1. Follow BarneysNY on Pinterest.

2. Create a Pinterest board featuring your top 5 beauty/grooming items sold at Barneys.

3. Email or share your Pinterest link with BarneysNY.

The Barneys team will select their favorite beauty board and pick a winner on June 3rd, the last day of the contest!

To enter, click here!

And just in case that wasn’t enough inspiration to go out into the night and rock a grungy ballerina bun, here’s some eye candy that will surely do the trick!

Their mission is to help children affected by autism communicate more effectively through education, job training, and specialized activities.  The appropriately named Golden Hat collection features a blush palette, a red lipstick, and a red nail polish.  We love that the baby pink blusher has the foundation’s emblem designed on it in a shimmery gold for an extra special touch. Lancome has pledged to dedicate at least 150,000 euros (about $207k) of its sale profits to the charity.

Today is the last day to score 20% off on NARS Cosmetics. On top of that they are offering 5% cash back. 

You can check out this and many other exclusive deals at Mintbox.com

 Who says yellow has to be mellow?

We silently (and fashionably) squealed in our seats when a signature shiny black and gold Dolce & Gabbana bag floated its way into the FashionIndie loft. We knew we were expecting the brand’s new Secret Eyes mascara, but we were not should have been expecting its over the top, ultra exquisite packaging: a black cylinder glass vase of eight indigo calla lilies (full of water at that) wrapped in black tulle and a grosgrain ribbon was packed next to a gold Dolce & Gabbana engraved black lacquered box.  The box was sealed by magnets and opened to reveal a velvet cushion lined package, on par with those made for fine jewelry or expensive pens.  Nested inside, a gleaming gold tube of Secret Eyes mascara.

Model with nice makeup.

Like clothing, your makeup choices “reveal not just where you are from but where you are headed,” Simon Doonan, creative director of Barneys New York says in the forward. “…François reminds us that makeup is also about narratives, fantasy and imagination. Makeup is about unleashing a cinematic range of possibilities. …François Nars is all about optimism.”

Nars chose not to learn about his subjects’ professions before applying their makeup, as he didn’t want to be limited by what he knew. “Instead, I looked at each person as objectively as possible and went about creating a look based on her or his individual features,” he said.

All of the subjects in the book sat on the same stool in front of the same neutral background with the same lighting and their hair pulled back. They all made indifferent expressions as not to distract from the before and after looks. To use the book to its full advantage, both Nars and I suggest studying the before and afters closely before using the transparent overlays to see what makeup was used where.

“No matter what age or stage you’re in, banish the word ‘shouldn’t’ from your makeup vocabulary,” Nars says. “As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t apply. Find your own way, have an open spirit and believe in your own beauty.”

What owning this book says about you: I am fabulous, just the way I am, and I will be for the rest of my life.

What your dinner guests will say upon seeing this book on your coffee table: What a helpful set of makeup tools. I must buy this immediately!

How this book will make your fashion brain grow: By trying different faces of makeup showcased in this book, not just those applied to the subjects that look most similar to you, you will expand your beauty horizons and find the bravery to test looks you never would have in the past.

If you like this, you’ll love: Bobbi Brown Beauty Evolution by Bobbi Brown

The denim collection boasts every type of jean — skinny, boyfriend, drop crotch, straight leg — each treated with a burst of cosmetics  for a signature spin.  Whether it be a splash of purple eyeshadow on the butt or bursts of pink blusher throughout the thighs, the collection brought a bright, uplifting feeling into your Spring denim selection.

Here’s the amazing stylist Dani Stahl posing with the new collection — she was killing it in a pair of super skinny stretch teal jeans, heels, and a cute leather jacket.

Once you figured out what pair best suited you, Make Up Forever artists were ready to give you matching makeovers!  They were painting on bold lips and pops of eye color in magenta, teal, yellow, and blue, with their new liquid eyeliner.

The denim bar has fun spring colors including dusty blue, yellow, coral, teal, white, and railroad stripe. My personal favorite were the destroyed white skinny, which didn’t have much stretch but fit very true to size. A runner up were the super skinny stretch teal jeans, which were a powdery light color that once painted on your body, were surprisingly flattering.

Want to know more about the Powder of Diesel collection?  Tweet your questions at me @iamsamlim

Going chronologically here, when I arrived at the backstage area, the models were all in run-through mode so there was zero motion by the ready mirrors. This gave me a moment to check out the Anna Sui Beauty Bar - she was showing press like me her signature perfumes, her new shoe collaboration with Hush Puppies, and her collection of spectacles.

I told you I went a little nuts with the glasses, but they’re so fly I had to give you a little show of them.

That was fun, but seriously, back to the real models. Zuzanna Bijoch and Daphne Groeneveld give serious backstage face.

The über talented Pat McGrath was responsible for the cosmetic creation. The aesthetic is perfect natural skin with futuristic lashes and lids. She achieved this look with tons of mascara infused with beeswax for extra thickness and playing with liner above the crease of the lid. Just a very small amount of blush on the apple of the cheek keeps the face nude without looking dead. The light white shimmer on the eye is Snow Blossom by Covergirl.

