If you’ve been hanging around Bionic Beauty through this fall, you’ve seen my articles on all the makeup releases with matte coloring.

Continuing in line with this trend, Clinique’s new Blushwear Cream Stick in Very Blush is a rosy brown hue, with a slight violet undertone, perfect for highlighting the cheek apples or sculpting your hollows.

This color is much deeper and more pigmented than many cream blushes. While the stick is a familiar format (think of NARS’ the Multiple), this color is deep, deep, deep and true to the color the stick looks. I recommend going very lightly with your first application. Blend well, then add a bit more if necessary. Pale skinned women will need only a teensy amount of this blush. Yes, it’s that potent. I only used one “dot” (just pushed the circle of the stick to my cheek) on each side of my face.

The formula is a bit “thicker” than I usually prefer; this reminds me of a lipstick type consistency. However, the wonderful color payoff and incredible amount of packaged product totally make up for that.

As always, the Blushwear sticks are wrapped in Clinique’s classic bright silver packaging. If you’re into blush colors, this is certainly worth checking out!

Swatch them at your local Clinique counters or purchase them online at Clinique.com for $18.50 per stick (available in 5 shades).

This season’s answer to a slight wash of matte color across the cheekbones…Three Custom Color Watercolours for cheeks in Wallflower.

Wallflower is a nude brown in a creamy formula. Lightly pull your fingers across the compact to load them with color. Blend across your cheek bones or hollows to define. I’ve also used Wallflower on my eyelids after priming them with concealer. And then on my lips for a monochromatic look. Simple and chic.

I have to make a note about Three Custom Color’s packaging… all their products have such sturdy yet classy packaging. I’ve dropped my lip gloss from them- no damage. I (accidentally, I swear!) chucked my Wallflower blush off the table onto the tile flower (Gasp!)- all fine. And to boot, the Watercolours compacts have round mirrors in the flip-up lid. So great for touchups on the go!

The only con I found in this particular color of Watercolours is it will probably work better for pale to medium skin tones. Since this color is pretty light and sheer, darker skin tones should pick a deeper shade from Three Custom’s selection.

Wallflower and the other Watercolours for cheeks (choose from 5 shades) are available at ThreeCustom.com for $20.50.

For tips on using Wallflower to get this season’s latest makeup trends, don’t miss Bionic Beauty’s interview with famous makeup artist Chad (co-founder of Three Custom Color).

Photograph is the copyright of Three Custom Color.

Clinique’s latest launch involved a whole slew of super gorgeous, and on-trend, matte shadows.

Bionic Beauty swatches Clinique's new matte eye shadows

Their official name is “Color Surge Eye Shadow Stay Matte”. In my opinion, they do live up to the Color Surge… packing a punch of color! And I love the matte look. It’s so fresh after years of shimmer and glitter.

Here’s a breakdown of the shadow colors I’m loving…

• French Vanilla- while it doesn’t show up well in my swatch photo, it makes an excellent inner eye corner or brow bone highlighter. It’s a gorgeous cream color. I worked French Vanilla into my old-hollywood glamour look.
• Martini- This is a khaki brown with a green base. It’s warm and prefect for fall. It’s a great color for a one-shadow look. I used Martini and French Vanilla in my autumn “dark lip look”.
• Stone Violet- I adore this color for a smoky purple eye. Just a bit on the upper lid and blend it outward from the lashline. Then use a small smudge brush to line your lower lashline. Done!
• Dark Denim- Another super, amazing color! This is a very wearable blue. Think you can’t pull off blue eyeshadow? *This* is the one to try. Goes great with jeans and T-shirt. This is another color I use regularly to create a smokey eye.
• Midnight- The classic black, but finally without glimmer. I wore this on a date recently and it got some nice compliments. You can tone it down by blending out, while keeping the impact and density of color focused around your lash lines for a high-impact look. I got a ton of compliments on this eyeshadow!

