I'm pickin' up Good Vibrations

So many things so many things so many things I have to share after my lack of bloggage. I mean what’s been going on right? So what is it going to finally take to break the blog seal? One of the greatest cosmetic achievements in the history of the world of Ruth that’s what! Shocker I’m sure. So the newest, most buzzed about (pun intended) product starting to go mainstream are vibrating mascaras. No joke. Mascaras that are battery-operated with vibrating brushes to transform your lashes by reaching every single nook, cranny and edge with – hello! – long, thick, black awesomeness. Estee Lauder has already come out with TurboLash, and although sold out nationwide the reviews have not been all that great. Lancome’s version, however, is a totally different story.

Everyone has been talking about and anxiously awaiting the release of Lancome’s Ôscillation Vibrating Infinite Powermascara, which is a vibrating powermascara that provides 7000 oscillations per minute and is not supposed to be released to the public until December 2008. However, dun dun dunnnnn, Lancome decided to release a few hundred to the public last Thursday, July 31st, as a limited edition test-release, only to be found online at Sephora.com and at like seventeen Neiman Marcus’ countrywide. Sheesh. That ‘aint many and it became seemingly impossible to snag one before the end of the year. Poo on toast. I have absolutely no patience for things of this matter and I want this product now! So I didn’t know what time it was going to actually go on sale online, and knowing they were going to go fast fast fast, I set my alarm for like 2am, woke up in the middle of the night (You: "Get a life, Ruth" Me: "shut it") , went on Sephora.com and – hollaaaaaa- I ganked me one! Supposedly it went on sale at 1am and was sold out by 5am! If I had waited until I woke up it would have been too late. Thank goodness I am brilliant and planned accordingly. People are so pissed they went so fast online and for once (unlike my Chanel Black Satin nail polish debacle) I am on the other winning side of things. Sooooo point is: I am one of the few amazingly awesome people in the country to have this state-of-the-art beauty product at this time and therefore, yes, I think know I am pretty darn cool. It still hasn’t come in the mail yet but believe me you will hear about it once I get to start vibratin' my lashes. Let’s just all hope I don’t electrocute and fry my eyeballs. With my track record this is not out of the realm of possibility.

I can't seem to stop myself so I guess while I am at it... if you are looking for a new lip gloss (girlfriend have you seen those puckers lately? update them) please do yourself a favor and check out Smashbox's latest Wicked Lovely Fall 2008 Collection. Stellar. Never having been a huge fan of Smashbox lip products, the Wicked Lovely lip glosses (both Coy and Sweet shades) are making me a believer as they are bar none some of the best ones I have tried this year. Precious colors with a wet, slick look thats not too goopy? They're really awesome. Highlight that pout!

Time to replenish your makeup bags

Two of my favorite tried and true beauty resources - Allure and Sephora - have both just released their new "BEST" lists... Best of Beauty and Best Sellers respectively for the year. My favorite time of year. Although I consider myself the kind of person who can try different beauty products out and discern for myself if they are Ruth-worthy or not, shoot that gets expensive. These ain't your Dollar Menu Special kind of products. So when these lists come out, I enjoy perusing them, to see a) how smart I am because I already use the said "best" products (ego-booster of sorts) and b) which new products I could try out that have at least a little reputation and backing behind them so its probably not going to be a total economical waste. The only disclaimer is that Allure would be your best best bet for whats really good out there because Sephora's list is actually their best sellers... meaning that the products might not actually be the best... they have just duped the American public into believing they are. Chumps. Plus - shocker - but Sephora does not carry every single beauty line in the world by any means. But still good to check out and probably merits a one-time trial... But that Allure list... whew.... just does ONE thing to me. Leaves me breathless with only the undeniable urge to go shopping. NOW.

Allure "Best of Beauty"

Highlights (aka I currently use) : Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes eyeliner, Chanel Inimitable Mascara, Redken All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner, Kérastase Resistance Extra-Corps Fortifying Care for Weakened Fine Hair, Kérastase Resistance Ciment Thermique, Nars Blush in Orgasm, Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer Firming, DuWop Revolution Tinted Body Moisturizer With Shimmer SPF 15, Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion for the Face SPF 30

Sephora "Best Sellers"

Highlights (aka I currently use) : NARS Lip Gloss, Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment, Imju Fiberwig Fiberwig Mascara, Benefit Cosmetics Posietint, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, Bliss The Youth As We Know It, Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum, Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, Marc Jacobs Daisy, Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray, Frederic Fekkai Summer Hair Zero-Humidity Frizz Control, Ojon Rub-Out Dry Cleanser, shu uemura Eyelash Curler, GoSMILE Touch Up Mini On-The-Go Smile Refresher

So I am not perfect but my lashes are

I have decided to be a little more careful about my beauty product recommendations. Whether you take them seriously or not... I do because my name and expertise is on the line. Okay that might be stretching it, but you know what I mean. Most times when I talk about products they are tried and true and I am completely behind them but every once in a while I will get uber excited about one and share all about my one day experience with such product which one week later turns out to be crap. Some examples include but are not limited to:

Bobbi Brown Glitter Lip Gloss - Although the "Naked" shade I got was beautimous, the consistency of this lip gloss was terrible, the little brush did not work with the packaging and I paid freaking 20 dollars for a tube the size of my pinky nail. No exaggeration.

Dior Diorshow Blackout Mascara - I even recently repurchased this to give it another try but its absolutely awful and clumps on my lashes like bees to the honey. Yech. Bees to the honey. Crazy killer bees. "Cult fav! Cult fav!" is what everyone shrieks. Oh shut up.

Marc Jacobs Cucumber Splash - Even though I am still yearning and aching to get the new Grapefruit version of this (I never learn my own lessons), honestly its not that good. Although a wonderful refreshing scent, this splash lasts about as long as my patience. Nada. Yes the whole point of a splash is to be lighter than an actual perfume but c'mon you don't want to smell my natural pheromones all day either. For $75 not worth it.

