Musings of a Muse

Santa, baby, can you please fill my Christmas stocking with Lambie goodies from Bath and Body Works?

The Muse was really good this year…kinda….sorta..somewhat good…I was being ok…..alright I was naughty as hell but deal with it Santa!

The Muse sends kisses!

k, bye.

You don’t have to lie the census is already in, you guys freaking love Bath and Body Works Lambie line!

Go on admit it!

I got a gazillion e-mails about the Bath and Body Works Lambie line after I did my Bath and Body Works Holiday 2008 post last week and seriously who could blame you for being so interested in these sweet, warm, cuddly goodies!

I thought I’d bring a few more high resolution images your way to whet your appetite!

Behold:

Bath and Body Works Lambie Blanket $35 USD WANT IT!

Bath and Body Works Lambie Socks $10 USD NEED IT!

Assorted Bath and Body Works Lambie Plushes $8 USD-$19.50 USD

Bath and Body Works Lambie Blanket and Sleep Mask GASP! HAVE TO HAVE IT!

Bath and Body Works Lambie Large Plush $19.50 USD

Bath and Body Works Lambie Shower Sponge $6 USD OMG! Lambie in my shower!

Bath and Body Works Lambie Sleep Mask $10 USD

Bath and Body Works Lambie Slippers $16 USD

Bath and Body Works Lambie Key Chain $4 USD Ooo she’d get dirty fast on my keys! Would have to find another place to put her!

The Muse has all the cutesy Lambie goodies on her wish list and she also happens to have a 20% Off coupon burning a mighty hole in her pocket…I think it’s time for a haul!

How about you?

Want any Bath and Body Works Lambie goodies?

Haul any last year?

Tell the Muse!

Bath and Body Works Holiday Collection 2008

Bath and Body Works Fall and Holiday Collection 2008

Bath and Body Works Lambie 2007

Bath and Body Works Goldie Disney Collection

Bath and Body Works Twisted Peppermint Body Spray Review

I do so admit all the pink from the Smashbox Holiday Collection entitled Rapture has gotten me completely excited and hyper!

I’m rolling around in happiness at the prospect of pink! What? I’m a chick, I dig pink, sue me.

No seriously I really am quite excited about the rather cute little quilted pink cases that a majority of Smashbox Rapture is coming in so happy in fact that I knew I had to have one for my very own!

In comes Smashbox Gift of Glow which includes a cute ribbon tie makeup clutch in, you guessed it, PINK that the Muse absolutely loves! The makeup case isn’t the only thing to get excited about though! This set includes some wonderful items to get you all sparkled up for the Holiday Season!

The case included with Smashbox Gift of Glow is a dual zip clutch style makeup bag with two loose pockets for storing makeup, brushes, etc….it closes up using two pink ribbons which you tie together. It’s pink and it’s quilted and it’s very Musey-like! Inside you’ll find all the perfect treats to makeup cheeks, lips, and face!

The kit includes a Smash Shadow Liner in Hollywood. This morning I used Hollywood as a liner however the formula is so smooth it’s claim of being a “shadow liner” is all truth. This will make an ideal base for shadows or used on it’s own it as shadow. The color is a bronzy brown with quite a fair bit of gold sparkle that looks wonderful paired up with gold shadows.

The kit also includes two brushes which are a liner brush and a baby buki brush. The baby buki brush is quite nice although it sheds a tiny little bit however after my second use I didn’t notice shedding so that’s a good sign! The liner brush is a full size brush with is unheard of as many Holiday gift sets take to creating mini or smaller versions of full size brushes however Smashbox generously tucked in this full size liner brush! The brush, in my opinion, is a little too large for lining eyes but it works a treat for working on the v of the eye and the lower lash line! It’s has pink handle which I absolutely adore of course! More Pink! YAY!

The kit includes a Smashbox lipgloss in Gilded which is a Shimmery Pale Gold however I do not have pictures of the gloss sadly! Sorry ’bout that!

And finally my favorite piece in the set is the Smashbox Flash Powder in Gold which can be used on face, eyes, or body! This morning I used this on my eyes as a shadow and lined with Hollywood! The two match up beautifully well. This is a finely milled, silky powder that gives a beautiful golden shimmer and highlight to the face without overdosing your cheeks in disco fever! It’s quite a subtle sparkle that’s perfect for the holidays! If you’re looking for an inexpensive option to Chanel’s new Poudre Precieuse Gold Highlighting Powder this could definately work well at a much nicer price!

Here are a few more swatches of Flash and Hollywood side by side:

The entire kit costs $49 USD and is well worth it considering a majority of the products included are full size items. Breaking down the cost including the bag would make each piece $8.10 USD.