All these colors are worth a look-see. I love their color payoff, blendability and of course, the matte effect (did I mention I like the matte?) They don’t wander, flake or crease. Ask for some for the holidays, they’re the perfect size for stocking stuffers (hint, hint)!

Each shadow comes in a beautious classic silver Clinique case complete with mirror. They run $14 each and are available at Clinique counters or Clinique.com, you can pick from 9 colors.

FTC Disclosure: This item was sent to me free of charge in return for an honest review. The opinion in this article is based on my personal experience and was not influenced by any source. I was not compensated for this article. Feel free to read my disclosure policy for more information.

Long wearing eyeshadows can sometimes be a joke. I’ve found that those who claim “water-proof” and “sweat resistant” are cakey and clumpy, or the color is just blah. And most cream-based shadows melt in the Florida humidity.
Not so with Loose Lips NY’s Indelible Cream eyeshadows. I may sound like a commercial here, but hey… this eyeshadow even successfully made it through a day of gardening and a dunk in the pool!

I’m wearing the new Fall 2008 shade, Plumkin in the photo above. Plumkin is a deep purple with very slight silver shimmer. It’s easy to apply and blend and it sets quickly. Plus it washes off easily with makeup remover or a little face wash and water. I LOVE the high pigmentation of this shadow- that’s just one small dip of my brush in the picture above.

I recommend applying any cream shadow with a Taklon brush- those are typically the ones that have the smooth “blonde” bristles. They seem to work best for any cream type product (including concealer, foundation, etc).

Available in 5 shades from Loose Lips NY. One pot of shadow runs $16 but it will last you over a year with daily application. Just be sure to keep your brushes clean!

Fate. “That which is inevitably predetermined; destiny.”

Well, I’m not sure if destiny had a role in me trying the newest lip gloss from Loose Lips NY’s fall 2008 line up, but I am certainly glad I did. The Lumi-Shine gloss in Fate is simply fabulous!

Fate is a bronzed peach shade with fine gold mica shimmers. Packed in a petrolatum base, it’s super glossy, super smooth and incredibly sparkly. This is THE perfect gloss for night’s on the town, dancing, and evening holiday parties. The shimmer really plays up your lips. And the formula, in my opinion, is just as nice and very comparable to my fave Bobbi Brown lip glosses, but for less money.

The Lumi-Shine glosses are available at Loose Lips NY for $15 for a 6gram tube. They come in 9 colors, and I highly recommend Fate!

I created this look with the new fall makeup trends in mind. For the eyes, I used part of Clinique’s new Fall Collection- matte eyeshadows. They are gorgeous! Finally, matte shadows that aren’t dull and boring!

On my eyes, I used L’Oreal’s HIP Cream Shadow Paint in Lofty (Lofty makes a great neutral colored base, but it does add a hint of sparkle- so if you want to stay with the true matte look, skip this step and just use concealer as a base).

Next I applied Clinique’s Colour Surge Eye Shadow Stay Matte in French Vanilla (matte winter white) to all across my lid, really focusing on the inner half.

To create depth and drama, I added Clinique’s Stay Matte shadow in Martini (a milk chocolate brown with khaki hints). Martini went in my outer lid’s V and smudged up into the crease. Blend well.

Top with mascara in black. I used my favorite: Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear Mascara.
More shots of the eye shadows and the full finished look!…

For the lips, I used one of my favorite combos from my Dark Lip article series… NARS’ Captiva lipstick (a dark, but sheer black cherry) topped with Bobbi Brown’s lip gloss in Aubergine for depth and shine.

On my cheeks, I used Lancome’s Color Design Blush in Chic Cassis (a rich, matte burgundy). Just use a touch and since this is a cream blush it blends really well (just remember to put the blush on before you powder your face). Your goal is a bit of color, keeping it matte, and tying your cheeks subtly into your lip color.

The finished look balances soft matte eyes with the dark lips.

So you’ve seen my look, what makeup are you wearing today?

Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win one of three sets of Three Custom Color lip liners! The contest ends here at Bionic Beauty on Monday September 29th at midnight Eastern Time, so be sure to leave your comment on the Bionic Giveaway article this weekend!

In my final article outlining tons of options for this season’s must-have darkened lip look, I’ve rounded up and tested another 9 lipsticks and glosses for your viewing pleasure. If you missed Part 1 and Part 2, don’t forget to catch up.

And on to the photos!…

I covered one of Clinique’s new Long Last Glosswear glosses last week. And here’s another winner… Mystic. It’s a smoked purpled mauve with silver, mauve and berry shimmers. It’s a winner in the long wear, comfort, and color department. The depth of the sparkle really makes this a knockout color. Cost: $14.00

The ultimate in just-bitten lips! Rose Gitane lipgloss by NARS Cosmetics is a pop of deep fruity red in the sea of berries, wines and browns. If you’re a red-gal, this is your gloss. It’s not sticky and feels lovely. I’m addicted! It goes great with the matte eyeshadows this fall, and a semi-natural face. Cost: $24.00 at Beauty.com

Continue reading for more options and photos… you know you want to!

My favorite budget dark lipstick? Milani’s Velvet Collection lipstick in Decadent. This color ROCKS! It embraces the dark trend and fits right in with the ‘rocker’ fashions that seem to be everywhere for fall and winter. Decadent is a berry wine shimmer that applies evenly and easily. It’s nicely scented, doesn’t wander and it’s non-drying. Cost: Under 5 bucks at your local drugstore (Can’t beat that price!)

Certainly not a dark lip gloss, but Bobbi Brown’s Black Pearl is packed chock full of silvery shimmer. It’s backed with smokey plum base making it a grand top coat over any berry or mauve colored lipstick. An incredible and easy addition to makeover your current lipsticks! And… do you see that shine?!? Black Pearl is a limited edition for Fall 2008, so snap it up. Cost: $20.00

Bobbi Brown’s Lip Tint in Black Cherry is described as a sheer plum-red. I’d say that plus a mix of chocolate brown. It’s really gorgeous and dark in the tube, but on the lips, it’s super sheer and wearable. This is the BEST smelling lip gloss out of all the colors I tested. YUM! It reminded me of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Oh, and this tint sports SPF 15- so you can pack it along for skiing this winter! To increase the darkness a bit, I added a topping of my favorite Bobbi Brown gloss (mentioned last week) in Aubergine. Black Cherry Lip Tint Costs: $17.00

Out of all these outstanding lipsticks and glosses, my favorite is NARS Captiva lipstick. Captiva is part of NARS’ “sheer” lipstick line and it doesn’t disappoint. This color is so wearable, I honestly believe anyone can pull it off. Captiva is a black currant and looks a bit scary in the tube, but once applied, you’ll still see your natural lips peeking through it’s soft-sheen. Cost: $24.00 at Beauty.com

Some of my experiments for jazzing up Captiva. I topped it with the yummy Bobbi Brown Black Cherry gloss (detailed above). The medium shine was nice!

And this look is now my go-to for evenings, weekends, dates, or just dressing up. I’ve gotten amazing compliments. I applied 2 coats of Captiva and topped it with a slick coat of Bobbi Brown’s Aubergine (a tie with Doubles for my favorite gloss from this series).  I’m also going to try Captiva with the Three Custom Color gloss, Doubles, since I think they’d go really well together and possibly even top this look.

An Honorable Mention goes to…
TooFaced’s new Mirror Mirror lip gloss in Envy Me (released for Fall 2008) is a patent leather look black current gloss. Cost: $16.00 at Beauty.com.

On Monday, I’ve got a makeup look using another hot trend for fall (matte eyeshadows) that works well with these super dark, dramatic lips.