Chanel Black Satin Nail Polish - Eeeeeeeek. I know this one hurts to type. But truth is truth. My beloved Black Satin that I worked and slaved to find and obtain. Although still the most beautiful deep black silky color, the nail polish is awful. Goopy and thick even when brand new. I shoulda known. Chanel really isn't known for good polishes. So even though I stare at my beloved, I have rarely used it and if I am feeling the dark itch, I reach for my 25-dollars-cheaper WetnWild version.

Thankfully I am not wrong about my products too often but I have made a new point to be sure sure. That is one of the reasons I have waited to review my newest Holy Grail forever and ever product - Revitalash. I was nervous about trying this because of the price and I couldn't find too too much information on the internet about this and its pricey pricey. But I was desperate. Back a few months ago when my eyelashes continued to fall out and were getting grossly thin and sparse, not even my dermatologist could help me. "I dunno whats making them do that" he said. Thanks genius. You watch a full four episodes of Scrubs and now you call yourself a doctor? Sheesh. But seriously I had tried everything with no success so I took the leap and tried Revitalash. It was a product made by a doctor whose wife had cancer and had lost all her hair and eyelashes and he wanted to give her a present to try to make them grow back - awwwww how sweet. I am such a sucker - that sold me.

With promises of longer, thicker, fuller lashes in two to three months, I went for it. Result? Honestly after two and a half months, it has completely "revitalized" my lashes (which are normally short, straight, thin and sparse even when healthy). Truly it has. Although it didn't make lashes grow in the gaped spaces overnight, it has made my existing lashes a longer and fuller within three weeks and eventually all of my lashes have grown back in. Now I don't have perfect-mistaken-for-false-eyelashes or anything but there is such an evident change to me from how they have been my whole life that I am a believer. This product is totally worth the money if you need help with your lashes or want to see if they can grow longer or differently or whatever. Only downside : the cost. Brace yourself... normally it'll cost ya $150. But I have found it on different websites for cheaper and I bought mine on Amazon for only like $80. That sounds like a lot to you, I know, but if you were desperate you wouldn't blink an eye (no pun intended). So keep this in mind if you are ever in need of some lash therapy. It gets 5 stars in my book.

One product that I recently recieved that I am excited to try but am going to hold off for a while to give you my exact opinion : Bliss the youth as we know it which is a face cream/moisturizing/anti-aging/wrinkle-reducing extravaganza thats supposed to do everything in one for your skin. I have heard so many great things about it but am going to wait to give you my opinion. So we shall see..

I am not always wrong. One thing that I knew was going to be great and was? Kung Fu Panda. Thats right! I knew I would love it and I did. I laughed out loud a whole lot more than the little kids sitting around me, so that could be considered embarassing. Gee gosh whatdoyado?

Hollywood Heat is Hot Hot Hot

Sephora has come out with one of their best gift sets ever ever ever - and its perfect for this time of year. If you want to figure out how to get a jump start on your bronzing purchases and don't know where to start, I will tell you where. LORAC's Hollywood Heat Set sold at Sephora for only $35 (amazing since its valued at $100. Seriously.) First of all, it has a travel size TANtalizer Body Bronzing Luminizer which makes it alone worth it. This is a gorgeous tanning tint/luminizer that is one of LORAC's best sellers. Its beautiful on your face or your body. This set also has a Bronze Bombshell Eyeshadow trio and Hot&Spicy Blush/Bronzer Duo which are both must-haves for the summer. To top it all off, it has a mini Mocktail Flavored Lip Gloss in Tropical Dream which is a beautiful peachy/coral lipgloss that goes great with your newly bronzed face. And it tastes yummy - like a tropical drink. Hello! Have I sold you yet? It comes in a cute metallic bronze makeup bag. That should seal the deal - at least in my world. This set is almost impossible to find in stores (it sells out the day the shelves are re-stocked) and has just now been released at Sephora.com. When I say just now, I mean it was released today and won't be available for long. Seriously guys this is a steal. So treat yourself. Now!

Oh Em Eff Gee. The Good. The Bad.

Bad : Okay this would not be considered bad or upsetting per say by pretty much 99.9% of America, but its bad for me darn-it. So, I have been waiting in excited anticipation for months now for the release of MAC's Dazzleglass collection. So much so that I have been checking the MAC website and MAC counters periodically to make sure I knew exactly when this would be released because the date has gone back and forth the past few months and I knew certain shades would be sold out almost instantly - and I had to get my hands on those! Dazzleglass has actually been released officially on the website since last Wednesday, but I have learned my lesson with being a frequent internet cosmetic purchaser (should I put that on my resume?) and I wanted to see the shades in person before I bought them. So when I perused my local MAC counter last week, I asked them when the collection would be put out on the shelves, and they said "next Thursday", which would be this coming Thursday. I think I annoyed them because I kept asking "are you sure?". They were sure.

So - Breathe. I almost can't get this out - you can only imagine my horror (no exaggeration needed here) when I walked past Dillard's this morning on the way back from returning some shoes and saw a slightly-tainted-days-old Dazzleglass display sitting on the counter. What the?! Its only Tuesday. Oh Em Eff Gee. I asked the rep why the freak was this already out for sale when I was told otherwise, and she said they "decided" to put it on Friday. They?! Friday! And what did I tell you - they were already sold out of two shades. Insert expletives here. I am so sad. I prepare in advance to avoid situations such as these. I am sure that probably if I drove around to every department and MAC store in Houston I would find these shades, but lets be honest I do have some priorities people. So I went ahead and bought the Baby Sparks shade which is a lovely pastel pink and even though I don't know what it looks like, I might have to break my own rule and buy Bare Necessities shade online since obviously the universe doesn't want me to have it yet. Sheesh. If any of you want a fun new shimmery lip gloss from this collection for the summer, you better run out and gank one now. See - I told you that you would not think it was bad but hey its my blog so there.