The famed Garren styled the smooth mod sixties hair that carried the show. He calls the look the “Mod Bardot” with fullness at the crown and full fringe with a center part, “Kind of the way Anna [Sui] wears her hair.” To get that voluminous lift at the root, he used Furterer Volumea. Girls with shorter hair were styled in that curly Twiggy kind of way. He envisions this hairstyle on girls having fun, not taking itself too seriously. And we’ve been forewarned, Garren states more as a fact than a vague prediction, “Fringe will be for Fall.”

I serendipitously crossed paths with Anna Sui on my way to enter the front of house to watch the show (we heard the announcement, FIVE MINUTES!) and I managed to squeeze two questions in:

What are you most excited about for your show?

“I hope people like it, that’s what I’m feeling.”

From what I’ve seen backstage, I’ve noticed a mod theme. Is the whole collection going that way?

“You’ll see. There’s a transition that happens, that’s what I’m trying to express.”

Now, more images for your viewing pleasure:

I want to see how stunningly sparkly you can get. Show me your sequins, your shimmering face, your twinkling heels, your gleaming accessories. Blind me with fashion and WIN Silver Jewel FX Nail Lacquer, Red Sparkle One Coat Glitter, I Heart You Baked Eyeshadow, Dolce Pink Baked Blush, Vivacious Fuscia HD Advanced Lip Color, and Hot Flash Lip Flash, all by Milani Cosmetics. Send a photo of the sparkly you to Jessica@fashionindie.com to win. Keep it so clean that it shines. Contest ends Friday 2/11.

Tim Howard Management provides high fashion and celebrity services for the world’s leading fashion companies. His agency’s handiwork can be seen on catwalks and red carpets to television and print magazines like Vogue, GQ and Elle.

Recently I sat down with Tim at New York City’s Jane Hotel and quizzed the talent manager about his company and team. The following is how our conversation went down.

Point blank, how did Tim Howard Management start?

Well I working as an agent at one of the bigger photo agencies and things weren’t going so well there.  I was complaining to a friend about it at dinner one night and he said, ‘Why don’t you start your own business? Why do you keep working for other people?’ And I said, ‘I don’t know.’

I quit my other job to think about it.  A friend of mine gave me a desk in his office to see what it would feel like and it just kind of started to unfold with some of the talent I’d previously been working with – suddenly, I had 3 or 4 people and I went and registered my company. We built from there.

The company you run is very much people-oriented, and it seems like there’s so many moving parts. How did your training prepare you for this?

My real training came from my days at Art and Commerce. I worked under Leslie Sweeney; she was one of the owners of Art and Commerce. She was my boss and pretty much taught me everything I know.

She was on maternity leave the day I started the job. I was about 23 years old. So I got there, and there were about 10 artists to look after and she wasn’t really around to show me what to do. So it was a crash course, and to I had sink or swim. So I swam I guess. Though I’m not a good swimmer at all.

Your team provides services for some really big campaigns coming out today. What are some of the challenges of offering these high-level services?

In this economy, the biggest challenge is gambling with rates. You want to respect both the artist and the client. You don’t want to undersell somebody who’s worked very hard to get a rate to a certain point, but you don’t want to outbid yourself either.  In that sense, it’s not much different than selling cars sometimes.

But then it’s about creativity and about relationships -  is this is an interesting project creatively speaking? Could this be a repeat client?  Is this client also a friend? So many factors. Every single booking that comes in requires attention. You have to tailor your decision to each job in order to get the best scenario for your artist. Sometimes you lose.

You have a team of 20 people or so. How do you find the people on your team?

The foremost quality I look for in an artist is personality. Is this somebody I can speak to on a day-to-day basis? Would I want to get a phone call from this person at eight-o-clock in the morning before I’ve had coffee ?

The next thing would just be the work. Is their work something I feel like I can sell? Do they fit in with the rest of the talent that I already represent?

Stepping back from your position, what kind of skills do you think a person needs in order to run a high-level creative agency?

A degree in psychology and a degree in finance.  And an ability to predict the future.

So you’re no longer sitting with your one desk and three artists. What would be your vision for the future of your company?

As agents, we need to develop a newer model on which to represent people – to bring in social media, to try and look more poignantly at opportunities that are waiting for young talent.  Collectively as a team, we have the ability to really influence the beauty industry and the fashion industry. How do we place a value on that?

How do you harness that power in someone who has 20 years of walking into a studio and putting makeup on a model? It doesn’t sound like very much, but that person can look at any face and know exactly what tools to use to enhance it.  Weirdly, that’s a valuable talent.

What do you do when you have time to yourself?

On Saturdays I write a little bit. I do yard work. Any place that I can be where there’s no phone I’m happy. My cell phone doesn’t work in my place upstate. So I can just go out and rake leaves for two hours and no one knows where I am.

To learn more about Tim Howard Management‘s work, visit their blog.

Say hello to play-dress-up pink lips, sparkly eyes, and a Sephora bursting with girlish anime wonder. The outer palette may appeal to our frillier side, or 5-year-old nieces, but the colors have a lovely muted tinge that could make even the hello-allergic-to-kitties take a serious look.

Link Love: Refinery29

Arrojo Studio: 180 Varick Street | New York, NY 10014

Tonight only!

• Learn how to create your favorite party styles for the holidays.

• Bring your own makeup and learn how to maximize your looks.

• $50 for a 2-hour session & receive a special gift.

• AND, bring in your old blow dryer or flat iron and get a 20% discount on a brand new Arrojo dryer.

