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Revlon’s Matte Suede Collection

Drugstores are slowly turning into temptation centers for me. I have taken to banning myself from most department stores and beauty spots like Sephora as I deal with this financial slump I’m in right now, so I limit myself to drugstores. They must’ve caught on to the plan because what used to be one or two knick knacks that I had to buy, have become bag fulls.

As I walked into Walgreen’s for a snack yesterday, I found myself face to face with the new Revlon Matte Suede polish collection. They had new lipsticks out as well, but I can only be so bad in one day!
The main photo is the collection, applied in two coats and taken with flash. The photo to the left is without flash. Both photos are accurate representations of the colors depending on what kind of light you have shining on your digits.

Upon originally seeing the collection, I was trying to decide if the matte polish craze was a movement that was staying or if it was a departing train. Any polish can now become a matte polish with the correct matte coat. Something about these colors persuaded me though.

The four color collection contains three autumn/winter appropriate shades with a snowy white to complete the set. The colors are vibrant and are almost dead on replicas of gem stones. Emerald City reminded me of Zoya‘s Veruschuka from the MatteVelvet Collection. Purple and green shades seem to warrant the most attention when new sets come out.

All the colors have an interesting shimmer to it, one that I can’t say has been identically done before. As Scrangie said, the collection doesn’t come off as that matte. I found that when you apply one coat, the colors are more matte than if you use two to three coats. The runner up favorite was Fire Fox, have you seen a shimmery, fiery, red-orange like this before?! Though not necessarily a favorite, Ruby Ribbon had an impressive finish, and after two coats Powder Puff made me frown.

The white is a little bit out of place and I had to narrate a winter story with Christmas trees, Santa, Cranberries and snow to agree that it was necessary. White is a color that no matte collection should ever have again. Really. The white was the weakest link, but I must have been remiss in the three coat memo, because Ali from Ali’s Nail News got it, and the photos make it look purchase worthy.

As you may already be able to tell, these photos are the colors with a topcoat, photographed with no flash and then with flash accordingly.

The brand is Buy One Get One half off at almost all drugstores this week, and Rite Aid is having a great sale where all polish is BOGO half off. What are you waiting for?

Do you like this collection?

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MJB Pulls Dirty Diana on Ebony

Mary J Blige was one of the many celebrities on hand to celebrate Ebony magazine’s 65th anniversary. The magazine is now old enough to be considered a senior citizen, but it needs no life support.

Photo Credit: CoverAwards and Ebony

The anniversary project called for numerous celebrities amongst whom were Samuel Jackson, Nia Long, Omar Epps, Samuel Jackson, Yolanda Adams, Mrs. Mary J Blige, and plenty more. The stars were outfitted to reenact iconic covers with unforgettable names, such as Diana Ross, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, Duke Ellington, and more. All the cover shots are spectacular, so when the magazine hits newsstands later today, I urge you to get one (or two) in your possession ASAP (but in the meantime, support and discuss online!).

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Hayden’s Alpha Hair

London’s screening of the 3D movie, Alpha and Omega brought out leading voice Hayden Panettiere with a furry friend in tow.

The story about two wolves trying to make their way home, stars Justin Long and Hayden Panettiere as the female and male wolf. In the beginning, they are not fans of each other at all, but the rest requires watching.

Photo Credit: HotCelebsHome

Hayden showed up to the London premiere looking casual and super chic with all the attention on her furry date and her hair. She had on a sequin, oversized tunic, gray skinnies, neutral pumps, and a gray clutch. Everything in the outfit is blah compared to the hair.

The new haircut was old pixie cut mob news for me until I saw this ‘do. It looks as though she used gel and texturizing putty to make several strands stand out, and the rest sit by and invite the spotlight.

