29 Cosmetics Reserves Moisturizing Lipstick (Ripe Rose & Take A Sip)

29 Cosmetics is a small brand from Napa Valley California that doesn't get enough love. Neiman Marcus isn't doing much (=anything) to promote it, and the color swatches they show are even less accurate than their regular unimpressive standard (seriously, Neiman, if you need an e-commerce guru I'm actually married to one). The company's own website is very pretty, but from my experience is also off when it comes to lip colors (the eyeshadow palettes are spot-on).

29's claim to fame is the extensive use of grape seed antioxidant for moisturizing, protection and fighting the good anti-aging battle. It has an SPF 20 which comes in handy on sunny days. Judging only by the look, the formulas and colors aren't quite as innovative as some of the latest and greatest products we've been seeing lately, these Reserves Moisturizing Lipsticks are, indeed, moisturizing, comfortable to wear and offer a somewhat understated but attractive look.

The colors I chose are Take A Sip (a brown-based rose) and Ripe Rosé (shimmery medium rose). Both give medium coverage, moderate shine and are very wearable and flattering. They don't survive the first cup of tea, so reapplication is needed throughout the day, but since supposedly you're slathering your lips in antioxidants it might be a good thing.

The lip liner I got with these two, Malbec, is actually darker than both so I ended up using it with other lipstick colors. It has a lot of pigment, glides on effortlessly and comes with a good sharpener. It's a quality product that I use often.

29 Cosmetics Reserves Moisturizing Lipstick ($25 each) and lip liner ($23) are available online from Neiman Marcus which is where I bought mine, and the company's website.

All photos by me.

29 Cosmetics Concealor-Corrector Palette

There's something about concealer palettes that looks very professional and gives the impression one really knows what she's doing. It might have something to do with blending several colors together or with the confidence of applying a green paste to your face and actually making everything look nice and smooth. That's what made the Concealor-Corrector palette from 29 Cosmetics so appealing (the elegant packaging didn't hurt, either).

The palette offers three natural concealer shades and a green one that evens out redness. The concealers allow for blending and creating the exact color needed for every part of the face that requires coverage. It takes some work, but it's not rocket science- one color has a yellow base, one is more pink, so it's easy to figure out how much of each would look best. It's great to have all the options in one palette, so you don't need to spread several pots and pans over your vanity. The darkest concealer is too dark for me in this pale phase of my life, so I don't really use it. But the green shade is great. It really helps with redness around the nose and anywhere else.

The texture and consistency of the concealers is quite thick, so I don't use it under my eyes, where I prefer light, illuminating liquid concealers. I regard this 29 Cosmetics product as a spackle for unsightly imperfections anywhere else on the face, where it does a great job. I skip the applicators that come with the compact and use good concealer brushes that make it easier to blend.

Bottom line: Great. More brands should offer such palletes.

29 Cosmetics Concealor-Corrector Palette ($36) is available from Neiman Marcus and 29cosmetics.com. I bought it online.

Photos by me.

The Grape Adventure: 29 Cosmetics Dew Grape Seed Age Protecting Lip Gloss

Continuing our theme of "you can never have enough lip gloss, I went ahead and grabbed some that promise to also be good for you. 29 Cosmetics use grape seed extract in their makeup (it helps when your family has a vineyard, as is the case of Lydia Mondavi, the owner of 29 Cosmetics) and claim the products have anti-aging properties. In reality, looking at the ingredients of the Dew Grape Seed Age Protecting Lip Gloss , the Vitis Vinifers (grape seed oil) is pretty low down the list, just before the fragrance, so I'm not sure how much of that we're getting. Still, the gloss feels very comfortable and gentle on the lips and is quite good at softening and calming. It also has an SPF 15, so that alone counts as great protection and anti-aging armor.

Two other good things: No stickiness and an almost non-existent scent that goes away before you finish applying the gloss. I wish more companies would skip the synthetic vanilla.

I tested three colors: Lay It Down Cab (a very shimmery true red, lots of pigment), Hang Time (mauve pink, looks like a light shimmery nude on my naturally dark lips) and my favorite, Sparkling Pinot (light shimmer plum, probably the middle one in the picture above). They are all pretty and wearable, though I'd keep the Christmas red for evening use. All these shades are nice, but somehow not exciting. This is where you'd notice the difference between the pigments used here and the ones you see in Chanel glosses that make so many bloggers swoon (see many of the "2007 Favorites" lists that included various Glossimers). Still, it's a quality product. The balmy part of the gloss survives a cup of tea, even though the color is quickly gone.