First of all I’d obviously like to say congrats to Swift but then again as if  we don’t see her face everywhere already… now we have to see her on drugstore posters.

Watch Taylor Swift for Covergirl Video!

Natalie DiStefano, who specializes in makeup, has offered up a trick to looking moisturized with just the perfect amount of foundation. But first things first, you need to apply your eye makeup first! Ever notice those little specks of eye shadow that fall on your face and ruin the foundation? This is the best way to avoid that. Do the shadow first and the foundation after. And always make sure that your face is good and moisturized before you throw that foundation on.

If you’re a blond, be sure to heighten that color in the middle of the winter. Making the hair blonder in these cold dark months is essential, says John Whelan, colorist. The same goes for the red heads, “this is not a hair color for the faint of heart,” he says. As for the brunettes out there, try out some highlights. Nothing too crazy, but soft ones can really do the trick.

Arsi Tavitian, an Aesthetician, gives us some at home remedies to keep our skin looking healthy. Chamomile tea bags, parsley, honey and egg yolks all make the list of concoctions for various at-home creations!

Get excited because M.A.C wants you to model in their Fall 2011 campaign! The company has decided to showcase real people, not just celebrities and models, to show the versatility of their brand. Of course, there’s always some friendly competition for the spotlight. Enter the “MAC me over” competition on macmeover.com. Submit a short video starting with the line “MAC me over because…” and you could take the place of Lady Gaga!

LINK LOVE: Fashionista

YSL wants to ring in the holiday season with a Metallic Colorama. The new holiday 2010 collection features a bunch of pinks and golds intertwined with some silver shades. Pick up the limited edition collection today!

LINK LOVE: Hot Beauty Health

Topshop decided to get a bit more grungy this fall season. Their new makeup collection Heavy Duty  features the usual shadows, glosses, and polishes; however it’s a lot more “rocker” than people may be used to. Sarah Thorne, Topshop’s Creative Designer, wants to assure everyone that “Although Heavy Duty embodies a toughness and strength never before seen in Topshop Makeup, the playfulness of hand drawn scribbles and craft materials still embody the creative essence that is synonymous with the brand.” I think the edginess can be a good change of pace!

LINK LOVE: Stylelist

Is this Jared Leto? No, this is Helena, a very pretty girl from Russia with incredible makeup skills. She posted a six minute video of her transformation into Jared Leto, with just routine makeup at her disposal! It’s actually pretty amazing. She even created the beard with a toothbrush. Check out Helena’s video here!

LINK LOVE: Fashionista

Tom Ford has quite the treat in store for us! The new Black Orchid trio collection will be released just in time for the holidays to include a lipstick, plum colored polish, and a signature Black Orchid scent. Get the whole trio for $140 at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

LINK LOVE: Refinery 29

( Photos by Sunny Yau, Makeup by Cheyenne Warner, Styling by me and Hillary Frazier )

I styled this shoot a while ago with Waffle Girl Hillary and I thought I’d post it. Obviously we went with a 90′s Spice Girl theme, and then decided to go all the way and put them in matching “outfit sets”. Hope you enjoyed it!

PS. We love our model friends, they’re amazing.
PPS. IM IN THE US!! YAYYY!

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01) Be sure to apply makeup to a cleansed and moisturized face. If your face is unwashed, your skin’s natural oils will seep through the makeup quickly, causing it to come off!

02) Apply a face and eye primer to even skin tone, eliminate sheen and prolong the wear of the makeup.

03) Apply a sheer foundation, such as a light liquid foundation or a tinted moisturizer, all over face and neck. Apply a cream-based concealer to any blemishes.

04) Buff a pressed powder all over face to seal foundation and concealer with a large, fluffy brush.

05) Apply a highlighter or slightly shimmery powder to your t-zone (forehead and nose). If your skin is on the oily side, skip this step or apply to your cheeks only.

06) Apply a peach blush to the apples of your cheeks. If you have a pale skin tone with a lot of red undertones (like me!), choose a blush with a more neutral tone to avoid looking too dramatic. If you have darker skin, choose a peach blush with a bit more pigment in it!

07) Line your upper lash line and the outer corner (or the whole lower lash line if you wish) with a black or brown eyeliner pencil. Gently smudge the line with your finger or a Q-tip.

08) Apply a light colored eyeshadow to your eyelids. I’d recommend a pearly white, shimmery beige, icy blue or pale lilac.

09) Apply a coat or two of black mascara.

10) Apply a lipstick or lip gloss in a neutral shade (with orange undertones), or go bold with a tangerine shade. if you choose lipstick, be sure to put foundation on your lips and then lip liner to prolong the wear of the lipstick!

(All images via Style.com)

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Become a FashionIndie.com contributor. Subscribe to Envy.

My constant companion these days is Edward Bess Ultra Sleek Lipstick in Forever Yours. This richly pigmented red based pink that is about one shade darker than my natural lip color offers full coverage, creamy texture and perfect finish that’s just shiny enough without any actual shimmer. It stays put through a quick snack or a drink and always looks appropriate.

