FashionCense

Exciting News! Pantene Pro V has created a new line of hair care, Nature Fusion.  Bringing a little more nature to your hair routine.  International model and host of Bravo’s Top Chef, Padma Lakshmi, has been named as the spokesperson of the line.  Padma is the perfect rep for the brand because of her gorgeous locks of hair and her Indian decent.

Nature Fusion’s active ingredient is the India-derived Cassia seed.  Cassia is a naturally derived performance ingredient that helps transform hair to make it softer, shinier and stronger. The Cassia Complex creates a protective shield to leave hair naturally radiant and stronger against damage. Outstanding performance is now affordably available.

There are two shampoo and conditioner formulas, Moisture Balance and Smooth Vitality. I’ll be using both and will report my experience within the next few weeks. 

Be on the lookout for Padma in upcoming Pantene television and print ads.

By:  Samantha                        Source

Founded by Barry Mero in 1982, Barry M has been quite a popular UK makeup line here. Its vibrant colors, reminiscent of the 80s when the line started, always seem to stand out among other drugstore lines in Boots and Superdrug stores. Today I am reviewing the Deluxe Eyeshadow Kit.

The cardboard compact comes with a mirror and a double-ended sponge applicator.

From top to bottom, left to right:

- dark royal blue, yellow gold, warm purple
- aqua blue, dark grey, cool green
- beige gold, silver, medium brown

The finish and the pigmentation level seem unified across the board. All the colors are well-pigmented. They have a subtle pearly finish with very fine shimmer. None of the shades looks overly frosty.

The colors go on quite smoothly and blend well, and the staying powder is good

I like the fact that the nine colors range from the neutral and office-friendly beige gold and brown to the more 80s-tastic blue, green, and purple. (These three colors go on very slightly lighter, but they are still very vibrant.)

The bright shades complement one another. The aqua blue and the green (with a hint of light turquoise) blend with each other well when I try to wear both of them at the same time. Also, the neutrals can create quite a seamless gradational look.

To have fun with the palette, you can take the three colors from each row or column and see what look you can come up with. (I find that most of the combinations do make sense, and I particularly like the top row, with blue, purple, and gold.)

Considering the fact that Barry M”s eyeshadow singles (Dazzle Dust) cost 4.50 GBP each, the Deluxe Eyeshadow Kit”s price tag (9.95 GBP) seems modest. I think this is a good palette to go for either if you would like a versatile palette at an affordable price or if you want to experiment with colors that you don”t really wear very often.

(The Barry M website ships internationally.)

By:  PJ                        Source

photo: cinematicpassions/wordpress
Not a very imaginative name is it?

I”m a recovering perfume junkie. When my husband and I lived in Europe a few years back was when the addiction was at its worst. Europeans are crazy about fragrance and we lived literally a stones throw from four different perfume boutiques, not counting Sephora. I spent hours perusing those isles looking for my “signature” scent. In the end, I settled on Un Jardin sur la Nil (Hermes) as my summer scent and Ungaro”s Diva for the fall but I still like to dabble with other scents as the mood strikes. 

Now that we”re back in the States, I haven”t kept up with perfume news as much so I was surprised to read the other day that Coty has developed a new fragrance with Halle Berry that will debut this March. It”s called “Halle by Halle Berry” and according to Lucky magazine has notes of pear blossoms, fig leaves, amber and sandalwood which piques my interest a bit. 
The actress claims to have been working on every aspect of the frag for the past two years and has called it her “second baby.” 

The bottle isn”t very impressive. There are probably a half dozen other perfumes on the marked now (including an Estee Lauder scent) that have the exact same bottle.  The lettering is typical Coty with “Halle” etched on the glass in that classic “Stetson” font.  
“Halle” will retail for just under $30 and be sold at drugstores and retailers like JC Penny. I”m really looking forward to seeing the accompanying ad campaign. With all the celebrity fragrances on the market, it”s a shame that more deals aren”t inked with non-white celebs.  The only ones in recent memory that come to mind are Jennifer Hudson”s deal with Avon and Naomi Campbell”s line of frags which I haven”t seen Stateside in years. 
I would just die if someone like Grace Jones came out with a perfume. I can”t even begin to imagine what that would smell like. Base notes of latex, black orchid and alligator?

Halle is also on the upcoming Essence Magazine for like the 400th time. Not much to say about that except that I kind of like the cover photo this go round. One doesn”t even have to open Essence to know exactly how every article will read.
Do you have a favorite fragrance? Who would you like to see come out with a perfume?

By:  Brigitte                        Source

Color Fever Gloss in Piha Black is part of the Lancome Spring 2009 Pink Irreverence Collection

Tester: Hispanic (Argentinian) about Salma Hayek”s complexion with med. pigmented lips.

“O.K., so here is the color that will make you look like a “sexy Elvira”.

Not for everyone, to be sure, but if you”re going to go edgy or want a completely different night time look, this is the shade for you!

This is a very unique dark shade that may appear dark grey/black in the tube, but my lips used alone I got a deep steel grey shade. There is a touch of brown in it which warmed it up nicely and was very flattering! Surpringly so actually. It was fairly sheer so I could build up the color, and it had a moderate amount of sparkle in it, which I loved (and saved it from making my overall face look “dead”). The effect was beautiful when the light hit it — it gave off a holographic sheen which I loved at night. When I used this over a very dark red or brown lip color it gave me equally dramatic and sexy looks. (This is not a shade for wallflowers!). I”m excited about all the other combinations I”ve yet to try.
The gloss has a soft and smooth texture. The applicator is a soft leaf-shaped, angled pad and I loved the packaging which is sleek, modern and futuristic. The fragrance was a soft rose which dissapated quickly. Because this is such a rich color, it will lend itself well to dramatic looks on darker skin tones from those like Oprah to Grace Jones too.
If you are daring with your makeup looks — or just want to dip your toe in the water of “edgy” this is the perfect product to do so with!” L.A.

By:  Palacinka Beauty                        Source