Some magic from Urban Decay...

According to WWD, "Urban Decay Cosmetics has gone down the rabbit hole with “Alice in Wonderland” so consumers can get inspired by the upcoming movie when they peer into the looking glass."

As if a remake of the classic movie wasn't enough....now add Johnny Depp to the equation with a
fab new palette from Urban Decay...it's almost unbearably exciting!! We received this palette, pre-Alice-fied and it was an instant best seller for the holidays this year. Here is the descriptions courtesy of WWD:

"Urban Decay’s Book of Shadows products, is covered in a pattern with teapots and cups, and opens to reveal a pop-up drawing of Alice, recently shrunken by the “drink me” bottle contents, in the mushroom forest. Inside, there are 16 shadows with “Alice in Wonderland”-related names, such as a bright blue called Alice, and a white shade called White Rabbit, as well as two travel-size 24/7 Eye Pencils and one 0.13-oz. Eyeshadow Primer Potion. "

Here is a link to the rest of the article--

http://www.wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/beauty-firms-rolling-out-alice-in-wonderland-products-2406061?module=recent

I will be hoarding one of these as soon as it hits shelves...stand back ladies!!

New Brand At The Beauty Loft Tally!

It's always a happy day at The Beauty Loft when we get in a new brand! We would like to introduce The All Nighter Hair Styling Powder, a line with a huge cult following! It comes in six different colors; Platinum/Netural, Redheads, Honey Blonde, Dark Brown/Black, Brunette, and Golden Blonde.

"The ALL NIGHTER Styling Powder™ is made with natural plant-based ingredients and natural minerals, gently scented with essence of tangerine (to freshen without being too perfume-y) The ALL NIGHTER Styling Powder™ also contains real silk powder to add manageability to hair, and it imparts a luxurious satiny feel. Leave it in or brush it out for an amazing 'fresh from the salon look'"

They retail for $18 a piece. Come in today to try this amazing product (p.s. Rachel Zoe is addicted...I'm just saying...)

Feeling very inspired..

I normally have a rule about blogging on topics that others bloggers are writing about. For that reason, I try not to read other beauty blogs because I know that they will sway my writing and cause me to depend on them for interesting topics. I know that blogging is as much about your own experiences as it is about others in the blogging community, but I find it very bland. I hate reading three or four blogs who are pretty much writing about the same exact collection or color. Boring! Occasionally I will post news articles from website sources such as WWD, and I find that totally okay because it is news from the direct source, as opposed to just copying that other blogs are covering. But on the other hand, sometimes I come across a post that truly inspires me, like today. Makeupbag.net covered the new Chanel collection color palette, and I am hugely inspired! I love basic colors like black and white with a splash of color. My go-to outfits usually include neutral colors with a bright accent, like a bold piece of jewelry or accessory. I think it's a clean, simple, sophiscated look that you has never ending options. Chanel chose to go with their signature black, white, and this time, jade. Jade is a gorgeous light green color that adds enough pop without being too summery, like a coral or turquoise would be. I love this look and can't wait to incorporate it into my style this fall. But natually, the Chanel Jade Green Nail Polish (which is fresh off the Paris runways) is out of stock....well...what do you expect?

NARS New Book

FINALLY there will be a new NARS book! This is so exciting! I'm sure most of us are already fans of the original one (but it seems like it has been around forever!) The book will be $80, but they are only publishing 1,500 of them. Here are some blurbs from WWD.com:

"Like Nars’ earlier book, “X-Ray,” the portraits are intended to transform their subjects into new personas — but the twist this time is that there are two inspirations for each shot, an iconic image, person or emotion and a classic Nars product. The book features portraits of 15 celebrities: Marc Jacobs, Isabella Rossellini, Amber Valletta, Dayle Haddon, Naomi Campbell, Amanda Lepore, Daphne Guinness, François Vincentelli, Natasha Poly, Lisa Marie Smith, Olivier Theyskens, Carla Gugino, Shalom Harlow, Tyson Ballou and Jennifer Jason Leigh. “Basically, I wanted people who reflected my taste, friends and people I admired for their look and talent,” said Nars. “I love the way Marc looks, but also what he is and does. I tried to pick people not just for looks, but for talent."

" Any copies that do not sell on 15x15project.com will be sold via narscosmetics.com. Every penny raised by the book, Desazars emphasized, will be donated to charity. Each celebrity chose a pet charity, and all proceeds from the sales of that person’s photos and images will be donated to his or her charity. At least $150,000 is expected to be raised. “We all have to give — there is a lot of need out in the world,” said Nars."

