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.

Dolce & Gabbana Ruby (#110) Ultra-Shine Lip Gloss

I have a thing for bright red lip glosses, often in particular shades of red I wouldn't dare wear as a lipstick. The sheerness of most glosses allows my natural lip color balance the red, so the result is quite fetching (and easier than a true red lipstick). Ruby (#110) by Dolce & Gabbana is almost too much of this good thing. Like all other D&G glosses I've tried so far, it's very pigment, almost like a liquid lipstick.

Ruby isn't shimmery, which makes it even more lipstick-like. I use it sparingly, keeping it as sheer as possible- it has more than enough coverage even in small servings. It can also be built for a gorgeous dramatic look, but I'd suggest priming the lips and using a sheer/nude liner, since one testing found me with quite a bit of this lip gloss on my teeth.

Dolce & Gabbana Ultra-Shine Lip Gloss ($29) is a Saks exclusive. Available online and in select locations.

All photos are mine.

Dolce & Gabbana Passion (#120) Ultra-Shine Lip Gloss

Dolce & Gabbana lip gloss in Passion (#120) has become a dear favorite over the last few months. There's something about this red plum color that is perfect for me- from the actual shade that I find very balanced through the pigment intensity and the amount of shimmer. It's cheerful and pretty without looking juvenile, over-the-top or off in any way. I find that it perks up the face on a gloomy day and works with many makeup looks, especially my favorite soft taupe eye.

Another advantage of Dolce & Gabbana lip glosses is their pleasant texture. They feel luxurious, aren't very sticky (at least the shades I have) and they stick around and look fresh for a couple of hours. The color is rich enough one can easily skip the lipstick and only wear the gloss without looking too casual. That alone is worth the price if you ask me.

Bottom Line: I'm more than half-way through my tube.

Dolce &Gabbana Ultra-Shine Lip Gloss ($29) is exclusive to Saks 5th Avenue. Available at select locations and online.

All photos are mine.

Dolce & Gabbana Dahlia (150) Ultra-Shine Lip Gloss

Dolce & Gabbana Dahlia lipstick has been a favorite of mine for more than a year now. It's a great color that walk the line between nighttime and elegant days very successfully. I hoped the matching lip gloss, Dahlia #150, will have a similar quality, but surprisingly it is a lot more dramatic than I expected.

One of the nice things about Dolce & Gabbana lip glosses (other than the excellent non-stick texture and an impressive lasting power) is their rich pigments. They are high-quality and elegant, a delight for serious makeup lovers. Dahlia lip gloss looks almost like a liquid lipstick and coats the lips in a shiny dark wine color. As you can see, in full sun the red undertones are more visible. When worn indoors, though, it's a lot more purple, almost grape-like. It's very dramatic and I feel more comfortable toning the color down by mixing it with a nude or a pink lipstick.

Dolce & Gabbana Ultra-Shine Lip Gloss ($29) is exclusive to Saks 5th Avenue. Available at select locations and online.

All photos are mine.

Dolce & Gabbana by Dolce & Gabbana (1992, aka Red Cap)

I went through a couple of bottles of Dolce & Gabbana and at least one body lotion during the late nineties, which was not a small achievement considering a) I already had a reasonable collection at the time, and b) it was the parfum de toilette concentration, which packed quite a punch. If you happened to share an elevator with me back then, please accept my apology.

Dolce & Gabbana doesn't smell like a creature of the early nineties. It's big, very perfumy, floral, has a massive aldehydic opening and smells larger than life. Like the designing duo's fashion creations it is meant to be noticed and is not meant for the timid. Think of Dolce & Gabbana's use of floral prints, especially romantic roses,  in ultra-sexy dresses. Basically, that's what Dolce & Gabbana perfume smells like.

It's also powdery, musky and has a huge bouquet of creamy carnations somewhere in the middle. Even the green tendrils hanging of it for dear life and the more intellectual marigold can't stop Dolce & Gabbana from feeling like the reputation tarnished sister of Caron. And you know she's having fun every step of the way, as would you, if you dare to wear it.