For the past 3 Tuesdays, I’ve posted “how-to” guides from tarte cosmetics to give you all some ideas on eyeshadow looks for this fall. Here’s the final look: A Charcoal shaded, slightly smokey look perfect for evenings out. All the colors and products mentioned below are tarte- but like the previous tutorials, you could swap in your own products and colors.

1. Apply the black with silver fleck eyeshadow on the lower eyelid using the all-over eyeshadow brush.
2. Blend the gold-tinged purple from mid-eyelid into the crease using the easy-crease eyeshadow brush.
3. Gently sweep the shimmery pale pink directly below the browbone.
4. Line the upper and lower lashline with the charcoal eyeliner. Then use the black with silver fleck shadow to line and blend the upper lashline and the shimmery deep gray to line and blend the lower lashline.
5. Add a touch of silver sheen eyeshadow in the inner corner of eyes for an extra pop.
6. Apply several generous coats of lash hugger eco-friendly natural mascara.

Previous looks: Bronze for day, Bronze for evening, and Charcoal for day.

Last week, I started this series on dark lip colors that are actually wearable for fall. This week continues with another 8 photographs of lipsticks and glosses. I’m focusing on more neutral, brown-toned colors this week.

And here’s the list…

Topping my list this week, is an incredible lip gloss by Bobbi Brown in Aubergine. This gloss is one of those that you see in magazines and wonder “how the heck did they get the lips to look soooo deep???”. This is it ladies. While the color is a very sheer rosey-brown, I had to include this gloss since you can wear it alone to dress up any face; or top your favorite lip color to create a deep, appealing lip look. It’s truly amazing- not sticky and it wears so well. It’s not drying (like some glosses) and feels comfy on your lips. Another must-have in my opinion!! If you want to splurge on something this season, I highly suggest this gloss. Cost: $20.00

You know me… I’m all about budget friendly cosmetics. L’Oreal’s HIP lipstick in Gutsy has been one of my favorites this year. This lipstick is a shimmery bronze. L’Oreal’s sleek packaging on their lip colors is a nice bonus, and I like that the lip products don’t smell “chemically”. Cost: $6.00 at Drugstore.com (or your local drugstore).

To show off a neat combo, here is L’Oreal’s Gutsy lipstick topped with a coat of Bobbi Brown’s Aubergine. I liked the added shine and depth.

Continue reading for my other 5 suggestions…

NARS’ lipstick in Tamango. This satin finish, slight shimmer cabernet lipstick wears for an incredible amount of time. It’s nice and creamy on lips and smells fresh. The coverage is full and even with a deep, rich color, the lipstick doesn’t wander or feather. Cost: $24.00 at Beauty.com.

Clinique’s High Impact Lipcolor in After Party is another on-trend lipstick. While the color is pretty similar to L’Oreal’s Gutsy (above), there’s a bit more depth and the application is more even. This lipstick also has the nice bonus of SPF 15 (which we need even in the shorter fall and winter days). And the cost is very reasonable too. Cost: $14.00

Clinique’s new line of lipglosses- Long Last Glosswear has a beautiful deep neutral bronze, Brandy Twist. Perfect for this week’s brown-toned deep lips. This gloss packs SPF 15 and is highly glossy without being sticky. It’ll wear for hours! Brandy Twist is shimmer but goes on very sheer and neutral, making it a super choice for topping your dark lipsticks this Fall! Cost: $14.00

Ready for deep bronzed lips? Start with Clinique’s After Party lipstick and top it with a glaze of Brandy Twist gloss.

And an Honorable Mention goes to…

I didn’t have a chance to trial theBalm BalmShelter SPF 17 Lip Gloss in Material Girl, but the color certainly looks promising. This gloss is a sheer, deep plum and it packs SPF 17! Cost: $18.00

Stay tuned next Thursday (September 25th) for the final article in the Dark Lip Trends for Fall 2008. I’ll be reusing Bobbi Brown’s Aubergine next week in some of my combo’s, so don’t forget it. Did any of these offerings catch your eye?