Laura Mercier — Film Noir Blonde

Film Noir Blonde’s beauty picks for fall 2013

September 25, 2013 by Film Noir Blonde

Guerlain’s 2013 collection clearly channels film noir. Love the berry-colored lips and nails.

Try pairing a half-moon manicure in this sumptuous shade with nude polish on the toenails.

Bond No. 9’s latest New York City swoon: Perfumista Avenue.

Designer Tory Burch said her mother’s vanity table inspired her new fragrance and beauty collection.

Phylia de M, a hair restorer/thickener, is receiving rave reviews.

Kate Winslet for Lancome is inspiration for any femme fatale.

Add a pop of bright color to emphasize your eyes with Lancome’s Art Liner 24H.

After a five-year hiatus, Jo Malone is back with Jo Loves. Gift-buying dilemma now over.

After a five-year hiatus, fragrance guru and former florist’s apprentice Jo Malone is back with Jo Loves. Gift-buying dilemma now over.

Dior first introduced Dior #9 in 1953. This classic red was recently relaunched as #999.

Christian Dior first introduced Dior #9 lipstick in 1953. This classic red was recently relaunched as #999.

Dior’s New Look photographed by Serge Balkin for Vogue.

Chanel’s gorgeous Cast a Spell collection is new this fall.

When Marilyn Monroe was asked what she wore to bed, her answer was Chanel No. 5.

When reporters asked Marilyn Monroe what she wore to bed, her answer was Chanel No. 5.

Looking forward to a spritz of Estée Lauder’s Modern Muse.

Since the ’90s, Lorraine Massey has been helping those with hard-to-tame tresses embrace their inner curl. But her products are new to Space NK in Brentwood. Cheers, Lorraine!

The nice girls at Space NK in Brentwood recommended Life Daily Fix Foot Cream to heal my dry cracked heels. Perfect for a post-yoga slather. Take that, Warrior 3 and Reverse Half Moon!

The nice girls at Space NK in Brentwood recommended Life Daily Fix Foot Cream to heal my dry and cracked heels. Perfect for a post-yoga slather. Take that, Warrior 3 and Reverse Half Moon!

Lipstick Queen founder Poppy King says she had vintage Hollywood in mind when she created her Velvet Rope lipstick collection. Shown here is Star System, a nude with A-list oomph.

Laura Mercier’s Dark Spell Collection looks truly divine.

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Filed Under: Noir Stuff Tagged With: beauty, Bond. No. 9, Chanel, Chanel No. 5, Curly Girl, Dior, fall 2013, film noir, Guerlain, Jo Malone, Kate Winslet, Lancôme, Laura Mercier, Life Daily Fix Foot Cream, Lipstick Queen, Lorraine Massey, Marilyn Monroe, neo noir, Poppy King, Space NK, Tory Burch, yoga

High praise for Tightline from a makeup junkie

July 26, 2011 by Film Noir Blonde

Laura Mercier's cake liner comes in six stunning colors.

I figure that a cosmetic, or really any product, that has the word cake in its name is worth a try. And Laura Mercier’s Tightline Cake Eye Liner is suitably decadent, the makeup equivalent of a coconut-lemon layered confection.

You add a drop or two of Tightline Activator to the cake and mix with a flat brush to form a lightweight paste. It takes a few extra minutes to apply (compared with liquid liners) and you may need a few practice rounds, trying different brushes, to get the precise line you want. But to a makeup junkie like me, that’s a plus.

And the color is gorgeous, vibrant but not over the top. In fact, the best thing about Mercier’s cake is the choice of colors: black (duh!), mahogany brown, plum, forest green, charcoal grey and, my favorite, bleu marine.

The activator contains a polymer to make the liner last longer, so once it’s on, it sticks. That said, it doesn’t blend very easily so be careful until you really have the hang of it. As much fun as it is to play with, this product is pricey. The cake is $22, the activator is $20 and the Mercier flat brush is $25, so almost $70. (I used other brushes.)

Still, it’s a chance to have dessert first thing in the morning without an actual sugar fix. How can that be bad?

Product source: From my own collection; I did not receive product or compensation from Laura Mercier. (This post is part five in my quest for the perfect eyeliner.)

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Filed Under: Noir Stuff Tagged With: cake eyeliner, eyeliner, Laura Mercier, Tightline Cake Eye Liner

Banish dull skin with a gentle, fragrant scrub

January 29, 2011 by Film Noir Blonde

Laura Mercier Fresh Fig Body Scrub has a fragrance that may inspire you.

I just realized that I haven’t talked about cosmetics or beautifying since Jan. 12; how very unlike me!