Dolce & Gabbana is still widely available, though I've only come across it in the EDT concentration which is too shrilly for my taste. Older bottle of the PDT and even the extrait de parfum (my favorite) still pop up here and there.

Dolce & Gabbana perfume ad from 1999, featuring a 19 year old Gisele Bundchen butchering a tomato (what in the world?) from couleurparfum.com.
Model Elsa Benitez in a 1996 Dolce & Gabbana fashion ad thefashionspot.com

Dolce & Gabbana floral print is taking over the world

I have no idea why this Dolce & Gabbana couch in an English country cottage print is such a celeb fave, but all of a sudden it's everywhere. I do love that Tina Fey and Sheryl Crow have more grace and sense of humor than ego, so instead of throwing a tantrum last night at the 2010 Matrix Award in NYC, they shared the limelight and looked picture perfect together with equally classy and beautiful Mariska Hargitay.

The night before, at the American Red Cross Red Tie Affair Fundraiser Gala, Fergie was her usual self in the Dolce & Gabbana dress and a pair of shoes from a 1988 prom (the satin pumps are from her own line of shoes, $90 at Nordstrom if you really really must).

This print in several variations ($995-$2250) can be found at Neiman Marcus.

Images: neimanmarcus.com, Socialite Life and Faded Youth Blog.

Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick And Liner- Dahlia

The beauty department of Saks 5th Avenue flagship store is not my favorite place in the universe. The pushy and aggressive SAs tend to make me turn on my heels and walk a few blocks to Bergdorf, where they tend to respect your personal space and ability to read labels. But Saks has one major attraction that is missing from the other stores: Dolce & Gabbana makeup, where even the SAs I've encountered were more pleasant and professional than the average Saks employee. Having a pleasant experience at the counter resulted in actually making a purchase (imagine that!). Well, it helped that Dolce & Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick has a beautiful texture and the color I tried, Dahlia is a perfect red-based rose.


I bought the matching lip liner, too, which as you can see is not exactly the same. When applied on the lips, the liner looks more natural (my lips are quite pigmented), so it blends with the lipstick. But I highly recommend you give it a good testing before buying any of the lip liners, to make sure you're getting a good match. You can see that the liner looks somewhat different before it's used for the first time- there's this frosted overspray that doesn't add anything. Yet another reason to try on skin first.


The Classic Cream lipstick gives good coverage and shine, wears comfortably and leaves a lot of pigment behind even after a cup of tea (I'd still reapply for best results). The whole look is quite glamorous- from the gold packaging to the look. Wear a pencil skirt and knee-high boots and you're all set.

Bottom line: Love.

Dolce and Gabbana Classic Cream Lipstick and Precision Lip Liner ($30 each) are exclusive to Saks.

Photos: mine.

Scarlett Johansson At Dolce & Gabbana

Here's Scarlett Johansson at the launch event for Dolce & Gabbana makeup (I can't wait to get my paws on some of that stuff). She's as lovely as ever and I like her makeup, but two things are bothering me:
What's with the eyebrows (click the photo to see what I'm talking about)?
and
The hair accessory. Did she steal it from Minnie Mouse?

Photo: Hot Celebs Home

Would You Wear This?

I spent way too much time tonight staring at this D&G creation trying to understand the thought process behind it. The oversized turtleneck and huge sleeve are just too much for me to take. Maybe a (very) tall woman can pull it off, but it's still more medieval page boy than a sexy dress.

Dress: neimanmarcus.com
Richard III: tudorhistory.org

Spring

We aren't having much of a winter here in the NY metro area (not that I'm complaining), and still waiting for the first snow of the season. But, spring fashion is already here. I love the colors of this D&G ensamble, and the purse is adorable. This purse and a yellow dress (a different cut, though) are at the top of my wish list right now (the matching sandals aren't bad, either).