Heidi's Beauty Bag - Best. Eyeliner. Ever.

I finally found my HG (that's Holy Grail, as well as my initials) of eyeliners. I have always been a fan of Bobbi Brown's gel eyeliner. I have used Black Plum (so pretty) and more recently tried Caviar Ink (very nice dark brown). And I love her eye shadows. One of my favorites is the Forest Metallic Eye Shadow. So when I was at the BB counter back in July and the SA mentioned that the gel eyeliner would be coming out in Forest Shimmer in August, I practically swooned. And since the kiddies are home and I haven't really been shopping, my fab friend Sherry picked up a pot for me (same trip where she got the fabbie Dior polish for me - a true friend she is).

What does the color look like? Well, I'll let the marketing geniuses at the BB website tell you:

A fresh, new spin on Fall’s strong eye: Forest Shimmer Ink Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner. For a look that’s equally of-the-moment and an Ivy League classic, Bobbi’s blended deepest green with golden pearls to create a liner that really makes eyes pop.

What else can I say? Perfection. Gorgeous. Love love love. I actually think the color is more like a khaki-ish, olive-ish color than just a straight green. But it's sooooo preeeeeeetttttttttttyyyyyyy.

And the formula - this eyeliner wears like iron. Fab friend Sherry actually has freakishly oily eyelids and therefore is my absolute true tester for any eye shadow and eye liner - and this stuff stays put in a miraculous way (fyi, the Chanel waterproof pencil failed her test). I find that it takes a teeny bit of practice, but not much...and I'm so not patient about getting ready in the morning, so anything difficult gets tossed out the window.

I use both their ultra fine eyeliner brush and a lip brush for application, depending on the effect I want. Yes, I said a lip brush. The eyeliner brush deposits more gel for a deeper color and you can vary the line from very fine to a little thicker. I use the lip brush when I want a smudgier effect - it works quite well. It doesn't deposit quite as much formula and the line is thicker, so it needs a little less precision - and on some mornings, that's a good thing. (I also use a foundation brush for my BB pot rouge, but that's another conversation).

I give it my highest recommendation possible. Just don't ask me to choose between this and the Dior polish.

Heidi’s Beauty Bag – Walmart Field Trip, Plus a Little Splurge

So last weekend, we were in NC for the niece’s HS graduation and hubby’s grandparents’ ashes dispensation (I’m not sure if there’s a better term for it, but have you seen Lady Button’s post on what some people do with ashes? Ewwww.)

With some extra time to kill, I tagged along on a trip to Walmart for my SIL to buy the kids’ some games for their birthdays (1 in May & 1 in July, so by gifting in June, on average, it was on time). So here are my finds:

1 – Ok, not exactly a beauty item. But 3 sports bras for $10? Great deal. Granted, I don’t have *that* much to support and I’m not going to run a marathon in these or do 500 jumping jacks, but I might do 50. They had several color combos and racerback or spaghetti strap styles. I just got the all white pack. I will layer these under tanks & dresses in the summer instead of a bra. Much cooler, temp-wise. And I guess you could say it’s beauty related, since a cooler, comfier me is bound to look better than uncomfy, sweaty me. (This is the link to the gray/black/white pack, but you get the point, right?)

2 – Clean & Clear Morning Glow Moisturizer, SPF 15. Ok, so after the niece’s grad party, I was browsing the latest issue of Seventeen. (don’t judge – yeah, I know, 17…plus 20) But who is going to be a better expert on reducing oily T-zones? So they were suggesting this moisturizer and it was under $10, so I figured it was worth a try. Especially since my beloved Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation (thinner than anything, lighter than air, but my skin looks so good) is getting a bit shinier on the T-zone in the warmer weather. I picked up this moisturizer and actually peeled the back to look at the ingredients and sure enough, second to last, was corn starch – which we all know is a mattifier. I am really liking it so far. And, bonus, I am even putting the lotion on my nose, which is the icky-icky-oiliest part – and here’s why – it can use mattifying, it can use some extra SPF, and with oily skin, if you never moisturize you can exacerbate the situation because skin will create more sebum, thus oil slick. I think this will be a good under-makeup and at-night moisturizer for the summer. (No worries – major sunblock application if I am planning to actually be out in the sun for more than incidental exposure.)

