SNEAK PEEK: MAC Neo Sci Fi - Summer 2008

Hello Bronze!
Seems like everywhere we look these days, everyone is set to introduce summer collections that are "bronze-focused". I'm a little disappointed in these shades, but as with lots of us, my mind is apt to change as summer draws in. Perhaps when May hits (the collection's expected launch period), I'll be wanting to pick 'em all up. Ummmm ..... doubt it!

And, although a new packaging look for MAC with Neo Sci Fi, I'm sticking with the likes of Dress Camp for the best shown over the past few collections. Of course, these are preliminary photos; perhaps MAC has something altogether different in mind for us {crosses fingers}.



Naked Space Lipglass - creamy, natural peach
Supreme Lipglass - bronze with golden pearl
Soft & Slow Lipglass - pale beige with golden pearl
Pink Grapefruit Lipglass - pinkish-orange with golden pearl




Astral - mid-tone brown with reddish pearl
Electro - brilliant orange
Sunsonic - gold with whitish pearl
Pleasure Seeker - creamy peach
Sci-Fi-Delity - burnt red with golden pearl




Metalist - copper with white pearl
Phosphor - mustard seed yellow
Plasma Blue - turquoise with white pearl
Neon 8 - orange with orange pearl


Volcanic Ash Exfoliator - the volcanic ash and sugar crystal exfoliator cleanses, hydrates and softens skin



Lip Conditioner - helps to exfoliate epidermic cells on one-side while hydrating and conditioning lips on the other


Charged Water - resulting from gemstones and recharged ions, citrus aroma uplifts and energizes, while the enriched product hydrates and soothes


source: cosmo (int'l), Spektra.net

Nordstrom On-Line Beauty Event

Exclusive Online Offer

Receive the following samples in a pink tote with your $100 online beauty or fragrance purchase:

• Bare Escentuals® RareMinerals™ Facial Cleanser (0.05 oz.)


• Bliss The Youth as We Know It Moisturizer (0.1 oz.)


• Clarins Advanced Extra-Firming Eye Contour Serum (0.1 oz.)


• DKNY Delicious Night Eau de Parfum Spray (0.05 oz.)


• Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Body Lotion (0.2 oz.)


• Erno Laszlo TranspHuse Topical sample


• GoSMILE AM/PM Whitening Protection Toothpastes samples


• Juicy Couture Royal Body Crème (0.25 oz.)


• Kinerase® Cream with SPF 30 (0.1 oz.)


• Lancôme Rénergie Double Performance Anti-Wrinkle and Firming Treatment (0.5 oz.)


• Lancôme Rénergie Night—Night Treatment (0.5 oz.)


• L'Occitane Shea Hand Cream (0.3 oz.)


• Missoni Acqua Eau de Toilette Spray (0.07 oz.)


• Narciso Rodriguez For Him eau de toilette spray (0.04 oz.)


• Origins Modern Friction™ Nature's Gentle Dermabrasion (0.17 oz.)


• philosophy hope in a jar eye & lip cream (0.25 oz.)


• Prescriptives Lash Envy Volumizing Mascara (0.08 oz.)


• Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light (0.5 oz.)

Online only. One per person, while supply lasts. Gift will be added automatically in Checkout and can only be shipped to the same destination as your order. Restrictions may apply.

source: Nordstrom.com

REVIEW: T. LeClerc - The Master of Loose Powders

Ever discover a product you like so much you just want to shout it from the rooftops for all to hear? Such is my affinity for T. LeClerc Loose Powders.

Having discovered them a couple of years ago, I am still confounded that nothing else I've tried yeilds the same flawless results as these.

Remember when Coty Spun Silk was all the rave in the 80's? T LeClerc is better. Or when makeup mavens the world over discovered the fabulous texture of BECCA loose powders, and in particular the matte, finished effect of Sesame? T. LeClerc is better still.

Ok, ok ... so what makes this the loose powder afficionado's "It" product? For starters, it's amazingly fine and light based on pure rice starch providing a matte finish and visibly smoothing lines. It masters light and hides flaws while enhancing the complexion. It also protects against negative effects of the sun and is generally well-tolerated even by sensitive skin types. However, the pièce de résistance is the assortment of shades, and in particular, what each accomplishes in effect.

My personal all-around favorite is "banane". This is a soft, pale yellow, which reflects light in a very flattering way illuminating fair to medium complexions with pink untertones. This is also the shade most universally used by celebrity makeup artists for an impeccable, flawless finish.

The powders come in a 35g hand-sealed silver metal tin (shown above). There are travel sizes (7g in travel sized tin) for some of the shades as well. The point I'd like to make, though, is these full-sized tins last a loooooong time! My first tin lasted well over a year making it worth every penny of the $50 or so originally paid.

Currently available in 20 shades:

You may click here and then click individual shade boxes to find out which shade(s) is best depending on your desired effect.

Available at: T. LeClerc, Barneys, eLuxury

Trading Secrets: The "Re"-Birth of PureBeauty

Who or what is getting a face lift?

Better yet, how about an all-encompassing overhaul - well, it's Trade Secret.

After disappointing sales last year, Trade Secret owner, Regis Salons, decided it was time to pretty up the scene a bit. Their concept? Well, not something all together new, although talk is it's certainly expected to get its share of traffic and sales. In a highly competitive market led by the likes of Sephora, Ulta and Bath & Body Works, Regis Salons is introducing PureBeauty, which will market not only the haircare and nail products Trade Secret offered but also a plethora of cosmetic, skincare and bath & body products to boot.

