MAC's Ruffian Nail And Lipstick Collection Is Hotter Than August Asphault

Behold MAC's Ruffian press-on nails. THOSE Demoiselle POINTED HALF MOONS! (I haven't seen nails so covetable since Beyonce busted out those Chanel Nouvelle Vague nails in her "Why Don't You Love Me?" video -- one of her best and most underrated videos, if I may.)

Spectator, Demilune and Demoiselle, $25, each

Ruffian Naked, Ruffian Red and Ruffian Gold, $14.50 each

MAC's Ruffian line is a limited edition collection of three press-on nails nail sets and three matching lipsticks. I'm personally having minor fainting spells over the Demoiselle half-moon set in Ruffian Red. They're SO Kiss of the Spider Woman, and the more Petula Clark I can incorporate into my nails the better, IMO. Sink your nails into the Ruffian collection while you still can.

Versace Yellow Diamonds, Rimmel Volume Flash Scandaleyes Mascara + More On 10 Things I Love Tuesday!

I'm kind of experiencing a real-life "Emma"/ "Clueless" situation. See, my BFF Laura is a phenomenal writer, mother, and human being. I've been bugging the shit out of her to start a mom blog for AGES, and she finally did it (probably just so I'd STFU). Anyway, speaking of bugs, she was bitten by the blog bug and is burnin' up, Madonna style, with a SERIOUS case of blogging fever over at Look What Mom Made. And I'm so happy because I'm not even a mommy/ kid sort, and her blog is so inspiring. Anyway, it's a classic case of the student becoming the MASTER, where she's Tai, and I'm Cher, because I love her "10 Things I Love Tuesday" list, so I'm promptly stealing it. Thanks, Laura!

Without further ado, here are 10 things (most beauty, I admit) I love on a TUESDAY.

1.) Versace "Yellow Diamond": I'm highly devoted to Versace's "Versace" fragrance, but I want to slather Versace "Yellow Diamond" all over my body (in a reasonable way). It's basically a lighter, brighter version of Versace Versace, with more citrusy notes but all of the sophisticated staying power. Put it on yourself NOW. "Yellow Diamond is $67 at Macy's, but if you like "Yellow Diamond" on Facebook you can get a free sample! HOW 'BOUT THAT, America?

2.) Rimmel Volume Flash Scandaleyes Mascara: This is kinda Rimmel's answer to Cover Girl's epic Lash Blast mascara. The main difference? Rimmel's has slightly more color payoff. It's best used as a final coat over a mascara that really defines -- like MAC's False Lashes. Rimmel Scandaleyes is like, I don't know. However many dollars. It's not much.

3.) Nars "Shrinagar" lipstick: Perfect wearable berry purple. I know I said all of that stuff about red lipstick, and I do love a good red, but lately purples have been doing it for me They bring out your lips' natural color but in a slightly exaggerated, not at all cartoonish way. "Shrinagar" is $24 and worth every penny.

 

4.) Cover Girl Color Blast Flipstick Lipcolor: Beware. Cover Girl's new two-in-one lipstick will stay on your lips FOREVER. I'm still wearing "Perky," and I put it on like, last Monday.

$7.99, Cover Girl, Target

5.) Soap & Glory Hand Food lotion: File under: British stuff I love, right next to "Downton Abbey." Impulse bought this while waiting in line at Sephora (IT WORKED, Sephora. You're welcome), and this is my new favorite lotion next to MOR. It lasts forEVER, softens, and has a secret ingredient: MARSHMALLOW! Bonus: Adorable packaging.

$5, Soap & Glory, Sephora

 
6.) Miu Miu Noir cateye sunglasses: I just... You guys. These sunglasses. I don't usually have these kinds of feelings about SUNGLASSES, but come on. You could be wearing OVERALLS with these (THE HORROR!), and no one would even notice because these are just so posh.

