Wearing Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss in Pareo Orange, a shimmery orange with golden glitter

Okay, let’s just get this out of the way: yes, these Dior Addict Ultra-Glosses ($28) make your jeans fit a little funny.

I giggled the first time I saw it. The bulky rectangular tubes could pass for potion props on the set of a Harry Potter movie! Oh, no Voldemort. I’d stuck one in a front pocket the other day and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

“Uh…what’s that bulge?”

Not exactly streamlined — but they sure look adorable in makeup bags and purses.

As for how well they work, there’s nothing funny about it. I’m addicted! — in a good way, though. Not in the “I can’t live if living is without you!” way where you throw a brick through your ex’s apartment window.

These mega moisturizing, super sparkly glosses have been accompanying me everywhere (although not usually in the front pocket of my pants), making my lips look juicy and plump with loads of moisture and a blinding spotlight-like shine.

I’ve tried five of the featherweight shades, including all three from the Summer Croisette collection, (Brown Panama, Orange Pareo and Pink Croisette).

Dior Addict Ultra-Glosses from the left: Gold Sunrise, Brown Panama, Prety Rose, Pink Croisette and Pareo Orange

Swatches from the left: Gold Sunrise, Brown Panama, Pretty Rose, Pink Croisette and Pareo Orange

Gold Sunrise, a sheer, shimmery cool lemon gold

Continue Reading…

Mysterious things that confuse me…

• The allure of Mark Ruffalo. I dunno, he kinda reminds me of those caveman guys from the Geico commercials. I just don’t get it (sorry, Mark! I loved you in The Avengers!).
• Cat allegiance. Tabs loves me, Tabs loves me not. One day he’s following me from room to room and baking enough biscuits on my tum to feed a small kitty army; the next, I’m not even worth a glance and a meow. How rude!
• The new limited edition Dior Diorshow Waterproof Liner in Turquoise ($29) from the summer 2012 Croisette Collection.

The color of this intense crystal blue twist-up liner, with its flecks of tiny teal glitter, looks like it was inspired by a crystal-clear tropical bay.

It’s really cute! When I swatch it on the back of my hand, a single swipe delivers long-wearing, rich color that lasts through rigorous rubbing and several hand washings, and even though the formula is a little on the dry side, it still applies smoothly…at least on the back of my hand.

Continue Reading…

Remember when all it took was a single tube of Strawberry Lip Smackers?

Now that I’m hopelessly addicted to makeup, I spend hours every day (okay, more like several minutes) contemplating my lipstick, lip liner and gloss.

And those are just the lip products!

Don’t get me wrong — most of the time, I love it. I love the process, but sometimes I miss those old Lip Smacker days when my makeup was always easy.

If you’ve ever wondered whatever happened to those no-pressure lip looks, I think one of them may have been hiding in this tube of Dior Addict Lip Balm in 003 Crystal Coral ($30).

New for summer, this pigmented coral reminds me of a Revlon Lip Butter, only much more luxurious. It’s a super fancy limited edition luxury lip balm fortified with moisturizing shea butter and lip plumping hyaluronic acid spheres, and it shimmers ever so slightly on my lips.

It’s a truly loveable lip balm in charming pink packaging, and it almost couldn’t be any easier to use (unless it applied itself). No lip liner, no brush, no mirror — nada. The hardest part is probably pulling it out of my purse.

Continue Reading…

Behold! I’m a makeup magician, and my trademark trick involves making my eye brushes disappear, poof!

One minute they’re there, behaving on the bathroom sink. Next minute…

Have you seen my MAC 217? It was right here a minute ago…

Magic like this is unpredictable, and brushes disappear all the time, sometimes to reappear later in the unlikeliest of places, like the back seats of cars or the pockets of camp shirts.

My 224 was the latest to pull a disappearing act. It must have been swallowed up by the same insatiable accessories eater that consumed my Shu Uemura Lash Curler…

Thankfully, my magic can finally rest. With the new limited edition Dior 1-Couleur Eye Glosses, I may never need to reach for another eyeshadow brush again! — or at least not until fall.

The doe-foot applicator affixed to both of these two $28 sparkling gel shadows (like creamy eye glosses), which start out like a fluffy mousse but dry down to a powder, does wizardly work, precisely guiding the product where I want it on my lids. I just swipe, say “abracadabra!” and blend out the edges with a finger.

Done.

Um…just be sure to prime first, or you risk jaw-dropping creasing within an hour. With NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base (the best!) layered beneath them, I get between 6-8 hours of wear.

Oh, and you might want to avoid applying too many layers. These shadows tingle on my lids (it’s supposed to be refreshing). One or two layers seem fine, but many more than that, and they start to sting a little, ouch!

The 1-Couleur Eye Glosses in 750 Sunset (top) on the left and 560 Tan (bottom)

560 Tan on the left and 750 Sunset on the right

Continue Reading…