This hairstyle seems genius for both the quickness in which you can accomplish it, and the way it can apply to both long and short hair.
MyOwnJudge - Hayden Panettiere at London
To copy the look:

Brush your your hair like normal. Brush some gel through your hair with something that hold it great like Tresemme Gel Clean Hold – Extra Hold or Tresemme Gel Mega Hold Sculpting Gel. Use it sparingly so that you don’t start looking like you are emulating the male cast from the Jersey Shore.
Separate the bang area from your right side, above the outer corner of your right eye. Make it one to two inches thick so that you can split it up.
Separate the remainder of hair on your right side, from the part you made, all the way down to your ear. Twist this bunch, applying some putty (I recommend Phyto Matte Texturizing Paste or Phyto Fiber Paste). Pin this piece a bit under the rest of the hair in the back so that the twist disappears flawlessly.
Twist the bangs similarly as in step 3, this time separating the hair into two horizontally. Try to use the paste sparingly so that you have some softness and movement in the style. Twist it until you reach above your left ear and reach it back under the rest of the hair again.
Finish the look with a bit of oil hairspray (try Palmers Olive Oil Formula Hair & Scalp Conditioner Spray 5.1 oz. – it’s less than five bucks!). All the gel and putty you used is going to harden a bit, so some oil sheen on the top will soften the hair and add some natural shine.
Voila!

http://www.alphaandomega3d.com/embed_player.swf
I’m a sucker for kids movies. Remember when Happy Feet was in theaters? Yup – saw that three times in the theaters and then bought two copies on dvd. Don’t judge me! If you live with a young crumbsnatcher or are a fan of kids movies, this seems like one to check out. Hayden‘s look? I think that’s worth a re-enactment as well!

Will you be trying this hairdo?

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Perfect Formula NOTD

Remember the introduction to Perfect Formula nail polish? The bottles are super fabulous with an interesting glass shape and the colors are all sorts of purple and gray fabulous. They look like old school whiskey bottles, and they have a square top for the brush. Solid shapes like these are so easy to use for application, especially for when painting the opposite hand (I’m a righty, so painting my right hand with my left feels like an elephant is learning to write). The two shades I buy on a regular basis, trying to cover every degree of variety there could ever be in the world.

At the time being, I am suffering with a stuffed nose and a questionable throat situation. My nails aren’t feeling the funk either, as they are looking tiny and stubby. I had to pass on the natural nail swatch and used some falsies as the canvas for these nail polish creations.

Avant Gray is a gorgeous gray to look at. There is no shimmer, no hype, no nothing. Just the good gray stuff. From trying these colors out, I’ve found that Perfect Formula likes to approach polish with no nonsense. Just how I like it.

Futurist is a light lilac with a mix of gray in it. Does that make sense? It looks like it has shades of blue in it too. I know you’ve heard it all before, but I mean it this time, the same as I do each time I say it: I don’t have any color like this!

Post Moderne is – okay I’m not going to lie. I feel like I have seen this shade before. Even still, is this necessary to own? I think so.

The overall consistency for the polishes is the same throughout. It takes two to three coats depending on what kind of coverage and application you’re into, but the colors last long and look like melted butter when on. They’re just so smooth!

What are you rocking on your nails right now?

Disclaimer: This product was sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on MOJ remain unbiased and unpaid. For more info, feel free to contact the author.

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Lipstick Queen – Jean Queen

What cosmetics do you wear with jeans? Sometimes we pile everything on, being that denim has become as universally flattering and accepted as the color black has. Poppy King, Founder of Lipstick Queen has been asked which lipstick and gloss matches denim so often that she decided to create a product that did exactly that, the Jean Queen.

The lipstick and lip gloss come separately. Both are a rosy and sheer color with darker undertones. From a glance they seem to be the color that can flatter any skin tone because it is a light wash, and because it has the pink hint that is natural to the human lips.

The pink is meant to offset the blue tones from your jeans, as well as light up your face. The shine in the lipstick and the gloss is also meant to juxtapose the matte nature of most denim.

The roles are reversed, as the lip gloss is of a thicker and a bit darker consistency than the lipstick. For the $18 price tag, if you can’t get both, I’d say it’s smarter to get the lipstick. Just seems like you’d get more wear out of it, thus making your money work harder. The sheer wash of the lipstick can be layered for a bit of a deeper tone, or the two can be paired together.

The lipstick is at the top and the gloss is below. Doesn’t the lipstick look like an adult’s version of a chapstick?

http://widget.shopstyle.com/widget?pid=uid4724-679582-60&look=2188081&width=3&height=1&layouttype=0&border=0&footer=0

More Lipstick Queen…

What do you wear with your jeans?

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Shopbop Friends and Family

Enjoy while you can (click image or link). The winner from the Shopbop contest will be announced on Monday.

