The following items from VincentLongo, MallyBeauty, EllisFaas, BurtsBees, LauraMercier, and VMV Hypoallergenics, are some of the best of the best, can’t fail to impress color cosmetics items for Fall 2014 from some of the hottest companies.
Color cosmetics have the power to transform us easily, quickly, dramatically. But the best thing about them is that we can re-invent ourselves, and then when we’re ready, we can wipe it away and try something else….don’t you agree?!
VincentLongo:
We love Vincent Longo products for high performance, trendy colors, and never-let-up-down looks. When it comes to eyes, long-wearing products make it easy to look good and then enjoy the look without wondering if your makeup is still where you applied it, or if it’s still there at all!
I particularly appreciate this when I’m traveling or when I know I’ll be out all day with no time for touch-ups. Be inspired by statement makeup and create a look that allows you to really shine.
Unlike a stain on your dress, a makeup stain is a product that stays put when you need to look fresh and beautiful for hours. And when it’s hot and humid, a stain stays with you and won’t quit. Vincent Longo has created the Starlette Gel Eye Stain ($24.00), a makeup stain for eyes that lets you glide the color and then shimmer and shine with no extra effort hour after hour. This is fabulous!
Each sponge-tipped pen is great for travel, dispensing soft, delicate pearls suspended in an innovative gel texture made just for the eyes. The richly pigmented formula glides on evenly for a wash of sheer-to-buildable, water-resistant color and sparkle. Transparent sheer texture and glimmer can be layered for a more dramatic, long-lasting look. The doe foot, felt-tip pen design ensures effortless, mess-proof application.
The gluten, oil and paraben-free innovative eye stains are non-drying and non-creasing. To apply this “stain” properly, sweep the color across the upper eyelid starting from the outer corner of the eye and evenly layering the color along the lid, moving all the way to the inner corner. For extra long wear, wait 60 seconds (to let the first layer dry), and then add a second layer.
Beauty Tips: You will need to use a proper eye makeup remover to really remove all the residue. You can also use these stains as an eyeshadow base; not only will it enhance the color of other shadow textures layered on top, but also extends wear time.
Another really fun product for eye product fanatics is the Vincent Longo Crème Gel Liner ($25.00). What I like so much about this one is that the intense color has a subtle pearl finish so the color looks vibrant, not just like you painted on a line with a marker. Once the liner is applied, it’s transfer-resistant, and has a waterproof finish but the formula is very blendable, so you can also wear it as a longwear eye shadow.
Even though I don’t wear a lot of eye liner, the multi-tasking product makes it a great travel companion. If you want to use it as a loner, Vincent Longo suggests using his .precision angle eyeliner brush #11 in, wiping the brush against the side of the pot to remove any excess product.
Place brush against base of the lash and draw line along lashes, building to desired effect. For a bold statement, apply liner more generously to the outer corner of the eye with an upward sweep. I used a brush to gently dab on the “Flamenco” liner as a shadow, then blended it with my fingertip.
You can use any of these colors, any way you wish: Blu Raven (true black with blue pearl); Flamenco (metallic mocha bronze); Golden Orbit (rich metallic gold); Felis Brown (earth brown with brown pearl); Teal Green (petrol green with peacock pearl); Velvet Plum (deep purple with blue pearl). For more information visit the Vincent Longo Web Site
Ellis Faas:
Ellis Faas Cosmetics is a line that proudly proclaims that the products are: “Only Tested On Supermodels” (and not on animals). The packaging is distinctive — long silvery tubes that look like bullets. The colors are chosen based on the colours that the body produces naturally–select those that work with your skin tone.
No matter whether you pick a bold color or a subdued one, the Ellis Faas human colors do seems to work well with all skin tones. In fact, when I tried some of the colors, I purposely selected some that I would not normally pick.
Ellis Faas Lipsticks ($35.00), for example, are categorized by Creamy, Milky, Glazed, and Hot. So, for example, the Ellis Faas Creamy Lips L101 “Blood Red” which seems forbiddingly dark and almost “bloody,” still managed to be attracted on my ruddy, freckled and fair skin while 
Hot Lips L409 (pink nude) would normally be a color I’d avoid as too pale and “dull,” but it too, had enough pink in it to make my lips look alive and trendy, not dull and washed out. The colors last a long time and don’t dry out your lips. Gorgeous, grown-up formulas that really impress and look amazing.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, this one of Ellis Faas’s eye products should do it. The Ellis Faas Creamy Eyes Shadows ($36.00) each have a brush tip, whereas the lipsticks have a sponge tip. To me, the packaging should be reversed. But the shadow slides on like silk, blends beautifully and once on your lids, stays put and true to color for hours.
