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.

Perfume Storage

A few years ago there was an article in Allure about Donatella Versace and her perfume collection. It has been haunting perfume nuts ever since, and even more so after Vogue published a photo of (what I assume to be) part of this collection, which you can see in this Blogdorf Goodman post. For many of us it's not so much about the bottles as it is about the display.

Perfume storage has always been a popular topic on the discussion boards. Do you keep the boxes? How do you control the temperature in the room? How do you protect the precious ones from light? Bottles and boxes come in so many sizes it's hard to find a good storage system that accommodate them all. And as I've long discovered, a deep cabinet swallows the bottles up and makes it hard to find what you're looking for at a given moment.

Donatella would never approve of my recent discovery. I can't even say I approve of these Ikea cabinets, which aren't exactly an example of the highest craftsmanship or quality material (that was my way of saying they are pretty crappily made, and my husband wants to add: a pain to assemble and mount to the wall). But for what they are and for what they cost, the Bertby cabinets do a good job of housing most of my perfumes and not looking half bad. I still use my old unit to store most of the vintage bottles, minis, odds and ends (and the entire stash of backup bottles), but most of my perfumes live happily on these shelves, originally meant for media storage. The shelves' height is adjustable, so you can customize the display as needed. Even when storing the tallest bottles (I think the Ormonde Jayne box holds the record), I could still fit all nine glass shelves in the cabinet and get the most of it.

While I still hope to either get a custom-made furniture at some point or find a fabulous antique (I've been searching high and low for the last couple of years), I have to admit I already bought a backup Bertby, planning for a future expansion of the collection. Uncle Serge is still churning the juice, after all.

Happy Winter Solstice!

Happy Winter Solstice!

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.

Inner Beauty

There's something about Reese Witherspoon. Even if you're not crazy about the girl-next-door/rom-com look, she radiates a certain kind of charm and sanity we don't see in Hollywood too often. I don't think I've ever seen her wearing anything that would cause embarrassment to her kids, and Frances Bean Cobain could tell you, this is a very good thing.

Seen here in a UK charity event, Reese looks lovely in a red dress that doesn't steal the show from the very worthy cause, raising awareness about domestic violence.

Alexa Chung And Yasmin Le Bon At The 2010 British Fashion Awards

Or: Why I'll never be a cutting-edge fashion blogger.

I know Alexa Chung is considered a top It Girl, fashion icon and whatever. She's a very beautiful woman, for sure, but I've never gotten the magic.  It seems to me she's a little too eager to cross the fashion victimhood line, and that doesn't work for me. Alexa is not making it easier for me to figure her out- this is how she walked the red carpet at the 2010 British Fashion Awards- between the horrible hair and this unflattering Chanel dress (sorry, Uncle Karl), I'm utterly confused.

Now, Yasmin Le Bon is and has always been fabulous. I've even forgiven her for marrying my Simon. But this Christopher Kane dress is not doing her any favors and that's just sad.  So, instead, I'll comfort myself with a vintage Yasmin and Simon Le Bon:

Photos of Alexa Chung  and Yasmin Le Bon at the  2010 British Fashion Awards by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images Europe.
Yasmin and Simon Le Bon by Gilles Bensimon, 1985

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.

Aftelier- Candide

Candide by natural perfumer Mandy Aftel of Aftelier Perfumes is sweet, romantic, flirtatious and a bit risqué. Candied citrus and indolic flowers might not be a classic December perfumes, but it's fun and uplifting, so why not? Besides, I have a feeling that wearing Candide in the height of summer might be a bit too much, at least on days I'm actually planning on leaving the house and being around people. The way jasmine blooms in the heat might send the wrong message.

Candide opens up with a joyous and giggling citrus- it's bubbly, sweet and tinged with an impression of red fruits, though it doesn't even resemble the horrid department store berry note you find everywhere. It's easy-going and youthful without being juvenile. Soon after, jasmine comes into play and remains there for several hours. I get very little of the promised dry-down: if there are any frankincense, oppoponax and myrrh they've been swallowed whole by the jasmine. It might be a matter of skin chemistry, though. I've been known to be eaten alive by jasmine notes, only in this case I don't really mind. It's that much fun.