Good: Okay once again, this would probably would not be considered good by pretty much 99.9% of America, but it brought a smile to my face and totally offset my lip gloss debacle for the day. So I am single (groan) and don't date all that much. For many obvious reasons (hello! to start I just blogged for five minutes about lip gloss for goodness sakes) but also because I admit I am extremely picky and won't date just anyone (whole other subject saved for - with you? - well probably never). Plus almost all of my friends are married and the ones who aren't are in serious relationships, so I can't even date vicariously through anyone anymore. So its just me. And my crazy mind. And this is what happens. Now I have to preface this by saying that I admit I have a bit of a dysfunction. Just one, Ruth??? Shut up. Since I have yet to meet a guy who lives up to my expectations in person, this is what I do : sometimes I will hear about a guy that I have never met, usually through a friend or acquaintance, and I fall in love with... his stats... and decide he's the one. He's it. If only God would have us meet! Purely by his stats on paper - usually surrounding his Godliness and spirituality, ministry, age, personality, job, background (Aggies always get bonus points), looks, etc etc etc. I rarely, if ever, end up meeting these mystery men and if I ever do the paper slowly begins to crumble and my bubble is burst. Ohhhh but sadly this does not stop me from continuing to do so in my head.

Today I "found" a doozie! I ran into an old friend of mine today, I hadn't really seen her since high school. So as we were catching up she was telling me about the church she and her husband were involved in... and when she found out I was single she started going on about how I need to come to her church because she knew some single guys my age - yada yada yada - and then she started going on about this one guy... about how he's so Godly and nice/tall/cute and his only downfall is how picky he is about the women he dates' spirituality (believable? ummmm) and then goes on about how he works in the church's youth ministry blah blah blah... yes he sounds good on paper to me but I was ready to chuck it up to a probably-not-but-thanks-for-thinking-of-me... until... just wait for it... its coming... she goes "Crap! He's leaving for the next seven months or so for football" seeming like it was no big deal. I figured he was a coach somewhere or something like that. Then she goes on to tell me that he just signed on to play in the fall for -ohmygoodnesscatchmybreath- the Green Bay Packers. Aaaaa! I KNOW! Its okay you're allowed to be excited too. I kinda spazzed out in front of her out of excitement that he was a Packer and I am sure I freaked her out. Anyone who knows me at all knows of my obsession, passion and love for the Green Bay Packers and I don't care if this guy signed on to be the freaking water boy - I'll take him! See? This is how it works. So on paper he's perfect for me (hello! I'm perfect for him) and if only I was to meet him we would be two peas in a love pod. A freakin' Jesus-lovin'-Packer. Wow. Anyways, I will probably never actually meet him (especially now that he'll be around NFL hoochie-groupies) and if for some reason I ever do we never had this conversation (and this blog post will be deleted) but for now... in my little psychotic mind... I think he's the one. :)

Random other Good/Bads:
BAD: Since I missed the draft this weekend, I have been slowly catching up on the goings on. Marcellus Bennett is now a Dallas Cowboy? Uggggggh. Ma'Bennett??? Of all teams in the entire league. I am quite annoyed (yet surprised he went in the second round... I saw him as a third+ rounder for sure). I hate the Cowboys. And people with overly blessed lives. Like Chris Long. It must be tough growing up as Howie Long's son and then having to be picked second in the NFL Draft. Oh do I sound jealous? Heck yeah I am! Then there's the Manning family and that's a whole other ball game.
GOOD: 27 Dresses came out on DVD today. Enough said.
BAD: Alex picked Chelsea over Amanda last night. Really? Chelsea? She's a weird weird weird girl. Almost tranny-like?Amanda was perfect for him. But honestly he's mesmerized by Shayne and I believe he is already planning to pick her in the end (and I love it that he doesn't care that she carries blush in her ski vest! That's so something I would do!), so it doesn't really matter who the runner-up is, does it?
GOOD: Finally I am fixing up my bed to see if it can make a difference with my back pain. Since I can't afford a new mattress (at least the type I need), we put some wood planks underneath my current one to firm it up... and then I bought a big ole therapeutic mattress pad today to put on top and bipidy-bopidy-boo I have a new homemade mattress. I hope it helps!

Spray those imperfections to the wind

Are you a foundation user but tire of the constant time its application with a sponge takes? Yeah I can imagine. Its annoying. Well then do I ever have the perfect product for you. The other day I was perusing a Christian Dior counter checking out their new Dior Goldrush Summer 2008 collection (which is absolute fabulous my dears, by the way) and I have been wanting to try their spray foundation product out for a while now so I just went for it. Dior DiorSkin AirFlash Spray Foundation. Its awesome. So so so easy to apply : pin your hair back, close your eyes, spray spray spray, it dries instantly and thats it. Your foundation is applied. On every inch and crevasse of your face. It has a pretty, matte finish to it and it lasted throughout the day until I had to wash it off purposefully. It looks great on the skin and covers all your imperfections... perfectly. One hint: apply first before mascara or any other products (except concealer) because it will cover your eyelashes and such. Now, I personally don't wear foundation, for many reasons but one being that my skin is too oily that it looks nastacious (thats "nasty" for you who don't speak Ruthese) so I am not going to purchase this product myself, but if I was going to wear foundation, I would totally snag this spray. Only downside would be the price which is $60 but comparative to other quality foundations its not too bad (I know you boys out there are like - whaaaa?). I personally would use the Cameo 202 shade... but I think you should go to your local Christian Dior counter (or Sephora) and try it out. If not only just for fun. Spray those imperfections away!

And if you are looking for a new spring/summer fragrance, please look no further than the new Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean Breeze. It is spectacular, and amazingly warm but sweet at the same time with top notes of white nectarine, bergamot, and sparkling grapefruit. It brings the essence of the Mediterranean to your senses... and will remind you of that cruise you took to the Greek Isles a few years back. Yeah. You remember that one. No but seriously I am always trying to show you new summer scents to try out, and this one ranks up there. Lovely.

What comes between you and your Calvins?