To create my look below I used NARS Super Orgasm on my cheeks and highlighted my face with Smashbox Flash Powder for a bit of gold sparkle! On my eyes I used Smashbox Flash Powder and lined with Smashbox Shadow Liner in Hollywood. I completed the look using one of the glosses available in the Smashbox Rapture Lipgloss Set (which I’ll be reviewing for you shortly!).

All in all I think that the Smashbox Gift of Glow offers a nice selection of goodies that will help us sparkle, shimmer, and shine for the Holiday Season! The set would make a beautiful gift for anyone who adores Smashbox Cosmetics or craves a bit of shimmer! The gift set has a reasonable price tag attached and includes a variety of items to create one or two complete holiday looks for the season!

The Muse likey!

You can get yours at Sephora or Smashbox Cosmetics!

Want it?

Love the Smashbox Rapture Collection?

Lemming any of it?

Do tell the Muse!

Further details about the Smashbox Rapture Collection

Further images from the Smashbox Rapture Collection

Smashbox Wicked Lovely Review and Swatches

Hey guys!

I posted this last week but it was too early to post so I had to take it down! I’ve since posted images and another post about the Smashbox The Rapture Holiday Collection which you can see by clicking this link.

The collection is available at Sephora for purchase and Smashbox!

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Phew, it’s not even October yet and already the Holiday Collections are flooding in! I love the Holidays as it’s always such a great time to stock up on kits and collections that are packed full of awesome goodies at a considerable savings! Plus it’s always a nice time for giving beautiful gifts to friends…and…well getting some for ourselves is always great too!

Allow me to introduce you to The Rapture Holiday Collection by Smashbox which includes an array of awesome pieces to enrapture and tickle you beautiful for the Holiday season!

I don’t have all the official images as of yet but here are details on what will be available!

Since we all know how hard the Muse has been working at finding that perfect primer now would be a good time to indulge in Smashbox Flawless Finish Primer Set for $39 USD which includes a full size and travel size of Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. Taking into consideration that the primer retails for $36 USD you’re getting a nice deal as you get a dual selection for $3 more! Sweet!

Dontcha just love gloss kits? I do..I can’t be alone here! Every brand always puts together a great coffret of glosses come the Holidays and Smashbox is no different with the Smashbox Lipgloss Collection valued at $90 USD but retailing for a mere $29 USD.

What’s in it for you:

Get three glosses selections in one kit for one great price!

Two kits, six glosses equals perfection.

Glosses available in the kits are:

• Ravishing (Nude Rose)
• Lovely (Shimmering Pink)
• Stunning (Shimmering Bright Pink)
• Illume (Iridescent Nude)
• Radiant (Pinkish Plum)
• Candid (Pink with shimmering gold specks)

But of course we can’t have a Holiday Collection without a brush kit right? Smashbox Travel Brush Collection will be available for $49 USD and includes 5 travel size brushes.

Brushes included are:

• Face Brush
• Shadow Brush
• Angled Blending Brush
• Smudger Brush
• Contour Blush & Liner Brush

Indulge in the Smashbox Eyeshadow and Brush Collection to create an endless array of beautiful eye looks.

$49 USD for the kit which includes:

• 16 Shades of Smashbox Eyeshadow
• Definer Brush
• Shadow Brush

Smashbox Gift of Glow Collection $49 USD caters to eyes, lips and cheek and includes all of the following:

• Liner Brush
• Smashbox Shadow Liner in Hollywood (Bronze shade will Golden Shimmer)
• Smashbox Lipgloss in Gilded (Shimmery Pale Gold)
• Smashbox Flash Powder
• Smashbox Baby Buki Brush
• Quilted Travel Pouch

Smashbox really out did itself with the new Smashbox Ultimate Beauty Palette available Exclusively at Ulta for $59 USD. This includes nearly 100 Smashbox favorites for cheeks and lips. Wow!

And finally my favorite of the lot (can’t wait to see this in person), a limited edition kit created by Smashbox and Canadian jewelry line, Foxy Originals, which includes an exclusive silver pendant necklace on a triple strand chain. The Smashbox Enchantress Beauty Kit retails for $45 USD and will be exclusive to Smashbox.com. It includes the beautiful pendant, Smashbox liner and mascara, plus shimmering shades for cheeks and lips all packed in a chic faux leather and suede multi-compartment clutch.

Details for the kit:

Smashbox Cream Liner Duo in Caviar/Midnight Brown
Smashbox Soft Lights Quad in Aglow (Shimmery Pearl, Peach, Pink, and Rose)
Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss in Protege (Nude Pink with Gold Shimmer)
Smashbox Mascara in Black
Plus Pendant Necklace and Clutch for stowing it all away!

