Photo Credit: Refinery29.com
FASHIONABLY VERSATILE – SIMPLY VERA VERA WANG COSMETCS
Fashion Empress Vera Wang has dipped her chic toe in many a water: clothing, wedding gowns, china, sunglasses and now…cosmetics. Her 74- piece Simply Vera Vera Wang color cosmetics collection launched in Kohl’s recently, and contains the usual suspects and a few other trendy items.
Among the cosmetics are a Skin Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer ($39.50), an Illuminating Powder Blush ($19.50), a Lash Enhancing Serum ($29.50), as well as mascaras, pressed powder, lip liner, an illuminating concealer and smoothing lip colors. One product, the Soothing Balm ($18.50) is more a skincare and body care offering, promising hydration anywhere you feel chapped, from elbows and hands to knees and face.
The Smooth Shine Lip Glosses ($18.50) offer a shimmering quality, and a pop of color which, according to Wang, is a gorgeous way to “to let your natural beauty shine through.” In shades from a light peach to mocha, the glosses promise high shine and color that lasts for hours with “no sticky residue.” The ingredients are designed to improve skin tone and texture while while providing buildable coverage. So too with the lightweight primers, tinted moisturizers, and powders. The glosses are not tacky – which is a nice surprise – but of course they don’t last “for hours” as the brand claims. The colors are quite sheer, so if you want a deeper shade, layer the glosses with lipsticks.
Simply Vera Vera Wang cosmetics are a partnership with Estee Lauder-owned Beauty Bank, but the prices are not Kohl’s prices: they’re a bit more high end. The colors are frankly more suited for paler skin tones, not darker skin types, so we’re not sure about the target demographic of this collection.
While I would definitely stock up more esoteric items like the Lash Enhancing Serum and Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer, I am hoping to soon see more options for darker complexions. In the future, we may see different formulations in the lip glosses (not just the frosty, shimmering variety) and lipsticks, since Ms. Wang as we all know, is full of innovation and creativity.
Photo Credit: moltonbrown.com
TRAVEL THE WORLD WITH FIRST ANTI-AGING LINE FROM MOLTON BROWN
I’ve been a fan of the English brand Molton Brown for years, and have loved their strong scents and signature body washes. Their hand and shower gels are reminiscent of an idyllic tropical island (think Black Pepper Body Wash or the Paradisiac Pink Pepperpod) and the lingering fragrance is a Molton Brown trademark.
The company launched its first anti-aging skincare collection recently, and the brand’s scientists searched the world’s choice ingredients to put in a bottle. The focus of these ingredients? To keep the skin clear, comfortable and protected from the sun’s rays.
In keeping with the Molton Brown travel mantra, the products are all so jet-setter. There are three distinct lines for three distinct skincare types: dry, oily and normal. While the products are not specifically marked (nor does the web site categorize the products under these three categories), the line does take into account these specific skin types, which is a good thing otherwise you’ll be using the inappropriate product for your skin type.
Molton Brown makes it simple too; just follow four steps for better skin: clean, prep (tone), hydrate and shield.
The products are as delicious sounding as they are effective: the Kalahari Melon Cleansing Fluid is basically a cleansing milk for dry skin, made with Kalahari melon seed oil, which is rich in fatty acids. The Malachite Cleansing Gelee uses malachite to remove oily skin impurities as well as Enantia chlorantha bark for pore reduction. Other products include the Pink Toronja Refining Toner, which uses the pink toronja grapefruit extract for exfoliation, and the Creole Grasse Anti-Aging Hydra Creme which uses creole grass to reduce wrinkles. The list of exotic ingredients and their properties are truly remarkable in this line, and the understated and elegant packaging makes this collection stand out. There are also targeted skin care solutions for the lips Pep-rich Lip Booster and eye area (Vita B3 Eye Concentrate).
According to Nathalie Eleni, a skincare expert to the stars helped with the formulation of the line, the most important anti-aging step in this collection is to protect the skin from the sun’s rays (i.e. the “shield” step).
The bottom line: do the products work? In a clinical trial composed of 30 women who used the product for 56 days, over 90% of the women loved the anti-aging hydra cremes and agreed that it would help them manage the aging of their skin. Other products also helped with wrinkles and skin firmness.
Personally, I found the texture of the cleansers and moisturizers elegant, non tacky and very absorbable. For a product price tag ranging from $42-$98, these new anti-aging items may well be worth adding to your regimen. The company is also quite generous with their samples, so try before you buy.
BLOSSOM TIME – NEW FRAGRANCES FOR SPRING
Take off that overcoat, pack away the boots and open the windows – spring has arrived – and with it a bouquet of new fragrances that will awaken your senses. Featuring springtime blossoms like tuberose, lily of the valley and jasmine, these scents may just inspire you to take a walk in a field of flowers.
From Swarovski, the masters of dazzling arrays of light thanks to their famous crystals, we have Aura ($80), the company’s very first fragrance. The scent is described as an incandescent, fruity, floral creation and features fragrant tuberose as well as pink pepper for a dash of spice. As the brand is all about gleam, Crystal Gloss ($75), a sparkling gloss for the lips packaged in a gem like pendant, will join the fragrance at counters. Both are available exclusively at Swarovski stores.
Lily of the valley and michelia flower – part of the magnolia family – join tuberose in the new Michael Kors Suede ($75). Inspired by the sexy luxuriousness of suede and the sensuality of tuberose – the key note of his signature scent – Suede is sporty, sexy and a bit of a study in contrasts. If you love tuberose with a touch of mellow woods, you’ll love this scent.
Designer Elie Saab launched his signature fragrance last year, but for Mother’s Day is offering a special gift with the line’s most popular items. The Elie Saab Le Parfum Mother’s Day Gift Set ($120) includes a 3-oz. eau de parfum spray and a 1.6 oz. scented body cream. The fragrance itself is a floral, solar, woody scent and includes floral notes of orange blossom and jasmine.
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