Julie Hewett Cosmetics

Nude Noir Lipstick, Pinkie Shimmy, Natural Cheekie, Sophia Lip Lush

Julie Hewett is an acclaimed Hollywood television, film and event makeup artist who decided to create her own eponymous line after formulating a collection of perfect red lipsticks for the movie Pearl Harbor. The line is small and new products are borne out of necessity and collaboration with some of her famous clients. The Mandy palette was created after working with Mandy Moore, for example, and the new Destiny Cheekie was formulated with Miley Cyrus' input. I've acquire a nice little collection of Julie Hewett products over the years and find them to be high quality and sophisticated. The line is available at select boutiques and via juliehewett.net.

Cheeks:
Cheekies are potted cream cheek and lip colors that are available in pots ($24) and now palette ($18) form. The formula is a true dense cream (and not cream to powder) so you are left with a youthful dewiness on your cheeks without grease. Julie sells a Chubby Cheekie Brush ($28) that I often use as an applicator for these, but if I'm in a rush I've found my fingers work just fine.
Clockwise left to right: Peachie, Rosie, Jami and Natural
Peachie (a bright but sheer peachy coral pink) and Rosie (a sheer raspberry pink)
Natural (a warm natural brown pink) and Jami (a cooler, mauvier pink)
Shimmies are iridescent highlighting creams for cheeks and eyes. Like the Cheekies, they come in both pot ($22) and palette ($18) choices. Pinkie, pictured at the top, is a silvery golden pink cream that is dewy but not oily. I tap it lightly in a C shape from my upper cheekbone to temple for a glow. Pixie, below, is new and a soft sheer lilac shimmer. This would be gorgeous tapped on the brow bone or center of the eye lid.

Left to Right:
Pixie Shimmy, Natural Cheekie, Destiny Cheekie, Jami Cheekie

Lipsticks and Glosses:
Julie has several lipstick formulations ($20-$22.50) in her line including the Noir Collection (a series of perfect reds), Bijou Collection (translucent shades scented with orange blossom), Sheer Collection (2 sheer variations on red) and Icon of Beauty Collection (honoring present-day screen sirens). There really is a red for everyone in this line, though I am partial to Nude Noir lipstick (pictured above) which Julie describes as a Nude Red but I call a deep shimmery pink nude that lasts all day and the Bijou Lipstick in Celeste (not pictured) which is a sheer pinky peach.

The line's lip gloss is called a Lip Lush ($20) and is deliciously scented with ginger. It's not at all sweet or cloying but is refreshing and different, almost relaxing. The Lip Lushes are not the least bit sticky and are creamy and soothing. Sophia, pictured above, is a natural deep pink brown with no shimmer. These glosses feature a doe foot applicator.

Eyes:
Julie has a new line of powder shadows ($10+palette) joining her Hue cream shadow/liner colors ($14 pot/$18 palette) and Too Good to be True pencils ($15). The Too Good to be True Pencil in Fig is a deep evergreen that glides on. The application isn't as smooth as say, UD 24/7 eye liners or Laura Mericer Kohls, but the pencil doesn't drag or tug like a lot of pencil liners.

You can also experience Julie Hewett's signature Camellia Balm, choose from a premade palette or create a custom one, find brushes and applicators and other great products on her site.

Dolce & Gabbana Cosmetics

The much-hyped Dolce & Gabbana Cosmetics lined debuted this year at New York's City Saks 5th Avenue, and then subsequently made its way the Saks Beverly Hills store. I ran to Saks when the line was initially unveiled, intent on snapping up a number of items. I was a bit shocked to discover that nothing really appealed to me. The lipsticks seemed somewhat average, as did the blushes, bronzers, and shadows. I thought the shadow duos and quads either odd combinations or ones that had been done before.

A few weeks later I decided to go back and take another look. Part of the problem is that the lighting created for the D&G area on the cosmetics floor is very, very dim and yellow, making it difficult to tell what a color truly looks like. On the second occasion I had a good amount of time to kill and decided to swatch items and then head outside to get a more accurate sense of the colors. This made a big difference in my take on the line! I decided to purchase items I found unique yet wearable, and went with a Lipstick in Naked ($30) and Eye Liner in Stromboli ($29).

Naked is part of the Shine line of lipsticks designed to be semi sheer with high shine. Naked is a shimmery pink with warm beige undertones. The color can be layered to intensify the pigment. It's too pink to be a true "naked" neutral, but it is a lovely versatile color. The lipstick does have a strong rose scent which fades in time.