When the beach seems far, far away...

Fall is my favorite time of year for many reasons; the weather, that tiny chill in the air that makes you want to throw on a scarf and boots (but not quite cold enough for mittens and earmuffs), the festive atmosphere of Halloween, and the preparation of Thanksgiving, (and it's also my birthday season!) There is nothing more magical to me than the leaves changing colors, the smell of fireplaces, and hot apple cider. I could go on all day about how much I love fall, but there is one thing that fall can't offer, and that is a glowing tan. Beach days are a thing of the past by now, meaning that your tan is probably (if not completely) faded.



One of the beautiful things about fall is the darker clothing options; it's time to pack up the pastels and brights and trade them in for something a little bit more sophiscated and bold. But naturally, whenever you change your wardrobe in any way (much like a hair color) your makeup wardrobe must change with it. It's time to pull out your under-the-bed storage container and put your bright pink lipsticks, nude lip glosses, dark shimmery bronzers, and poppy colored blushes safely in it. For me, the hardest thing to part with is my bronzer. During the summer months (and in Florida we have a lot of them) it becomes my best friend. On days when I didn't sleep much, it fakes 8, it transforms my skin from dull and lifeless to "hello Cancun!" and it is the perfect accessory to absolutely any summer outfit. But when the weather turns colder and my skin loses its natural tan, bronzer looks nothing short of Anne Hathaway in Bride Wars (you know what I'm taking about.)

The most important lesson this fall in terms of changing your makeup wardrobe is this: don't fight it! When your skin looses its summer luster, don't overcompensate with bronzer and wear a turtleneck to cover up your super pale neck and chest. Choose a flattering blush for fall that is not candy colored, which only really looks good on tan or darker complexions. Instead choose something a little bit more wine or ruby hued that will work with your skin even if you get a few shades lighter. My favorite for fall is NARS blush in Dolce Vita because it adds natural looking color to the skin without sparkle or Playboy Bunny artificial-ness:

Another important thing to remember when you're choosing a fall palette is to steer clear from nudes and other light summery colors that will wash you out. This fall season, the right lip color is your best accessory because it will flatter your warmer clothing choices as well as your darker cheek colors. I love how the models at the Dolce and Gabbana Spring 2010 show (above) look sophiscated without seeming to harsh or dramatic. Their skin has a little bit of glow, but no fake orange-y tan, and their dark lip colors flatter their complextions perfectly. Go for one that will add warmth to your skin, such as a dark pink or a sheer berry. I would steer clear of bright, bold reds for now, they can be very hard to pull off during the day, and can wash out lighter skin tones if not chosen correctly. My top fall picks are (from left to right) NARS lip stain gloss in Sayonara (which looks very light in this picture for some reason, but is a deep berry in real life) and Urban Decay Lipstick in Wanted; a sheer berry, frost-bitten color that can be layered for a darker effect.

Fun Stuff Friday...

I remember when I used to spend hours upon hours searching Sephora.com for products and brands that I had never heard of. It was like every single time I checked, some indie brand had come out with something even cooler, even newer. Unfortunately, in recent years, Sephora has chosen its guns and has been sticking to them. No longer do I go on the "brand list" page and search for the next "it" company. It's a shame really, because the original business plan at Sephora was to seek out the best indie brands and make them known world-wide. Nowadays, it seems like they have their top 15-20 brands who come out with scheduled launches about as predictable as the moon cycle. I have noticed in the last couple of years that the true makeup junkies out there have shucked Sephora and Ulta aside to being the search for more original, exciting brands/products. Forums and blogs are jam packed with reviews of lesser-known brands and if you search further, you will notice that each forum has its own cult product favorite. It's amazing the impact these community based trend starters have, one or two reviews later, and drugstores nationwide sell out of a single color or item. It's how trends are supposed to start; not from a sell sheet or a marketing strategy, but from the treasure hunters themselves, the ones who venture out into the wild and drag the gold back to their caves. I'm happy to find this new beauty website (http://www.glow.com/) filled with brands not found in every mall in America. Because what's worse than wearing makeup with the equalivent distribution as the Big Mac?

Clutch Shoot Day Two

Day Two of the shoot was a little more complicated because it twas the actual "makeup shoot," so their styles were the main focus. The looks were as follows: 40's glam, bold purples and blues, earthy brights, and springtime fresh. We also had fabulous makeup artist Danielle help us out and she did a great job. Here are some pics!