"You wanna know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing." My Calvin Klein lip gloss, that is. Who knew that ck Calvin Klein was good for more than good undergarments and cute jeans (circa 15 years ago of course - does anyone wear these anymore)? They actually just "re-launched" their cosmetics line (wasn't much of a first launch) earlier this year and I really had no reason to pay attention to it. That is, until I was walking through Dillards on the way to my car on Friday when a lip gloss color caught my eye. Even just by my peripheral vision the color grabbed my attention it was so amazing. I walked over and and was instantly annoyed when I saw that it was CK cosmetics and was about to dismiss it and walk away (do it!)... but decided to try it on... just in case. It was their Delicious Pout Flavored Lip Gloss in the Dew Drop shade and well whadayaknow it was fantastic! Not only was it a perfect color (light peachy bronzy nude with silver specs), it had a great consistency of glossiness and it tasted wonderful. So often I disregard the terrible taste some lip glosses create in order for their fabulous appearance - beauty is pain, people - so this was just a huge bonus. I love it. And it gets better - the lip gloss is only $13 which is cheaper than most (okay all) lip products I normally purchase. So what does that mean in Ruth's mind? Well then you can buy two! And thats just what I did... okay well this was the justification I used in my head because I couldn't decide between Dew Drop and Sparkle (see pic). Plus I was in a very "I feel sorry for myself" state of mind and whenever I am there, I always justify lip gloss purchases. Some people eat chocolate, I buy lip gloss. Okay crap lets be honest I buy lip gloss and eat chocolate. Double whammy. That's why I shouldn't be allowed in public. Out. Of. Control. But, if you wanna check out some new cheaper lip glosses, these are great (and taste lovely!)... you should be able to find them online at Sephora (duh) and at most Dillards department stores.

Okay so I might as well admit brag about my new handbag purchase - only because it has been the center of conversation wherever I go. First of all, I only got it because my uber-cute-but-cheap Aldo purse snapped and broke in the middle of a restaurant last week, quite embarassingly spewing the contents everywhere (talk about a lip gloss explosion!). Needless to say it was time for a new purse. And when I saw this one, I couldn't take my eyes off it - bright, metallic baby pink, with a little bling here and there - it was just perfect and so Spring and screamed... me. It might be too much for most people but I dont care. I love it. Its buy a new handbag designer - Kathy Van Zeeland - and I love her designs. Its for you ladies out there who enjoy a little spunk, a little bling, a little flare. So everyone from my YL kids, to my pastor, to the checker at Randalls has mentioned since I have carried it. If nothing else, its an icebreaker. A smokin' hot one. Hollaaaaa!

Side note: I am pissed that Trevor Immelman is married. He's hot. And so now. You know, since he would have been a possibility for me had he been single. And I am surprised that Bret picked Ambre - I thought Daisy Duck was a shoo-in. I can't wait for the reunion show to find out what really happened when the cameras stopped rollin'. Ten million dollars says they aren't together. If you don't know what I am talking about at all right now, you obviously are not so now. :)

Cant always be bloggerific

Sorry kids. I know I haven't been extremely bloggerific lately. Sometimes I have oodles to gab about and other times... blank. Nada. So I feel like I should say something...? This is what I got.

First of all, God is continuing to show me fruit and blessing in both my youth group and my Young Life girls Bible study which is so exciting and humbling. Being in youth ministry can be hard on every level and its been a pretty rough last year or so in all of my youth ministry avenues. But to see Him working and working through me, along with the vision He has given me (which He continually changes), is making it all worthwhile. I am just exhausted all the time. :)

The movie, Stop-Loss, was deeeeepressing and the gorgeous eye candy known as Ryan Phillipe and Channing Tatum was not even enough to trump the somber-debbie-downer-ness of the movie. Don't recommend it. I should have just seen 21 again.

Oh and my eyelashes. Sigh. They are still falling out really bad and even a trip to the dermatologist did not help. Although he did was agree (thanks) and say we should test my thyroid. Well I already had my thyroid tested a few weeks ago and its fine, I said. That didn't matter - that's all he had for me. So I am going to have to take matters into my own hands. I have tried quality eyelash conditioners before with no real results... so I finally had to go for the Godfather - Revitalash. A doctor created it for his wife who had cancer and whose eyelashes were not growing back after chemotherapy (I thought that was sweet. Awww) and even though its pricey pricey, its supposed to do wonders for making your eyelashes grow. I found the cheapest one available online and am hoping and praying that in two months or so, my eyelashes will be back. I am sure if stress in my life would vanish that would help as well. But until then I am going to extreme measures... even stopping curling my eyelashes almost at all (which I love and rely on). So currently, I am sticking to using shu uemura Mascara Basic mascara because it curls your eyelashes and keeps that curl better than any mascara I have ever used... and no matter how many applications you put on, it barely ever clumps. So if you want to reduce have to constantly recurl and recurl your eyelashes, I would look into investing in this mascara.

I very excitingly just bought LORAC's Sparkle Pencil eyeliner (black eyeliner with silver sparkle - hello!) and I can't wait fo a dancing night out to use it. Don't worry even I don't wear glitter sparkle every day. I also nabbed Benefit's new Erase Paste that I have heard raved about and so far really like it. Its like a concealer with a highlighting twist. If you're looking for a new kind of concealer you might want to check this out. I bought the "medium" shade.

Celeb goss round-up : Beyonce and Jay-Z are getting married today... does that make her Beyonce-Z? I was tres disappointed in NKOTB's big announcement this morning - so anti-climatic. Blech. Did John Mayer and Perez Hilton really make out??? Hmmm. I guess? Nasteeee. And one more reason I do not want to vote for John McCain : Heidi Montag is. Seriously who cares? Why has every single celeb goss site covered this? I don't get it. And worst and probably most upsetting, our hot Bachelor Andy Baldwin is dating Marla Maples, Donald Trump's ex (check out pics here). Eeeeew. She's like eleven years older than him. What a cougar! Seriously Andy, give me a holla.

Just for kicks and giggles... I found this "prototype" over at Makeup and Beauty Blog and it just brought warmth to my heart. Three of my favorite things in an all-in-one combo? Definitely too good to be true. MAC Cosmetics, Sex and The City, and iPod. A MAC-Pod? Magnificentness.