From left to right, the colors in this swatch comparison are: Bobbi Brown Rosebud Shimmer, Lancome Beauty's Eve, Paul & Joe Pain D'Epice (#27), Dolce & Gabbana Naked, Clinique Gingerfrost, Shiseido SL13, Julie Hewett Nude Noir.

The Crayon Intense Eye Liner in Stromboli is a black with very subtle gold sparkles. I find black to be harsh with my fair skin, but this is a softer black shade and the gold shimmer helps to keep the liner from being overwhelming. The liner is smudgable, the the pencil has a sponge tip on one end. Unfortunately, the liner fades throughout the day, the gold shimmer barely shows up, and the product seems to get a coating on it that necessitates sharpening between uses. Not grave issues, but for a $29 eye liner I expect more. I would not use this one on the waterline due to the glitter particles. Despite my lack of affection for Stromboli, I've heard multile raves about this product in the Coffee shade and may try that one.

Some Products I'm NOT Loving Right Now

With all of the products I buy, of course I come across a product now and then that turns out to be a dud. Often I'll return them, but sometimes I end up stuck with them, either because they were not returnable or I kept them in a desperate attempt to make them work for me. Here are a few products I'm current not liking:

• Chantecaille Luminous Eye Liner in Pianissimo- this liquid eye liner is a stunning blue gray shimmer with a hint of violet. I'm a huge liquid liner fan and this color is extraordinary, but the formula is so thing that you have to draw over the line repeatedly to make the color show up uniformly and opaque. It's thin and streaky looking otherwise, and the line never looks sharp and precise when you have to draw over it so many times.
• Paul and Joe Pain D'Epice 27 Lipstick- this one breaks my heart. I adore this color. It's the most perfect shimmery beige pink and just looks so lovely on the lips. The problem is the smell! It smells like old crayons! I initially assumed that I purchased an old tube so I returned it and went through all of the remaining stock, only to find that all of them smelled this way. I've never heard commentary about the scent of Paul and Joe lipsticks before, I can only surmise that either this color has the horrible scent, or I encountered a bad batch. I keep trying to wear the lipstick despite the smell because I love the color so much, but after a while I can't take it anymore!
• Alba Mango Vanilla Moistuizing Shave Cream- I picked this up at Whole Foods recently because my goodness does this smell heavenly! Tropical and fruity with a mango vanilla coconut scent. This shave cream feels thick and rich when you spread it on, but it clogs the razor terribly and is difficult to rinse off.
• John Masters Organics SPF 30 Natural Mineral Sunscreen- this is an all-physical block that claims to be very light. I found it to be just the opposite--it sat on top of my skin, made me greasy, and clogged my pores. This is definitely a product when the description makes the product sound much better than it is!
• Laura Mercier Evolution of Color Lip Palettes in Pink Suede and Brown Suede-I spotted these on display in Bergdorfs last year and thought they were so lovely, I couldn't decide which to get. So I ended up with both. I have no idea why I decided to buy two since I never use lip palettes, as evidenced by the fact that these are virtually untouched over a year later. Now I have two lovely, albeit expensive, objet d'art taking up precious space among my makeup that will probably never be used.

What duds have you tried lately?

My Favorite Mistake

Whenever a beauty magazine publishes a 'don't' list, one of the items is invariably "don't match your eye shadow to your eye color." The makeup powers-that-be have decreed that contrasting colors (plum if you have green eyes, amber if blue, etc) are the most flattering, but I happen to love green eye shadows and eye liners on my green eyes! To me, green is less harsh than black, more interesting than brown and really does showcase my eyes! I'm not always looking for contrast. Sometimes a soft smoulder or subtle definition is what I'm after, and I turn to my greens. Do you wear shadows and liners that match your eye color? What other makeup 'rules' do you break?