This has been a bad winter for dry skin and so I’m searching for products to help my parched hide. One of the first things I turn to is a good exfoliator to remove flaky skin. (Shaving your legs will also aid the cause.)

Laura Mercier Fresh Fig Body Scrub is a mousselike concoction with a rich, slightly sweet scent, which somehow conjures thoughts of sunshine and summer vacations.

Perhaps it will inspire you to plan a trip to Southern France. But the scrub does more than smell good. It buffs skin gently, has a light, airy texture and rinses away easily.

According to the company’s web site, this pampering body polish is made from natural fig seeds, jojoba, shea butter and honey. The fragrance blends essence of fresh Celeste figs, apricot nectar and ylang ylang.

Right out of the shower, I applied lotion to lock in the moisture and my skin has been baby soft all day long.

The scrub is $46 for 12 ounces (shown here is a 2-ounce sample size); you can buy it at department stores or online.

I received a sample of this product from the company. I tried it, liked it and decided to review. I did not receive compensation.

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Filed Under: Noir Stuff Tagged With: body scrub, dry skin, exfoliator, Laura Mercier

Six sexy lips colors I couldn’t live without

December 1, 2010 by Film Noir Blonde

Lip color – stick, stain or gloss – is my weakness. Maybe because it’s the first cosmetic I ever dabbled with and I remember watching my Mom applying her lipstick, then passing me the tube to try a little. Or maybe finding the perfect red, rose or raisin conjures other, more recent, memories, a tad more racy. Even when money is tight, it’s usually still possible to treat yourself to a brand-new tube. Herewith is my current list of favorites.

Six sexy lip colors for smokin' hot holidays

Chanel never disappoints. When I choose my old standby Rouge Allure lipstick in Passion, $30, from a masterful range of reds, I’ve had strangers stop me and ask me what lipstick I’m wearing. The idea of trying Rouge Allure liquid luminous satin lip lacquer, $32, gave me shivers of anticipation. Perhaps it’s the vaguely old-school name – lacquer just sounds so 1947, so silk stocking and cold cream-esque. And then there’s the fun of telling Boyfriend Du Jour that “it’s not lipstick, silly, it’s lacquer.” Or perhaps it would be: “It’s not lipstick, silly, it’s liquid luminous satin lip lacquer.”

At the Beverly Hills Saks counter on a recent Saturday morning, my eye was immediately drawn to No. 78. “That’s the color I want,” I told the woman helping me, a far cry from my usual dithering and debating and drawing countless stripes on the back of my hand. Indeed it is a perfect creamy soft rose, bright but light and luxurious. And lacquer, which I’d thought would be more like a stain, turned out to be a cross between a stick and a gloss. Afterward, as I window-shopped my way along Rodeo Drive, a tall, gray-haired guy stopped me and asked for my phone number. I took his instead. 😉

Much as I enjoy shopping on a Saturday, it’s almost more fun to leave work early, head to your nearest department store and buy a pretty lipstick on a weekday afternoon. To lose yourself in those vast, fragrant, shimmery aisles, packed with possibility, is akin to sipping a fluteful of Veuve Clicquot just for the joy of it. Even if you don’t buy anything, there are always free samples to score.

Guerlain's lipstick compact is sleek, shiny and chunky.

Oh who am I kidding? Me not buy a little product? Splurging is my special skill. Hence my acquisition of Rouge de Guerlain jewel lipstick compact, $46. Holding this drop-dead gorgeous tube – sleek, shiny, chunky – and springing open the mirror is a singular frisson and sure-fire conversation starter. It is without question the coolest compact I’ve ever seen. Smooth and silky, Guerlain lipstick glides on effortlessly every time you apply (I chose No. 65) and gives your lips a subtle but very sexy vibe.

Also combining pretty and practical is YSL Rouge Volupte, $34. The charming gold tube is topped with a handy mirror so a touchup couldn’t be easier. I bought mine a while ago and I got a really nice four-color sample set that even included a brush. YSL offers wonderful colors, feels great on your lips and the color is long lasting. No. 1 is a versatile pink/beige that can be brightened or bolded as you desire.

I also adore Laura Mercier’s lip glace, $22, in Plum Noir. What’s nice about this au courant shade is that you can blend a smidgen into a lighter color (such as the above-mentioned YSL) and you’ll get a gorgeous daytime look – sheer and shiny with just a hint of iridescence. And if you want to amp it up, just add another layer of gloss for a full-on plumintense pout. It’s almost like having two shades in one and it’s never overly thick or cloying the way some glosses can be.

Lest you think I plump exclusively for lip color with a double-digit price tag, let me assure you I spend plenty of time in drug-store aisles, less shimmery and fragrant perhaps, but chock full of irresistible bargains and endless opportunities. [Read more…]

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