The jasmine in Mandy Aftel's Candide is round and full- it has curves and is not afraid to use them. It's definitely indolic to my nose (and to the husband's. So much, actually that he can't tolerate this perfume around him) and has all the dirty intentions in the world, but still maintains a certain sense of humor about it. However, Robin of NST didn't find the indoles all that prominent, so your impression may vary.

Candide by Aftelier ($150, 30ml EDP or 7.5oz extrait de parfum) can be purchased directly from aftelier.com . Samples and minis are also available. The sample for this review was supplied by the perfumer.

Please note that there's a 10% discount going on until December 13th with the code "holiday". As always, I'm in no way affiliated and have no commercial interest.

Kiehl's Superbly Smoothing Argan Hair Pak

I have very simple requirement from my hair care products: they should thoroughly moisturize, shine, detangle without making me use excessive force and not make my scalp itch. You'd be surprised how few conditioners and hair treatments actually hit the spot. One that does and even exceeds expectations is Kiehl's Superbly Smoothing Argan Hair Pak. This is a rich and creamy hair mask, to be used after shampoo (I alternate between Tela, L'Occitane and the occasional deep cleansing with Head'N'Shoulders. Seriously).

Kiehl's directions are to leave the Argan Hair Pak in for at least 3 minutes. I recommend a minimum of 5 minutes and even longer if you can swing it. The longer it's in, the more buttery soft it makes my hair- the results are absolutely amazing. I end up with shiny and silky hair, the waves are open and stay in place without frizzing, there's no hint of dryness even when I spend all day inside, blasting the heating. The mask is also a superb detangler- pesky knots just melt away after five minutes of treatment. And the best thing: all that is done with a silicone-free formula, which means my scalp remains itch free (actually, it's in the best shape I've seen my scalp in forever).

Bottom Line: It's so good I don't mind the unpleasant pharmacy-like smell.

Kiehl's Superbly Smoothing Argan Hair Pak ($25, 8.4oz) is available from select department stores (Saks, Bloomie's, Nordstrom) and kiehls.com.

Photo of Jean Shrimpton and her amazing hair from myvintagevogue.com

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).

Tauer Perfumes- Eau d'Epices

The first thing I did upon reading Andy Tauer's description of Eau d'Epices as "an Indian basket of spices" was comb the note list thoroughly checking for cumin. Twice. Thankfully, no cumin was found, so I could wear the perfume around the husband (a spouse who hates cumin and works from home can make one's testing schedule a bit complicated).

Now that we established that Eau d'Epices is not Tauer's answer to Arabie and its back alleys of the Souk, let's talk about what it is (other than gorgeous). This is a classic Tauer in the sense of offering the familiar Tauerade accord in the dry-down: a balsamic cistus, ambergris and a dry woody thing in the background, but the potent potion is less assertive at first and gives a lot of breathing room both to the spicy opening and to the incredibly sensual floral heart. Eau d"epices is breathtakingly complex and requires a lot of attention the first few times you smell it. The fragrance takes you on an exotic journey and fills your mind with all kinds of Arabian Nights imagery (and not a Disney version, I promise). It's all there- the dancers, the rugs and the genies. From Aladdin's cave to sultry nights in opulent gardens and orchards around the Caliph's palace.

The thing is that once you make friends with this colorful vision, Eau d'Epice becomes warm easy to wear. Yes, one must love incense and spice, not to mention the Tauer accord, but if you do, this masterfully crafted and blended perfume  is a must-try for both men and women.

Eau d'Epices by Tauer Perfumes ($125, 50ml EDP) is available from Luckyscent and tauerperfumes.com. The sample for this review was sent for my consideration by the perfumer.