Forever Yours is half a shade darker and has a little more brown in the base than its closely-related sibling Night Romance. I’ll show more photos of Night Romance next week, but for now here’s a comparison swatch:

The Ultra Sleek lipstick range is small and carefully edited. There are only 13 colors, which seems a bit limited. But it actually shows Edward Bess’ keen eye and perfectionism. Out of the 13, there are four colors I love and wear regularly. If I weren’t addicted and obsessed with makeup and beauty blogging I could have (theoretically, of course) lived with just those four. That says a lot.

Bottom Line: Perfect.

Edward Bess Ultra Sleek Lipsticks ($32) are available exclusively from Bergdorf Goodman and edwardbess.com. I’d suggest (urge you, actually) to ignore the tiny color samples on Edward’s website and check out my own reviews (more to come) as well as those by Sabrina on the Beauty Look Book and KarlaSugar.

All photos are mine.

Copyright ©2006-2010 Gaia Fishler, The Non-Blonde. Content poaching is both illegal and ugly.

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Want to steal Rihanna’s green and yellow eye makeup look? I’ve got a break down for you! Plus the colors used will look great on all shades of brown skin. It’s basically a win-win situation.

1. As always, beautiful makeup starts with beautiful skin. Cleanse, tone, and moisturize skin according to your skin type.

2. Since several colors are involved with this look and eyeshadow fall-out is possible, let’s do the eyes first. Apply an eyeshadow base like MAC Paint Pot or Urban Decay Primer Potion. Grab a green with golden sheen eyeshadow like MAC Eyeshadow in Swimming (or if you want something a bit lighter try MAC Eyeshadow in Juxt) and blend it on the bottom portion of the lid. Use an eyeshadow brush like MAC #224 for a smooth and blended application.

Next take a matte deep plum shadow like MAC Eyeshadow in Shadowy Lady and in a windshield-like motion, apply it into the crease. Try a crease brush like MAC #217.

For your brow bone highlight, try a shimmery golden eyeshadow like MAC Eyeshadow in All That Glitters or try a matte eyeshadow (or even concealer) 2-3 shades lighter than your skin tone—this will give you a great defined look.

Line eyes with a black eyeliner pencil. For a pencil that lasts even through sweat and tears, try Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Pencil in 01 Mat Black. For a little drama, use a liquid liner like Urban Decay Liquid Liner on the top lash line and allow it to extend a little past the outer corners of the eyes. Hold the liner wand at a 15 degree angle or use the edge of a business card to help guide you.

Now take a pencil brush like MAC #219 and dip it into the green shadow shade and carefully line underneath your bottom waterline (the area underneath your bottom lashes) about half-way of the length of your eye. Then take a shimmery golden yellow-green eyeshadow like MAC Eyeshadow in Bitter and apply it along the other half of the bottom lash area as well as in the inner corners of the eyes. Apply two to three coats of mascara. Clean up any fallout or mistakes with a Q-tip dipped in water or eye makeup remover.

3. Apply liquid foundation using a foundation brush like MAC #190 or a makeup wedge. Be sure to blend all the way to the hair line, by the ears, and by the neck to avoid foundation mask. Set with a loose powder like Becca Fine Loose Finishing Powder using a fluffy brush like MAC #187. Some liquid foundations to try: Black Opal True Color Liquid Foundation, Face Atelier Ultra Foundation for Women of Color, Make Up For Ever Face & Body, Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation.

4. For the cheeks, apply a bright orange blush (don’t be scared—the pigments in our skin look best in brighter blush colors and if applied with a light hand will look gorgeous) like Cargo Blush in Laguna. If you went a little overboard with the blush, that’s nothing a dusting of loose powder can’t fix.

5. For the lips, try a Barbie pink lipstick like MAC Viva Glam Gaga Lipstick. As tough of a shade as it may look, it actually works through the spectrum of our skin tones. Still not feeling it? Grab a nude lip or be bold and rock a red lip.

6. To add radiance to the skin (or to help avoid “powder face”) give your face a spritz of MAC Fix+ Spray. Or if you have trouble getting your makeup to stay put, try Urban Decay De Slick Makeup Setting Spray.

Tools of the Trade:

More M·A·C…

And that’s that! Who’s trying this look?

~Danielle

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Nars Fall 2010 collection is stunning. There's no arguing about that. The eye colors are bold and each one of them can and should be the focal point of a full makeup look. I passed on the lip colors despite their gorgeousness because Nars lipsticks are too dry for me. But I was most curious about the new limited edition blush, Douceur, because the texture is so soft and sheer, and it lacks the gold shimmer found in most Nars blushes.  The question was: would it be too light to show up on my skin?

Some bloggers recommended Douceur for light skin tones and they’re mostly right- if you’re very tan or dark there’s a good chance this blush wouldn’t work for you, even when layered heavily. But my medium-pale olive skin actually loves this color because it’s visible but looks very natural. I don’t need to build the intensity or use a super thick brush. One swipe is all it takes for an easy effortless look.

The swatches show you just how compatible Douceur and I are. I swatched with a regular Chanel blush brush and only swiped once, just as I would do on my face. You can see that awful mosquito bite I got the other day right on my wrist (it hurts like you wouldn't believe), and the blush color is just a natural extension of the shade I get when bitten. Not a recommended method for testing makeup, but it works. You can also see that the NARS imprint in the compact fades as soon you swipe your brush over it. I started using it right away, without taking pictures first, so by the time I got to photograph the blush it was almost gone.

Bottom Line: I hope they reconsider the limited edition thing. I want Douceur in the permanent line.