Well, obviously Smashbox went seriously all out for the holidays! Some of these items sound simply amazing and I hope I’ll review some of them for you shortly!

The Rapture Holiday Collection from Smashbox will be available as of October 15th at Smashbox, Bloomingdales, Nordies, and Ulta!

Keep your eyes peeled and keep checking Smashbox.com to see when the collection goes live! I know I can’t wait to see more images of this collection!

Like how the Smashbox Holiday Collection sounds?

Lemming any of the above items?

Which ones?

What are some Holiday Collections you’re excited about?

Tell the Muse!

Smashbox Wicked Lovely Collection

The mark site has been updated with the Holiday Collection for 2008! I have many International readers so I’m just going to take a brief moment out and explain that mark is a branch off of Avon. Avon caters to a more mature audience and mark was created to appeal to teens and women in their twenties (or in the Muse’s case women in their thirties! What can I say, I never grew up!).

Although I’m a big supporter of mark, I do feel that sometimes there Holiday coffrets are a tad bit overpriced for what you get so I highly recommend searching E-bay for a good deal on these items as they end up there for much cheaper prices!

Four gifts sets have been introduced for the Holiday and they are pretty much the same as years passed aside from the packaging. They are all actually very cute it’s just the price that puts me off slightly!

mark Most Loved Eyes Kit $16 USD

Includes the following:
I-Sheer in Meringue, Mousse, Praline, Sorbert, and Galcee
Metalliner in Blue Chrome and Quick SIlver
On the Edge Liquid Eyeliner in Cleo
Scanda-Lash Mascara
Packaged in a Red Makeup Pouch

mark Most Loved Lips $16 USD

Includes the following:
Glow Baby Glow in Sweet Talk and Player
Metalluscious Gloss in Opulence and Majesty
Glow Baby Glow Luxe in Pearl Luxe and Melon Luxe
Packaged in a Red Makeup Pouch

You can see what I mean from the above sets when I say that the gift sets are a tad bit high costing. At $16 USD these are SUPER mini glosses and eyeshadow items. For a few dollars more I can indulge in a MAC gift set that has WAY bigger sizes!

Now the mark Serious Case of Glam Train Case is well worth it’s price tag at $32 USD considering it contains full sized products plus a rather nice case to tote them around in!

The mark Serious Case of Glam Train Case contains the following:
Sydney Flip For it Color Kit (Four Lip Glosses, Two Shadows, and a Blush)
Glow Xpert Face Shimmer in Champagne Glow
On the Edge Liquid Eyeliner in Medusa
Scanda-Lash Mascara
Limited Edition Brush Set (5 pieces)

And finally the last item available is the mark Glamourlicious Lips Mini Juice Gems Set for $12 USD.

This contains four mini glosses flavored in Gingerbread, Candy Cane, Apple Cobbler, and Ice Cookie.

If you’re loving these they are available now on mark’s website!

Love ‘em?

Want ‘em?

Tell the Muse!

mark Earth Face Glow

mark Gorgeous Eyes Trio

mark Pure Eye and Lip Strips

I’m on a Holiday gloss ring kick! Last week the IsaDora Diamond Ring with Gloss caught my eye and this week the new Urban Decay Poison Ring has me captivated!

Now as much as I love the IsaDora Diamond Ring it doesn’t have the options that the Urban Decay Poison Ring has! Three glosses, one ring, the Muse likey!

The Urban Decay Poison Ring comes with three glosses in Heatherette (shimmering beige with silver sparkle) Guys Love Betsey (sheer red), and Naked (pinky-nude).

The ring is packaged in a cute multi-compartment ring case which has a spot for your ring on top and a pull out draw to stow away each of the three glosses! Cutes!

The Urban Decay Poison Ring is available for $50 USD from Urban Decay Cosmetics so if you’re wanting to spice up the Holiday with a slick little ring that stows away your gloss as well as being a stylish accessory go nab yours now!

Love it?

Want it?

Think it’ll make a good gift?

Favorites from Urban Decay Holiday 2008?

Tell the Muse!

Urban Decay Limited Edition Lipstick Cap

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Eyeliner Gift Set

Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner Sets in VIP and Velvet Rope

Stila’s Holiday Collection 2008 is turning out wonderfully well so far! I really love when Stila releases kits for the Holidays as they are always filled with great items and have a super sweet price tag attached!