Art: Arabian Nights by Ione Citrine

Shu Uemura High Performance Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula

Six or seven years ago as I was trying to figure out was going on with my skin*, my searches led me to several message boards and to the oil cleansing method. I tried various oils- from jojoba to olive and everything else I had at home (you'd be surprised how many different oils can be found in your various cabinets). It was fine, I guess, but not enough to make me stick with anything specific or with the method itself. Yes, oil really helps to  break down grime and grease and remove makeup; as long as it's a good pure oil it doesn't have any additives and other questionable ingredients, so that's a plus, too. But I'm just not a fan of using food stuff on my face, dealing with the smell or feeling too crunchy.
I probably got the bottle of Shu Uemura High Performance Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula because it was on some serious sale and I've heard many raves and gushes about it, so I had to try. It's a cosmetics bottle, with a pump, so the mess is kept to a minimum and it doesn't have a Birkenstock aura,so that's a plus. And it's Shu, so I'm already a fan.
The good news about the Shu Uemura cleansing oil is that it cleanses really well. The high performance advanced formula keeps its promise to remove even the clingiest waterproof makeup (including mascara), which is a nice perk. It has also proven to be efficient in unclogging the occasional pore (the beauty blogger's biggest occupational hazard). The thing is the Shu oil is so efficient it completely strips my skin of every last bit of natural oil, which is not the best idea when one's skin can get very dry. Especially not in winter. I've found myself with such a tight dry skin I have to slather my face with the heaviest creams I own right after I finish cleansing. That's not my favorite thing to do during my nighttime routine- I prefer to start with something lighter than use serums, and only add the heavy guns right before bed.
Bottom Line: Scarily efficient. I'm saving the bottle till summer.

*My skin issue back then? It turned out I needed a lot more moisture and to avoid Clinique 1-2-3 system.
If you're in the US, Shu Uemura High Performance Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula ($28, 5oz), just like other Shu products, is only available online through the company's American website (shuuemura-usa.com).
Photo: style.com

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.

Outlaw Perfume Project- Final Thoughts

First- It's about time I announce the winner of Notoriety by A Wing And A Prayer:

Conratulations to Hotlanta Linda! Please email me so we can make arrangements.

Now, for my thoughts.
More than a revolution or a rebellion, I see the Outlaw Perfume Project as something along the lines of the Rally To Restore Sanity. The IFRA issue has been discussed to death and still makes absolutely no sense. Everything else in the universe, from food to household detergents, has labels that warn those with allergies of possible irritants. Thus, allowing us to make informed decisions and purchases, avoid peanuts or shellfish if they have the potential to kill us and stay away from things that may cause a reaction. So why not apply the same logic to perfume?

For the record, neither the Outlaw Perfumes nor any vintage formulation that contains hazardous materials such as citrus oil, rose absolute, jasmine absolute, oakmoss and others has ever caused me an allergic reaction. I do get itchy rashes from items like many household cleaners, Dove soap, Herbal Essence shampoo, several hair styling products and probably other things I can't recall right now. But never from perfume.

Yes, I know the answer is complex and has a lot to do with business decisions some of the big houses have lived to regret. Yes, most prominent perfumers work for the Big Boys, and at first refused to talk, especially on the record. But we're at the point their artistic freedom has been so limited, someone (I wish I saved the source and exact quote) said the restrictions are the equivalent of a painter being forbidden from using the color blue. Once again, what happened to sanity and common sense?

Apparently, with independent perfumers. The Natural Perfumer Guild spearheaded the Outlaw campaign and proved that real perfume is still alive and well. Other perfumer outside of the Guild, both natural/botanical artists and those who rely on the entire spectrum of materials, have been doing their thing with vision and integrity for years now and ignoring IFRA. Of course, this (and other factors) means their ability to sell and market their work might be limited, and this is where we, as perfume lovers, come into play.

As much as it's tempting to stock up and hoard vintage perfumes on all their rose and oakmoss goodness, the prices of those has been steadily climbing, sometimes to insane levels. Personally, I refuse to pay three figure prices for bottles that used to be readily available and never considered high-end or luxurious. Frankly, it also goes to former department store perfumes that all of a sudden have become a rarity. Instead, I'd rather pay real perfume artists for their often handmade creations. Those among them who use the best raw ingredients give us some of the most unique products on the market. This is true luxury and I have every intention to keep supporting them.