NARS Douceur Blush ($26) for Fall 2010 is available from most decent department stores, Sephora and narscosmetics.com.

Photos and swollen wrist are all mine.

Copyright ©2006-2010 Gaia Fishler, The Non-Blonde. Content poaching is both illegal and ugly.

LINK LOVE:NARS Blush Douceur Fall 2010 Limited Edition

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I have an affinity for the color red. Red shoes, red bags, red lipstick and most importantly the red dress. Red is the power color that looks good on most people.  It's a shame that many women are scared to wear this color in fear of being labeled a tramp.  I came across a red strapless gown by Brian Reyes that stopped me dead in my tracks.  The sculpted silk maxi dress is a modern take on the Pretty Woman dress.  The corset-style cup, asymmetrical flounce hem and tonal piping at the seams are sexy but sophisticated at the same time.  The Brian Reyes Corset Strapless Gown is for the twenty-something or thirty-something woman who wants to have fun turning heads at a gala or evening affair.

You need confidence to wear such a statement making dress.  When wearing a dress like this you have to be mindful of a few things:

• Less is more so keep accessories to a minimum. Chandelier earrings or a statement necklace, not both.
• Red goes with both gold and silver. Make sure you choose the tone that works best with your complexion.
• Keep the hair pulled back in a chic updo or go Cali girl chic with a low ponytail.  Opting for voluminous curls or waves will be total overkill.
• Your makeup should compliment the dress. Go for nude lips with a smoky eye or neutral eyes with a bit of shimmer and a berry lip.
• Shapewear is your best friend so embrace it. A strapless toning slip or DKNY smoothies will be the key to smoothing those problem areas. 

LINK LOVE:Lady in Red | Brian Reyes Corset Strapless Gown

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My planned post for today was supposed to be about Nars fall collection, especially the new blush. But I’m getting so many urgent emails requesting swatches of the new Rouge d’Armani lipsticks, because as usual, there are no testers at the Armani counters, even though the products are already available for sale. I have no idea what’s up with that. You’d think this is some obscure brand that is having a hard time keeping up and not a major line owned by L’Oreal. Then again, YSL is also notorious for not having testers for weeks.

So here we are. I’ve barely tested these lipsticks, but they all seem to be just like the rest of the Rouge d’Armani range- pigmented, easy to apply even without a brush thanks to amazing gel-like texture and very long lasting. I’ve cleaned up after swatching using a makeup remover, but I can still see a bit of color on my arm, so as soon as I post this I’m going to do some serious washing up.

The names don’t make much sense. Soft Pink (602) is a rich reddish pink, Black Purple (603) is a red berry and Deep Ruby (604) is very very purple. Everyone wanted to know how dark 604 is. The answer is: very. It’s a dramatic evening color, but still wearable as long as you stick to the usual rules: well-groomed lips, pale and flawless skin without a hint of bronzer, well defined but understated eyes.

For comparison, I also added a swatch of Rouge d’Armani 601, the original plum color. As you can see, the new fall colors are different enough from it. Did you already buy any of them? Are you going to?

Fall 2010 Rouge d’Armani Lipsticks ($30 each) are available at top department stores and from the company’s website.

All photos are mine. Let’s keep it this way.

Copyright ©2006-2010 Gaia Fishler, The Non-Blonde. Content poaching is both illegal and ugly.

LINK LOVE:Giorgio Armani Fall 2010 Rouge d'Armani Lipsticks (Soft Pink, Black Purple, Deep Ruby)

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Bobbi Brown released her fall 2010 Extreme Party Mascara in a blue denim color just as my personal blue mascara obsession is in its height. Denim (3) is, of course, part of Bobbi's new Denim & Rose line and I find that it's right on-trend with several of the other fall collections. It's been years since I tested any of Bobbi Brown's mascaras. I was never impressed with any of them, but I don't even remember which mascaras I tried and I'm pretty sure the formulas have changed enough to warrant a second chance. And there's that blue factor.

Extreme Party Mascara was a pleasant surprise. While I don’t think there’s anything extreme about it, the results it’s been giving me are pretty good, especially in the volume and definition department. I’m mostly reminded of my perennial favorites, Clinique High Impact, which gives a lot of character to the lashes without ever looking overdone or fake. The brush is pretty standard with lots of bristles and a tapered nose, it gives a good coverage, makes lashes look full and thick but isn’t super cooperative when trying to reach the corner or individual lashes. The formula is of medium thickness, easy to apply and doesn’t smudge, coon or dot.

The blue shade of Denim is dark enough to frame the eyes nicely. It’s not bright and doesn’t scream “Blue” but is definitely noticeable enough and interesting. I usually prefer to pair a colored mascara with a black eyeliner, but I’ve also tried a monochrome eye with Bobbi Brown’s Denim Ink gel eyeliner and various blue eye shadows from different brands and collections and the result is quite pretty, even if I personally prefer less obvious looks.

Bottom Line: Very good.

Bobbi Brown Denim Extreme Party Mascara ($22) is available at just about every department store as well as from bobbibrown.com

All photos by me.

Copyright ©2006-2010 Gaia Fishler, The Non-Blonde. Content poaching is both illegal and ugly.

LINK LOVE:Bobbi Brown Denim Extreme Party Mascara For Fall 2010

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It gets even better. We are giving away three prizes to make this dream a reality. All you have to do to enter is fan us on Facebook.