One item in particular that grabbed my attention is the Stila Step Out and Shine Color Collection and Handbag Gift Set. The really awesome thing about Stila Step Out and Shine would be the fact that it includes the brand new, not yet debuted Stila Pomegranate Crush Cheek and Lip Stain! W00t! Score!

You know how much I loved Stila Cherry Crush? Take a trip down memory lane…CLICK!

Well, take Stila Cherry Crush and amp it up a little bit, deepen it, darken it, create a more intensely flushing shade and you’ll have Stila Pomegranate Crush!

Excited? I am but you can chalk that up to my great love of stains!

Stila Pomegranate Crush multitasks as a cheek and a lip stain and as per my earlier review of Stila Cherry Crush I have beef with using a product on my face that has already touched my lips! The Muse is anal about germs to say the least. So I highly recommend using the mini size that’s available with this gift set for your lips and later, when it debuts, grab yourself a full size for your cheeks!

Pomegranate Crush is a deeper shade of red than Cherry Crush which was much more pink. The color is ideal for Fall as it has a certain cast of maroon to it which is delightful!

This morning I was trying to locate my Stila Cherry Crush as I wanted to compare the two but sadly I couldn’t find! Swatches to follow later today!

The kit includes a slew of other goodies to create a quick, simple, flattering Holiday face! Aside from Stila Pomegranate Crush you’ll also receive the following items:

Stila Convertible Color in Orchid
Stila All Over Shimmer Luminize
Stila Multi-Effect Mascara Black
Stila Pomegranate Crush (as mentioned above)
A cute silver clutch with purple lining and a Stila emblem tag inside!

The Stila Convertible Color you’ll get is not available in the regular line up which makes the kit extra special that it included an item you normally can’t get. The color is a reddish maroon shade which adds just the right flush to cheeks and lips. A lighter hand will get you a blushing look while a heavier hand will create a deeper pop of color on cheeks! Convertible Color is appropriately named as it can easily convert from a cheek product to a lip product. How you use it is entirely up to you! I’ve reviewed Convertible Color prior to this and it’s one of favorite products from Stila as I adore products that multitask and allow for quick application!

Stila All Over Shimmer Luminize is a shimmery, light wear cream that can be used on lids, cheeks, or lips for an added touch of sparkling highlight! The is my first experience with the All Over Shimmer Luminize and I liked it! I tried it on my eyes as an all over color wash and it worked a treat at creating a rather natural highlight to my eyes.

This is my first experience with Stila Multi-Effect Mascara and it’s quite good. This is a nice volumizing mascara that gives a brilliant feather effect to lashes. It separates perfectly while creating a full look, plump look to lashes!

Before Mascara:

After Mascara:

For the look I created below I used everything in the kit and only added a bit of Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Zero and some gloss to bring the look together.

With Gloss:






Without Gloss

I started my look by applying the Stila All Over Shimmer Luminize on my lids and following up with two layers of Stila Multi-Effect Mascara. I followed up by applying Stila Convertible Color in Orchid to my cheeks and completed the look by applying Stila Pomegranate Crush to my lips!

The results: A simply, classic flushed look that was both simple and elegant.

I recommend the kit for cooler and warmer skin types as the kit is plenty pigmented to suit any tone. The kit is ideal for those who are super busy during the Holidays and want a quick, easy, and fun look on the go! It doesn’t take a ton of work or time to apply and the results are beautiful and natural!

I liked this one alot so I’m Muse Approving it for purchase!

I did notice an interesting fact about this kit. The one Stila is offering includes all of the goodies I listed however Sephora has an exclusive kit that also contains an eye quad which I thought was really nice as well!

Whichever Stila Step Out and Shine Color Collection suits you, rest assured your Muse loved this one!

It makes a killer gift but you know you want it for yourself anyway so why bother right? Hehe!

Love this?

Loving anything from the Stila Holiday 2008 Collection?

Any of the items on your wish list?

Tell the Muse!

Stila SPF 20 Shine Lip Color Review

Stila Illuminating Finishing Powder Review

Stila Convertible Color Review

Dontcha just love MAC Holiday?

Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside!

I’m REALLY loving MAC Little Darlings for Holiday 2008!

Last year, I didn’t take advantage of any of the sets introduced since I had so many of the items already offered and I was being a bit reserved with my purchases so I’d have plenty of money to feed my Japanese Holiday addiction!

I felt rather badly later since I missed out on the lip sets but many months passed and I was happy to haul those at my local CCO!

This year, however, I am taking full advantage of MAC Little Darlings and I’ll be quite the glutton with the interesting pieces releasing with these cute coffrets!