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McQueen Rises

I don’t think any show was as anticipated as the McQueen show. Following the memorial service, the show went off as both a tribute to the designer and a rebirth of sorts for the brand with British designer Sarah Burton at the helm.

Photo Credit: Style.com

The white colors throughout the show reminded me a bit of funerary traditions where attendees wear white to symbolize angels welcoming the passed into heaven. The look and garments had soft factors with interesting embellishments and lots of belts and hardware to accessorize.

As with the past McQueen shows, the ants in your pants are from waiting for what the shoes will look like. Burton’s shoes weren’t claw shoes, but they were interesting enough to get the welcome card. I really like the shoes in the bottom images. Granted, they’re not your everyday shoes, but they don’t look painful to wear, and have a similarity to coral reefs. If I had the extra cash, I’d so get them.
What was your favorite?

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Alex & Eli SS11

From my not too extensive experience with designers and their collections, I have found that there are two kinds of designers. There is the one who will give you a word or two (if that) in regards to the collection and prefer your emotion and interpretation to take over the collection, rather than theirs. Then there’s the second type. The one who spells it out in black and white to you. I don’t know if I have a preference for either. Sure, it feels good to think that your out there hypothetical story can be the real story of the collection, but sometimes it just feels good to be told something and all you need to do is have an ‘aha’ moment when you realize that the words and the images add up.

Enter Alex & Eli. Inspiration? Jacques Cousteau. Can you see it? Try and say no. What about “deep-sea ocean life, complex structures of transparencies and shades.” That requires a little extra consideration, but not much once you see the lookbook. Check out my faves (and their collection video after the jump):

Do you like it?

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ME! Bath is all about… Me!

During my last drugstore window shopping adventure, I was looking for a new body scrub to try out. Sure I had two favorites (probably the same as plenty others in the world – St. Ives Apricot Invigorating Scrub and Victoria’s Secret Garden Love Spell Body Scrub), but a little voice in my head said to try something new. I’ve always used my two favorites simultaneously – St. Ives for the weekly scrub, and Victoria’s Secret for the super scrub sessions. The first is softer on the skin and does a general clear-out of the dead skin cells, whereas the latter is grainier and provides a deeper and thorough scrub (it also has some oils in it to moisturize skin – that kind of scrub can leave you dry as ash if not moisturized!).

As I walked the aisles of the new and improved version of the swanky Duane Reade by Bryant Park (not each one is created equal!), I noticed some goodies. Ice cream cones, bath fizz balls, tubs full of scrub reminiscent of sherbet containers. Was I in a candy store? Nope. This was my first encounter with ME! Bath Products. The brand has an interesting approach to skincare, and if you visit the site, you will find that they have an interesting setup for their site as well!

The sample jars had me sample scrubbing and sniffing jar upon jar of innovative ~~flavors~~ scents (Pomegranate and Hawaiian Plumeria and Freesia convince you?). Scrub granules were on the corners of my nose and my hand with no faucet in sight – if you didn’t know me better, I’d look like I had a problem.

Every product has a story, and funny enough, the one I chose is the one they donate a percentage of the sales to benefit Cancer Research. Check it out here!

Check out the list of ingredients:

The scrub has a consistency that is a bit thicker than St. Ives but not as rough as Victoria’s Secret. It smells amazing and my skin loves it. My only gripe is that with the price of the scrub, I would’ve liked for it to be in a squeeze bottle, so that I wouldn’t waste too much product by reaching into the tub and getting all greedy-like when getting ready to scrub a dub dub.

What’s your favorite body scrub?

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Teen Vogue’s Youth in Hollywood is all Wrapped Up

The young stars and starlets showed up for Teen Vogue’s Young Hollywood event. The best dressed ladies had two things in common – high waist menswear and wrap skirts and dresses.

Photo Credit: Celebrity-gossip.net

The festivities involved plenty of fashion and fresh faces on the scene as well as tween, teen, twenty-somethings, and the rest of the in crowd. Twitter was all abuzz about the Michael Kors presentation, and plenty more. Check out the Teen Vogue Young Hollywood shoot at their site, favorites from Scott Pilgrim and more are giving their best poses, and read on for tips on how to copy the looks after the jump!

When wearing a wrap skirt or a high waist pant, remember the attention is on the bottom. Keep the top simple and tucked in, and if it’s cold and you have to wear tights, keep it to one color, so as not to steal away the limelight.