Giorgio Armani Holiday Swarovski Crystal Collection 2008

The limited edition Holiday collection by Giorgio Armani is all about the glamour as the designer adds the irresistible sparkle of the Swarovski crystals. The collection is inspired by the use of the exquisite stones in Armani’s evening couture dresses which are a combination of delicate details and rich luxurious fabrics for the glamorous sophistication for which the designer is known. The Crystal Collection features four products; the Crystal Palette, the Black Shimmer Puff, the Armanisilk Lipstick, and the Silver Sparkling Mascara Top Coat.

The Crystal Palette is presented in solid black lacquered packaging with glittering details, all encased in a special black velvet pouch. The Crystal Palette is a double-level case that features four shimmering eye shadow shades on top - ranging from silver to gold – while the bottom holds an iridescent body powder in a versatile neutral shade. The four eye shadow shades are silver black (black with sparkling silver,) silver white (metallic light grey, with glitter effect,) golden beige (shimmering rose beige with golden pearl,) and golden white (iridescent golden white.) The price is $98.

The Black Shimmer Puff is black soft puff containing a delicate shimmering powder that adds an instant glamour to any look. The puff is adorned with a black satin bow and is encased in a matte black box. The price is $55.

The Crystal ArmaniSilk Lipstick comes in a precious black lacquered case embellished with Swarovski^® crystals. The lipstick comes in many shades and the exceptional blend of Micro silk powders™ creates a sensual, finely woven veil of rich color that glides onto the lips - dressing them like silk. The price depending on the shade is between $25 and $38.

The Silver Sparkling Mascara Top Coat creates an intense sparkle of light grey, resulting in a luminous and sophisticated silver shimmer effect on lashes. The limited edition Sparkling Silver Top Coat Mascara has a professional comb applicator that makes it easy to achieve perfect lash separation and definition. The price is $28.

The limited edition Crystal Holiday Collection is available at the Giorgio Armani beauty website at www.giorgioarmanibeauty.com and department stores worldwide.

MAC Dame Edna Collection

Make-up is all about the colors and the queen of glamor Dame Edna has created a special collection for MAC. “Follow my beauty regime possums, and you’ll never be cosmetically challenged,” says the make-up muse. The packaging is absolutely fun as it is rich in lilac and has rhinestone-encrusted face masks. The Dame Collection has everything a girl wants including Lipstick/Lipglass, eye shadow, Highlight powder and nail lacquers. More details on the collection are below and it will be available at MAC stores on the 26th of December of 2009.

Lipstick ($14.00)

• Gladiola Matte mid-tone blue pink
• Coral Polyp Creamy mid-tone coral
• Kanga Rouge Creamy dark blue red

Lipglass ($14.00)

• Hot Frost Sheer mid-tone blue pink with multi-dimensional pearl
• Splendid Frosty pale pinky coral
• Possum Nose Pink Sheer bright coral with multi-dimensional pearl

Royal Tour Eye Trio ($32.50)

• Royal Tour Mid-tone cool lilac
• Dame’s Desire Frosty mid-tone reddish purple
• Climate Blue Dark blue violet with pink pearl

Wisteria Eye Trio ($32.50)

• Fineshine Frosty true silver
• Wisteria Frosty robin’s egg blue
• Divine Night Frosty charcoal with silver pearl

Hi-Light Powder ($26.00)

• What a Dame! Pale clean orangey peach
• Spectacle! Pale soft pink

Nail Lacquer ($11.00)

• Asiatique Creamy classic red
• Varicose Violet Frosty Mid-tone pinkish purple

Limited Edition Heidi Klum Collection at Victoria’s Secret

One of Victoria’s Secret favorite angles, supermodel Heidi Klum has released a limited edition beauty line exclusively at the lingerie brand. The Very Sexy beauty make-up collection features five products and it is available at their website. Heidi paired up with Victoria’s Secret make-up artist Linda Hay to create the beauty line. The Heidi Klum Collection Blush ($22) offers a combination of three sparkly colors to deliver a pearl luminous appeal on your cheeks. The Silky Eye Shadow Quad ($20) features four silky powder eye shadows for a long lasting and crease-proof look. The Glitter Liquid Liner ($10) is my favorite as it is the perfect way to add some emerald and gold sparkle to your eyes. The Perfect Lipstick ($10) helps to hydrate and condition your lips with Vitamin E, Coconut Oil, and Tiare Flower and the Lip Gloss ($10) provides the desired shine whether you wear it alone or on top on your lipstick. The products are beautifully presented with Heidi’s signature and a little heart in pink and come in very soft colors for a romantic and natural feel.

Sarah Palin’s “Real Women Hunt Moose” and Brigitte Bardot Comments

I really do not like to discuss politics. However, when it comes to animals, my sensitive animal lover nature speaks aloud. Sarah Palin was photographed on her way to meet with John McCain yesterday in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She was wearing a tote handbag with the phrase “Real Women Hunt Moose” written above the picture of moose head. Real women? Really??? I have no words to express how disgusting this statement is, let alone how ignorant and just plain stupid.

French film legend and great beauty Brigitte Bardot, who is by far the definition of a true lady and a real woman, said that Palin was a disgrace to women. In an open letter, Bardot wrote, “By denying the responsibility of man in global warming, by advocating gun rights and making statements that are disconcertingly stupid, you are a disgrace to women and you alone represent a terrible threat, a true environmental catastrophe.” On the note that Palin supports Arctic oil exploration which could jeopardise animal habits and dismisses the protection measures for polar bears, the French icon wrote, “This shows your total lack of responsibility, your inability to protect or simply respect animal life.” And Palin, please do not compare yourself to a pitbull with lipstick. Pitbulls and any other dogs and animals are by far much sweeter (and intelligent,) so comparing yourself to any of them is very disrespectful to the animals.

Here is a photo of Brigitte Bardot in her earlier days and this is one of my favorite pictures of her! Also featured are a couple of pictures of cute baby moose.

New York Spring 2009: Thakoon

“I was feeling a lot of sexuality and seduction. You’ll see that in the softness of the fabrics and silhouettes-the idea of dressing and undressing.” This is how the designer Thakoon Panichgul described his Spring collection. The softness and the almost-naked appeal was evident as the sheer chiffon skirts and vinyl corset dresses came down the runway. Prints were playful like the kisses lipstick marks and the eyelashes print. The dresses were sensual with cutouts, in wraps, and as a bondage style. Nonetheless, the impeccable construction of the pieces made them look classy and sophisticated. And without a doubt, the highlight of the collection were the dresses made of pleated and molded chiffon and georgette which climaxed the romanticism and sensuality of the entire collection.

Beauty Trend: Burgundy Lips Autumn/Winter 08-09

Burgundy is the “it” lip colour for Autumn/Winter 2008-2009. You can leave it matte or gloss it up. Depending on your outfit and destination, you can go lighter in tones of red or darker with berry stained shades for a more dramatic look.

Burgundy reflects sensual romanticism and adds fullness to your lips. It seems especially fresh during the fall and winter months when we wear sweaters and neutral tone coats. I love the Donna Karan model’s lips in this lighter matte shade. Make sure that if you concentrate on your lips, you cannot dramatize your eyes or put much powder on your cheeks.

A famous trick when you have no lipstick on hand is to pinch your lips as they show a reddish natural shade. But be careful not to pinch too hard!