Although the piggie collections didn’t catch my eye (since I already have a majority of these in full size already) I do so highly recommend nabbing one or all since they are a super value for those of you who are new to MAC pigments! Each set includes five small vials of pigment (believe me that vial will last ages) for $29.50 USD. One thing I absolutely love about these sets is how interesting it is to see what colors they pair together! I noticed that Pink Mauved and Quietly, which I have in full sizes, make a great combo! I’d have never pair the two of these until I seen them in the cool pigment set!

This year there is a set of five warm pigments and five cool pigments each of which set contains a bit of MAC glitter as well so you can sparkle and shimmer your way through the holidays!

MAC Warm Pigment Set
Gold Dust
Gold Mode
Melon
Gold Stroke
Reflects Antique Gold (Glitter)

MAC Cool Pigment Set
Frost
Quietly
Pinked Mauve
Teal
Reflects Blackened Red (Glitter)

Although I won’t indulge in the pigments, I definately have my eye on the gloss selections! Yummie! These come packaged in lots of five for $29.50 USD as well please keep in mind these are mini size glosses, not full size however still a great deal none the less!

MAC Coral Lipglass/Lustreglass Set
Pink Grapefruit (ZOMG! It’s the Muse’s very favorite lipglass! Now you can get it in the gift set! I’m so excited I might just spit)
Wondstruck
Budding
Ola Mango!
Underage

5 Neutral Lipglass/Lip Lustreglass Set
C-Thru
Mouthwatering
Languish
Love Nectar
Beaux

5 Pink Lipglass/Lip Lustreglass Set
Fleur Delight
Song and Dance
Flashmode
Little VI
Magnetique

And finally MAC is releasing a Soft Sparkle Gift Set which includes five mini soft sparkle pencils! I have two of the colors of the five in the gift set so I’ll definately be indulging in this one as I want three shades I don’t have (nor have I ever heard of!). As with all the sets this too is $29.50 USD.

MAC Soft Sparkle Pencil Gift Set
Peacocked
Mint and Olive
Chocolight
Fab Orchid
Black Funk

If you’re new to MAC you have to be excited about these little sets or if you’re an old school’er I’m sure you still feel the love for at least one or two of these kits!

The Muse has her eye on maybe one or two of the gloss sets and definately the Soft Sparkle pencils!

These will be available from MAC as of November 6th so keep your eyes peeled to your local MAC counter or the MAC website! I did swatches of the items I already have to help you decide if you absolutely have to have some of these!

How about you?

What are you hauling?

What are you leaving?

Tell the Muse!

MAC Red She Said

MAC Royal Assets Holiday Collection 2007 Review

MAC Formal Black Vs MAC Royal Assets

MAC Holiday 2007

MAC Red She Said is up and available at the MAC Website!

Click!

Excited?

The Muse is!

I’m very excited about MAC Holiday this year as I’ve noticed I really love reds and MAC has plenty to be had with it’s exciting multi-part collection release!

MAC Red She Said is the main color story release that includes the new Mineralize Eye Shadow Trio that everyone is so hyper about. I’m personally not so interested in the shadows but I do want some of the lippies released with this collection!

MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow Trio

• Persuasive
• Word-of-Mouth
• Outspoken
• Danger Zone
• Threesome
• Inter-view

MAC Dazzleglass Lipgloss

• Date Night
• Baby Sparks
• Miss Dynamite
• Love Alert
• Sugarrimmed

MAC Beauty Powder Blush

• Stark Naked
• Enough Said

MAC Lipstick

• “Red” She Said
• Crazeee
• Pomposity
• Soft Pause
• Quiet Please

How about you?

What are you loving?

What do you have to have?

Tell the Muse!

MAC Royal Assets Holiday Collection 2007 Review

MAC Antiquitease Holiday Collection 2007 Review

MAC Holiday Collection 2007

MAC Dazzleglass Review

MAC Beauty Powder Blush Review

My little eye spies a new Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick at Nordies!

This brand new shimmer brick is entitled Copper Diamond and available for $40 USD exclusively at Nordstrom at the moment!

Click!

Although the packaging is brand new the Bobbi Brown Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick looks quite similiar to the limited edition gold version that I already have. This is one of those must see items in store before I decide if I need it as the resemblance to my Bobbi Brown Gold Shimmer Brick is uncanny!

Do I want it? Hells yes! But first the Muse must investigate further to see how similiar these two are!

Seen this?

Putting it on your wish list?

Tell the Muse!

Bobbi Brown Holiday Collection 2008

Bobbi Brown Shimmering Nudes Palette Review and Swatches

Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner Review

Bobbi Brown Concealer Palette Review

Bobbi Brown Pink Quartz Shimmer Brick Review

Bobbi Brown Metallics Palettes Review