March 19, 2001
Not only do we have great new reviews this week, both in the
newsletter and on the site, but I am really excited to bring you
my recent interview with Don Donovan, Fragrance Designer for
Reflect.com. Don is the nose behind
Reflect's fantastic custom
fragrances and during our chat he shared with me a bit about his
background and ideas behind the Hearts and Souls fragrance
process. Click here to start reading the interview.
Now on to our reviews!
Stila Sport Pivotal Skin Foundation ($25)
I love when cosmetic lines push the barriers of traditional
thinking and try something new and unique. Pivotal Skin is a
great example: this foundation looks like an ordinary compact
makeup, but open the lid and you'll see a unique presentation -
liquid foundation in an inkpad-style touch pad. Simply touch
your finger to the pad and apply to your skin. No sponges, no
brushes, and you can put the makeup just where you need it. The
coverage is just a bit more than sheer and can be built slightly
with added layers (don't count on it covering very dark circles
or bright red blotches, though). It feels very lightweight going
on, as though it has a high water content, and it dries down to
a semi-matte, slightly luminescent finish. Like Stila's other
foundations, Pivotal Skin comes in a lettered range of shades,
from "a" (lightest) to "e" (deepest); I use "b" on my fair,
neutral-toned skin.
If you are looking for something light, easy to use, and
portable for spring/summer, I definitely recommend this product.
Stila Sport Color Push-Ups ($20)
With so many great choices in cream and gel blush these days, I
honestly can't remember the last time I used powder blush.
Creams and gels are also an excellent complement to the lighter,
luminescent cream or liquid foundations that have become so
prevalent. Joining the likes of Tarte Cheek Stain, Lorac Sheer
Wash, Calvin Klein Cheek Wash, BeneFit Cheekies, Vincent Longo
Faerie Creme - just to name a few - come Color Push-Ups, a
cream-gel solid blush (and lipcolor) stick from Stila's Sport
collection. The thin oval shape reminds me of my daughter's
Mustela Hydra-Stick moisturizer and Sunblock Stick; this shape
is fine for cheeks but a bit awkward for lips, since it's so
long and thin. I've found using one of the rounded edges rather
than the whole surface works best for lips.
Much like Stila Convertible Color, a little swipe of Color
Push-Up goes a long way (too much and you'll look like a clown).
It's easy to blend and wears well all day without touch-ups.
Color Push-Ups come in Rouge Flash, Bronze Flash, and Blush
Flash (my personal favorite).
Stila cosmetics are available online at Sephora.com
as well as at stores like Sephora and Nordstrom.
Three Custom Color Specialists (3C) Eye Shadows
(singles $17, compact refills $12.50)
3C constantly amazes me with their gorgeous colors and luxurious
presentation. When I received my refillable trio compact
($13.50) filled with warm white, cool pebble and cool sage, I
was immediately taken by the elegant mirrored compact complete
with a real dual-sided eye shadow brush - no flimsy sponge
applicators here. Thank goodness for makeup artists creating
cosmetics! These colors are soft and silky, last all day, and
can be worn wet or dry - very handy and long lasting for the
darker shades that you might use wet as liner. As with all 3C
products, all the eye shadow colors are grouped according to
your skin's undertones, either warm or cool. To figure out which
one you are, check out their guide online.
To see color and packaging photos, visit threecustom.com.
SuperSolano Hair Dryer
With all the time it takes me to straighten my shoulder-length
hair every day, it's no wonder I burn through hair dryers more
frequently than I'd like. When my Conair burned out a few weeks
ago, I decided it was time to get serious and buy a professional
grade dryer. I did some research and kept hearing the Solano
brand over and over as being one of the best brands in hair
dryers. For the features I wanted, I selected the SuperSolano
model 232 for $79.95 at ballbeauty.com. It has 1500
watts of power, 2 speeds settings, 3 heat settings that are
independent of the speed, and a cool shot button. The dryer is
fairly lightweight, quiet, has a cord that doesn't tangle or
twist, two nozzles (metal & fiberglass) for straightening, and a
removable/washable filter screen. I already like the power and
features of this dryer over any cheap one I've ever owned, and
hopefully I won't have to replace it for a very long time!
You can also find the SuperSolano for $59.95 at
beautycentury.com, $69.99 at
metrobeauty.com, $108 at
diamondbeauty.com, and $159.98 at
beautyofasite.com. I have no idea why the price range
is so wide. I bought from Ball Beauty for the reasonable price
and because I have purchased from them before and was pleased
with their service.
Coming up next week, I am excited to bring you reviews of some
of the new spring colors from
Stila,
Vincent Longo and
Calvin Klein, including some gorgeous citrus pastels and sheer mauves
and berries. See you then!