Here are some of my favorite green liners (click to enlarge):

1. Laura Geller Baked Cakes Eye Liner in Dark Green Apple (part of the Key Lime/Dark Green Apple Duo)
2. Laura Geller Baked Cakes Eye Liner in Key Lime (part of the Key Lime/Dark Green Apple Duo)
3. Bobbi Brown Forest Shimmer Ink
4. Redpoint Optic Effects Pencil (swirls of pearl, light and dark greens)
5. Lancome Artliner in Star Shower
6. Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Stash
7. Jouer Pencil Eye Liner in Vert

As far as green shadows go, my favorite shadow is the ever-elusive Lancome Erika F. Lancome does not distribute this shade in the states, but it is available to Americans via Strawberrynet.com, which is where I purchased both my Erika F single and the Lancome Colour Focus Palette in Escapade Champetre, which contains the shade as well.
In addition to the glorious grayed green taupey sprakle of Erika F (bottom left corner), there is a very pale greenish white, a gorgeous shimmered emerald and a murky bronze green. The shades all work beautifully together or on their own. The Erika F single seems to go in and out of stock often and is well-worth looking out for. It is truly unique.

Jouer Cosmetics

click on the images to enlarge

This is the second incarnation of Jouer Cosmetics. The first version was available at Sephora and featured a variety of cream-based products in small, white, rectangular, windowed compacts that could connect to one another along their sides. That version disappeared, and the current Jouer line emerged, available so far exclusively at Henri Bendel and at jouercosmetics.com.

Jouer has a variety of cosmetic items from concealers to foundations, blushes, tube glosses, shadows and more, many of which click together not only along the sides, but front to back so that you can create your own personalized travel stack.

I currently have two powder eye shadows ($20 each). Caramel is a soft warm brownish gold with a tiny hint of copper. It creates a lovely natural but defined eye look, but I find it prone to getting that hard "layer" on the surface of the shadow that I often have to scrape away. It is also not particularly pigmented and needs to be applied with a stiff, dense brush for color payoff.

Amaretto, on the other hand, is smooth an pigmented and glides on and blends wonderfully. It is a very complex pewter taupe with gold shimmer and a hint of bronze and plum. It's perfect for a soft smokey look or in the crease, with Caramel or another base shadow, for a subtle defined smolder. This is a unique shade and a favorite.

The Tint in Petal is another product that I like. The Tints ($20) are designed to be creamy multi-use lip and cheek colors. Jouer describes Petal as a "soft rose pink" but there is definitely a warm, almost hint of coral undertone to my eye. These blend onto cheeks with fingertips and have no sticky afterfeel.

I use the Age Repairing Brightener ($32) and Age Repairing Concealer ($24) under my eyes, the Brightener followed by the concealer. The Brightener has a thinner consistency with more slip and comes in a swivel up tube. It is designed to illuminate and fight free radicals. I don't notice an illuminating effect, but the emollient ingredients keeps the concealer, which is heavily pigmented but has a very dry texture, from caking under my eyes. These aren't holy grail products, but do a fine job. I'm not a huge fan of either alone, but they work synergistically.

I bought the Eye Definer ($20) in Olive after reading that it was used on Frieda Pinto for an awards show where her eye makeup was particularly gorgeous. It's a pretty gold-shimmered olive and glides on, but isn't pigmented enough to create a real definition or me. The color is lovely though, especially when layered over a black liner.

Feature Focus: Unsung Heros

I wanted to highlight some unsung heroes--tried and true never-fail products that seem to fly under the radar. Products that you never see in magazines, rarely hear raved about. I'm sure that everyone has some of these unsung heroes in their arsenal--please post about them in the comments!
Darphin Blush Sensation in Soleil Sublime:

This is bar none the most beautiful, natural looking bronzer I've ever used. I'm quite fair and on the pinker side, and this has absolutely no orange in it. It features a gentle color gradation so you can customize your look depending on how much 'sun' you want that day! The shimmer is super-subtle and doesn't accentuate lines and wrinkles, just lends itself to a gentle glow. It costs $40 and is available at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

MAC Lilicent Blushcreme:

This cream blush has a unique love it or hate it texture. It's almost akin to a potted lipstick in that it's somewhat thick and remains dewy on the cheeks. This helps you look 'fresh' all day but if you're used to a cream to powder formula, this may take a bit of getting used to. The color is a real face brightener, and never fails to brighten my complexion with its warm, peachy rose hue. It is $18.50 and available on maccosmetics.com and at MAC counters nationwide.

Lancome Artliners:

Colors left to right are: Socialite, Brown, IceBlack, IceCarob and Star Shower
In my opinion, these little wonders stand alone in the liquid liner category. They are the easiest liquid liner and you can easily create a thin line right at the base of the lashes or thicker cat eye due to the unique flexible applicator that allows you to control the product. Unlike felt tip dispensers where the product may flow through inconsistently or only with pressure, these unique wands dip into the product and just enough comes out to create a perfect line every single time. The shades are gorgeous, although many of the unique ones are available on a limited edition basis. These are $28.50 and available wherever Lancome is sold.