Have a great weekend!

I look forward to being Dazzled baby

Please just ponder on this promo picture... it speaks for itself.Stunning, breathtaking doesn't even begin describe it. Eeek! I just love that picture. So I have not been quite as over-the-top excited about MAC's collections the past three months as everyone else - like Fafi, Heatherette, Strobe - especially Fafi. People were freaking-out-peeing-in-their-pants about this collection. I liked it okay, but I thought it was a bit over the top and don't think I even purchased one item from it. At least I got Sockhop Lip Glass from the Heatherette collection.

Anyway, I have been waiting to get that thrilled-pee-my-panties feeling about a MAC collection, and now that feeling has come over me. Dazzleglass. Oh. No. MAC is releasing its Dazzleglass collection at the end of May and I can not wait. The picture above is its official promo. Shimmery-glittery goodness all over your lips. I could not ask for more. And it comes in so many shades!!! The question is how am I going to resist buying them all. Dazzleglasses seem to be a little less sticky than lipglasses but more sticky than lustreglasses. If you are looking for a lot of color, you're not going to get that from these... just a lot of shiny, shimmery awesomeness. Hello! Its like bling on your lips for goodness sake. So now you have something else to look forward to in May... you know.... besides my/Jenn/Erika birthdays! And c'mon, after reading the descriptions below, how can you not be ready for a new summer lip gloss?

Comet Blue Violet blue
Funtabulous Purple with violet pearl
Ms. Fizz Bright pink with blue pearl
Like Venus Clean light bubble gum pink with red pearl
Baby Sparks Pale pink with violet pearl
Money Honey Mid-tone rosy mauve with red pearl
Rags to Riches Plumy pink with teal and red pearl
Date Night Deep plum with blue and gold pearl
Spanking Rich Raspberry pink with red and gold pearl
Get Rich Quick Warm yellow brown
Bare Necessity Caramel apricot with red and gold pearl
Steppin’ Out Clean yellow pink with red pearl
Glamour O.D. Bright coral red with red pearl
Suugarrimmed Milky pale pink with red, teal and white pearl
Pleasure Principle Clear white violet, teal and white pearl
Love Alert Raspberry red with red pearl

Honey these lips weren't made to stay bare

So much information, so much to invest in! New York Magazine online is doing a special in their Shopping section on lipsticks - but not just lipsticks... glosses, balms and stains as well. NYMag's The Cut tested over 400 different products to find their 109 favorites. Holla! It might be an interesting list to peruse if you are looking for something different... there's a whole bunch of popular products listed side by side... by price or by color. Soooooo convenient. And don't worry, no, most of them are not over $25... I just sorted the list from highest to lowest price... to see who the top dogs were. Thats just me. The most expensive $55 one is Clé de Peau Beauté Lipstick in No. 26 only available at Bergdorf Goodman. Don't worry I am not recommending it! However, I am loving the Yves Saint Laurent Golden Gloss in Golden Nude (2nd row, farthest to the right). Anyway, I do recommend checking out the list for something different. Very cool... very glossy glossy.

Wanna be bronzey baby?

Okay so I splurged on a product last week. I know you are all probably like "whatever you splurge on all of your products, crackhead". Um no ma'am I don't. I consider those necessities. This was just something I desired - something I have been eyeing for quite a while now : Guerlain Terracotta Spray Bronzer Powder Mist. I am close to being speechless. I know - moi speechless? Yes. Its that amazing. Basically its a make up bronzer you can put everywhere and anywhere on your body with the ease of a spray mist - it goes on beautifully and does not budge. Literally.

I have read about how great this product is for quite a while now, and I am not sure why I decided to take the plunge now. Lets be honest - its probably because I had to wear a dress to a wedding this weekend and my pasty whiteness is reaching bleaching proportions. So I thought what the hey. Eeeek! I was so tan. It looked so good. Basically you just spray it everywhere - I did my chest, arms, legs, and even a little bit on my face - and I could have totally passed for have just gotten back from a weekend at Cabo. A few reservations I did have initially : a) would it stay? and b) would it get all over my clothes? Yes and no. Perfect. It really didn't get on my clothes at all (although I would still be cautious about this - I was wearing black). I put it on in the early afternoon... and not only did it last all night through the wedding after party, but I woke up and went to church the next morning (no I didn't take a shower - I am admittedly a dirty bird) and was still bronzey baby. Mind you this is not a "bronzer" in the sense that it is purely topical and therefore will come off once you shower, get wet, etc... but for a topical bronzer it seems to have major longevity. Plus, it has SPF 10 and a powdery finish to it so it protected my skin while making it look silky smooth on top of it all. Jack-freakin-pot.

Gotta be a downside right? Always a friggin' downside. Price. It is $57 for uno bottle... and even though it claims to provide 130 applications I would say its less than that. So I am going to have to "try" to reserve this marvelous find for special occasions... but we will see how long that lasts. I love the look it gives me. I will definitely have one in hand for Rachel's wedding - light blue bridesmaid dresses!!! :) Oh and I use the 01 Light shade... it is plenty dark believe me. I recommend this to everyone who wants to splurge to be a bronze goddesss... if only for a night. Like a Bronze Cinderella. Awwwww...

And big 'ole glossy props to Miss Jenn and Rach for their fabu-loso shopping trip this weekend! Man oh man. You know I am literally dripping with envy...

Who doesn't want a Greek Holiday?

Once again, totally not my fault. I went to Sephora yesterday with a friend... to help her spend a gift card. Not me. I did not plan to buy anything. See? I can have pure and good motives. But then, as we were perusing the NARS section trying to find her a new lip gloss - it just jumped out at me - their new Spring 2008 Shanghai Lily Collection. Ahhhhh. Hold back, Ruth. I even tried on their new Greek Holiday Lip Gloss with good intentions - to try on the color for my friend. What am I supposed to do with the fact that it looked fabulous on me? Oh homegirl and it did. Its a beautiful nudish, peachy, shimmery, a bit glittifying, goldish wonder. Its beautiful. Yes, just like a Greek Holiday. I had to get it - it was out of my control. I did hold back, however, from getting the one product in the collection I have been badly wanting, Orgasm, The Multiple - yes thats really what its called - which is an all-over multi-purpose stick to add that perfect Orgasm pink all over your face, eyes, body, lips, you name it. So see? I can practice some restraint. Just not much. For a great new springy gloss, check it out.