$390, Miu Miu, Saks.com

7.) Marimekko's Varpukka blouse: I was a little "whatever" about this blouse until I saw it paired with a sleek black skirt, at which point the needle moved into DEFINITELY YES territory:

$99, Marimekko.com

8.) Ralph Lauren Tremont leather satchel: I love me a neon satchel, but this tan leather satchel  is just so classically lovely and simple in a way that I probably am not. Let's just be real.

$368, Ralph Lauren

9.) Jenni Kayne pink velvet open-toed sandals: That Ralph Lauren bag PLUS these pink velvet Jenni Kaynes? BOW DOWN.

$270, Jenni Kayne, Shoplesnouvelles.com

10.) Dior Forget-Me-Not polish: Not only is this the most precioso shade of purple polish, but IT SMELLS. (Good, not bad, obviously.) And if you're going on a Dior binge, might I suggest the Anselm Reyle nail polish collection? I might!

$23, Dior.com

Iris Apfel For MAC Collection: Buy Everything Now! While You Still Can!

Watch and learn, people. Ninety-year-old Iris Apfel is everything I want to be when I grow up: a bespectacled, unabashedly bad-ass New Yorker unafraid to be a style original and unafraid to wear all of her bracelets at once. Who am I kidding? That is probably four percent of Iris Apfel's bracelet collection. But anyone who abides by the polar opposite of Coco Chanel's "take off one accessory before you leave the house" fashion rule of thumb is probably someone whose arms I envy. Oh, and I'd also like to be way way way rich. (Not gonna lie about that one.) I'd be charitable too. Gosh. Don't be all judge-y in my fantasy.

Another reason to want to be Iris Apfel? MAC, quite astutely, just released their Iris Apfel collection, a limited-edition 20-piece collection, and of course my favorites are the nail polishes and lipsticks, especially the shades brighter than a tanning bed on fire. My rule of thumb for lipstick, and nail polish is usually "would someone be able to see this from space?" If yes, then it's probably a beauty product I'll invest in.

Sandpiper Creamy pale stone beige (Limited Edition)
** Oriele Orange Bright orange coral (Limited Edition) ** FAVESIES

Toco Toucan Bright blue-fuchsia (Limited Edition)

Pink Pigeon Bright cleanest pink (Matte) (Limited Edition) 

** Morange Loudmouth orange (Permanent) ** FAVESIES!

Scarlet Ibis Bright orange-red (Matte) (Limited Edition)

Party Parrot Bright red-pink (Matte) (Limited Edition) 

Flamingo Light milky bright coral (Lustre) (Limited Edition) 

Most of the Iris Apfel MAC lipsticks are sold out, but my favorite, Morange, is still available online, so get to steppin'. Or go stalk your local MAC to see if they're still available. (Don't act like you're above it.)

+ Related: Into The Gloss' excellent Iris Apfel interview.

Spring Beauty Forecast: Tom Ford Lavender Palm, Topshop Polish + Dark Circle-Busting Concealer

Ohai! Beauty Blogging Junkie's Amber and I have once more joined forces to bring you some of our favorite beauty products for spring. (Review our favorite winter beauty products if you need a moment.)

Anyway, neither one of us should be allowed in front of anything that has the capability to record us because we will NEVER STHU. OKAY! Watch our new spring beauty "forecasting" videos, and check out my favorite spring products below!





Here are the beauty products I'm INTO.

($4.99, Sonia Kashuk, Target)

 

Tom Ford Lavender Palm EDP is $250 for 50ml, $950 for the 250ml decanter (I KNOW!) and available only at Tom Ford Beverly Hills. That's SO Tom Ford of him.

($23.99, Graftobian.com)

Seriously, Graftobian makes the BEST concealer/ corrector OF ALL TIME. Believe me when I tell you this. Because it's true. This is like the Susan Boyle of beauty products: plain-looking but deceptively skilled.

($28, Rodin, Barneys.com)

If you're not the kind of girl who'd spend $28 on lip balm, you will be after reading my Naag.com review of Olio Lusso.