3 – L’Oreal Infallible eyeliner in Brown. First the back story – I hate sharpening pencils. Actually the only pencil I will use that needs sharpening is my YSL eyebrow pencil (Dessin des Sourcils). Trust me, the first time I ran out, I tried to find a self-sharpening replacement. I went through multiple department store brands and finally realized that it was the best one for me, and it merited sharpening. So regarding eyeliner, the same rule applies – I hate to sharpen. I was using Chanel’s Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long Lasting eyeliner. And it hasn’t been performing that well lately. Ok, maybe that’s because it is 12 months old and needs to be tossed? Um, yeah, will do that. I will say, it has an impressive color selection.

In one of the mag’s I was reading (can’t remember which one) they mentioned the L’Oreal Infallible eyeliner as a “steal.” So far I am really liking it. It lasts quite well and isn’t hard to apply. Not too hard to make the line thick or thin as the mood strikes. It even has a smudger on the other end, which is good, because I often like the smudgy look. The downside is that it appears to come in 4 colors only – black, brown, black brown, and carbon black. I did not make that up, I swear that’s what they have.

4 - This wasn't part of the Walmart outing. I have one recent splurge to share…well, call it a mini-splurge. Some of you will probably think “that’s too much”, while others will be like “that’s nothing, I like in Chanel makeup.” I was at Sephora browsing around, and swung by the Smashbox display…and got another lipstick. Except it’s not a lipstick. It is the Smashbox Tinted Treatment Lipstick with SPF 15.

Last time I checked, Sephora online only had the non-tinted on their website, but they definitely had it in my store, which is not particularly large. It’s $18, but the Smashbox website currently has it on sale for $13.50. I got Beam, which is described as a pink nude. I love this. It may be my summer go-to lipstick. You know, the one that I keep in my purse because it’s always perfect. I do have it in my purse now, but I am thinking about clearing out the other lipsticks as this one just rocks. Maybe it’s my summer version of the Smashbox Photo-FinishLipstick with Sila-silk in Delightful (a sheer berry), which is my purse lippie in fall, winter, & spring. Back to the Lip Treatment – the color is very sheer & subtle, kinda like the Makeup Alley expression, YLBB (your lips but better). Per their description:

This vitamin and antioxidant-packed sheer lip color has it all - a treatment
core with SPF 15 to protect, vitamins A, C & E to revitalize, shea butter,
jojoba and avocado oils to nourish, and chamomile and aloe to soothe. Honey
provides extra moisturization and a deliciously sweet flavor and scent.

The formula is way moisturizing and actually tastes good, probably due to the moisturizing honey in it. (No, I don’t eat my lipstick but we’ve all tried lippies that just tasted blegh on the lips, and I won’t wear those.) They also have the lippie in Ray (sheer berry) and in an untinted formula, also with SPF. I may try the other color at some point as well. Love love love this lippie!

Do you have any beauty steals you want to share?

Anatomy of a Bag and a Clinique Conversation

Well, ok, so I decided to keep the J Crew canvas boardwalk city tote in the tennis-ball-bright neon yellow. In the end, the color made me happy and I was dying to pull it out and use it with many of my neutral ensembles. And the color reminds me of summer because of how much my mom played tennis when I was growing up. I never caught the bug but my sister did.

Now, this is a wide open bag with 1 zip pocket, so the question naturally arises, how do you keep it organized? Rather, how do you find anything and prevent it from becoming a jumbled mess? I know some people swear by those pocket systems that you move from bag to bag, but I like my stuff in the middle where I can see it and get to it.

Here is the inside of my bag. I picked it up Saturday morning and didn't even try to neaten it, I swear. My sunglasses were, I believe, sitting on the counter, so they missed the pic.

How To Make It Work:

Key decision - what to put in the zip pocket. If you put too much in, you won't be able to find a thing. I have my BlackBerry, an all-purpose -works-with-every-look lipstick, blotting papers (seriously, these from Clean & Clear are the greatest!!), and my keys.