The Ellis Faas Mascara ($34.00) also comes in the stunning, silver bullet packaging, and is available in either black or brown. This mascara seriously lengthens lashes, although it doesn’t thicken them. If you want, use a thickening mascara first, then this one for added length you can really see immediately.
When it comes to the face, it gets a bit trickier. Like any brand, Ellis Faas has different colors you can select for the foundation. Some of Ellis Faas’ best selling items are the foundations/concealers. I tried the Liquid Foundation -Skin Veil ($90.00) and even though this is a high-priced product, I thought it was absolutely wonderful.
The formula is moistly matte, easy to apply, and covered beautifully without looking cake-y or unnatural. But selecting a color is trickier. I selected Skin Veil S102L “Fair” which was the second lightest. which is what I’d normally select in a liquid foundation. In fact, the “Fair/Medium” looked rather yellow tinged on the web site.
The coordinating S202 Concealer ($40.00) which is packaged in a silver bullet like the other products, was a perfect match for my under-eye and was like a dream come true to cover up dark circles — well worth the price. But the liquid foundation was just too light. I felt like I had modified Kabuki makeup on. Well blended, it was passable, but probably not the best choice.
This is where sampling, especially with a high priced product, really comes in handy. Fortunately, it is available. Write to help@ellisfaas.com. Select the products you love and you may never want to use anything else. For more information Visit the Ellis Faas Web Site
Mally Beauty:
As the weather cools down, your lip choices are either nude, or bold. I say: don’t be afraid to go for the bold! Hot hues for lips are turning up everywhere, and not everyone loves the look of nude lips. So if you want to be trendy and look impressive, you can do it with the help of gorgeous Mally Roncal. Mally Beauty helps you create a flawless bold lip easily.
Orange lips are still seriously “in,” and “Sexy Siren” is a seriously cantaloupe-colored orange that is good for a fading summer tan and that will work with all your Fall colors when you’re not quite ready for a bold red. Mally’s lip products have lots of staying power in a creamy, care-for-your-lips, formula, too.
The Perfect Bright Lip Kit (available in Sexy Siren and Frisky Fuschia) includes an Evercolor Shaping Lip Pencil that draws a line while helping to make your lips look younger and more vibrant. It also contains a 7-in-1 Lip Magnifier that combines a smoother, treatment, hydrator, primer, pencil, color and gloss all in one package. So the kit includes everything you need: lip pencil and a lip liner and a nice pencil sharpener, too.
I love the velvety formula of the lip pencil that slicks on lips easily, the Lip Magnifier (ok, call it a chunky lip pencil if you wish) has plant oils and Vitamin E to help fill in lines, and deal with dryness. My only complaint? There are not enough colors!
The Lip liner has beeswax to create a soft and stay-proof line (in other words, no feathering). Together, they make a great combination. The color of the lip pencil and the lip color are well coordinated so you really get a defined lip. Start with the Evercolor Lip Shaping Pencil and fill in your entire lip. Apply the Lip Magnifier on top, and reapply as needed throughout the day. Easy! Just $26.00. For more information visit the Mally Beauty Web Site
Laura Mercier:
Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide,
The Advice Sisters have been fans of Laura Mercier’s makeup going all the way back to the millennium. Her formulas help even those who are not fabulous at application or color selection do a great job, and the products are high performance. Now she has just launched a new product we’re ooh-ing and aah-ing over: Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide,$48.00.
This foundation really is impressive. The key to all the excitement is a ” Bi-phase formula activates fresh color with every use, so you need to shake the shiny, sleek, black tube with pewter cap, well before applying it. Then pour out some of the long-wearing liquid foundation that blends beautifully, blurs imperfections, and leaves skin matte (but moist).
It is formulated for all skin types, comes in 24 oil-free shades, and as I tested it in the heat and humidity of Summer, has proven to be both humidity-proof and sweat-proof. The thing that makes this foundation so exciting is that it feels like you are wearing nothing at all and yet is does everything a full coverage foundation that is longwear is supposed to do. It is genius!
With 24 shades, the most challenging part of applying this foundation is going to be finding the right color: Shades: (Shell, Crème, Vanillé, Ivory, Ecru, Cashew, Linen, Macadamia, Butterscotch, Dune, Buff, Honey, Dusk, Golden, Suntan, Praline, Maple, Chai, Nutmeg, Pecan, Amber, Chestnut, Truffle, Espresso) I tried Ivory (very fair with warm undertones) and Cashew (a light neutral with warm undertones). Although both are quite different, honestly, both looked ok, although Ivory was a bit light.