29 Cosmetics is available from select Neiman Marcus stores and the company's (rarely updated) web site.

Muted Beauty: 29 Cosmetics I-BLOCK Eye Shadows

Continuing their Napa Valley winery theme, 29 Cosmetics offer pretty eye shadow palettes, each one contains 4 well coordinated colors. The compact is elegant and feels luxurious, the colors are very wearable and blend well. Of course, there's also the claim that it's full of antioxidants and moisturizing components, but I can't tell you what if any is the effect of those. I'll talk about color and texture.

The one I chose, The Valley, has several of my favorite colors. The colors on the top are shimmers: a mauvish beige with a little taupe in it. The other one is an olive taupe that isn't too green. The matte colors look like a muted, toned down version of Nars Habanera. I wished for something like that for a long time, because as pretty as the Habanera colors may be, they are so out there I can only wear them at night, and even then a careful application and blending is a must. Here there's a light, creamy sage and a deep purply brown, both are neutrals and daytime ready.

I have to mention that these eye shadows aren't very pigmented. They all show up on my skin , but the look is tamed and always appropriate. Of course, if you're pale, your mileage may vary.

The texture is super-fine and melts into the skin. It blends perfectly and makes a beautiful, classy look. this palette has become one of my favorites for a casual morning look, but it can definitely be played up, especially on lighter skin tones. A primer is essential to make it last, otherwise the colors start to fade within 3-4 hours, which is my one and only complaint regarding quality.

29 Cosmetics is available at select Neiman Marcus store, NeimanMarcus.com and the company's own website.

In Search of the perfect red lipstick- 29 Cosmetics

I'm after the perfect true red lipstick for my weird skin tone, and even Paris Hilton and the lipstick on her teeth can't stop me. I got comments on the above post that show how hard this quest can be. Not only do you need to be careful about a match to your natural coloring and complexion, but there's also the issue of certain blue-based shades making your teeth look yellow. Not exactly the picture of glamor. One reader suggested going for coral-based reds. This might work for some, but I can't do corals at all. It clashes horribly with my skin and my natural plummish lips. Still, searching is fun and is taking me places...

29 Cosmetics is a California-based company, owned by wine makers, the Mondavi family from Napa Valley. Their products supposedly contain grape seed oil, which we all know is good for you because of the antioxidants and moisturizing qualities. That's a good starting point for a lipstick.

The quality of the lipsticks I tested was exceptional and on the same level as my favorite Chanels and Diors. The formula is rich, glides easily, wears comfortably and lasts fairly well without flaking or bleeding (extremely important if you want to avoid the punch mouth look). If you're lucky enough to find the right color for you, it will serve you well and it's definitely worth paying Neiman Marcus a visit (29 Cosmetics is only sold at Neiman's and through their own web site). However, despite the pretty color swatches on the 29 site, don't be tempted to buy untested. The colors of all the lip products I've seen are very different than what they appear, and you get no indication on the finish (metallic,cream, shimmer).

Fine Whine is a metallic red with a pink copper undertone, if that makes any sense. It's probably more suitable for summer months, as the look it creates is more fun and light than the dramatic passionate red of the season. While the texture is rich and luxurious, I'm not sure the final appearance does my lips any favors: the natural lines of the skin seem to pop out a bit too much.
Reserved Red is a classic medium red with a cool pink base. It's not too blueish to give one the dreaded yellow teeth, but it's still not for everyone (including some who insist on wearing similar shades). It's a color I often choose for clothes, but it's a bit more difficult for me in makeup, and definitely not for daytime. It's pretty, but just not the one I'm looking for.

Art: Red Lips by Harold Haydon.

An immarture giggle on a Sunday morning

I was just pursuing Neiman's online beauty department to see what's new when I came across an interesting almost-new brand (launched just five months ago, in February), 29 Cosmetics. They have a nice concept: All their makeup is made with anti-oxidant grape seed extract to protects the skin from environmental pollutants and free radicals.

I liked what I saw, from the elegant, wearable colors to the sleek packaging. Then, I came across the mascaras and couldn't help but giggle at the name of one of the colors:


The Blond had no idea what I was talking about, seeing as his brain isn't embarrassingly clogged with the most useless details of pop culture from the last two decades, so I had to give him a hint:



It feels terribly wrong to have those photos in a post about a classy makeup collection. It's just the unfortunate name.

Still, I'm intrigued by many of their products, especially the eye quads and the lip treatments, so a stop at their counter is necessary. This line is sold exclusively at Neiman Marcus and through the company's web site, which is quite lovely, although the information architecture is a bit flawed and they have music played on their homepage (one of my biggest web pet peeves, which is why I'm linking you directly to the collection page). Their online color swatches are infinitely better than what you see on Neiman's site, which is a real disgrace and stuck in 1998.