Related posts:

1. Giveaway: Fan Us On Facebook And Win A Free Handbag Filled With Makeup Worth $417 Attention, loyal readers: take a second to fan us on…
2. Giveaway: Win A New Beauty Product Worth $125 By Subscribing To Our Newsletter At SHEfinds, we’re all about compiling the top sales,…
3. Giveaway: Win One Of The Cute Laptop Bags You Saw On Better.tv Laptop bags don’t have to be ugly. If you have…

LINK LOVE:Giveaway: Fan Us On Facebook, Win A Poolside Prize Worth Over $90

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Here’s a quick look at some of the items from Night Viper collection, Giorgio Armani 2010 fall collection. What you see here is the Maestro eye Shadow Quad which includes a deep navy blue (I’ll have to do a comparison to the blue from Guerlain’s 2 Place Vendome) and three neutrals- taupe, silver and dark chocolate brown. There are three lipsticks from the Rouge d’Armani series: 602 (Soft Pink), 603 (Black Purple) and 604 (Deep Ruby). I haven’t swatched or tested yet, so I can’t tell you how dark they show when applied. We’ll see. All three of them are in the “plum” range, according to their boxes and Armani’s numbering system (100s are beige/nude, 200s are brown, 400s are red, 500s are pink and 600s are plum. And now, there’s no 300s. I wonder why).

I couldn’t skip one of my holy grail mascaras, Eyes To Kill, in a gorgeous blue gray (it looks similar to the blue Givenchy Phenome’Eyes). I passed on the blush duo because I’m all blushed out at the moment and the other eye palette, the purple Eyes To Kill. It’s gorgeous, but way too purple for me.

Details, swatches and reviews coming soon.

All photos are mine.

Copyright ©2006-2010 Gaia Fishler, The Non-Blonde. Content poaching is both illegal and ugly.

LINK LOVE:Sneak Peek: Giorgio Armani Fall Color 2010 Night Viper

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*Allie is Wired shares outtakes from Dakota Fanning’s gorgeous Vogue Italia photo shoot.

*The coolest “Murphy bed” of bags at Bag Snob!

Beauty Snob has THE wipes for those nights when you don’t want to spend too much time taking off your makeup, and you just want to fall into bed.

*Coquette says pre-order your By Malene Birger sequined cardigan and more at Saks’ fall sneak preview.

*The Jet Set Girls found a vacation in a glass and they share the recipe for Bacardi’s irresistible new cocktail!

*Find the best fitting jeans for your shape chosen by the shopping experts at SHEfinds.

*Second City Style gives recognition to stores that cause major addiction with Shopping With Andra’s Shop-Tastic Awards.

*Shopping and Info loves the nude sandals Vanessa Hudgens wore by Jimmy Choo.

*From black tie to beach weddings, StyleBakery.com helps you crack the wedding dress code with wearable head-to-toe looks.

*StyleCaster is hosting part 2 of their freeSummer Concert Series this Tuesday in NYC with live performances by Miss TK & The Revenge, Au Revoir Simone and Lemonade.

*The Beauty Stop pampers with Fresh Rice Sake Bath.

*The Shoe Goddess thinks this navy suede Giuseppe Zanotti Platform Wedgeis the perfect wedge for fall and winter!

*eye4style can’t wait for the release of MAC’s limited edition Wonder Womancollection!

LINK LOVE:Websnob: The Hottest Fashion Links on the Web

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By the way, the collection is really hot and it has some exquisite and unique items.

However, sometimes 5th Element actress only tries to show her feminine side.

LINK LOVE:Milla Jovovich For Escada Fall/ Winter 2010/ 2011 Ad Campaign

BH Cosmetics has just released their 3rd edition of eyeshadow palettes, containing 120 custom colors! People at BH listened to customer feedback concerning their favorite hues and created the 3rd addition based upon these womens’ answers. You can get all 120 colors for just $35!

As promised, here are the photos, swatches and reviews of one the best fall 2010 releases, Le Metier de Beaute Le Cirque Kaleidoscope Eye Kit. Is it the color combination? the finish? the way they all blend together to create a flattering and elegant look? It's all of the above, really, combined with high quality and Le Metier's way of creating pigments that are almost sheer but very visible and identifiable.

As always, the eye shadows can be used separately. However, applying them layered in the order they come (top to bottom), using smaller amounts of the darkest color while getting closer to the lash line and blending is what gives the prettiest and most polished results: no color screams at you, but there’s a lot of depth and definition.

Flamboyantes, the shimmering stone color, is great for highlighting and dabbing in the inner corner of the eye. But I often skip it when going for a casual daytime look in favor of a simple nude eye shadow that opens up the eye area with less drama. The way to apply the other shades depends on the shape of your eye, crease and lid. It's impossible to give one-size-fits-all directions, because we all have different needs. My eyes are big, deep-set with a very visible upper lid. I apply Spectacle from the lashes up to just above the crease (in a half circle shape) and blend it upwards, then Enrichssant  in the crease and Dynamique just above the lash line and wing it a outwards. Because Spectacle and Enrichssant aren't too dark, the look is especially flattering for my eye shape. Those who need to darken things in the crease would blend more Dynamique into the other colors. That's exactly what makes Le Metier de Beaute's Kaleidoscopes so great- they work with minor adjustments for just about anyone.

