Dreaming of summer

Beachy keen

It's cold out, but not enough to permit snow and for that I am thankful; I just wish it'd warm up already. My New England blood has thinned and I can't take this dreary Melbourne winter anymore.

Here's a round up of some of my favourite things I've been eyeing off on the Interwebs.

Ok, we get it Kate Upton, you can stop rubbing it in our faces. Bronze-y glow, check. Sun-kissed cheeks, check. Seashell pink lips, check. Totally envious and I'd switch places with her in a heartbeat. Bobbi Brown's Surf Eye Palette and Beach Rollerball fragrance might just tide me over. 

Mmm. NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow you look good enough to eat, particularly Desdemona. I'll take one in every colour. Thankyouverymuch.

For day Balenciaga's Tube Round M Bag will help me get to and from work, no problem. And for those nights when I don't want to fuss about with a large purse, Alexander Wang's Chastity Clutch ups the ante sans bulk.

Pink toes and pink lips. Easy done.

A chic one piece that keeps me both covered and comfortable. It'd look super sweet layered under jean shorts or a skirt and paired with blinding white Keds.

Capping off the life aquatic, the Gap's mix-cable sweater features a gill-like texture. While I love it in white, it manages to look a tad too schlumpy on the model for my liking.

Ok, let's get our bags packed and head to Hawaii now.

K, bye!

Like P-Cakes yummy fudge, Marc Jacobs Highliner (Gel Liner) in Ro(Cocoa) never fails

Marc Jacobs Highliner in Ro(Cocoa)

With a wink and a nudge to the Rococo period which peaked in the early part of the 18th century -- think gilded everything, highly detailed/ornately carved plasterwork, etc. You can most certainly see where Mr. Jacobs' inspiration came from when he named Ro(Cocoa).

Ro(Cocoa), one of six shades, is a deep teddy (just like MAC) bear brown with the tiniest hint of shimmer. The tip is on point and if it should ever fall flat, twist up for more product and reach for the built-in sharpener conveniently hidden away within the opposite end of the pencil. 

Built-in sharpener  

Swatches of Ro(Cocoa) untouched (right) and blended (left). It's budge, smudge-proof and I had a heck of a time trying to wash these swatches off!

Because my eyes are set so deep, my brow area is more pronounced -- in order to avoid closing my eyes even further I try to make them appear larger by tight lining. It's been my thing as of late.

Tight lining also allows me to preserve my eyeshadow, because if I make a mistake I can tidy things up without undoing everything else and I avoided having to go back in with more eyeshadow.

The end result: my lashes appear fuller, I've also intensified the green in my hazel eyes and I think I look more awake.

Wearing Ro(Cocoa) on my upper waterline

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Marc Jacobs Highliner (Gel Crayon) in Ro(Cocoa):

• $25.00 USD and it's now back in-stock.

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 9 out of 10 bags — Teddy was my first love, but Ro(Cocoa) is far more forgiving.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• There were many purchases during my holiday, unfortunately I couldn't track down Marc Jacobs beauty in Singapore.

Cuz you never know when you'll spot a cute pair: Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con No. 3 in The Shoe Gazer

When fashion and makeup collide

Before releasing his makeup range, Marc Jacobs took great care with both the design of his packaging and the contents inside.

A pleasurable experience is felt from first spying the black lacquered plastic case peeking out of the grosgrain coverlet and then there's the satisfying click of the closure. It's a makeup junkie high. 

Just remember to breathe.

During my hours long excursion at Ala Moana Center, I ventured to Sephora -- Marc Jacobs Beauty was no longer a temptation to fixate on.

For the true make it or break it test, I opted to pick up one of his eyeshadow three pan palettes in The Shoe Gazer.

The Shoe Gazer

Peachy bronze sheen

Matte taupe brown

Light turquoise blue sheen

Swatches from left to right: Bronze, Taupe and Turquoise

Layered swatches from left to right: Turquoise over Taupe, Bronze over Taupe and Turquoise over Bronze

Side by side comparison

The texture of Jacob's eyeshadow formula is soft and creamy, thus lending itself to eyeshadow harmony. Because the performance of his eyeshadow was relatively unknown to me and my oily eyelids, I made sure to apply primer first in order to give things a fighting chance. 

During application I found all three colours built up quite nicely and I didn't experience any fallout.  Over the course of eight+ hours The Shoe Gazer stayed put and never creased.

Wearing The Shoe Gazer on my eyes

Close up of the final look

If you're looking for a proper introduction to Marc Jacobs Beauty, start with colour first.

Other items worn in this look:

• Becca's Beach Tint in Lychee on my cheeks
• Shanghai Suzy's Miss Brooklyn on my lips
• Benefit's They're Real Mascara
• Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Crayon in Ro(Cocoa) on my upper waterline (review to follow)

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con No. 3 in The Shoe Gazer:

• $42.00 USD - Sold exclusively through Sephora

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 8 out of 10 bags — I took a couple points off for price, but in exchange you do get a beautiful finish on your eyes.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• I also picked up the perfect red lipstick called Neo-Noir.

Beauty Radar: August 2013

I can't wait to get my paws on a lot of things, but here are a few items I really can't wait to check out in person.

• Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con No.7 - Plush Shadow in The Starlet. His inspiration makes this launch even more appealing (IMHO).
• NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Mysterious Red. Matte Crimson Red lips to tempt a second glance.
• Butter London's Cheeky Cream Blush in Pistol Pink. Wicked cute and delightfully sweet.
• Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo in Nude No.5. Stay within the lines with this inviting crayon.

What's on your radar?

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