The best way to find your shade will be to go to a Laura Mercier makeup counter and try them on your own skin, but barring that, go for the warm or cool or neutral tone that you generally would select in a foundation, especially a favorite Laura Mercier product. for more information visit the Laura Mercier Web Site
Burts Bees:
Travel and lip-friendly, 100% natural, affordable and yet still totally beautifying? That’s exactly what’s being offered in a new lip crayon from Burt’s Bees. Just $8.99 gets you one of these newbie Burts Bees Lip Crayons that have no added flavor or fragrance and are available in six really nice medium toned to deep colors.
I wasn’t expecting much (I admit) when I got samples of these new crayons, but I immediately became a big fan. The creamy pencils have a moistly-matte finish and deliver a lot of moisture to dry lips.
Those who don’t want to be “eating” a lot of chemicals will be happy the the good-for-your-lips benefits come from natural ingredients like Shea Butter, Kendi Oil and Jojoba Oil . The chunky pencils have a twist up design that doesn’t need sharpening so you can apply them anywhere, any time.
While I wouldn’t call these long wear lipsticks, they add a natural looking but deep matte stain to your lips, and you can refresh it any time with a simple “swipe,” so they make perfect travel partners. The colors are lovely and they make you feel like you’ve got a brand new lip look for less than the cost of a big latte. New crayon colors for Fall are two deep red-centric tones, a browned red called Redwood Forest, and a deep wine-red called Napa Vineyard. Find them in drug and mass-market retailers, or visit the Burts Bees Web Site
VMW Hypoallergenics:
VMV Hypoallergenics has a foundation with SPF 25 protection. We like the Illuminants Brilliant Finish 25 Powder Foundation that offers silky-sheer to full-coverage (depending upon whether or not you use it dry with a sponge or brush, or moistened).
It’s best to use an actual sunblock, but found with a decent amount of SPF, can help, too. The VMV Hypoallergenics Illuminants Brilliant Finish 25 Powder Foundation ($45.00) looks luxe, nestled into an ultra-suede zippered pouch with mirror. Inside the makeup compact, there is a square of powder foundation on one side and a square sponge in a vented container on the other.
Titanium Dioxide provides most of the sun protection (to SPF 25). The powder foundation has brightening qualities so it blur imperfections. Wear it sheer (applied dry) or full coverage and creamy (with a moistened sponge).
Although powder foundations can be tricky for dry and aging skin, this one works well for all skin types, it’s dye, paraben, fragrance, PABA, and fragrance-free, and it is validated hyp0allergenic VH-76 (free of all known cosmetics allergens). If you’ve had a facial peel or some kind of facial procedures, this is very important to know. Also, it is available in 7 light to medium colors.
For a luxurious, lightweight and pore-friendly (not to mention travel-friendly) foundation that comes with its own mini wallet, it’s actually a good deal. If you’re the type of person who can’t or won’t use anything with chemicals and still wants to be protected (at least a bit) from the sun’s damaging rays, that’s another reason to love this.
Beauty Tip: If you are going to apply foundation, blush or bronzer with a brush, keep your skin from breaking out by washing those brushes often. Brushes with synthetic bristles tend to accumulate less bacteria than natural, animal-hair bristles.
VMV Hypoallergenics offers a range of what they call: Skintelligent Beauty Brushes ($15-$32). There are eight different brushes with bamboo handles They are dye and fragrance-free, featuring non-comedogenic, really soft bristles that capture powder and liquid well. The one you’d want to use for the foundation above is the Cream-liquid Foundation Brush ($30.00).
This brush comes lovingly wrapped in a brown paper “bag” nestled into brown logo tissue. The brush is lightweight, with (animal-friendly) synthetic bristles and environmentally-friendlier bamboo + aluminum handles and collar.
The way to test whether or not a brush is well designed is to invert it on a hard surface. If it makes an even circle, it’s well-formed. This one does the job nicely. The handle is 5 1/2″ long from the bottom to metal top. That’s long enough to hold comfortably but not so long that you can’t tuck it into a medium sized makeup bag if you are traveling. Another good brush to have is the Large Powder Brush ($32.00) which you can use to smooth out your foundation, or to dust on powder of any type, or blush, or bronzer. Both are must-haves for a flawless face. The VMV Hypoallergenic brushes are good quality at a decent price. Get more good for your skin makeup and skincare, and all the brushes on the VMV HypoAllergenics Website
social links: @MallyBeauty, @EllisFaas, @BurtsBees, @LauraMercier, @VMVHypoallergenics,
