New in Stock from Urban Decay

Here is what we got in new this week at The Beauty Loft from Urban Decay:

Let the projects begin...

We are undergoing some secret projects at The Beauty Loft this summer and one of them includes a DIY project! Here is the before shot of a dresser that we purchased for our custom made Urban Decay displays (and yes, you are getting a sneak peek at the new collections in those displays!) We will have another display for a total of five...and although the dresser is the perfect size, it needs to be Urban Decay-ified! After some coats of paint, some new drawer pulls, and a funky mirror, you won't even recognize it! I thought I would let you in on our little project so that you can see the creativity and hard work that really does go into every single thing at The Beauty Loft....

My New Labelmaker

It has always been an issue at The Beauty Loft whether or not we price every single item. When I originally opened my first store, I priced every single item as it arrived. It was great when a customer asked how much something was, but in the long term it was time consuming and too hard to upkeep. In my current store, I tried to price everything...I really did! But out of sheer volume of product, I just decided to price only the testers (because they are permanent fixtures.) This would have been a great plan...in theory. Although I priced all of the items in hot pink gel pen which I later learned completely fades away to nothing. So here I was, stuck with absolutely nothing priced (and there is nothing worse than a busy Saturday when somebody asks "how much is this one?" and you have to stop everything and look it up in the computer.) So we finally splurged and bought a label maker this week, which has pretty much consumed my every day since I bought it. It's so addictive to make labels! Once you start you simply cannot stop (I know this probably sounds like something a high Martha Stewart would say but it's true!) Here I am today labeling Caudalie and working my way down the shelves one product at a time...

Bold Lips

To me, being able to successfully execute a dramatic lip takes serious skill. It takes research to find the exact color to compliment your skin tone, it takes time to find the right consistency, and it takes style to design the entire effect. In my opinion, it is a lot more challenging than creating a dark or dramatic "eye" look because most everyone looks good with a bit of definition on the eye to make them pop. Plus, if that wasn't hard enough, you've got to get over your mouth hang-ups. Believe me, I've heard them all; "my lips are too thin for lipstick" or "my mouth is too wide for a dark color" or even "I don't want to draw attention to my teeth." You don't ever hear somebody complaining that she doesn't want to draw attention to her eyes, now do you? Of course not.
Another problem with trying to find that exact shade of dramatic red or pink or burgundy is that there is never enough of a variety. Most brands create their darkest colors for women who have extremely dark complexions in strange colors like shimmery brown (does brown lipstick look good on anybody?) And there might be one or two shades of red, but they're so fire engine red that if you decided to wear it, people might start calling you Ronald. Another important thing about a dark colored lipstick (and this is not so important with a light color) is that the consistency is very creamy. Have you ever tried to wear a dark, dramatic colored lipstick that was old or just really bad quality? It's sort of like trying to rub a mushy chalk on your lips, and even if you have the nicest lips in the world, they are still going to resemble paper mache.
Normally I wouldn't even write an article on dark lipstick because it is too hard to find a color range that suits all or most skin tones, and it wouldn't be fair to the rest of the lipstick loving community. But alas...I have found the Holy Grail of Lipsticks from Urban Decay; and the packaging even resembles one of my favorite stories, The Sword In The Stone. The color range is stunning and broad, ranging from rich reds to dark rose, to its newest addition not for the faint of heart (Oil Slick, the infamous black shadow now becomes a lip color.) The consistency is creamy and smooth, so much so that I don't even feel the need to wear anything on top or underneath it. Plus all of the colors have an amazing caramel smell that makes me never want to go back to a glue smelling lipstick ever again. They're feminine with an edge; the kind of woman who keeps a pair or thigh high black stiletto boots in her closet that only she knows about. Even though I'm one pair of boots short, I still am enchanted by this newest collection from Urban Decay.

Peach Blossom

I am pretty picky about my perfume; and even more picky about ones that claim to smell like actual things. Very rarely do I come across something that actually smells better than the real thing. We got our Summer L'Occitane shipment in this week, and with it I ordered the new L'Occitane Peach Blossom collection. L'Occitane fragrances are always fresh and floral, with base notes of citrus and tea (amazing fragrances, but always a little too citrus-y for my liking.) When I ordered the new Peach Blossom Collection I was expecting a juicy, fruity, sun ripened peach scent. However, when I opened up the boxes and started to play with all of the new items, I was very surprised that the Peach Blossom fragrance had gone in a completely different direction than I was expecting. Instead of a tart or syrupy sweet peach, it is a gentler, more floral, almost musky fragrance. It has notes of bergamont and cedar which dry down to a soft powder/floral scent. I almost don't smell peaches in it at all, which is absolutely fine because I adore the scent without artifical smelling fruit. I catch myself spritzing myself two or three times a day because I love the inital scent of lemon (although it is nothing like the tart Verbena line) and a variety of floral notes that I can't quite pin down. I also love the Peach Blossom Shower Polishing Nectar because you're scrubbing with actual peach kernel particles and peach kernel oil, which is indulgent in itself. This was a huge surprise to me this week because I really wasn't expecting to find a new fragrance...but you know what they say...life happens when you're too busy planning something else!

The First Retractable Mascara

It's happened ladies...the mascara has been improved upon yet again, but this time your wand isn't shaking or spinning...it's retracting! It's one of those inventions that makes you say "why didn't I think of that?" Just pop off the top, stick on onto the bottom of the tube so you don't lose it, twist up the wand and apply your mascara. The nice part about a retractable mascara is that air and bacteria can't get inside and it will actually last you longer and keep in cleaner. It's a genius idea that may change the face of mascara forever...
Belvada Mascara- http://www.belvada.com

Godiva Candles

I love anything that smells foodie; I love a sweet syrup-y smelling perfume, my house is littered with "fresh baked bread" and "vanilla sugar cookie" candles, and body lotions that smell like something fresh from the oven are heaven. So when I read that famed candle company Slatkin is about to release a collection of candles that they made with Godiva Chocolatier, you can imagine my excitement. This fall they will be releasing four scents; milk chocolate truffle, black almond truffle, white chocolate magnolia, and raspberry ganache. And if that wasn't delicious enough, we expect a limited edition one for the holidays in peppermint bark! the full 7.5 ounce candle will retail for $25, although there will also be travel sizes available as well as gift sets with a selection of all four flavors.
I really hope that this is a trend that catches on with other confection brands. I remember once I bought a candle that smelled exactly like buttered mashed potatoes (it was meant to, not just a coincidence!) and it was amazing. I would love to see less candy-smelling items and more gourmet home scents and body products on the market. I really think that they would strike a chord with both foodies and makeup junkies alike. So listen up Dean and Deluca...we've got a winner here!