DuWop - not just something to sing to

If you ladies have not entered the world of tinted moisturizers, well then girlfriends get on board! I, myself, will admit I was a tad late to hop on this train, but since I have it has been a great addition to my cosmetic life. I have never in my life worn foundation - at most a powdered/foundation combo - so I understand not liking to cake a lot of crap on your face. But if you feel you need a little something more to add some color and even out discolorations on your face, then tinted moisturizers are a great answer to that. I have been trying out some new ones here and there and I am telling you nothing compares to DuWop Revolution Face. I have heard about this product from many other beauty resources but due to financial restraints, I have held off from getting it. No more of that, sir. It is the best out there and will be my staple. Like forever. I love it.

Its a lightweight moisturizer that when I put it on, perfectly adds color to my face and evens out my skin. Almost like I am wearing foundation but I'm not! Ah I love it! I usually put a little powder on top and I am good to go. It is also perfect for that day when you have to scoot out and run errands, be outdoors, etc and you dont want to wear make up but need a little something on your skin... this is it. Right now I am using the Caitlin shade but I think I could handle a darker shade like Tara. Maybe when I get a wee bit tanner. And although it is a moisturizer, I go ahead and put a layer of regular moisturizer on my face first, just to make sure and soak up any dry spots. You can get DuWop at Sephora (duh)... and if you're like "DuWop what? Like the dance??"... DuWop is the cosmetic line that created the first original lip plumper - Lip Venom. Even if you don't want to follow my expert advice and go to Sephora.com and buy this blessed product, I encourage you to look into tinted moisturizers. They will change your life. Some other brands that make great ones are Laura Mercier, Stila, Shiseido, Bobbi Brown, and actually... Clinque (I hate that I have to admit that). Go tint yourself.

Dior Splendor

I am not going to blog about Paris Fashion Week 2008 (well not really). Although I am dying to cover every knook, cranny and stitch of it (and discuss it with you in detail), I realize that I already talked about New York Fashion Week and most of you do not care about such things. However, they bring me joy. But if you are taking notes, PFW is like... it. It defines it. And I did just want to show you... would you just look at the make up on the models at the Christian Dior show yesterday? Graaaaacious. Its exhilarating. Brilliant. Breathtaking. Of course only make up artist Pat McGrath could create a look such as this, as the entire Dior collection was going for a retro-60s feel with a kick. Huge, huge eyes. I would say they pulled it off. And would you look at those perfect nude lips? Oh to dream of being able to do make up on this level... at Paris Fashion Week... sigh. Out of this world.

Come to Mama

Bobbie Brown’s Pink Raspberry Palette was one of the most desired collections that came out this past winter/holiday season, but do to my bank account issues (its like someone is just taking money out of it and not replenishing it. Psh. As if!), I actually restrained from partaking in such fabulousity.

Wellllll, that restraint is slowly quickly slipping out from under me as I just saw Bobbi Brown’s first Spring 2008 collection newly released. Bobbi Brown’s New Nude Collection. Oh goodness, come to mama. There is nothing I love more than some really good neutral eye shadow shades (the eye shadow palette is gorgeous), but above all else, there is nothing I love more than a really good nude lip gloss. Heavens to Betsy they’re amazing. In the collection there are four new limited edition Glitter Lip Glosses – Bare, Buff, Nude, Naked. Yes, you’re allowed to giggle. And do you know what "limited edition" means? Yes it means I have to buy now. Its out of my control. Now I don't blindly recommend just any make up collection - for instance I did not like MAC's N Collection, which was their most recent nudes collection this spring. Eeeew. Oh but I recommend this one. If you want to join in (you would be so now), you can find this collection online, at high-end ritzy retailers nation-wide, and soon to be seen... well in my purse. Go get naked!

C is for Crazy Consumers

I have no self control. When I heard that Coach was coming out with cosmetics, to say I rolled my eyes is an understatement. I was quite annoyed. They have the most overpriced products out there - from wallets to scarves to shoes - and so I swore to myself that their make up would be another retarded reason to overcharge consumers for a product covered in "C"s. People will run out and buy it just because its Coach. Maybe I am just a tad bitter because I can't really afford their purses?

Buuuuut... I have actually heard really good things about their lip gloss and when I found out about their Gardenia shade (a light shimmery peachy gold - the one on the left in the pic) all self control and conviction flew out the window. Sheesh. Didn't take much, did it? You can not get them in the Coach stores yet - only online. And yes if you are Miss Moneybags you can buy a cute wristlet to match. For now I will just enjoy my cute new lip gloss. Yes... covered in "C"s.

I love it when celebrities can be funny and make fun of themselves although it happens very seldom. It shows a bit of perspective and class in this self-absorbed, fame-obsessed world. Fergie does just that - watch this its retardedly funny.

Sephora = Bliss

My love and devotion to my heaven-on-earth-realization known as the store Sephora is secret to no one. But since I no longer work in the downtown area (hurray) I am so far away from it. The closest Sephora store is probably in Rice Village which is 45 minutes away. And although I love Sephora.com you simply can't buy new make up online.. just re-stockings usually. Sigh. So I have not been getting to enjoy Sephora like I normally do. However... dun dun dun... they finally just opened one up in the mall that is close to me this weekend. Finally. I have been tres excited about this for longer than I will admit.

So after lunch after church yesterday I went with my mom to check it out. You see... I am going to ride that whole I-drove-with-you-to-freaking-Arkansas-my-halo-is-still-shiny-so-you-totally-owe-me train as long as I can and squeeze as many Sephora products out of her as possible. Such a loving, selfless daughter I am. Anyways, the store was actually goregous. New, white and shiny and glowing (like pregnant Angelina Jolie was last night at the SAG awards. So obvious.). It had such a great collection of lines... even ones that I have never seen in a Sephora store (just online) like Balm, DuWop, Givenchy, Laura Mercier... it was intense. And awesome. They even had a mini version of the Shu Uemura eyelash curler. Squeel. And its all just around the corner. From me!