Over an eye primer, the eye shadows hold without fading or losing vibrancy from morning to night. While the texture is very soft and tends to disintegrates a little in the pan (as you can see in the photos taken after some use), there’s no fallout on the face and application is very clean.

Le Metier de Beaute Le Cirque Kaleidoscope Eye Kit ($95) should already be available at Bergdorf Goodman and some Neiman Marcus locations, though not online yet. I’d suggest calling your nearest counter to inquire (Bergdorf also takes phone orders). I received the press sample from the company.

Copyright ©2006-2010 Gaia Fishler, The Non-Blonde. Content poaching is both illegal and ugly.

LINK LOVE:Le Metier de Beaute Le Cirque Kaleidoscope Eye Kit Fall 2010

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NARS has released limited edition glosses named after their sister blushes. Albatross, Angelika, Oasis, Super Orgasm, and Luster  are five glosses that are sure to enhance any look alongside other NARS products or even on their own! The glosses are sold exclusively at Sephora for $24 each.

Betsey Johnson has signed up to create a line of cosmetics and fragrances. The designer, who “grew up in heavy stage makeup because [she] studied dancing with a brilliant Broadway showgirl,” can’t wait to debut her costume-like cosmetics. Though the makeup is expected to be a show stopper, the fragrance is set to mirror her previous 1982 scent.

LINK LOVE: Refinery 29

Must-Reads:

Keds had a busy week. Check out two new collaborations: Jenny Holzer for Keds slip ons, and Keds for the Gap.

Celebrate Net-A-Porter’s birthday by splurging on that DVF dress you’ve been eyeing.

Lily Allen’s new vintage store will be stocked with items from her own (Chanel-heavy) closet.

Are you a Mad Men fan? Shop clothing inspired by the show on QVC and Banana Republic this fall.

With the help of some celeb friends, we told you how to wear boyfriend blazers, clogs and jeggings this season and next.

Taste Tests:

Can you tell which identical peep toe pump costs $50 less?

Which slimming purple swim suit is $85 more?

Celebrity Style:

We’re in awe of Jessica Alba’s chic tourist style while visiting Paris.

Christina Aguilera’s oversize sweatsuit look: a no-go for pop stars and the rest of us, alike.

Get Lady Gaga’s Today show look – sans the pouring rain.

Beauty:

Michelle Obama makes blue nail polish look patriotic and not punk-rock.

Alice + Olivia for Mac makeup is selling out even faster than their clothes.

If you forgot your makeup on vacation – god forbid – here’s the best of the drugstore bunch to make do.

Guides to Check Out:

Check out our shopping guides – hand-picked by our experts for you: espadrilles, summer dresses, swim trends, cheap pants

Don’t forget to subscribe to the SheFinds virtual newsletter.

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LINK LOVE:Week In Review: Keds’ Busy Week, Net-A-Porter Turns 10, Shop Lily Allen’s Closet, More

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As fashion accessories go, eye makeup is making its case as a must-have addition to just about any outfit if recent runways are any indication. You also see the look in celebrity news stories regularly, particularly with events like movie premieres, where cameras crowd the red carpet. Zoe Saldana and Gisele Bündchen, and Amanda Seyfried have been seen in winged eyeshadow, done with dark shades swept upward from the outer corners of the eye.

This is what is known to makeup artists as a “graphic eye,” and when done well, it is gorgeous! When done poorly, however, it can be a disaster, so practice is essential before wearing winged shadow out in public.

Unless you’re going for a really dramatic look for a party, you should probably steer clear of kohl and black, and go with gray and / or taupe instead. You basically apply the shadow to the eyelids, focusing on the crease, and sweeping it upward and outward.

If you’re using, for example, taupe and gray, you want to keep the shadow lighter toward the inner half of the eyelid, gradually going darker toward the outer edge. Several coats of mascara on outer lashes (plus a few individual false lashes if you’re so inclined) will finish off the look nicely.

If you love the look, but feel like you’re all thumbs with eyeshadow, you can buy stencil kits to help you along. No kidding! A company called bender beauty makes the Get in Line Eyeliner and Stencil Kit that comes with the shadows, stencils, and brush, along with step by step instructions. You choose a kit with either a light base shade for fair skin, or a warmer base shade for medium to dark skin.

Many of today’s top fashions require a dramatic eye to complete the look, and winged eyeshadow is one very popular approach. With a little practice (and maybe a little help from a stencil kit), you can acquire this dramatically upswept look for yourself.

LINK LOVE:Great Look for Summer: Dramatic Winged Eyes

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Cream blush is everywhere. Pans, pots, sticks- they come in several formats and sheerness levels and are winning even reluctant hearts and faces including mine. Three or four years ago I had a hard time finding even one cream/gel blush I liked. Now I have several in my regular rotation and I can mix, blend and choose.

Speaking of mixing and blending, the Cheekie Palette from Julie Hewett has become a favorite (despite one big flaw. See below) exactly because of the endless customizing options it allows. The four Cheekie colors look intense in the pan but they apply sheer enough and blend well, so you don't end up with clown cheeks. You can wear them alone or blend two or more, which is what I usually do. Jami, the neutral rose-mauve is the only one I wear on its own because it looks very natural and the color is easy and as unfussy as it gets. I mix  Rosie or Peachie with Natural to bring them down a notch or two and get a color that has just the right amount of red or coral for me and adjust the levels of each shade according to mode, time of day and the other makeup I’m wearing.

