Off to date night!

I snapped this while riding in the car on the way to meet friends for tapas on Friday night. I wanted something sexy and dramatic, but that I could have some hope of keeping on my lips throughout dinner. I realized this was the perfect time to test the Yagolicious Smooches Lipstick Palette.

I'd learned about this product at the Pink Sith blog, which offered a very positive review and some superb swatches, which I suggest you check out. I'm happy to say that my experience with this product is positive too.

As you can see, the product presents a smartly edited collection of reds -- true red, blue-red, orange-red, hot pink, and a true red gloss. The texture of the lipsticks is quite firm, but very smooth. It took several passes of my lipstick brush to paint in my lips, which struck me as just right. What I didn't want was a very soft product that glopped on my brush because while that might be easier to spread around, it's also a sure bet that it will seep into fine lines. Happily here you get the best of both worlds -- a precise application but the product feels smooth and moisturizing on the lips, not drying like many matte lipsticks can feel.

For this look, I applied my Revlon Colorstay Lip Liner in Natural, then used the first color in the palette (pictured at top). And that was it! No layering, no additional gloss. At dinner, I noticed very little transfer to my wineglass, and by the end of dinner I could use a little bit of touch-up to make it look freshly applied, but that wasn't even necessary.

The rest of the products used allowed me to keep it simple -- with a touch of foundation and concealer I used Armani Eyes to Kill eyeshadow in Rock Sand all over the lid, MUFE Aqualiner in Black, NYX Les Amoureux mascara, and NYX blush in Pinched. Simple, classic.

Perfume of the Night: BPAL Black Lace (A delicate sugar-spun vanilla cream cotton, stained by tobacco and incense smoke, Indian musk, and drops of cognac)

Warming Trend

It's a chilly spring morning, and I felt compelled to be somewhat defiant. If you pay attention to seasonal launches and magazine spreads, apparently you're supposed to want to wear delicate pastels and pinks in the spring, while reserving richer colors for fall. Well, too bad. I found myself pulling out this deep green dress with deco-style poppies on it, brown t-strap pumps, and my fall makeup colors, and so be it. This is a look that fits in with the style aspiration crib note I like to keep in mind when I'm buying things -- "Sally Bowles Gets a Day Job."

Foundation--Teeny touch of Armani Designer foundation just to even out some blotchy areas. MUFE HD concealer under eyes, with a dab of Smashbox primer underneath and MUFE translucent powder to set it.

Eyes--MAC Paint Pot in Painterly as a base, with Armani Eyes to Kill in Bronze-Gray on the lid. Liner is MAC Eye Kohl in teddy. NYX Les Amoureux mascara. Oh, and I use clear Maybelline Great Lash for brow grooming.

Cheeks--NYX Pinched.

Lips--MAC Dark Side lipstick with a touch of MAC Lustreglass in Ornamental. Revlon Colorstay lipliner in Natural to try to keep it all contained in the lipline.

Perfume--BPAL Mourning Lace. I can't seem to stop wearing this one.

Spring Thing

We need not have feared the dreary weather report, at least not today, because it turned out to be a stunningly beautiful day. After playing outside with the kids and doing some yard work, we decided to take everyone to lunch at a nice place by the water. I wanted a little color, but nothing too heavy, and I didn't want to get all matchy-matchy with my purple top or look too costume 80s. A touch of sheer green on the eyes did it, plus a nice bright pink on the lips and a glowy blush.

Foundation--None! Just used a bit of MUFE HD concealer under the eyes, with my usual teeny drop of Smashbox primer and a little MUFE translucent powder.

Blush--Urban Decay Afterglow in Score.

Eyes--MAC Paint Pot in Painterly as a base with NARS Nomad cream eyeshadow on the lid and MAC Rosemary & Thyme eye pencil on the lower lid. Touch of Almay One Coat mascara.

Lips--NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in Bonfire.

Perfume of the Day--BPAL The Fairies (apple blossom, white clover, huckleberry wine, dandelion sap, milkweed, primrose, thyme, pink moss, thorny thistles, and opium pod)

Face of the Day

I recently ordered a palette of red lip colors from a company called Yagolicious, which I'd read about on the Pink Sith blog. When I hadn't gotten an order confirmation or shipping notice after about a week and a half, I sent a quick email to the company asking for an update. They got right back to me, and let me know that in addition to getting my order right out the door, they were including at no charge a "Starlet" lip gloss. I'll post more about my adventures with these products, which are promising, but I really wanted to try out the gloss today (it has a mirror on the case! and it LIGHTS UP!) so I created this look to allow me to get away with a strong red mouth at the office.

Foundation--Just a touch of the Armani Designer foundation, Smashbox primer, and MUFE HD concealer.

Cheeks--A teeny dusting of NYX Powder Blusher in Red.

Eyes--MAC Paint Pot in Painterly, with a little Wet 'n' Wild Brulee over that. MUFE Aqua Liner in Black, NYX Les Amoureux mascara.

Lips--Yagolicious Starlet Gloss in Barcelona.

Scent of the Day--Violette Market's A Merry Life (Sweet and comforting vanilla beans infused with cream, star anise, pink pepperberry, and tarnished ever-so-slightly by worn leather boots, chimney smoke, and tobacco tar).

Today's Face

This morning I reached for a favorite warm-weather dress, a purchase from last summer, and decided to pair it with some favorite cosmetics to get a natural-but-polished, rosy look.

Foundation: Armani Designer, very lightly applied. Concealer is MUFE HD over a tiny dab of Smashbox primer.

Cheeks: NYX Pinched blush.

Eyes: MAC Paint Pot in Painterly all over lid, with Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow in Bronze-Gray on the lid. Liner is MUFE Aqua Liner in black, with NYX Les Amoreux mascara.

Lips: MAC Viva Glam VI.

Perfume of the Day: BPAL Geisha in Orange Kimono Admiring a Samurai (King mandarin, tuberose, white sandalwood, white moss, yerba mate, tangerine, and styrax.)

Dream Perfume, Passover/Easter Edition

Readying the table to kick off the holiday weekend, so I went out to the garden to cut a centerpiece. The scents are just overwhelming and gorgeous. Hyacinths, sure, but even the other flowers are sending out beautiful wafts of scent. So here it is:

Purple hyacinth, full-blown tulips, daffodils, and forsythia, with a hint of sun-warmed soil.

Black and White and Red All Over

I know the lighting stinks, but wanted to share today's look. I'm going to a benefit this evening, so chose my favorite work-to-evening black dress with a twist in the front and my classic black Manolo Blahnik pumps. I bought them 15 years ago, during my first year as a practicing lawyer, and at the time thought I might have gone insane spending $400 on a pair of shoes. If only you could get them for that price now! It turns out to have been an excellent investment, because I've taken good care of them and they're going strong so many years later.

Face: Armani Designer foundation (over Armani primer) in 5 with a little MAC concealer and MUFE translucent powder to set it.

Cheeks: NYX blush in Pinched (NARS Orgasm dupe).

Eyes: Armani Eyes to Kill in Rock Sand over MAC Paint Pot in Painterly base with MUFE Aqua Liner in black and NYX Les Amoureux mascara.

Lips: NARS Flamenco.

Nails: Sample size from the OPI Burlesque collection, sadly does not have color name on it.

Perfume of the day is BPAL Black Lace (A delicate sugar-spun vanilla cream cotton, stained by tobacco and incense, Indian musk, and drops of cognac.) If only I'd been around when this was on sale, I would have hoarded tons of it.