FASHIONABLY VERSATILE – SIMPLY VERA VERA WANG COSMETCS

Posted by Charu 05.09.12

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.

COLOR ME LANCÔME

Posted by Charu 04.13.12

Lancôme is known for many things but the brand has generally fallen a little shy of accommodating a wider range of skin tones (especially on the darker side) - until now.  The new Teint Idole Ultra 24H Full Coverage Foundation promises complete coverage that delivers both hydration and a natural matte finish.

The foundation features the most extensive range of shades ever by the brand - a whopping 28 - including 12 new hues that are custom blended to suit Hispanic and African American skin tones from golden olive to rosy pink and a cool blue. Since I have Indian skin with yellow undertones, I chose the shade Bisque 420 N, which is a sand/chocolate shade in the Intensity IV category (there are five categories of intensity ranging from the very pale to the very dark).

The foundation offers a new EternelSoft technology that promises a full, velvety coverage with no cakey aftermath, nor a powdery feel. Indeed, true to its promise, this creamy foundation did deliver the full coverage it boasted, and at long last, a true shade that is perfect for ethnic skin tones (I did not resort to blending two or three shades to get my skin tone as I typically do -- Bisque 420 N hit the nail on the head).

The Teint Idole line is not new and comes in various varieties: Fresh Wear (promising 18 hours of coverage), Ultra (14 hours of coverage) and now Ultra 24H.  Does the foundation really provide 24 hours of coverage? It comes quite close, I will attest, after wearing it quite religiously (even to the gym). The foundation delivers some hydration, but not as much as I'd like (in essence, moisturize your skin thoroughly before applying because this will not take the place of your moisturizer). But for $44, it delivers beautiful, flawless coverage especially for women of various ethnicities. It took the brand eight years to perfect this foundation, which also has SPF 15. This is an addition Lancôme should be proud of.

FINAL VERDICT: GGI (Gotta Get It)

BY WAY OF: GIFTED

Would you buy it again? YES

Would you recommend it to a friend? YES

I’M IN THE MOOD FOR LANCÔME

Posted by Charu 04.05.12

Forget about wearing your heart on your sleeve; thanks to Lancôme, you can now wear your mood on your lips. The French beauty giant has just introduced Rouge In Love ($25) a collection of radiant, mood-inspired lipsticks that promise up to six hours of wear.

Lancôme positions this lipstick as a “wardrobe of color” for your lips, which promises featherlight texture and high potency color. The entire experience, from the outer silver foil packaging to the sleek full-sized bullet, is a journey in luxury. Another example of its attention to detail is the stocking-inspired red stitching accents on the back of the bullet.

Rouge In Love is categorized by three different “moods,” which encompass the 21 shade offerings. Each of the “moods” include shades from the Brown/Neutrals, Pinks/Berries, and Reds/Corals color ranges.

Jolis Matins: Intended for morning wear, this group of colors veers toward the natural. They have just a hint of color via tone-on-tone particles and are identified with the prefix M.

Boudoir Time: This punchy group of shades is inspired by special moments in the late afternoon that are shared with friends. They have contrasting pearl particles and are identified with the prefix B.

Tonight is My Night: These glamorous evening shades are laden with intense color and feature golden pearl particles. They are identified with the prefix N.

The wear and tear on the lipstick is quite decent, and while the color didn’t last for six hours on my lips, it  definitely is more long lasting than the other lipsticks I’ve worn by the brand. The reason you’ll choose this lipstick is its emollience and radiance: the pearl particles shimmer in the light and will give your lips beautiful tone and texture. Reparative oils nourish the lips while the medium to full coverage color leaves lips shiny and glossy.

The long wear property stems from a new generation of polymers. The formula also features a shiny silicon that gives lips the brilliance of a gloss. This is an excellent choice for those who seek shine, radiance and a medium to full coverage lipstick in a range of long-lasting shades.