Guerlain Kiss Kiss Lip Gloss (809 Rubis Rose)

Guerlain Kiss Kiss lip gloss in Rubis Rose might be my favorite item from all of this year's holiday collection. Between the pretty tube with the black lace design and the absolutely perfect dark rose color, it was one of the best impulse purchases.

Rubis Rose is shimmery and very pigmented- what you see in the photo is what you get on your lips. It's a rose with a brown-mauve depth. The texture is smooth, not sticky and feels very moisturizing on the lips- it's the kind of gloss that makes your lips look and feel good- healthy and plump. It's a great after dark shade, but I admit to wearing it during the day lately. It's not over-the-top and is just so pretty against winter paleness.

Bottom line: Big, fat love.

Guerlain Kiss Kiss Lip Gloss in Rubis Rose ($29) is one of three limited edition items for Holiday 2010. It's available from top department stores and also online. I bought it at Bergdorf Goodman.

All photos are mine.

Lorac Croc Palette

Lorac makes some of the best coordinated makeup palettes that take the guessing out of creating a polished, put together look. I've been using the Snake Charmer for several years now (even though the blush is too bright for me nowadays). It's my go-to item for a shimmery evening look (and it slides easily into the slimmest clutch), but it's a bit bold for daytime. I don't remember why I never paid more attention to the understated Croc palette, but I recently rediscovered how great it is.

The muted rose blush is Soul, one of my current favorites. Three of the eye shadows have delicate shimmer that is daytime appropriate, and the fourth is a suede brown that creates depth. It's not dark enough to use as a liner, but it definitely works well in the crease. The shadows have a delicate smooth texture and they blend together seamlessly. The pigment, like every Lorac product I've ever tested, is rich and the color payoff is great and very true to what you see in the pan. I like playing and creating lighter and darker variations, according to the mood, but I mostly blend the highlighter with one of the darker colors for an effortless, polished but almost bare look. Used over a primer, the eye shadows hold for 14 hours easily with no creasing and minimum fading.

Burberry Lipstick In Prune (14)

Prune was the second Burberry Soft Satin Lipstick I chose (the other one was #9 Blush), and I have no idea which one I like better. Both are gorgeous and boast all the nice Burberry features- elegant packaging, superb texture, tons of pigment and a soft, moisturizing feel on the lips.

Prune is deeper and more dramatic than blush, but since my lips are naturally dark, it's a color I wear easily and not only in the evening. It's a brown-based color, not quite purple because it has quite a bit of warmth and red undertones. It's a fall/winter color, for sure.

The second swatch where it's next to the Sepia lip liner, the lipstick was actually rubbed off (either on my pants or on a random cat, I can't remember). Just look how much color is left- that's another testament to Burberry lipsticks' staying power.

Burberry Soft Satin Lipstick ($30) is a Nordstrom exclusive, available online and in select locations.

All photos are mine.

Edward Bess Moroccan Rose Blush Imperiale

Moroccan Rose scared me when I first saw it a couple of months ago. It's such an assertive and pigmented color, and I live in fear of having 80s cheeks. Eventually I was convinced to try (Edward and his team are always right), and another love was born. Moroccan Rose is the darkest and plummiest of in Edward Bess' Blush Imperiale line (these are powder blushes. The three cream ones are Compact Rouge). Still, it has the finest sheer texture that gives you control over the level of pigmentation and works with every good brush I tried, from the superb Edward Bess Face Brush to Chanel #7, Nars Yachio and several duo-fiber brushes.

The color is on the warm side, at least when applied to my skin- it's very pigmented but still lets skin shine through, which is what makes this blush so unique- Edward Bess creates makeup that enhances and defines your features but not covers you up with unnecessary paint.

The texture of Blush Imperiale is as soft and smooth as one would want, and while it's matte, there is still a level of radiance- no shimmer or shiny particles, just some sort of natural glow that might be the result of the way this blush melds and blends with your foundation and the skin underneath. The swatch you can see above was done with the little brush that came in the compact and is not blended or sheered. You can play it up or down according to your own skin tone.

