Bad Weather

It's an icy mess outside. I thought I'd cheer myself up by making up a quick Christmas wish list. (Yes, dear, this is in addition to the one I gave you.)

Things I want right now (other than a Very Dry Martini):

1. iPhone 3G, 16G. My iPod is dying, my current phone is so old it doesn't even support bluetooth; time for an upgrade!


2. Chanel Classic Jumbo Quilted Bag, in white, caviar leather, with silver hardware. I almost bought one this summer, in Portland (no sales tax!), but I quickly regained my sanity.


3. Current/Elliott Skinny Jeans in high-low wash
4. Tiffany 16-stone gold and platinum ring, even though I have ugly hands and there's no reason to draw attention to them.

5. Hermès Chien de Collier Bracelet

I also kinda want an Hermès Birkin, but I'm too overwrought to provide any details.

Red Lipstick II

It's been insanely cold this week--and it's not even Winter yet.

I decided to warm things up a few days ago by trying out my newest lipstick: NARS HeatWave.

I know, I know: it wasn't on my list of coveted red lipsticks. But a few weekends ago, I was visiting friends in Madison, Wisconsin. Browsing the local Sephora, I consulted my running list of beauty products that I keep with me in my Filofax. (I have a number of these lists, by topic--any time I see something intriguing in a magazine or on a blog, I jot it down for future reference. Remember, I'm a librarian!) I think had I added HeatWave because it was featured on one of the Spring 2009 runways, but I'm not sure. Anyway, it's a little different than my usual red. Coutorture.com declares it the "perfect orange lipstick." I rubbed off the nude gloss I was wearing (more on that in a minute) and grabbed a Qtip to try the NARS.

Aside: I realize this is probably not the 1) most hygenic or 2) most efficient way to try on a lipstick. So what. At least I took care not to infect the tube with my own germs.

I gazed at myself in the mirror. "What do you think?" I asked my husband. It took a little getting used to, but I liked it, and he concurred. Hmmm.

I ended up leaving the mall without purchasing the tube, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. I didn't have time to go back to the store that weekend, and I was sad because I felt that I had missed my opportunity: nobody carries NARS in Central Illinois, where I live.

Luckily, Sephora sent me a timely email the following Monday offering free shipping with no minimum purchase. HeatWave was to be mine.

Above, I'm wearing it with Laura Mercier tinted foundation in sand, Lancome eye shadow in Filigree, and MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack.

I don't always wear red, but I always like something on my lips. In fact, I haul a cosmetic bag of tinted lipgloss around in my purse at all times. Here's what's in my bag:
Smith's Rosebud Salve. No color, but perfect alone and over my matte lipsticks
Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick. A pretty purplish tint, but doesn't last as long as I would like.
Kiehl's Lip Gloss in Golden Berry. Lovely texture and soft pink-peach color. Still, wears off a bit quickly.
Benefit Benetint Lip Balm. The favorite. 15 SPF, absolutely perfect natural rosy color and stays put, for the most part.

I also recently bought Bobbi Brown's Lip Gloss in nude during her recent Friends and Family event. It's nice and clean, and looks good with a smoky eye as well as with Bobbi's Shimmering Nudes Eye Shadow palette.