Oh, and I TOTALLY screwed up the name of brand of the shirt I'm wearing! It's Wkshp (pronounced "Workshop.") Good thing I don't have to appear on any red carpets in the near future. Reporters would be like "WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?" I'd be like "IT'S LANCOME" instead of LanVIN or something! Anyway, Wkshp's tees are the comfiest, slouchiest, cutest tees I've encountered in my entire history of t-shirt curation. And that's really saying a lot. CandyStore Collective, Free People and Nasty Gal carry Wkshp tees.

($39.50, Wkshp, FreePeople.com)

 HORSE shirt alert, by the way! That wasn't lost on you,w as it?

($40, Wkshp, Shopnastygal.com)

+ And by the WAI, Topshop Sandy Lane nail polish is coming soon!

Finally, here are the products AMBER is into!
+ Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Eau de Parfum
+ Elemis FreshSkin Make-up Cleansing Wipes
+ Revlon CustomEyes Palette in Smoky Sexy
+ Josie Maran Blemishes R Gone Argan Acne Clearing Pads
+ Neutrogena Skin Clearing Blemish Concealer
+ Pixi Week Of Wake Up Makeup ($30)

HOLY SHIT I NEED MAC'S NEW SURF BABY NAIL POLISHES THIS INSTANT!

Um, sorry for shouting. I just got REALLY excited. Aside from "Scream 4" and not wearing shorts, another thing to look forward to this summer is MAC's Surf Baby collection. I'm especially into the collection's two nail polishes: "Hangin' Loose," which is the dirty pink nude you see on the left, and ESPECIALLY "Ocean Dip," the mid-tone creamy aqua on the right.

"Hangin' Loose" is a perfect NBN, or non-boring neutral. "Ocean Dip" is a lovely bright turquoise reminiscent of a fun pool, like the ones most of your friends seem to be enjoying while you're sitting around typing on your keyboard inside a temperature-controlled office building. Sorry. Do I sound bitter? Anyway, dive in! Surf Baby hits counters May 26.

Read my Naag.com beauty reviews of more MAC musts:
+ "Haute & Naughty" mascara
+ Wonder Woman "Obey Me" nail polish

The Year In Beauty: These Are My Favorite Things, Part 5

Without further ado, here's the fifth and final installment of my and Beauty Blogging Junkie Amber's favorite beauty products of 2010. I figured 2011 is as good a time as ever to... post the last post in our series. Which I should've done in 2010, but whatever. I was busy watching "Hoarders" and not making resolutions.

Here are the beauty products we discuss. As you can tell, I veered off course and discussed my seashell shoes and a Marc Jacobs pen that looks like lipstick. Kinda counts, right?

Me: LA Looks Cashmere Curls Gel (the holy GRAIL of curly hair products), Lancome 020 Le Rouge L'Wren Scott Nail Polish (which is highly sold out, unfortunately -- I got the last one in all of Saks), Haus of Price Shoes,  Marc By Marc Jacobs Lipstick Pen, and MOR Cosmetics bath and body products

Amber: Sally Beauty Supply Femme Couture Mascara Set (with glitter mascara!), Beverly Hills Skin Care Advanced Youth Recovery Cream, Philosophy The Supernatural Superbeautiful Foundation SPF 20.

 

The Year In Beauty: These Are My Favorite Things, Part 4

Welcome back!

You, like me, are probably sitting around in your sweatpants, so what better time to check out the fourth installment of my and Beauty Blogging Junkie Amber's favorite beauty products of 2010. I've been writing about beauty every week for Naag.com, so there are plenty of lipsticks, perfumes, eyeshadows, mascaras and wine to cover.

Let's get right to it.

Here are the beauty products we covered in this video:

Me: Davines Number 1 Finest Oil Non Oil For Wizards (a miraculous anti-frizz serum), Revlon Retro Fire and Ice nail polish in Siren, Miss Pucci Perfume and Tom Ford Black Orchid Nail & Lip Set.

Amber: Keratin Complex Serum, Immunocologie Skin Care, and CND Effects Line polish.

