Beauty Blog » New Products

Well, it’s certainly no secret that I’ll bow to the altar of a good makeup primer any day of the week. And I think this new Smashbox Photo Finish Light ($36) is about to get worshiped.

When I was first introduced to the concept of primer, Smashbox did the initiating, but then I found Lorac liquid primer, and I jumped ship because it was so much lighter and less drying. However, as I primed my face every morning, I often wondered why Smashbox hadn’t made a liquid primer. “There’s would be so good!,” I thought.

Well, lo and behold, they’ve heard my cries and come out with Photo Finish Light, a whole bottle of which a dear friend was nice enough to bestow upon me. I really, really like it. It’s very light, super affective, and it doesn’t peel. Fantastic.

I use it after moisturizing and before foundation, but really, I think it’s moist enough to go on a naked face.

Another year, another advertising contract. Well, for Anne Hathaway at least. The actress has just been named the new face of Lancôme and will appear in ads promoting the company’s upcoming fragrance later this year.

Here’s what Odile Roujol, President of Lancôme International has to say about the union:

“Anne Hathaway is a radiant young woman who perfectly embodies modern femininity. We know she will portray all the passion and excitement of our new fragrance, to be launched throughout the world in September 2008.”

Beyonce made a trip to Milan last week to help celebrate the launch of Empario Armani’s new Diamond scent at Rinascente’s flagship in Piazza Duomo on in Milan, Italy. The company’s press release says the new perfume is an “irresistibly feminine fragrance” with a wonderful combination of woods and amber mixed with lychee and raspberry.”

Kylie really wants us to smell like her. She’s about to release her third fragrance, Showtime, which is supposed to represent her vivacious stage personality. Word has it that it will be fruity, mixing strawberry and loganberry with florals, sweet licorice and pralines . It’s set for a February release in the UK, but it’s unclear when it will surface in the U.S. Sit tight, Kylie fans.

Source.

Ooh, fun news! French artist Fafi, whose made a name for herself in the graffiti and more lofty fine art scenes, is teaming up with MAC cosmetics.  Fafi’s female characters are tough and sexy, which works quite well with the MAC aesthetic, no? The collection is slated for a February release and is sure to sell out.

The packaging looks fantastic. I can’t wait.

The Promise: Relish Enriched Moisturizing Sunscreen is suppose to

• “shield your skin from harsh sunrays,”
• “revitalize and condition skin” with Ginko Biloba, Gingseng and licorice extracts
• “protect your skin from free radical damage while preventing redness, rough skin and peeling”
• be “light enough for oily skin”

The Smell and Feel:

Relish is definitely light–there’s no greasy aftermath or white residue, which would be a deal ender for me. I tried it out under makeup instead of my regular moisturizer, and I was pretty satisfied with the results as it didn’t affect my primer or foundation in the least. Despite the promise that it’s unscented, it smells exactly like every other sunscreen I’ve ever used–I wouldn’t say it’s an unpleasant aroma but there’s a definite smell.

The Gist of It:

I like this Relish product because it’s pretty hard to find an affordable SPF 30 lotion that doesn’t dry your skin out. This Moisturizing Sunscreen is just that….moisturizing, so if lotion is already the first step in your daily routine, you don’t have to add another one. Also, a little goes a long way, so you get your money’s worth.

Relish Enriched Moisturizing Sunscreen, $23 for 4 oz.

I’m a fan of Bond No.9 because their perfumes and colognes are always super sophisticated, unique, hip and full of wry wit. Now, the New York fragrance house has upped the luxury ante by partnering with Saks Fifth Avenue to bring us Saks Fifth Avenue for Him and one for Her, too.

This is the first time that a specialty store has ever created a signature scent, which is now available exclusively at Saks.  It’s the latest entry into Bond No. 9’s collection, which is made up of euax de parfum representing the different neighborhoods of New York. Other scents in the line include the margarita and cinnamon laced Coney Island, the gelato-inspired Little Italy and Bleeker Street, which smells of art, fashion and dessert.

Saks Fifth Avenue for Him has top spicy notes of chili, black pepper, cardamom and bergamot along with incense, guiac wood and amber. My take is that it’s a modernized version of warmly classic male scents. It’s the scent of a mover and a shaker–a work hard, play hard kind of guy.

Saks Fifth Avenue for Her is primarily jasmine and tuberose with gardenia, vetiver, and vanilla also part of the mix.  I really love this scent–it’s bold but not overwhelming.  It says I’m here but doesn’t scream it.  It’s the scent of a chic woman who disdains logos and peacocks personalities but doesn’t mind getting noticed.

Here’s Beyonce’s new ad for Emporio Armani’s Diamonds.  I don’t know about you, but she’s always so perfectly polished and gorgeous that it’s almost boring to me. She’s like that popular girl at school whose sweaters never peel, whose hair never gets flyaways and whose shoes never get scuffed.  Sigh. Plus,  I think I’ve seen this photo before, like 5 times. 

Synopsis: Beyonce looks stunning in another metallic dress that shows off her amazingly proportioned, well-moisturized body. Yawn.

Another day, another green beauty product.  Oh, I sound so jaded when I say that, but I’m really not–I like that every company and their parent company is scrambling to make an enviro-friendly product or two.  I would prefer if companies took the lead of The Body Shop and made major steps to become sustainable, but baby steps are better than none at all, eh?  I guess what makes my attitude so lackluster is the fact that these products are flooding the market so quickly, making the whole thing feel like a trend.  And I really, really, really hope this isn’t a trend.  Plus, I’m of the thinking that more consumerism, green or not, isn’t exactly the way to dig ourselves out of global warming. But I digress.

All that said, I wholly promote the purchase of these Go Green Mini Slant Tweezers($10) from Tweezerman if you are in need of a spectacular tweezing tool.  I’ve never found tweezers that treat me quite as well as the Tweezerman does, and I like the smaller size of these since I’m partial to tweezing on the go.  Also, not only will you get great brows, but Tweezerman will also give $1 of the proceeds to the National Arbor Foundation, and a tree is planted for every Go Green purchase. That’s pretty good.

Hey, but if you already have efficient tweezers, then take the 10 bucks and give it to your fave green organization, and go plant a tree yourself!

The Body Shop has just released a high-shine lip gloss that will help women around the world and in more ways than one. For one thing, Stop Violence in the Home Hi-Shine Lip Treatment ($11.50) is made with Community Trade marula oil from Eudafano Women’s co-operative in Namibia, which ensures that women in depressed rural communities will get fare wages for their labor in producing the gloss ingredient. Second, The Body Shop will donate 75% of the proceeds of the lip treatment to FACE TO FACE, an organization that offers plastic surgery to survivors of domestic violence to repair injuries to the face, neck and head caused by their violent partners and spouses.

And in addition to all the good the purchase of this gloss can do, the product itself is top-notch. I was a little frightened by the way it sparkles in the tube (I’m not much of a sparkler), but the effect is subtle on the lips, providing a ultra-flattering shine and lots of moisture. Plus, the passion fruit scent is delicious, but not overwhelming. I’m luxuriating in it as I write this.

Get your own at Body Shop stores or on their official website.

Click here to read more about other steps the Body Shop is taking to promote social consciousness in the beauty industry.