Skinfinish (highlighter), a Mineralize blush and a mini buffing brush.


Fun In the Sun Mineralize Kit - Shimpagne Mineralize Skinfinish (soft beige-gold shimmer), Nuance Mineralize Blush (peach-gold), Play on Plums Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo (bronze, burgundy, peach, gold, pink), and the 181SE Mini Buffer. Shimpagne is a covetable shade that was released as Limited Edition (LE) so if you need a reason to pick up this kit, I've just given you one. Just check out Karla Sugar's swatch of it here. It's a beautiful champagne shimmer highlighter that anyone can use. Play on Plums is also a gorgeous eyeshadow particularly for the burgundy and the way the warmer tones compliment it.

Like all the kits, these colours would work on any skin tone but Fun In the Sun, as it sounds, has warmer shades and will work to give your skin a sun-kissed glow. Both Nuance and Shimpagne are LE's (Play on Plums is permanent) so I give this kit a PICK.




Pinkzapoppin! Mineralize Kit - Light Flush Mineralize Skinfinish (soft pink-bronze-peach shimmer), Dainty Mineralize Blush (gold pink moderate shimmer), Love Connection Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo (beige, gold, pink, rose, hint of blue) and the 181SE Mini Buffer. Like Shimpagne in the Fun In the Sun kit, Light Flush Mineralize Skinfinish is also a LE shade that beauty junkies lust over. The kit is worth buying for Light Flush alone. Because this kit is slightly cooler than Fun In the Sun, it's more for fairer skin tones or if you want a more subtle glow effect from these products. Both Dainty and Love Collection (eyeshadow) are permanent colours, so the only reason to buy this kit is if it's a gift for someone, or if you must own Light Flush. SKIP

Karla Sugar has swatches of both kits here if you want a better idea.

Happy Shopping and stay tuned for the remainder of our Picks and Skips for MAC's Holiday Collection!

For MAC's Holiday 2009 Lip, Eye and Face Kits Picks and Skips, click here.

C.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Picks and Skips: MAC's Holiday Offerings Part One - Lip, Eye and Face Kits



MAC seems to have more and more available every Christmas! Currently they've got a colour collection - Magic, Mirth and Mischief! - out and they have a tonne of gifty-type kits and sets as well as their annual Kids Helping Kids holiday cards and gift tags available.

To help you decide whether your local MAC counter or store is worth a stop on your shopping list, I've gone ahead and offered my take on what you should definitely get and what you should skip. Whether you're shopping for gifts or for yourself, here's what you should know!

Lip Kits ($27 CDN/$22.50 US)



L to R. Barely Visible, Floating Lightly, Heavenly Dish


Heavenly Dish Neutral Lip Kit - Two peachy neutral-toned lipsticks - Floating Lightly and Heavenly Dish and a pale peachy lipgloss called Barely Visible. Great peachy-toned neutral colours that can be worn by most skin-tones. Buy it for Floating Lightly and Barely Visible! PICK


L to R. Sweet Smile, Laugh A Lot, Tickled


Possessed By Pink Lip Kit - Two lovely neutral pink lipsticks - Tickled and Laugh A Lot and a wear with anything lipgloss - Sweet Smile. Laugh A Lot is a gorgeous shade that would work on most complexions, as is Tickled, though it is deeper and would look better on medium skin tones. All are very wearable and would work on most complexions. Buy it for Laugh A Lot. SKIP



Eye Kits ($44.50 CDN/$36 US)

Top L to R. Oh My Darling, Dare Ya!, Sorcery
Bottom L to R. Gold Tease, Prankster, Devilishly Dark

6 Devil May Dare Warm Eye Shadows - This is a collection of warm-toned, fashion-forward colours with the rich pigmentation and shimmer. Six shades that would work together very very well, or each on their own or with other colours including the gorgeously rich Sorcery, Prankster and Gold Tease. PICK



Top L to R. Cool Incantation, Blue Enchantment, Deep Secret
Bottom L to R. Shhh, Don't Tell, Rose Potion, Violet Vow

6 Mystic Cool Eye Shadows - A collection of cool-toned shadows ranging from a brilliant shimmery turquoise to a violet-toned coll brown. I didn't think I'd like this palette as much as I do. Obviously, the two bluey shades leap right out at you and scream for your attention but the four other shades are neutral enough to make this palette a collection of wearable colours - together or alone. PICK



 Top L to R. Fire In Her Eyes, Wide-Eyed Wonder, Black Magique
Bottom L to R. Spell No. 9, Deception, Smoke & Mirrors

6 Smoke and Mirrors Eye Shadows - A collection of warm browns ranging from the covetable Smoke & Mirrors (chocolate brown) and Wide-Eyed Wonder (smokey taupe) to the wear anytime, anywhere, with anything warm neutrals Spell No. 9 and Deception. This is one of the strongest eye palettes available from MAC this season. PICK






Top L to R. White Rabbit, Hold My Gaze, Edge of Dark
Bottom L to R. Magnetized, Hypnotizing, Altered State

6 Sorceress Eye Shadows -  Six eyeshadows ranging from a blue-purple to a cool-olive tone. Buy it if you like deeper tones in slightly dramatic colours. These are good, safe colours in greens, greys and purples. Buy it for Edge of Dark and Altered State. SKIP

Face Kits ($44.50 CDN/$38 US)



L to R. Pretty Baby, Sunsparked, Peachykeen

Hocus Pocus Colourful Face Kit - A set of three cooler-toned pink powders for the face. Peachykeen is a peach-pink blush Pretty Baby is a soft pink powder that can be used all over your face, as a blush or a highlighter and it's found in the slide-out trays below the shimmery warm apricot-beige highlighter Sunsparked Pearl Beauty Powder and the coral-apricot Peachykeen Sheertone Shimmer Blush. This is the best of the two face kits if you've got fair skin, although both are soft and sheer enough most skin tones can wear both. PICK



L to R. Golden Bronze, Buffed & Polished, Sunbasque


Fab-racadabra Bronze Face Kit - The Fab-racadabra kit contains warmer tonesto give anyone's skin tone an easy glow. In the bottom tray is Golden Bronzing Powder, a soft gold shimmery highlighter and above it are the gorgeous shimmery bronze-gold of the Buffed & Polished Iridescent Powder and the very pretty coral-gold Sunbasque Sheertone Shimmer Blush. PICK

No swatches from us unfortunately, but there are (as always) some excellent ones from two of our favourite beauty bloggers Temptalia and Karla Sugar.

Happy Shopping!

C.