Brands you may expect to see: Dermalogica, Murad, Fusion Beauty, Tweezerman, Freeze 24/7, Jane Iredale, H20+, GoSmile, Frederic Fekkai, YSL Beauty, Graham Webb, PureOlogy, Rene' Furterer, OPI, Zeno and more.

In addition to the already present stylist stations (legitimizing their selling of professional haircare products), you'll be able to find a treatment room for skin and assorted spa services. They've also added an online site, which you may peruse here. The site offers specials, news about future grand openings, and more information on brands and products.

Competition for Sephora? Not likely; not unless they plan to add additional cosmetics and skincare brands to their lineup. It does, however, promise to be something to look out for.

source/photos: wwd

David Yurman: Jewels to Fragrance

Most of us know David Yurman by his fantastic rings and jewelry collections. He'd like us to know him for something else as well.

David and Sybil Yurman have created their first women's fragrance, described as a floral chypre, and set to launch in August. It will be sold in less than 300 specialty stores in the U.S.

The Yurmans founded the David Yurman Perfumery with the Clarins Group. Why did they want to venture into fragrance? Per David, "It's a way to touch more of the senses ... A good fragrance is like a wine - it lingers, and it can take your breath away."

Sybil adds, "Jewelry and scents are both about design. With jewelry you create art with colors of gemstones, with fragrance you do it with the notes."

The floral chypre is said to open with vibrant mandarin, fresh green petals and cassis, built around a core of peony, water lily, natural rose otto, patchouli, exotic woods and soft musk. There's a femininity to it but apparently like their jewelry it's a bit masculine and feminine they say. EDP's are set to be sold in two sizes - 1.7 oz for $120 and 2.5 oz for $165 as well as a 6.7 oz body cream for $80.

You'll notice the bottle is very "gemstone-like" having taken inspiration from some of Yurman's jewelry, and in particular the iconic Cable Collection as well as David's wedding band (the neck of the bottle).

Brad Horowitz, senior marketing VP for the Clarins Fragrance Group expects there will be upscale sampling to promote the fragrance. In discussion - black cord and silver bracelets infused with the scent, miniaturre pump sprays, and mini jars of body cream.

The advertising campaign, shot by Peter Lindbergh, will feature model Amber Valletta, who has been featured in many of Yurman's ad campaigns for the jewelry collections.

source/photos: wwd, bwgreyscale

Tarte Double Dose Giveaway

In honor of Tarte Cosmetics' new Health Couture Spring 2008 Collection, For the Love of Beauty is giving away "double treats". Yep - two lucky winners will win a new Tarte Health Couture Double Dose Berry Boost & Gloss.

These glosses are deliciously fabulous and chock full of wonderful ingredients for your lips: goji, acai, maracuja, acerola and pomegranate make up its special t5 super fruit complex™; also boasts vitamin C and shea butter, and they're paraben-free, mineral-oil free, phthalate free - see my former review here.

How do you enter?
1) Post a comment to this post (below) letting us know what sounds good about these lippies to you;
2) Choose which shade you'd prefer to win: Pomegranate Punch OR Acerola Rush (shade comparison in former review - click here);
3) Send me an email with your name, U.S. mailing address and shade choice noting "GIVEAWAY" in the subject line.

That's all there is to it! Some restrictions may apply. Contest open to US residents only. Winners will be chosen at random from among entrants. This giveaway is limited to two winners. Duplicate entries will not improve your chances of winning. Giveaway sponsored in part by Tarte Cosmetics and by For the Love of Beauty Blog. Entries will be accepted through 11:59 pm on Sun., 04/20/08.

p.s. -- Don't forget to send the email with your name, US mailing address and shade choice. I can't fulfill the giveaway if I don't have the winner's info :o ). xo

Lancome Play Gift @ Nordstrom

click image to enlarge

for more info: nordstrom.com

Backstage Buzz from Fall 2008 Fashion Weeks

So, whether it was color theory, artisitic inspiration, ode to a muse, nouveau punk or play on the naturals, these fine artistic expressions made it to the runway on facial canvases having the gods and goddesses of makeup artistry behind their clever looks.

Color Theorists

James Kaliardos says Japanese slasher flicks were his inspiration behind this blood-red pout for the Rodarte fashion collection, yet he also diverts to pale and nude in this same collection.

Pat McGrath pulls off color-blocked eyes at John Galliano.

MU Artist Tom Pecheux went with acid yellow eyes and deep red lips working the directive "lurid romance" at the Derek Lam show.

Art Lover

With a segue right into the love of art (continuing with Derek Lam, left) inspired by Sargent's Madame X with an updo by Orlando Pita. The decorative element of Klimt's Judith inspried Pat McGrath's palette as seen in the eyes below.

60's Bombshells as Muses

Reminiscent of Bridget Bardot, Baby Jane Holzer, Marlene Deitrich: these looks were all the rage at Alberta Ferretti, Christian Dior, Diane von Furstenberg, Proenza Schouler.

Nouveau Punk

MU Artist Val Garland states Ali McGraw was the unlikely inspiration behind the look at left for the Dsquared2 show, c'est nouveau punk? Really? ooooo-kay. The photos below are more definitive of the nouveau (or even older) punk theme, from the YSL show under artists Stefano Pilati and Tom Pecheux.

The Naturals

Who else could do a "full-on eye" with nautral, nude lip like Pat McGrath, here done for Versace? ummm ... nobody of course. Although, checkout Dick Page's "Natural" look for Marc Jacob (below,rt).

source/photos: style.com