How about you?

Photo: Jane Russel posing for the movie poster of Outlaw, 1943, from firstordergoods.wordpress.com

Weekly Roundup December 3rd

December is here, as is Hanukkah, holiday shopping and counting the days until Christmas (Andy Tauer's Advent Calendar is already on. I'll be joining the fun later this month). Here's a quick tour through the blogsphere for all that is pretty, shiny and smells good:

Charlestongirl is continuing the Edward Bess love. There are several new lip colors and she has all the details on the Deep Shine Lip Glosses. You can see her swatches at Best Things in Beauty. Next week I'll show you how Amor looks on my much darker skin and a great pairing of it with one of the new lipsticks.

Kari brings us ideas for party-perfect hairstyles at Fab over Forty. Of course, it would take a day or two to get my own hair into any of these 'dos, but at least I can look at the photos and admire them.

Sabrina is a California girl, something I deeply envy this time of the year. Still, she has her own dreams- Chanel made her yearn for exotic resorts. You'll see her vacation-ready mani-pedi at The Beauty Look Book .

Kelly is having her biggest giveaway ever at Gouldylox Reviews! For 10 days, she will be listing a new item going into one (or both) of her two prize packages. Like KORRES, Bare Escentuals, and body wash? She's got them and more! Definitely drop by to enter her contest.

The promise of taking "years off your face in minutes" would grab anyone's attention. Debbi featured Ultherapy, "an uplifting ultrasound" that is supposed to improve any laxity on your face and neck in a completely non–surgical way. See it at DivaDebbi.

Jane was also looking for skin pampering and found that Olay's Pro-X Firming Masks made her skin dreamily dewy and as smooth. To find out all about it, visit Daly Beauty.

At Product Girl, Laurie was smitten with Dior's limited-edition 5 Couleurs Gold Edition eye shadows. These shades may be just the thing to jazz up your holidays.

No one needs an introduction to YSL Touche Eclat. Amy at Café Makeup has TOUCHE D'OR Golden Touch/Highlighter for Face, and as expected, it's fabulous.

Are you still looking for holiday beauty gifts? Kristin shared some great beauty gift ideas at BeautyXposé. You can spend $10 or $149 - any of her suggestions will be loved.

On Perfume Smellin' Things, my delightful scent twin reviewed Montale Full Incense. He made me laugh and covet this perfume. It doesn't get any better than that, right? Also, check out Donna's review of one of my current top favorites, DSH Cuir et Champignon. And, yes, it's that good.

EauMG (one of my favorite blog names ever) reviews some indie creations: Aftelier Illumination Bath Oil and Smell Bent Dr. Dreidel. Yes, I'm serious about the name.

Here on the Non-Blonde I brought you the excellent Edward Bess Cream Compact Foundation,  finished reviewing the Outlaw Perfumes (don't miss DSH Mata Hari. Really, don't), found a(nother) gorgeous red lipstick by Givenchy, swatched the D&G eye shadow duo in Stromboli, and thoroughly enjoyed the newest perfume from Ineke, Gilded Lily.

Most important, though, is the charity auction to benefit Doctors Without Borders. About 50 beauty bloggers and brands were brought together by supreme swatcher Karla Sugar. All of us have donated fabulous beauty products- many are limited editions and sold-out items you won't be able to find outside of eBay. Please visit BeautyBloggers.org for your chance to bid on Erika F. eye shadow, a rare presentation of Miss Dior Cherie, Bobbi Brown palettes and a lot more.

Photo: Detail from an ad for Yardley Dolly Face beauty mask, Seventeen magazine, November 1967

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.

Ineke- Gilded Lily

There are several things worth noting about Ineke Ruhland's newest perfume, Gilded Lily. It's described as a fruity chypre, but just as Elena of Perfume Shrine commented earlier today, Gilded Lily doesn't seem to have much  in common with either the chypres of yore (if you want a true homage to the classics get the divine Mata Hari by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz), or with the modern ones. There's something in the way the perfume develops that might be the ghost of a chypre, but honestly, this label might be doing this lovely creation a disservice.