Eye Necessities:

-Bare Escentuals Eye Shadow in Soul- the perfect vanilla base, this shadow is shimmer free (you can see the faintest glimmer in the pot which prevents lids from looking crepey but doesn't add a sparkle).
-Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Linen- the palest pink that brightens lids, creates the perfect base so your shadow lasts and the pigment appears true, and even works on its own for a natural eye look.
-Laura Mercier Baked Cakes Eye Liner in Key Lime/Dark Green Apple with Brush- gorgeous, baked, shimmery greens and a perfect brush for application. Use these wet or dry for a look less harsh than black but still achieve ample definition. I use the dark shadow on my upper lid and the light shadow to line underneath.
-Benefit Kohl Pencil Eye Liner in Sable- the only product I use on my inner rim. It lasts and lasts without iritation and glides on smoothly. The shade of brown is spot on--not too light or too dark.

Tools:

-MAC 208 brush- a very thin synthetic angle brush for precise gel eye liner application.
-Chanel Brush 3- a great brush for applying shadow to the outer corner. The bristles are densely packed and the thicker handle is weighted for easy application.
-Fresh Eye Definer Brush 20- the BEST crease brush, this is soft and perfectly shaped for the perfect placement and depth of color.
-Sephora Brand Professionnel Flat Blush Brush #42- perfect for small faces and the tapered point places the blush exactly where you want it to go.
-Tarte Eyelash Curler- this has never pinched my lids the way other highly-touted brands have and the lilac is so cute!

Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner

I rarely if ever buy anything Stila (though it was the first high end brand that I collected extensively) but as I was wandering around Sephora on this hot, humid, icky sticky day, the word "waterproof" on the display caught my eye and drew me to this liner. I'm trying to put together a super-fast, super light, super long-lasting summer look and a vibrant indelible liner seems like just the ticket!

According to Sephora, "this highly pigmented, waterproof eye liner glides on to deliver intense, vibrant color with staying power. Soft, smooth, and easy on the eyes, Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner creates a high metallic, sultry, inky intensity that lasts."

These liners are $20 each and glide on effortlessly with both deep, rich color and noticeable shimmer, then set for the day. I had to use makeup remover to clean the swatches off of my hand. I picked up Purple Tang, a deep, dark purple that shimmers a metallic bright, blue-purple in one light, and a bold grape-plum in another. It's a very pretty, complex, unusual color that I hope will really bring out my green eyes. Because the base is black, I think that a very thin line of this would be appropriate even for daytime.

Face of the Day!

I unearthed an old(er) MAC Quad today and wanted to use it!

Eyes:
MAC Blanc Type lash to brow (over Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Linen)
MAC Naked lunch in and above the crease
MAC Copperplate in the outer corner
Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Bourbon
Korres Mascara
(The other MAC shadow in the Quad is Sensualize)

Cheeks:
Rock & Republic Rumor
Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzer in Maui
Julie Hewett Goldie Shimmy to highlight the tops of my cheekbones

Lips:
Laura Mercier Tiger Lily Stickgloss

Current Obessions

I go through phases when I can't get the idea of a articular brand or product out of head. Sometimes it's something that I already own and want to wear all of the time. In other instances it's something I can't wait to try.

Some of my latest obsessions include the following:

MAC Eye Shadow in Grain and Edward Bess Eye Shadow in Dusk- both always look great, no matter how tired I am or what other makeup I have on.
Crown Brush Pointed Crease Brush (C139) and Lancome Black Coffee Le Crayon Kohl Eye Liner- the brush is one of the best crease brushes I've used. The shape is perfect for both the socket and outer corner. The eye liner is a deep dark brown that makes the white of your eyes look brighter, and the formula is smooth and silky enough that you can get right up against the lash line with no tugging. It works on the inner rim as well.
Rock & Republic Imitate Mousse Blush in Rumor- this is my favorite blush out of all that I own. The texture is sublime and the shade is perfect. I'm so sad that the line is discontinued. Even though Rock & republic pops up from time to time on sample sale websites, none of them have had the mousse blushes. I'd definitely stock up if I found this one again!
Origins Smileage Plus Lip Tint in Eco Pink- I love tinted balms in the summer and that fact that this one is natural and 95% organic is a huge benefit! Not only is the ginger scent uplifting, but the shade is a spot on--a sheer warm pink. Please excuse how jagged the tip looks; I almost destroyed it trying to take the picture!

