Estee Lauder for Mad Men Spring 2012

As super crazy ridiculously excited I am about Mad Men's season five premiere this weekend, I'm just as excited over the TV show's collaboration with Estee Lauder.  The Cherry Lipstick and Creme Rouge Evening Rose blush in Estee Lauder's Mad Men collection for spring 2012 are perfect for recreating popular makeup looks of the Sixties.  Whether you're a Betty or a Joan, fans of vintage inspired makeup will also appreciate the vintage inspired packaging as well.  The jeweled gold blush compact and gold tubed lipstick will look even more gorgeous when extracted from a clutch purse for a discreet touch-up.  Pair with red or light pink nails, liquid eyeliner, a tumble of curls, pearl earrings, and a vodka gimlet.  Cheers!

What are your thoughts on Estee Lauder's Mad Men inspired lipstick and blush?  I'll be getting the lipstick for sure!  Like the TV show, the collection also debuts this month.  Are any readers Man Men fans?  Who else will be watching Sunday's premiere?

Living Just as Free as My Hair! Or: The Something New Summer Challenge!

I've had red hair for a week now and I still couldn't be more thrilled with it!  Understand: my hair has never been dyed before.  I've had highlights for years, but I've been blonde my whole life and going red was a HUGE change.  The new hair color has made me change other things, too, like my lipstick.

Turns out most of the shades that looked amazing on me as a blonde don't work so well now that I'm a ginger.  I realized I was wearing lots of bright red and pink lipsticks to make a bold statement and stand out.  Now my red hair makes a bold statement, so I'm comfortable experimenting with nude lipstick, more natural blushes, and even green eyeshadow.  I never dreamed I'd ever wear any of these colors, but it's also a nice change and it's definitely been fun to experiment.  Imagine this post soundtracked to Lady Gaga's "Hair" and check out my new discoveries!

From top to bottom: Ulta Shimmer Lipstick in Buff Shimmer, Ulta Lipstick in Moroccan Red, Revlon Super Lustrous Creme Lipstick in Rosewine, Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Drop of Sherry, Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Kasbah

Buff Shimmer is a perfect nude lipstick that looks good over my natural lip color and is just enough so that I don't look washed out.  Moroccan Red is a gorgeous deep blood red that's definitely a statement and is great for nights out.  Rosewine and Drop of Sherry are brilliant every day lipsticks and are my new go-to colors.  I can still wear pink(ish) lipstick!  Finally, Kasbah is a tawny brown and the best name for a lipstick ever.  I still can't believe these colors look good on me, but I asked my toughest critics for honest answers to be absolutely sure and they applauded my choices.

Just like I've never bought brown lipstick before, I've also never purchased blush that wasn't some variation of bright rosy pink.  Turns out they don't look so good with red hair either, so I frantically searched for something more neutral and came away with Physician's Formula Mood Booster blush in Natural.  There's the slightest hint of pink, but mostly it makes my cheeks look naturally luminous and glowing rather than blushed.  It's a very pretty, unexpected effect!   

I want to challenge all you lovely readers to try something new with your makeup!  Has your signature look become more of a rut?  Switch it up!  Try a color you wouldn't normally buy and ask your most trusted friend if it flatters you, just to be sure.  Break out some colored or liquid eyeliner, try matte lipstick or nude gloss, paint your nails navy or crimson or bright yellow!  Just try something different!  Even if it doesn't suit you after all (my green eyeshadow is going back to the store, for example), at least you tried and had fun!

What new makeup shade or product will you rock this summer?  Let me know!  And share pictures, if you've got them!

Summer's Best Lips & Cheeks

Whether you prefer lipstick or lip balm, blush or bronzer, there's something on this list of summer's best lips and cheeks that's sure to please anyone!  From the latest lip balm/lipstick combo innovation to a mood-elevating violet scented blush, Applied Glamour's guide has got you covered.

Top row:
Bare Minerals Blush in Fruit Cocktail is the brightest, most vivid pink blush you'll find.  A little goes a long way, so this will last forever!  Orange is a hot color for lips this summer, so you'll be perfectly in style with Topshop's new Lips in Ohh La La.  For a softer, more subtle blush, try Almay's Smart Shade Blush in Pink Rose.  It has great buildable color and magically transforms to your ideal shade of pink!  Too Faced's Leopard Love palette has everything you could possibly want for your cheeks.  Blush, light bronzer, and a deeper bronzer all packed to look like leopard print! 