Then I saw it... *cue the light from heaven shining down through the clouds*... Kevyn Aucoin's Flesh Tone Lip Pencil laying beautifully and delicately on a random shelf. Hollaaaaaa! "What are you doing here, precious?" This is one of the most sought after products out there for creating the perfect and subtle lip. Excitement took over my body as I hurried over to one of the eight thousand employees working the floor (I guess they assume idiots need lots-o-help on opening weekends) and asked her if they had the actual Kevyn Aucoin make up line in their store... I held my breath in anticipation. The lady goes... "Huh? Kevin who?" GASP! Homegirl did NOT even know who he was. Girrrrrrrrrlfriend, you do not need be workin' at Sephora if you do not know who Kevyn Aucoin is. He was a very well known make up artist and his books are considered to be make up bibles for goodness sakes. Sheesh. Sadly he has passed, but he was a cosmetic genius and has left behind a extremely-sought-after-and-hard-to-find makeup line. He's like it. I was extremely disappointed. Shoot I need to be runnin' that place. The moron attendant scurried off to ask her manager my simple question, and since I am sure you are on the edge of your seat wondering, no they do not have the whole make up line - just the pencil. Which was enough for me... for now.

Other good news is that I found a new make up line I really like : Napoleon Perdis. Wow. Love it. I haven't seen this one around much but look forward to getting more into it. I got their Lip Lacquer in Crystal Pink and its stellar. A beautiful frosty baby pink (but not too frosty) that made my lips shine like the top of the Chrysler Building. It could be considered a bit on the sticky side but not too bad at all. And it stayed on forever. And by forever, I mean I drank an entire Sonic Route 44 Diet Coke and that Rocky-of-a-lip-gloss was still hanging on to these beautiful kissers. So yes I am loving it. I made my mom get it in Ruby Red. I am also trying out their Peep Show Madame Beyond mascara.

So I got some great stuff including my Kevyn Aucoin lip pencil and Napoleon Perdis lip gloss and mascara, Stila Convertible Color in Lillium (its like creme blush) and I have been looking for a new perfume... so I chose Christian Dior's new new fragrance, Dior Addict Shine (its a citris-y scent with a hint of gardenia and rasberry.) Amazing. Different. So me. Needless to say... I walked outta there with a big 'ole smile. And beautifully glossified lips.

Are you battin' those lashes at me?

As a true connoisseur, I love every aspect of make up. But if I had to be honest, I would say that eyes are my favorite feature to... well, make up. Eyelashes play a significant part to that equation. I admit and my sister (and bank account) would gladly tell you that I am obsessed with my lashes and finding the perfect HG (Holy Grail) mascara for these baby blues greens. I actually have crappy eyelashes – they are short, straight, and light light brown. Ugh. Got the poop end of the gene pool on that one (thanks ma). But thankfully they can be improved with just a little bit of… mascara. First of all, any mascara works well after the very first application. I personally believe it’s completely deceiving. I mean even a Walgreens brand would make your lashes look good at first (okay that one made me throw up in my mouth a little). The question is… what are the real effects the mascara produces (length, volume, curl, color), what are the effect’s longevity throughout the day, and how long the actual tube of mascara will last producing these effects. Oh and the blacker the better in my book. I have tried oh so many (so so many) trying to find my favorite so I thought I would share some of my findings with the good of humanity and so you won't waste your time and money on bad products. Thankfully these are just the recent products that I have used that I can remember or the list would be longer. Oh the horror.

* Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara - This one could be my all time staple. It gives an equal dose of curl, length and volume which I love and one tube seems to last me a really long time in comparison. Even though I like them, you have to make sure you can maneuver the large brush because as far as large brushes goes, BADgal takes the cake. (hmmm frosting). If I ever get frustrated not being able to find a mascara I like, I always revert back to BADgal.
Benefit Get Bent Mascara - What an awful follow up to BADgal. The tip of the brush is bent in order to enhance curlage, but oh it does not. Its hard to work and I continually poked myself in the eye and the tube dried up in like a week. Nothing to offer. Pass.
* Sue Devitt Microquatic Black Widow Mascara - This one was surprisingly good - especially since I am not a huge Sue Devitt fan overall. It had really good lengthening and made my lashes extra black which I love. It had a tad of volumization in there so its a good choice if you want dark, long lashes.
Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara - Eeeew. No thank eew. I think I have even blogged before about how awful this mascara is. I take back what I said before - I don't think I even liked the first application of this one. Clumpy, dry, no fun. Pass.
* Shu Uemura Mascara Basic - Genius mascara. Smooth, lasting application that provides severe length and curl that would even last through my sweaty work outs (the only one that would). Its the best "basic" mascara out there. Only downfall is that its waterproof (annoying removal) and doesn't get my lashes quite as dark, black, voluminous as I want. Its the most expensive out of the bunch but worth every penny.
Shu Uemura Fiber Xtension Mascara - Hmmm... I was hoping for Shu Uemura's Basic with volume and walah! perfection but not quite. Yes this mascara creates darker and fuller lashes than the Basic, but it also smudges a whole lot more and clumps up much easier. Pass.
Dior Diorshow / Blackout Mascara - Oh heavens to Betsy where do I begin? Diorshow Mascara is an absolute cult favorite... raved by every beauty blogger and is on every one's "Best Of" lists including Sephora and Allure. But I beg to differ. I was disappointed in this mascara. It has the large brush that I love but it was blah and disappointing. No major length, volume or curl. I do not see what the fuss is all about. I even tried the Diorshow Blackout version and it was smudgy smudgy smudgy. Although it made my lashes very black, not worth the smudge-clumpiness. Pass.
BOURJOIS Yes to Volume! No to Clumps! Mascara - This purchase had to do with the fact that I was at Ulta and at the time they only had a few good make up lines available and I had heard of this mascara. But with its odd 3D shaped brush I could barely get it on my lashed because it just plopped and clumped on the base of my lash line. I didn't use it but a couple of days. Pass.
* Chanel Inimitable Mascara - HG? Probably the closest thing I have gotten to a HG mascara and have used it religiously the past three months. I believe it has the great combination of length, curl, dense color, volume and lasting power. I just love it. Eeeek. I don't have enough good things to say about it. Unfortunately I do feel like the tube dries up a bit quickly so I find myself buying a new one more often than I'd like. And its 27 bucakaroos.
Lancome COURBE VIRTUÔSE (Divine Lasting Curves) - This mascara is all about providing lasting curls. I will have to say that it did help with the curl (however not over-the-top curlin')... but it was such sticky mascara it would rip my lashes out. I always curl my eyelashes after one coat (which isn't great for your lashes but whatever) and my eyelash curler would literally stick to my lashes. I can't risk it. Pass.
* Lancome Fatale Mascara - I have such a love/hate relationship with this product. There is not a mascara out there that will make your lashes darker and blacker. Love love that. However, it has a 3D comb brush and it is simply hard to coat your lashes without over coating and making them clumpy. It just takes some skill and time. After purchasing this product numerous times over the years, I still don't have it totally down. But the long lasting, dark, thick effect this produces, I will not give up. I will persevere!!!
MAC Mascara – Any kind - No no no no no. Niet. Nope. Uh uh. Get the hint? Everyone knows my love for MAC on every possible level (its disturbing really) but they make the absolute crappiest mascaras in the history of time. It makes no sense. I keep trying to give them another chance - like their new Plush Lash, but once again it sucks. Zoom lash, Fibre Rich Lash, they're all the same. Very sloppy, smudgy, clumpy mascaras. I wish MAC would hire me to help with these. Sigh... Until then, pass pass pass.
* Talika Eyelash Lipocils - This is actually not a mascara but a conditioner for your lashes and I think its wonderful. I have the curse (another one???) that my eye lashes begin to fall out when I get stressed - which is like, all the time. Hello! So this is a well known conditioner that is supposed to help your lashes grow and be healthy after just 28 days, and it really is good stuff if you ever start having lash-health issues. Let's hope you don't!
* Maybelline Illegal Lengths - My all-time favortite cheap mascara. Only issue? Oh its discontinued. Cheese and rice this still makes me so mad. Thankfully, for now, you can still buy it on eBay. So every once in a while I will get a few tubes to have on standby. I do not understand why this product was discontinued. Its amazing and provides length to your lashes that rivals the best of the best. I would suggest you do the same and stock up.
* Maybelline mascaras - Although there's not another Maybelline mascara that really stands out to me (besides my beloved above), I just wanted to point out that overall I believe Maybelline to be the best at cheaper, drugstore mascaras, which most people besides my-psychotic-self invest in. So if you go this route, I would focus on this brand for sure. Even I, at times, revert back from time-to-tome to everyone's favorite bright pink and green Maybelline Great Lash. Overall good mascara.
* Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara - This new mascara as actually been raved about in blogs, magazines here and there the past month or so but talk about good advertising... I only wanted to try this mascara because of the Drew Barrymore's commercial. I love her. So I tried it and surprisingly its okay. Not on the calibar of Chanel volume, but decent volume and length. I would say quasi-yes. Easy, breezy, beautiful Cover Girl. OMG I could soooo be on ANTM.
Clinque - I can’t write about Clinique's mascaras because I have refused to wear Clinique since high school. I have issues with it - just hate it and everyone's blind commitment to it. Sorry no ma’am.
* products I will purchase again

Okay so I think thats enough. There are so many I didn't write about and so many I still want to try such as: Imju Fiberwig Mascara, Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes! Mascara, Stila Major MAJOR Lash Mascara, Two Faced Lash Injection, and Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils (its actually been ordered and in the mail now and I am tres excited about it). Believe it or not, I don't like buying and trying products and having them not work out just for the fun of it. I am doing this for all of us. And its fun. :) Oh... and if you are using anything besides a Shu Uemura eyelash curler, you are simply an idiot wasting your time. Harsh, but true. I hope this helps if any of you desire to step outside of your CVS shopping box and into the world of luxurious mascaras. Your eyes won't regret it.

Always be Original

Even though this collection came out a week or two ago, I simply have to share with those of you who are not up to date on the new cosmetic releases. Plus - this is the best time of year for make up.. with all the new spring lines and fun bright colors. MAC released their Originals collection, which is bascially some of their classic and best selling shades, alot that had been previously discontinued. "Originals have a lust for life! M·A·C pays tribute to the high flyers in the shades, shadows and looks that stylishly stand the test of time. Originals are now and forever." The collection rocks. Most significantly is their release of cult-favorite Parrot eye shadow (the bright teal) that had been out of commission for a while along with Nico Now lip glass, which used to be one of my staples. Nico Now is described as a mid-tone grey purple with multicolored pearl lip gloss, but it looks much better on than it sounds - not tacky, trust me. I have gotten both of these products, which I am stoked about because Parrot seemed to be sold out everywhere after the first day of release. In a perfect world I would be buying many more products from this collection including Charred eye shadow, Golden Olive pigment, and Antique Gold glitter... but... c'est la vie. Sooooo run (yes, run) to your nearest MAC counter to check this out.

Purple is the new green

Free make up – it just does not get better than that. I had a MAC gift certificate that I have been dying to spend (I did a makeup for a friend’s wedding and she rewarded be perfectly!), and today was the day, so I “dropped by” the Galleria. I have been looking for the perfect shade of dark purple/plum eye shadow. Why? a) if you don’t know already (you should!), purple is the IT color this season for fashion and cosmetics b) I happen to love purple c) purple brings out the green in my eyes and d) this season is all about doing a smoky eye with different colors than just grays and blacks. Hello! But I am sure you all knew that. I have been on a stakeout for a good shade