Those are some products I already own that I'm loving, but my wishlist keeps growing! Right now I'm obsessing over Vapour Beauty, another organic line. The Aura Radiant Blush and Elixir Lip Gloss are calling my name! I wish I didn't have to order these sigh unseen but they are not available in brick and mortar stores as far as I know.

29 Cosmetics Highlighting Cream Blush is also at the top of the list. According to Neiman's it's a "real honest-to-goodness healthy glow packed with antioxidants that leave the skin naturally looking "blushed" not made up." This line is only carried in a few stores, none of which are on the east coast.

Finally, I'm also totally obsessed with Whole Foods 365 Caribbean Frozen Fruit Bars- strawberry, mango and coconut flavored deliciousness and only 110 calories per bar. It seriously tastes like vacation!

NARS Angelique Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment

Backed when I owned NARS Exhibit A blush, I always had the most difficult time coordinating a lip look with it. On my the blush had rosy, red, and peachy orange tones that harmonized well, but were difficult to replicate in a lipstick. For those that have and wear Exhibit A, NARS Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment in Angelique is the perfect counterpart.

The Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatments are slim, waxy tinted balms with SPF 15 and moisturizing mango butter. All of the shades (there are 6 total) are quite sheer, with Angelique having the most color. It's described as sheer strawberry and to me is a rosy red with just a hint of orangey coral. It's perfect for summer! The downside is that it is quite sheer and quite expensive for a tinted balm at $25. Sephora only seems to have 4 of the 6 shades, but Nordstrom and Blue Mercury have the full lot.
And just for fun, here is my eye look of the day:

• Becca Satin lash to crease
• Becca Tweed in the outer 3/4 of the crease
• Lancome Black Coffee to line close to the lash liner and on the waterline
• Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara

Lancone Le Crayon Kohl in Black Coffee

I think that Lancome is a seriously underrated brand. Sure it's ubiquitous, many of us grew up watching our mothers and grandmothers use it, and their fragrances are an instant migraine for me, but they have some terrific products, their eye liners and mascaras being exceptional in my opinion. Lancome Artliners and my Holy Grail liquid liners and when I wanted a deep dark bittersweet chocolate color eye pencil, I opted for Lancome Le Crayon Kohl in Black Coffee. This pencil consistently garners raves and when I saw that ebay was full of them for $10 instead of the $23 retail price, I I couldn't hold out.

According to Lancome, Le Crayon Kohl is "[t]he smoky, smudgy eye pencil.

A creamy-smooth pencil for lining, defining, colouring and contouring eyes. Formulated to glide on easily and blend beautifully for dramatically defined to soft and smoldering effects."

The pencil comes in 6 shades and is a good value, even it full price, since it is very long. Black Coffee is a brown so dark it is approaching black, but without any of the harshness or blueness of a black eye liner. It goes on incredibly smoothly with no tugging or dragging. This also means that it smudges easily. I don't have much of a problem with liner smuding on my top lids, but did learn that this guy is not good on the bottom or inner rim.

Two thumbs up, especially if you can snag it on ebay or in order to get a Gift with Purchase.
The flash makes the pencil look a bit warmer and lighter than it actually is, through the swatch is very true to color.

Face of the Day

It was rainy and gloomy when I woke up this morning so I opted for brighter pink cheeks and lips. They were just as appropriate in the afternoon when it had turned sunny and cheerful (though I was too chained to my desk at work to enjoy it).

Eyes:
Lancome Erika F
Jane Iredale Eye Highlighter on brow bone (I use this all the time)
Laura Geller Baked Cake Eye Liner in Key Lime/Dark Green Apple (I usually use the dark wet to line the top and inner rim and the lighter dry to line the bottom)

Cheeks:
By Terry Blush Veloute in Apple, topped with a mix of
Trish McEvoy Sunkissed All Over Face Color and Perfect 1 blushes (the 2 colors in the middle. The others are Jolie and Weekend)

Lips:
Sephora Nano Liner in Queen Quartz
YSL Rouge Veloupte #2
Hourglass gloss in Origami

Close up of the eyes:
Close up of the cheeks:
Close up of the lips: