Le Metier de Beaute Holiday 2011 StocKen Stuffers from Ken Downing - SWATCHES!!!

MOVE OVER SANTA… STYLE IS COMING TO TOWN!

‘Tis the season for decadent holiday feasts and fêtes – ones we look forward to with both anticipation and trepidation. Just thinking what to wear and what to gift is enough to loose some beauty sleep…

Leave it to Neiman Marcus’ Fashion Director Ken Downing to put the glam and glimmer back in the holiday season. With his latest collaboration with Le Métier de Beauté, two irresistible sets of four mini nail lacquers will bring the glitz and glamour right to your fingertips.

“Perfect to give, even more fun to get. Move over Santa; style is coming to town!”

says Mr. Downing.

Mr. Downing curated the essential eight shades for the season and paired them with glimmering gold and silver ornamental leaves. The one of a kind gilded Aspen leaves, carefully hand selected and inspected for their flawless beauty, shape, and size – no two are the same, have been coated in 24K Gold or Fine Silver using an electroplating process that retains the shape and vein patterns of each unique leaf.

Priced right at $32.00 a set, it’s the perfect gift for the hostess with the mostess, the girl who has everything and even your third cousin twice removed that always shows up for the seasonal get together.

Mr. Downing says he aimed to spread holiday cheer with this collaboration and that each set was specifically designed to glam up the holiday madness.“Shimmer and shine are a passion of mine!” says Downing. “I’ve taken my love for all that glitters and injected brilliant color to create a playful collection of holiday nail lacquers.”

ALL THAT GLITTERS

Spruce it Up - a shimming evergreen
Hot to Trot - a juicy red cherry with silver undertones
Midnight Heron - a deep sapphire flecked with subtle shimmer
All That Glitters - a sheer gold with metallic shine

MERRY METALLICS

Plum Puddin’ - a rich plum spun with sheer silver
Red/E and Waiting - a sheer red with metallic gold undertones
Tarnished Silver - a moonlit platinum
Lamé Entertain You - a shimmering copper with silver undertones.

2011 HSN & Deborah Lippmann Exclusive: Deck the Halls

Apparently we have not gotten enough limited edition polishes from the Lippmann camp yet this year. So here is another. I just received this from the PR people at Deborah Lippmann. 

Im really digging the two glitters on the right! What about you guys? Which are calling YOUR name?

Deborah Lippmann Edge of Glory 3D Holographic Nail Lacquer

Ok, Deborah Lippmann is trying to kill me. I truly think she is stressing me to death. First I jump through hoops to get the Barneys and Neiman Marcus exclusive sets only to find out they are coming here to Canada, THEN I have to figure out a way to get the Footloose polishes, THEN she comes out with Money Now Sleep Later and the other two limited edition colours. NOW there is another set I NEED and is not for sale here in Canada!!

This is a limited edition set for teh Barneys New York Gaga's Workshop. Its also the first holo I have ever seen come out of Lippmann. This set retails for 45.00. Barneys donates 25% of all proceeds all the exclusive items in the Workshop (this being one of them) to the Born This Way Foundation.

Lise Watier Festive Winter Collection Swatches!

Earlier I showed you these two new polishes from Lise Watier, and while I was initially not excited about one of them, in person they were both GORGEOUS and I got both!

Festive Chic is a berry toned glitter bomb. Very similar to both Lippmann Good Girl Gone Bad and Razzle Dazzle. It applied smoothly and nicely, and two coats was more than sufficient. Fairy Taupe is a shimmery multi tone taupe that was........... problematic in application. It was almost a frost, and a PITA to apply. As you can see in the swatch, even with three coats you can still see brush strokes.

Now the other feature with these polishes is a light which is in the cap. The very top of the cap has a button you push and then a light goes on. I really dont love this feature and hope it is a one time thing. The shape of the cap is uncomfortable to hold because of the light, and really??? When are we ever going to need this? Yes, I may one day have a black out and be actually able to do my nails, but really? I'd rather save my two dollars and skip the light.

These polishes retail for $14.00 instead of the normal $12.00 and are available wherever Lise Watier cosmetics are sold (select Bay stores, select Shoppers and London Drugs. If you want them I would go quick though, seems counters got 2 or 3 of each polish and that was it!

Lynnderella Holiday Polish Collection

I just wanted to let all you Americans (That's right. Another brand we non Americans can not order ourselves) know about the new collection from Lynnderella.

Now I have never heard ANYTHING but raves from those who have tried her polishes (though I hear they feel very gritty! Either buy her top coat or find a good one yourself!). That being said, there are a few peculiarities with her website that should be mentioned. You can NOT buy one polish. There is a minimum order of 5 polishes (they are $12 each) so if you do not have $60 to spend on polish, or do not have 5 polishes you want (5 polishes, can be different ones though, doesn't have to be 5 of 1 colour) I would suggest splitting an order with a friend or two!!

To see swatches of each colour, you can go to her website here. I have Mysterious Ways and Lucky Numbers ordered through an american friend! Which ones do YOU want???

MAC Petite Nail Lacquer Dazzlesphere

Mini Nail Lacquer Kit $25.50 US
US Launch Date: November 10, 2011

A must for that wish list! Inside the couture–future ornament, four mini–sizes of Nail Lacquer in seasonally–fabulous shades of Mistletoe, Dark Angle, Style Tip and Much Adored! Who can resist? Limited edition.

Much Adored - sheer white pink with pearl
Style Tip - soft pink nude
Dark Angel - goth romantic dark lilac
Mistletoe - pale gold

This set is nice in theory, but the colours I find utterly BORING! The only one looking at all interesting is Dark Angel, but I find MAC mini polish sets to be like the special edition mini brush sets. Cute to look at but quality wise a fail. Are YOU tempted?

Deborah Lippmann Fashionista Nail Lacquer Gift Set Trio

Now this is the Neiman Marcus Exclusive set (apparently, if Nordstroms gets one, they have to also!). This set is 3 FULL size polishes so in that respect its a little better than the Dance Music set, though the colours are not as unique in my opinion.

This set contains the following Fashionista shades: Envy Me, Sweet Spot, and Milkshake and IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT HOLT RENFREW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take that Amercians! We get the goods too! It is about time!!

Deborah Lippmann 'Dance Music' Holiday Mini Trio

Deborah Lippmann has yet another limited edition set out! Anyone else getting exhaused with all of them? This is one of two new sets and I will in the next post show off the other one. This one is called Dance Music and contains three colours; Just Dance (aqua glitter), Dancing in the Dark (disco ball in the dark glitter) and Flash Dance (orchid glitter). These are mini polishes, but unlike previous mini sets, these ones are shaped like the full size versions. A theme I hope remains for Lippmann. I really do not personally like the previous shape of the mini polishes. These ones are 0.2 oz. each as opposed to the 0.5 oz. size of the normal ones.

These are available exclusively to Nordstroms............ in the United States. In Canada, they ARE available at Holt Renfrew!!!!!!! So there Americans!!!! We get it too!!!!!!!!!!!! And the set is $29.00 american, and the Canadian price is $32.00!!! Finally we are NOT really being ripped off, AND WE GET IT!!!

Les Rouge Or for Dior Holiday 2011

The story of Dior and Gold is a long one, with its origins in the very sound of the name ―Dior. This fact did not escape Jean Cocteau who said, “Dior, this airy genius of our times whose magical name includes that of God (Dieu) and Gold (or).” Rigour combined with excess: it was a prophetic name. From his first couture collections at the end of the 1940s, Christian Dior toyed with gold as the ultimate symbol of true luxury and dreams, as seen in his 1947 ―Champagne gold‖ silk Aladdin gown, in the 1949 ―Pactole gown and so on.

Gold was synonymous with refinement, also appearing as a delicate highlighting touch on perfume bottles and the first lipsticks. Thus, the fascination with gold has continued over the decades. In whichever way it is used, gold is always symbolic of a doorway into a dream. And today the House of Dior is inviting us to a new enchanted experience with a flamboyant collection created by Tyen, where the colour gold provides the setting for Dior’s emblematic Rouge Dior lipcolors and Vernis nail varnishes. Gold reveals the potency of their shades, and like gold powder thrown into crystal fusion to colour it red, gold equals refinement; it glimmers with luxury.

Les Rouge Or Collection (or if you are in Australia, the Dior Daring Golden Collection) is now out at counters world wide. The collection consists of four colours; 221 Or Divin, 611 Exquis, 651 Merveille, and 871 Apparat.

Three of the four had FANTASTIC pigment, formula and thickness. Or Divin was a nightmare for me. It took four coats to be more or less opaque and it still looks streaky to me! The other three are all one coat and a dream to work with! Swatches of each on their own along with comparisons are coming very shortly!

Now, as for why it took so long for me to get these, my sales associate convinced me to wait until this past Saturday as there was a BIG gift with purchase that I wouldn't want to miss. Well guess what? I could have easily missed out on it! The bag it came in? A paper Dior shopping bag. NOT a makeup bag, just a cheap paper bag. And inside?

The only thing I will use is the little mascara. And while yes, a half sized mascara (maybe a little less than that) is nice, THAT WAS THE BIG GIFT WITH PURCHASE??? Cheap and lousy event in my book!!

Holt Renfrew Private Label Paramount Beauty Bag

Taken off of Holts Facebook site!!!

CALLING ALL BEAUTY BUFFS! 

For the ultimate girl on the go, it doesn’t get any better than the Holt Renfrew Private Label Paramount Beauty Bag. Complete with two luxe removable pouches and deluxe miniatures including a shu uemura mini eyelash curler, Sisley Hydra-Global Moisturizer, and Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, its truly the must have of the season! Plus, you’ll receive a $10 beauty voucher that goes towards your next purchase at Holts!

Available NOW at Holt Renfrew for only $25.

A close up of the eyelash curler and the description:

So it really only costs 15.00 and I want that mini eyelash curler!!! I ordered mine today, will pick it up later this week along with Lippmann Good Girl Gone Bad! It JUST came in this week and the rest of the holiday colours are STILL not here! The joys of living in Canada! Glamorous Life is also in but I have no interest in it! I am still waiting on Stairway to Heaven, and possibly I Love the Nightlife I keep going back and forth on that one, so we will see!!


Are YOU getting a bag?

Quo for Orly Holiday Mini Set & Full Polish Set Rundowns

So I actually left my house today!!!!!!!!!! I had to stop by Shoppers Drug Mart to pick something up today and look what I spied? Sorry the picture is so awful but you are not allowed to take photographs in the store and my blackberry was therefor the only thing I had.

This set contains 18 miniature polishes and has a price tag of 39.00. At less than 2.00 a polish, it seems reasonable except I already own night sky, turquoise moonlight and celestial star and would never wear love game, or true love. But Filthy Rich, First Class and Mystic Night are all on my wishlist and that's 75% of the price tag right there. Now these polishes are a third the size, but for 10.00 more I can get an extra dozen colours, at least 5 of which I really really really like and are not available on thier own......... Sigh....... Decisions, decisions!

Now, in the mini set comes the following colours (if ** precedes it then it is not part of the regular lineup): Top row of set contains: Very Vixen, Mystic Night, **Garnet, **Precious, **Saphire Sparkle, **Cold Stone, **Rock Show & Night Sky. The bottom row contains: Turquoise Moonlight, Celestial Star, First Class, Filthy Rich, Red Hot, Wine and Dine, Old Hollywood, Love Game & True Love

The entire range of the polish line consists of:

Twinkle Twinkle, Lilac Lust, Sweet Pink, Soft Spot, Just Married, Cotton Candy, Purple Daydream

Red Hot, Poppy, Cream Pop, Love Game, True Love, Wine and Dine, Rosy Cheeks, Old Hollywood

Turquoise Moonlight, Blue Skies, Blue Lagoon, Green Meadow, Celestial Star, Night Sky, Mystic Night

Queen Bling, Filthy Rich, First Class, Chestnuts Roasting, Violaceous, Coffee & Cream, Very Vixen, French White

NARS Holiday Gift Sets

So right now I have two new holiday sets to show you. The first is by NARS. I was soooo excited to see the promotional pictures for this set, but was sadly disappointed when I saw it in person today. I might wear the gold, but all the other three are certainly  not me.

The colours in this set are: Yoshiwara, Shiro-Nuri , Kata & Senryou (in the same order as photographed above. The other holiday set of NARS that had crossed my eye I am SUPER DUPER EXCITED to announce will not make its way over here. I can NOT afford it, do NOT need it, and probably could not stop myself if I saw it in person.

How freaking awesome is that set????? Now the truth is of the five brushes (Kabuki Eye Brush, Botan Brush, Ita Brush, Yachiyo Brush, Kabuki Lip) I have the Yachiyo brush and I have the lip brush which while they say is exclusive to this set, it came in last years STUNNING bento box set (the one with two lipsticks) and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the lip brush. It is my favourite lip brush I own and i use it daily! But at 225.00 USD for  the 5 brushes, it is definitely out of my price range!

New!!! Stila Makes Nail Polish!!

Stila is coming out with TWO nail polish sets! Their website offers the Daring Collection:

And the Delicate Collection:

At 0.25 fl. oz. a bottle with a $24.00 price tag per collection it makes each polish $6.00!!! Which set are YOU getting? I will certainly not be running out to get these, need to work on my holiday wishlist first, but if they are still around January time I will certainly pick them up!

Lise Watier Festive Winter Collection

Just when I thought I was caught up on all the holiday releases and safe from adding more to my ever growing, totally INSANE wishlist here comes another holiday collection.

Festive Collection is the newest offering from the Canadian line Lise Watier. I have never tried any of her polishes before but that is soon to change. In this holiday collection are these two nail polishes.

The polishes are limited edition and will retail for 14.00 instead of the normal 12.00. They come in two colours; Festive Chic and Fairy Taupe. But the neatest thing about these two? The cap has a built in little flashlight to illuminate the nail during application!!! How freaking cool is THAT????

For me Festive Chic will be a pass, but Fairy Taupe has just made it on to my holiday wishlist. I know the makeup line is available at select Shoppers Drug Marts in my city as well as at London Drugs. Do either of these get YOUR attention??

My Holiday Wishlist!

I certainly hope to very soon be able to put check marks through each and every image, but for now, I am making headway! My only worries are the Butter London (not available here in Canada) and the Gosh as I have yet to get confirmation they will be available here in Canada.

What's on YOUR holiday wishlist?