The final effect is very nice natural flush. Just like Scarlett O’Hara biting her lips and pinching her cheeks in preparation for some flirting. Cheekie can also be used on the lips, but I prefer not to do that- most of the colors are too sheer to do anything for my pigmented lips.

The funny looking brush is very effective. It grabs enough color, blends it easily and isn’t abrasive on skin. It covers just enough face space so you don’t go overboard (blend well to avoid streaks).

The one big issue with this Julie Hewett product is longevity. The texture is pleasantly thin, but it also tends to fade and disappear within 6 hours if you don’t do a meticulous job of cementing it into place between two coats of face powder. Otherwise it just melts right into your foundation. So this is certainly not a touch-and-go   blush, and it requires that you take your time doing your face and find the right combination of products that work for you and for these cheeks color (some HD powders tend to mute these blushes a little too much. I prefer a finishing powder that has a little yellow pigment).

Another thing of note: I own several other Julie Hewett products (lipsticks, balms, eye shadows and liners)- all of them are made in the US. The Cheekie palette is the only one made in China. I’ve noticed other brands that do the same- most of the line is manufactured in the US or Europe, but a handful of items are outsourced to China. The annoying part is that you usually don’t have this info when ordering online (QVC is the only place I’ve seen that discloses the country of origin).

Bottom Line: Great concept, less than perfect implementation.

Cheekie Palette ($52 with brush, $42 without) is available from juliehewett.net (in the Palette section of the site, oddly missing from the Face category. The colors can also be purchased individually ($24 in a pot, $18 as a pan in a mirrored compact).

All photos are mine.

**You might have noticed blogger is having hiccups in the comment section. Some of you are getting errors when trying to upload a comment even though it actually goes through and gets sent to my email. Also, I’m unable to approve and publish your comments. Blogger usually fixes these issues withing 24 hours and comments aren’t lost in the process, but in any case I’m saving the emails and will enter them into the Aftelier giveaway regardless if they end up actually posted. I’ll reply to comments when everything is fixed, but if you have a more urgent question that requires a prompt reply you may want to contact me by email or on Twitter**

Copyright ©2006-2010 Gaia Fishler, The Non-Blonde. Content poaching is both illegal and ugly.

LINK LOVE:Julie Hewett Cheekie Palette & Brush

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Dress, Stella McCartney ($2,195). Intermix, 87 Main St., East Hampton; intermixonline.com. Band Frida headband, Eres ($50). Bonne Nuit, 55 Main St., East Hampton; eresparis.com

BEAUTY NOTE: Be the envy of everyone with a statement-making green eye. Italian Baked-To-Last powder eye color in Sage, The Body Shop ($14). Walt Whitman Mall, Huntington Station; thebodyshop-usa.com

Dress, Emilio Pucci (price on request). 66 Newtown Lane, East Hampton; emiliopucci.com. Socks, American Apparel ($20). Tanger Factory Outlet Center, 1770 W. Main St., Riverhead; americanapparel.net. Shoes, Giuseppe Zanotti (price on request). The Shoe Box, Wheatley Plaza, 190 Wheatley Plaza, Greenvale; shoptheshoebox.com

BEAUTY NOTE: Replicate your inner glow with a warm, orange-toned blush. Luminizing Satin face color in Starfish, Shiseido ($30). Bloomingdale’s, 270 Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station; bloomingdales.com

Sheer cotton shirt, Salvatore Ferragamo ($760). Saks Fifth Avenue, 1 Hampton Road, Southampton; saks.com. Jeweled tank, Prada ($3,990). Americana Manhasset, 2060 Northern Blvd.; prada.com. Tavira bikini bottom, Eres ($245). Bonne Nuit, 55 Main St., East Hampton; eresparis.com

Top, Lanvin ($1,290). Gail Rothwell, 66 Newtown Lane, East Hampton; lanvin.com. Swimsuit bottom, Prada (price on request). Americana Manhasset, 2060 Northern Blvd.; prada.com

Silk dress, Salvatore Ferragamo ($1,870). Americana Manhasset, 2060 Northern Blvd.; ferragamo.com. Socks, American Apparel ($20). Tanger Factory Outlet Center, 1770 W. Main St., Riverhead; americanapparel.net. Necklace, Sorab & Roshi (price on request). sorabandroshi.com. Essentielle sandal, Yves Saint Laurent ($995). Saks Fifth Avenue, 1 Hampton Road, Southampton; saks.com

BEAUTY NOTE: Bright-pink lips make people look twice. Rouge Allure Luminious Satin lip color in Super, Chanel ($32). Saks Fifth Avenue, 1 Hampton Road, Southampton; saks.com

Photographs by Alexo Wandael

Styling by Katharine Erwin at katharineerwin.com
Hair by Ammon Carver for Matrix
Makeup by Ralph Siciliano using Makeup for Ever
Photo Assistants: Amber De Vos, Sarah Long
Modeling by Chloe at Supreme Management
Special thanks to Claudia Fried @ Tribeca Skyline Studios

(hamptonsmagazine.com)

LINK LOVE:Fashion Kaleidoscope