ON MY DESK: We look at luxury make-up, in a variety of prices – not all at expensive pricepoints – but they all have something luxurious about them…
ON MY DESK: We look at new releases in luxury make-up, in a variety of prices – not all at expensive pricepoints – but they all have something luxurious about them. After all, who wants to hide their makeup away when they can show it off on their bedroom dresser and bathroom counter?
Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish
If there’s ever a strapline evocative of models in glamorous poses in glossy magazines, it’s ‘Flawless Finish’. After all, who wouldn’t want their own skin to have such a look and feel – without flaw? That in itself means perfection. You want your skin to be illuminated and seamless, without feeling heavy; in short – you want a second skin that’s flawless.
The new Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Perfectly Nude Makeup SPF15 ticks all my boxes in a foundation, as it’s light, yet effective in its cover. It feels super-luxurious with its gold pump dispenser. I think this would be ideal for those 35+. It retails for $69 from Elizabeth Arden counters from March 2014.
BECCA The One Perfecting Brush
Next up, this isn’t make-up per se, but rather a wonder brush that will help perfect your make-up. Goats generally have very little to do with the world of beauty. In fact, the intersection set of a= goats and b= beauty may just have this brush in it. BECCA The One Perfecting Brush is made from non-porous goat hair and is a beauty multi-tasker replacing ten brushes: foundation, powder, contour, bronzer, stipple, blush, fan, and concealer brushes, kabuki, and sponge. Available now for $78 at Apotheka in Osborne Street Newmarket and online at www.glamorpusscosmetics.co.nz
Smashbox Full Exposure Palette
The good people at Smashbox have done some extensive research on 5,000 eyes and sorted eyes out into six main shapes to create a shape chart with the best eyeshadow application for your shape. You can find your eye shape here smashboxfullexposure.com/quizzes/1#
This new Smashbox Full Exposure palette, below, has all you need in neutrals for eyeshadows. It has 14 must-haves from light to dark and a variety of mattes, cremes and shimmer finishes for day adn night looks. The new Smashbox Full Exposure Palette retails for $129 from March 2014 and is available at selected Life pharmacies, at beauty spas, at the Smashbox store in Ponsonby, and online at www.smashboxcosmetics.co.nz
Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy
Estee Lauder’s new season colour collection Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick veritably screams pure luxury in its navy blue case with gold trim, and nail lacquer in heavy-to-hold glass bottles with elegant gold lids. If Old Hollywood movie stars were to choose a make-up line, surely it would be Estee Lauder. Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick comes in 20 richly-saturated colours, and retails for $59 at Estee Lauder counters nationwide, and the Color Envy Nail Lacquer, in 5 shades, is $32; both on counter from 7th April 2014.
Benefit Big Easy
“Bigger than BB” announces Benefit cosmetics’ latest make-up release: Big Easy. This is a one-step wonder that does the dishes…okay, almost! It does however balance out your complexion, especially if you have concerns about uneven skin texture and apprearance. I would recommend it for oilier/younger skins as it controls excess oil and has a drier finish on the face. The liquid, in this pretty peach coloured tube with circus-style packaging, goes on like a cream and finishes like a powder. It controls oil and moisture, adjusts to your skin shade, and protects with SPF30. Big Easy is available from 3rd May 2014 for $73 at Smith & Caughey’s stores and online, and $62 at JR Duty Free Auckland Airport.
Guerlain Meterorites
The House of Guerlain has a history steeped in luxury. It was started in 1828 and has launched over 700 fragrances in 180 years, even creating perfume for Napoleon III’s wife, and supplying the royalty of Europe. But of course, it is attainable for all, with modern women wearing its iconic fragrances, Shalimar (created in 1925) and Samsara, to name but two.
Guerlain is not only known for perfume, but innovations in cosmetics and skincare as well, including the first ever lipstick in bullet form back in 1878, and its famous ‘Meteorites’ coloured powder balls (approx $137 from selected department stores). This season, comes this beautiful new collection; Meteorites Blossom.
Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Palette
Global Makeup Artist Rebecca Restrepo has put together this palette to make colour-matching for this Autumn easy. These colours represent the key trends for this Autumn season, with emerald and lilac, and a richly-coloured mouth. Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Palette retails at the very reasonable $59 for four Beautiful Color Eyeshadows, two Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipsticks, and one Beautiful Color Shimmer Powder. The palette is available at Elizabeth Arden counters from March 2014.
ARTDECO Jungle Fever
ARTDECO has been doing beautiful yet reasonably-priced cosmetics (or “costmetics” as I call that concept!) for years and is actually no1 in Germany, but only recently arrived on our shores in New Zealand and is exclusive to Farmers stores here. This new Jungle Fever range, however, takes it to another level of luxury-look makeup with its imprinted palettes that look way more expensive than they are (prices range around $10 to $30). Pictured below: Beauty Box in Jungle Fever, Bronzing Glow Blusher, and a shimmering eyeshadow in shade 20. Be queen of the jungle in ARTDECO Jungle Fever, available at Farmers stores from the start of April 2014.
Words and photos, Megan Robinson
27 March 2014
Leave a Reply