Then there's the issue of the gilded lily. I'm not the biggest fan of lily perfumes in general because they are just too big and floral and I'm just not the soliflore type. But there's no overwhelming feeling of petals and pollen here, no forced femininity (I actually find Gilded Lily to be perfectly unisex) and absolutely no gilding. Which leads us to my last point- Ineke has shown us here that one can compose a minimalist perfume that is not watery or boring. Gilded Lily doesn't suffer from the unbearable lightness of most minimalist perfumes (yes, I'm giving the stinkeye to Jean-Claude Elena and his followers). It's streamlined and almost stark- even the pale fruity opening doesn't bite or tries to take over- and I admit I'm having a hard time noticing where the pineapple and rhubarb come into play. It's more like a dried and slightly sweetened pink grapefruit rind. Later it becomes all about an abstract floral and pale woods, the cleanest (but not neutered) patchouli base with a tinge of pale green (I guess that's what was left of oakmoss in modern perfumery) and an overall quiet elegance.

If you spray enough, Gilded Lily will remain on skin for about 6-8 hours. You can actually really go to town with this one because it's relatively quiet and doesn't try to intrude on anyone's personal space. I would easily recommend this for what is called "office-wear" and for anyone who wants to be eased into indie perfumes but is having a hard time dealing with more assertive compositions.

I've come to really enjoy Ineke's style and Gilded Lily is no exception. The thing is that wearing it reminds me of sitting on my cherry-red sofa in my somewhat quirkily decorated living room while reading an interior design magazine dedicated to urban minimalism. I love looking at photos of city apartments with windows that take up a wall or two, stark white furniture with dove grey accents, glass, metal and a kitchen that appears to never ever be used for actual cooking. There are usually modern-cut crystal vases with a single lily or orchid in them providing the only splash of color in the room. It's gorgeous, enviable and utterly not me. But sometimes it's fun to pretend.

Gilded Lily by Ineke ($88, 2.5oz) is available from BeautyHabit and ineke.com. The 7 piece sample set ($25) is highly recommended. This review was based on a press sample provided by the company.

Art: Stargazer Lily by Declan McCullagh

Giorgio Armani Blender Brush

Good makeup application is all about having the right tool for the right product, which is why those of us who amass serious collection of color products also tend to get excited about unique brushes. Now, as much as I love most of what Giorgio Armani Beauty has to offer, the brushes I have from this line (a lip brush and the eye shader brush) never rocked my world. I mean, a lip brush is really hard to mess up but also not something about which I get excited, and the eye shader brush is not as good as the ones I have from Chanel, NARS or Edward Bess.

Giorgio Armani Blender Brush is a whole new game. It's an odd little brush, one you wouldn't necessarily suspect was actually designed to apply foundation. It's made of natural sable and is shaped like a flat paddle. I have other beloved foundation brushes that aren't huge (CoverFX, Alison Raffaele), but the Armani is the shortest and most flat, and has a different density and texture. Which, apparently, makes it ideal for thinner formulas of liquid foundations and tinted moisturizers, especially if you've found that applying them with a stippling brush is not ideal for some reason.

I get an excellent coverage even from tinted moisturizers when using the blender brush and can also navigate and manipulate the product when I don't want to paint my entire face, just certain areas, and still get an even airbrushed look. The brush is ideal for narrow areas and wherever I need precise work. It feels softer than I expected from the way it looks and I'm not even bothered by the short and compact handle.

Is this a must-have? It depends. Do you collect and experiment with interesting brush shapes and foundation textures? If you do, then there's a good chance you'd enjoy and use this Armani brush. If you're more conservative in your foundation application practice and already have a holy grail brush, then you can live without it, but if you're still not 100% happy with whatever you're using, head over to the Armani counter and give it a swirl.

Giorgio Armani Blender Brush ($48) is available from Saks, Barneys and Nordstrom, as well as from the company's website.

All photos are mine.