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.

Guerlain B64 Bee Limited Edition Rouge G Le Brilliant

I honestly thought that I was done with the 2010 Holiday collections on all their sparkle. Then last month I took a young cousin to Bloomie's and somehow we found ourselves at the Guerlain Counter. I already had a couple of Guerlain's holiday items and loved them, but then I came face to face with the limited edition Rouge G Le Brilliant in B64, Bee. It had to come home with me.

Rouge G lipsticks are fabulous from their beautiful packaging to the way they wear- the right balance of shine and color. In Le Brilliant Bee everything got kicked up a notch (now try to erase the mental image of Emeril Lagasse in a purple lipstick). There's more pigment, more golden shimmer and it stays on longer than the other Rouge G lipsticks I own, which are already pretty tenacious for such a moisturizing lip color.

The color is rich purple. It looks more violet in certain lights but reflects some red undertones in others. It's quite complex, thus looks very rich and pretty on the lips and I find that it has quickly become a favorite evening lipstick. The texture and luminosity make this Rouge G pretty low maintenance- I can get away with quick touch ups that don't include a liner and a brush.

Botton line:  There's a very cute bee embossed on the inside mirror. Who could ask for anything more?

Guerlain B64 Bee Limited Edition Rouge G Le Brilliant ($46) is available from decent department stores.

All photos are mine.

Guerlain Meteorites Perles d'Or- Holiday Collection 2010

It's no secret that Guerlain Meteorites finishing powder is perfection. The improved formula of the last few seasons both in pearls form and in the Voyage pressed compact has made the last step of applying makeup that much more satisfying and rewarding. A single violet-scented brush stroke and you actually see a difference. It's no wonder that in a holiday collection that focuses on luminous skin there will be a version or two of Meteorites magic.

The new Perles d'Or come in an ornamented metallic case embossed with a golden bee. I wish I didn't have to keep all my makeup locked in feline-resistant drawers, because this would have looked gorgeous on my dresser. I wish Guerlain would have also release a holiday Meteorites brush to match the case. It's not necessary, of course, and you don't even need to have the regular Meteorites brush- almost any high quality face/powder brush works with this product (as long as it's not a humongous kabuki that's too big for the case).

The real story is the powder itself. The 2010 Perles d'Or is enriched with subtle gold and violet shades. As you can see in the photos, none of the pearls is too shimmery or sparkly, and the violet ones aren't too dark or too many, so it doesn't really tint the powder- it's still as sheer and balanced as ever. The effect once you swirl your brush over the pearls is of a natural glow. There are no shiny particles, no bronzing or gilding action and no obvious brightening/light reflecting/whatever. Instead, the powder imparts a finished, smooth layer that instantly improves the complexion. I even tried it on bare naked skin and was stunned at how good it looks even without carefully applied makeup underneath. I hate to use the word "airbrushed" but there is something to it, this powder is just that good.

Bottom Line: My Precious.

Guerlain Meteorites Perles d'Or for Holiday 2010 ($56) is available at Bergdorf Goodman and select other department store and Sephora locations. a press sample was provided by the company.

All photos are mine.

Guerlain Holiday 2010 Rose de la Reine (363) KissKiss Strass Lipstick

The bad news about the Holiday 2010 Collection Les Ors from Guerlain is that they didn't make anything as stunning as their Fall 2010 6 color eye palettes. I sort of hoped for one of two such compacts in a gilded packaging that would make us once again delirious with Guerlain lust. Of course, this is also the good news. I can wait a season or two for another $85 palette.

Collection Les Ors focuses on golden luminosity- for complexion, lips and eyes. Later this week I'll show you the new Meteorites Perles d'Or, but today we're talking lips. KissKiss Strass lipstick comes in two limited edition colors for the holiday 2010 collection. There's a dark red, Rouge Imperial, which looks very tempting in the promo pictures, but let's face it: I need another deep red lipstick as much as I need an additional set of lips. It's the nude department in my lipstick drawer that could use some reinforcement, and Rose de la Reine (#363) is a good addition.

While I hoped for more rosy pigment, I like Rose de la Reine for its texture and light reflecting qualities. It doesn't take away anything from my natural color and doesn't make my lips look pale or chalky. The little pigment this KissKiss Strass lipstick warms the complexion and works well with a bold eye look and sheer gold cheek color. It's very balmy and moisturizing, so one can wear it over a darker lip tint. By itself Rose de la Reine gives a very shimmery nude look. It will have more impact on the fair-skinned, pale-lipped crowd, but for the rest of us this is an easy to wear (and apply) nighttime option.

The balmy texture moisturizes and plumps the lips, but is quite heavy. It doesn't last long and requires frequent reapplying. I'd be curious to see if the other color, the deep red Rouge Imperial leaves behind a little color so one doesn't have to fix her makeup after every glass of champagne (all this gold, light reflecting from crystal goblets and chandeliers and plush textures is making my imagination work a little).

Bottom Line: nice but definitely not a must-have.

Guerlain KissKiss Strass lipstick ($31) and the rest of the holiday collection is already available at Bergdorf Goodman and select department store locations. A press sample was sent for consideration by the company.

All photos are mine.

Zoya Fire and Ice Holiday 2010 Nail Polish Collection

One of the better ways to deal with the shine and sparkle of holiday collection is to wear them on one's nails. Of course, some of the available options are so far out of my personal comfort zone I'd need a passport to go there (OPI Burlesque Collection comes to mind. I saw the swatches on Cafe Makeup and wanted to play with the bottles and do crafts, but not necessarily wear them). Fire & Ice Collection from Zoya is far more appealing to me, though it is glittery and as far as I'm concerned these are special occasion polishes.

The first one I've worn was Gloria, a sparkling metallic rose. I loved looking at my nails and see the light reflected, but even the husband noticed the level of shine and commented it was not really a safe choice. He's right, of course, but it's still fun. I also love Valerie, the deep purple/wine with warm/gold micro glitter particles. It's the one I'd wear with a sexy black dress for a holiday party.

Crystal, the complex ice blue, is a winner. I'm not a blue polish person but can't help admiring it and definitely see myself wearing it occasionally just for a night. It's way too much for me to pull of during the day, but this is just me showing my age. I can't help it.

As with all glitter nail polish, cleanup takes too much time and work, especially if you use a drugstore remover. Professional products do a much better work here and shorten the time you have to spend smelling them, so that's a serious plus in this case.

Bottom Line: Pretty and shiny. What more could we ask for?

Zoya Fire & Ice Winter 2010 Collection ($36 for  the sampler set, individual bottles are $7 each) is available from zoya.com. A press sample was sent for consideration by the company.

All photos are mine.

OPI Holiday 2010- The Swiss Collection

I'm still in denial about the fall collection that are coming out in the next few weeks (and going to be sold out by August), and here's a glimpse from OPI holiday 2010 collection. This time they are inspired by Switzerland, so I expect at least one of the twelve colors named after Heidi (of the Alps, not the Hills) and a milk chocolate shade. But those are just my wild guesses. This is what we know for now (from the WWD coverage of a special show in Milan):

"The palette runs from a dark green, named Cuckoo for This Color, to Glitzerland, a sparkly gold, to a vibrant pink red called Diva of Geneva. The collection will hit shelves globally in October and will be priced at $8.50."

Info and photo: WWD