 

Watch Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

The Year In Beauty: These Are My Favorite Things, Part 2

Yesterday Beauty Blogging Junkie's Amber and I "unveiled" -- because OBVIOUSLY you were unable to sleep due to the overwhelming suspense -- our favorite beauty products of 2010. And now here is part two for your bemusement. Get it? Because "bemusement" sounds like "beauty" a little!

The products I was all in a tizzy about are: Stila Raspberry Crush lipstain, Clarins' new Barocco holiday eyeshadow trio, and Deborah Lippmann Bad Romance polish. (Check out Matthew Siskin's awesome Gaga graphic that ran with my Naag review of the polish!)

Meanwhile, Amber reviewed Paul and Joe's palette, Chanel nail polish in Riva, and Carmindy All Over Brightener.

(Credit: Matthew Siskin/ Designed Memory for Naag.com)

At Arm's Length: What's On My Wrist And In My Bag?

I usually don't take and post my own photos. I'm a HORRENDOUS photographer, and I'm not the world's most photogenic girl. The camera doesn't hate me, and it doesn't love me. It's more like "eh?" Indifferent. I'm an adult. I know and accept this about myself. But I was kinda into my bangle selection and nail polish the other day, so I snapped a quick pic, which of course, my dumb cat Rory jumped into. The camera loves him. Anyway, here's what was going on:

+ Green polish: Avon Nailwear Pro in Jade -- This was my first-ever foray into Avon nail polishes, and WOAH, Johnny. This is one of the best polishes I've used in forevs + 1 day. The formula is smooth, and streak- and clump-free AND it dries quickly. Perhaps most satisfying of all, unlike most polishes which chip off after one shower, this one was going strong for days. And the muted, vintagey green apple shade is, um, so a-ppealing if you'll pardon the horrible pun. Look for Avon Nailwear Pro's Jade shade coming soon.
+ Beige polish: Revlon's new Grey Suede from their Daydreamer Collection. I love the grey-brown beige shade (as well as Daydreamer's Peach Petal color), and I'm currently wearing it on my toes and nails, but the formula was really gloopy and clumpy. Boo.


+ Top bangle: Jessica Kagan Cushman's wonderful engraved resin scrimshaw bracelet. This one says "Pay No Attention To That Man Behind The Curtain." Perfect metaphor for so many moments of my waking hours that I can't control. Appropriately, her "Never Never Never Never Give Up" bracelet seems like the perfect complement. And it goes without saying that the "Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner" bracelet is probably the greatest statement ever engraved onto anything, in the entire history of engraving. (I'd even venture to leverage that statement against the stone cold tablets of the 10 Commandments, but I'm all about the golden rule, so I won't push it.)
+ Middle gold bracelets: They're not at all real gold, but the first one is from a Brooklyn flea market. I think I paid $10 for it. Worth every cent. The other is a fake-gold ID bracelet engraved with name, with a heart punched out. I got this when I turned 13 and lived in Florida. I never take it off.

($60, Steven Shein, Shopstevenshein.com)

+ Silver bangle: Steven Shein flecked bracelet in silver! This was a recent acquisition and I love it more and more every day. It's made of resin and wood, and it's laser cut to absolute perfection. I keep taking it off and marveling at the handiwork.
+ Animal print bangle: Ted Rossi. It's snakeskin, the perfect size for stacking, and it's gotten better as it's been lived in, typed in, clattered and clanged upon. (Check out Ted's black denim tye-die bracelets. Increds!)

Now, onto what's in my bag!

The fabulous and inimitable Dina Fierro, who founded and masterfully executes Eye4Style, does her usual exhaustingly thorough and straight-up smart job of style blogging on the regulars. We also have shockingly similar taste in jewelry. (Just yesterday we shared a moment, dreaming of forearms stacked with Jessica Kagan Cushman bangles, discretion be damned!) I allowed her to rifle and rummage through my handbag for her "What's In HER Bag" blog series. Enjoy a look into my life. Or at least my bag.

+ Disclosure: The Avon and Revlon polishes and the Ted Rossi and Jessica Kagan Cushman bangles were all gifts.