Middle row:
NARS Velvet Gloss lip pencil in New Lover is golden strawberry shade with amazing texture that's great all over your lips.  Since it's a pencil format, it won't melt in your bag when temperatures heat up!  New this season is MAC's Surf, Baby! collection of summery, beachy shades with lovely surf-inspired packaging.  Naturally Eccentric lustre lipstick is a great nude that will look perfect with a tan.  The latest and greatest lip product this summer is Pixi's Succulent Lip Twin in Pink Peony.  Inside the tube is a pigmented glossy lip balm, while the cap contains a mini lipstick for extra color.  Genius!  For a true gloss, try Korres Cherry Full Color lip gloss.  It's shiny without being sticky and formulated with vitamins C and E for extra moisture and protection. 

Bottom row:
Physician's Formula Happy Glow and Mood Boosting blush does exactly what the name describes.  Use this violet scented, heart bedecked, perfectly pink blush to brighten your complexion and your morning routine!  Sometimes in summer, tinted lip balm is the only sort of lip product that will do.  Burt's Bees just released a new tinted version of their cult favorite lip balm to keep your lips hydrated and smooth without weighing them down with too much product.  Finally, Bella Bamba is the latest to join Benefit's family of gorgeous cheek powders.  It's perfect for contouring sculpted cheekbones (or faking it!).

Almay's Smart Shade Cosmetics

And now, I bring you the amazing properties of Almay's line of Smart Shade cosmetics.  Behold!  Out of the tube, the product is a weird grey color, but don't be misled.  Once you apply it, the foundation or concealer magically transforms to your ideal shade of makeup!  It sounds ridiculous but it is for real.  I have no idea how it works, I just know that it really, really does.  I used both the concealer and foundation recently at a bridal photoshoot where I worked as a makeup artist and it looked good on a variety of skin tones.

While both products are great, I was more impressed with the concealer.  The foundation offers minimal coverage, a little heavier than a tinted moisturizer.  The concealer gave great coverage on every facial woe, from redness and discolorations to acne scars and dark circles.  If you're torn between puchasing the two, I'd recommend the concealer.

In doing a bit of online research, I also discovered there is a Smart Shade blush version!  I immediately picked up a tube and was completely amazed at the gorgeous, natural looking rosy tint it gave my cheeks.  This is probably now one of my favorite products of all time.   

The key to application is blending.  You have absolutely got to blend this product effectively or risk unattractive streaks (pay really close attention to the edges, like around your hairline and jawline).  The biggest complaint I've heard about the foundation was the potential for orange hues, particularly from a friend who has freckles.  No complaints about the concealer or blush.  They're pretty much perfect.

Spring Pick: Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush

I adore blush.  I always have.  It was my go-to product when my mom let me rummage through her makeup drawers at age six, and my appreciation continues (though thankfully, I've learned to properly apply it!).  Lately I've been wearing NARS Orgasm blush and I love it, but I've been searching for a perfect shade of pink, too.  I also want a blush that lasts as long as my foundation does.  Is it too much to ask?

via

I thought this was too high an order to fill, but it seems Tarte read my mind with their brand new Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush.  The Amazonian clay is said to minimize oil on your cheeks and in your pores, so the blush balances your skin and lasts much longer than other brands. It's also rich in Vitamins A, C, and E to protect your skin against dreaded free radicals and signs of aging.   Best of all, it comes in a perfectly pink shade called Amused, as seen above.

NARS Orgasm

What began as a blush has spun off into lipgloss, nail polish, illuminator, multi-purpose shimmer, and a legendary following among makeup junkies the world over.  All these products feature the popular and scandalously named color that made NARS cosmetics a staple of nearly every woman's makeup bag: Orgasm.  This golden pink-peach shimmer is one of the few shades that is really and truly flattering on every skintone.  It's like magic! 

Now you can wear the gorgeous color on your lips and nails.  It's also sold in tandem with a bronzer for easy contouring.  There's even an illuminator version of Orgasm to provide a radiant glow anywhere you may need it.  For those so inclined, Super Orgasm blush and lipgloss offers up even more shimmer with glittery bits of gold.

I finally picked up my very own Orgasm blush this week and, like so many others, I'm enamored with this beautiful shade.  I want to apply it everywhere, and luckily, I can!  Next purchase is lipgloss for sure.  Hello obsession, my name is Laura...