My guess would be that Blush Imperiale in Moroccan Rose would work for most who have light/medium and up skin. If you're very fair you might want to check the other two shades. Next week I'll show and review the one in Desert Bloom. In the meantime you can see Charlsestongirl's review and swatches of this interesting blush on Best Things In Beauty.

Bottom Line: Exquisite.

Edward Bess Blush Imperiale ($48) is available from Bergdorf Goodman, select Neiman Marcus locations (also online) and edwardbess.com.

All photos are mine (and Sophie's).

Clarins Barocco Eyeshadow Trio

Every season there's one makeup collection that stands out among all the other pretties. It's always a combination of gorgeous packaging, unique colors and impeccable quality. It's no big secret that I've been feeling a bit "meh" about many of the holiday collections this year, but finally there's something truly exciting: Clarins Barocco collection.

The packaging alone is outstanding- golden compacts and tubes with a beautiful black floral decoration. They're very gift-worthy and would look impressive on every dresser. The colors themselves are lovely and have a broad appeal, especially this eye shadow trio.

Clarins Barocco palette includes three colors. Two are sparkly with a metallic finish- a medium gold and the balck/gold marbled eye shadow that changes with the light. It looks like anything from khaki to brass and is one of the prettiest shades in my current rotation. the black is a soft matte and makes a beautiful liner that can be easily smoked or deepened. Used together, it's a glorious evening/holiday look, but I've been playing with just the liner and the tiniest amount of the marbled shadow and successfully brought it down to an acceptable daytime level- just a hint of shine on the lid blended into a beige base.

The texture of the Barocco eye shadows is soft and luxurious. I've tested them with a variety of primers and brushes- so far everything works. I'm fully enamored with this trio because it's as nice to use as it is to look at it. Taking the photos was also fun, except for the ridiculously bad lighting we've had for days. What you see was photographed in artificial light, mostly without flash, which accounts for the sub-par swatches. Karen from Makeup & Beauty Blog has a far better swatch of this one and also the rest of Clarins Barocco collection, so I recommend some drooling on her page.

Bottom Line: Festive in the best sense of the word.

Clarins Barocco Eyeshadow Trio ($40) is available from Nordstrom, online and in store. The press sample was sent by the company for my consideration.

All photos are mine with the help of Sophie.

Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- Iceblush Lip Shine

Lip Shine from Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics is basically a shiny tinted lip balm. I've had it for months but only started to fully appreciate it when it dawned on me to actually follow the Youngblood instructions and apply it with a lip brush either over a lip pencil/liner or over a liner+lipstick that you want to both cement into place and make them shine. That was a serious lightbulb moment.

As it is, Lip Shine is a fabulously comfortable-to-wear product, full of extracts, emollients and other feel good ingredients that make it very soothing even for my very picky lips. Its stick factor is minimal and it has very nice glossy sheen. What makes it outstanding is the way it stays in place and doesn't budge. Still, I didn't reach for it as often as I should have because the color I was sent, Iceblush, is completely invisible on me. It has some pigment, as you can clearly see in the swatch, but my natural lip color is much darker. But once I've started using it as directed over other (and usually dry) lip products, Lip shine has become an easy choice. I especially like it over chubby lip crayons (Bobbi Brown, Trish or Shiseido) because they are softer and quicker to fill up the lip.

I've had a quick look at the darker shades of Lip Shine while at Henri Bendel in NYC. Crush is a dark plum and Jubilee is a red raspberry. I didn't test them on my lips but they seem to have a good amount of pigment so I can see them joining my arsenal at some point.

Bottom Line: definitely worth your time (as long as you don't mind the strong vanilla scent).

Lip Shine by Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics ($17) is available from Henri Bendel (in store only) and ybskin.com. This review is based on a free press sample sent by the company.

All photos are mine.

Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener

My relationship with Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener started on the wrong foot, as the first sample squirted out uncontrollably, sending my silk dress straight to the cleaners. Several sample tubes later, I'm still not impressed. A very shimmery peach does nothing for me or for  my dark under-eye circles, except drawing even more attention where I want none.