Key item #1 - The plastic-Velcro envelope. I use clear for coupons, red for receipts, and purple for prescriptions to fill or other lists. (Get the alliteration? I'm such a geek.) They are easy to get into, thanks to the Velcro. And because they are translucent, you can even see what's inside the red or purple ones. I got mine at Target, who unfortunately doesn't seem to carry them any more, so I'll have to check Staples or Office Depot for a replacement. This saves a lot of miscellaneous pieces of paper floating around. And the receipt envelope saves on weight & width of the wallet.

Key item #2 - Mini-purse catchall. For mints, band-aids, tissues, additional lipstick/balm, brush, lotion, pill bottle (OTC of course), pen, market, head band...basically all the stuff that is usually rolling around loose in your purse. With a bag this size, you can't have all that little stuff just littering the bottom.

Here's the outside. Yep, it's the Trina Turk bag from the current Nordstrom's Clinique bonus. What I really love is that it is a bit bigger than your standard makeup bonus bag. Plus the colors - yummy, they scream summer.

And the products seem pretty good, too. I don't love the lotion, but I always love trying their colors.

Includes:
- Take the Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes and Lips (1.7 oz.)
- Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (1 oz.)
- Blushwear Cream Stick in Rosy
- Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo in Sun Burst
- Lash Doubling Mascara in Black (0.14 oz.)
- Different Lipstick in Tenderheart
- Superfit Makeup (0.5 oz.)

Just in case you are wondering what to get to qualify for the bonus ($25 purchase), I have a few suggestions:

#1 - Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick ($14). I love this lipstick. I am just not a lipgloss girl. Too sticky. This gives me the best of both lipstick and gloss - sheer color, shine, not too sticky. Great colors to boot. I have Ambrosia (great summer orange), Poppy Love (a nude-y pink they don't seem to have any more), and Raspberry Rush (yummy raspberry for summer that I just got). I also tried Fresh Watermelon - another great summer color.

#2 - Lash Power Mascara ($14). I have been a fan of this since last spring. It's my standard summer mascara. I also use (per GingerSnap's excellent recommendation) the L'Oreal Beauty Tubes Double Extend Mascara. But this one is just a little easier, with 1 formula to apply. It's not as volumizing, but just so summer-appropriate for me. (still keep the tubes for the vavavoom lashes, though.) The new Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Mascara, which I tried at $23 for a tube was so similar I was amazed, except that the Clinique mascara was better. Bobbi's formula was a little too wet for me and I looked like I had black dots on very weird places around my eye. Big, huge fan of the Lash Power. The tube is nice & skinny, so it packs easily, too.

#3 - SPF 45 Targeted Sun Protection Stick ($17.50). I had the previous version, in SPF 30 from 2 summers ago, so it needed to be replaced. I use this religiously on my lips - and on my eyes, which often sting from sunscreen. It's easy enough to take a quick swipe. This newer version is oil-free, so I will probably start using on my nose since I feel like the sunscreen slides off there first. I love love love this. And if you haven't seen my sun safety rant from a couple weeks ago, you should. Ok, off soapbox.

UPDATE - I just got an email that says the promotion runs through June 6.

Instant Beauty Gratification - Bobbi Brown on Sale!!!

Since I started this blog at the end of February, I did wade in with the nail polish info. Beauty-wise, that is my particular passion. But I do love all other makeup. And I haven't even started on all that here.

Let's start now with - I love Bobbi Brown. (Remember that great quote by her on 1 hour of exercise doing more for your skin than an hour at the dermatologist? Yeah, I need to get back on that - haven't done a thing since we got the puppy.) Her colors are genius. They always work on my weird yellow/olive-ish skin. Her new Skin Foundation is fantastic. She has some new blush sticks coming out in April (different than the current cream blush stick) that I am very excited for - similar to NARS' Multiple.

So anyway...the big news is that March 17-19, you can "Get Instant Beauty Gratification" - all Bobbi Brown is 25% off on the website. And if you use the offer code INSTANT, you will get free standard shipping (for those who are not already "members" and get the free shipping anyway). Great time to stock up on your BB products that are running low. As for me, I'm good - waiting for the new blush sticks. And I don't need anything right now.


What do you think of Bobbi? Will you be ordering anything? Are there any products that are particular favorites?