You can clearly see the shimmery finish in the swatch and also that it's not a good match for olive skin. For some reason, Photo Op Under Eye Brightener doesn't come in any other shades, so what you see is what you get.

Bottom Line: Get YSL Touche Eclat or Guerlain Precious Light.

Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener ($18) is available from Sephora and smashbox.com.

Photos by me.

Edward Bess Sheer Satin Cream Compact Foundation (03 Nude)

I have several Edward Bess goodies to talk about- new shades of lip colors and his gorgeous blushes. But before we go there I must talk about this little wonder- the Edward Bess Sheer Satin Cream Compact Foundation. I've been using it just about every other day for the last couple of months, especially when I need to get ready quickly. The advantage of this compact foundation is that it already contains a silicone base, which means two things: 1) no need to use a silicone primer underneath, and, 2) application is the easiest thing in the universe.

I admit that when I'm not in a hurry  I like to apply a brightening non-silicone primer (like the ones from Cle de Peau or Shiseido) underneath the Edward Bess foundation, but it's not really necessary. Thanks to the formula my makeup holds for at least 8 hours even without one. I'm just a primer fiend.

I apply the foundation with a sponge- usually slightly damp (the one in the compact is quite decent, by the way). The Sheer Satin foundation gives medium coverage and looks beautifully natural on skin- the finish is flawless, smooth and soft, and since Node #3 is perhaps the most perfect match for my skin I've seen in a while, it looks like I'm just having a good skin day.

Bottom Line: Perfection. As always.

Edward Bess Sheer Satin Cream Compact Foundation ($60) is available from Bergdorf Goodman and select Neiman Marcus locations as well as online.

All photos are mine. Model: Sophie.

Dolce & Gabbana Stromboli 110 Eye Shadow Duo

Stromboli #110 Smooth Eye Colour Duo from Dolce & Gabbana's makeup line is an excellent option for a quick but dramatic evening look. The concept is pretty close to NARS Tzarine, but both the execution and the colors are better.

This Dolce & Gabbana duo offers a golden pink champagne color and a contrasting smoky black that looks more glittery in the pan and in the swatch than the way it applies on lid. It's still full of silvery sparkle, but the final result is more sophisticated than what I had initially expected, as long as used sparingly.

The light side is especially great when applied over a cream shadow- it's not necessary by any mean, but I like the extra depth and velvety appearance it gives. The color itself is not really a highlighter on me, so if I'm after more drama I add something under the brow and in the corner (Edward Bess highlighter or NARS chubby pencil in Goddess). Blending the dark shadow right above the lash line and in the outer corner (go lightly. This is a very pigmented eye shadow) completes an evening look. Even if I do some enhancing, the entire process takes only a minute and a very good brush (Edward Bess eye brush is perfect).

Bottom Line: (almost) instant glam.

Dolce & Gabbana Stromboli #110 Smooth Eye Colour Duo ($36) is a Saks exclusive. Online and in select locations.

All photos are mine.

Givenchy Rouge Interdit 39 Absolutely Irresistible Red Satin Lipstick Limited Edition

Because there can never be enough perfect red lipsticks.

Givenchy makeup deserves to have brand ambassadors that are better than the average bored Sephora SA. The luxurious formulas and rich colors are lost in the general chaos and tackiness of the stores. Rouge Interdit lipsticks are especially fabulous- an almost glossy-creamy texture with a beautiful satin finish and impressive tenacity (very little if any transfers to your glass and some of the pigment is still visible after dinner). The lipstick glides on effortlessly and applies like a dream with or without a brush (do use a brush if you're getting a dark shade). It glosses over any imperfection and feels comfortable and a little moisturizing.

Absolutely Irresistible Red (#39) is as classic as they come, all Hollywood in its golden age. It has a pink(ish) base that doesn't come across in the tube but can be noticed in the swatches- both on paper and on my arm. I find it incredibly flattering and sexy. And quite irresistible.

Bottom Line: bold and beautiful.

Givenchy Rouge Interdit 39 Absolutely Irresistible Red ($28) is a limited edition and exclusive to Sephora, in store and online.

All photos are mine (and let's keep it that way).