I just sat through the debut of Eyes By Design on HSN. I spent 30 minutes listening to some woman with a grating British accent and the usual hyper-perky TV shopping network hostess, who subjected me to pitches that the eye shadow palettes were created "scientifically" (a red flag word) to enhance one's eye color.
The presentation so totally bummed me out that I won't be buying Eyes By Design. I'm disappointed - I expected better from BeautyBank.
The HSN and QVC websites are among the most sophisticated e-commerce sites I've seen, with lots of information about products. Download the tip sheets for using Eyes By Design palettes. The tip sheets are available in a printer-friendly version and can be used with other palettes .
I'm not smitten with the idea of selecting eye shadow shades based on eye color alone - refer to Makeup lessons from Di Kennedy to see what other factors should be considered.
Still, if you're interested in eye shadow palettes based on eye color, I recommend L'Oreal's recent Made for Me Naturals eye shadow palette collection. All the palettes are beautiful, and you don't have to limit yourself to the palette for your eye color: I chose the palettes for brown eyes (Penelope Cruz) and dark eyes (Beyonce).
I'm also enjoying the Pop Beauty Eye Class palette in Brown Eyes (although the appliqués make the wallet look tacky). I also like the Play It Up eye shadow trio for green eyes from Almay, and while I grumbled about Almay retaining Elaine Mellencamp after it completely redid its brand, she's picked up cachet through her husband's recent - and deserved - induction into the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame!
Showing posts with label Almay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Almay. Show all posts
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Monday, May 21, 2007
Revlon limited edition collection
No doubt about it - Revlon took a drubbing in 2006, with the collapse of Vital Radiance the same year that it debuted. One also wishes that Revlon would have brought in new faces when it totally revamped Almay, but instead model Elaine Mellencamp (wife of singer John) continues as the face of Almay.
Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain
Enough of that - Revlon has introduced a number of flashy new products in its limited edition collection, including Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain
and Bedroom Eyes™ Powder Liner. Just Bitten™ Lip Stain has a rollerball applicator - not the best for even layering. What's more, it dries quickly. The shade of Just Bitten™ in Blood Orange reminded me of orange popsicle stain. Other shades include Berry Juicy, Cherry Tart, and Plum Wicked.
I chose Revlon Bedroom Eyes™ Powder Liner in Smokin', which is great for creating the smoky eye. Be sure to tap excess powder from the applicator onto a tissue beofre applying - otherwise, it gets all over your cheek and countertop. Clearly, when using Bedroom Eyes™ as part of your eye makeup, do your eye makeup before you apply base. As FT Weekend columnist Edwina Ings-Chambers, who had a makeup application by NARS artist James Boehmer, writes:
The first thing to remember, Boehmer says, is that you shouldn’t try to replicate the 60s thing: keep the liner off the lid and stick to putting it round the eyes. “It’s more about the outer corner of the lid, not all over the lid,” he says.
Be prepared with cotton balls and eye makeup remover or Swabplus Liquid Filled Cotton Swabs, Eye Makeup Remover
. Be sure to finish this look with lots of volumizing mascara.
BTW Generally, I find lipliners too harsh. Revlon is one of the two companies I know that offers a clear lipliner (ColorStay®) at a nominal price - the other being Paula Begoun's Paula's Choice line. Paula also recommends Lip Line Fixer from The Body Shop, which proves that she's not partisan.
I haven't seen L'Oreal's clear lipliner in ages, so I guessed that L'Oreal discontinued it. An alternative is a lipliner that exactly matches the color of your lips, which is why MAC's lip pencil in Spice has remained so popuplar.
Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain
Enough of that - Revlon has introduced a number of flashy new products in its limited edition collection, including Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain
I chose Revlon Bedroom Eyes™ Powder Liner in Smokin', which is great for creating the smoky eye. Be sure to tap excess powder from the applicator onto a tissue beofre applying - otherwise, it gets all over your cheek and countertop. Clearly, when using Bedroom Eyes™ as part of your eye makeup, do your eye makeup before you apply base. As FT Weekend columnist Edwina Ings-Chambers, who had a makeup application by NARS artist James Boehmer, writes:
The first thing to remember, Boehmer says, is that you shouldn’t try to replicate the 60s thing: keep the liner off the lid and stick to putting it round the eyes. “It’s more about the outer corner of the lid, not all over the lid,” he says.
Be prepared with cotton balls and eye makeup remover or Swabplus Liquid Filled Cotton Swabs, Eye Makeup Remover
BTW Generally, I find lipliners too harsh. Revlon is one of the two companies I know that offers a clear lipliner (ColorStay®) at a nominal price - the other being Paula Begoun's Paula's Choice line. Paula also recommends Lip Line Fixer from The Body Shop, which proves that she's not partisan.
I haven't seen L'Oreal's clear lipliner in ages, so I guessed that L'Oreal discontinued it. An alternative is a lipliner that exactly matches the color of your lips, which is why MAC's lip pencil in Spice has remained so popuplar.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Update on mass-market brands: 2007
This past spring brought several new launches of mass market brands. The Max Factor (owned by P&G) and Almay (owned by Revlon) cosmetics lines were completed revamped, while L'Oreal launched its HIP line and Revlon launched its Vital Radiance line for women over 50. The Style Page wondered how supermarkets, drugstores, and "big box" retailers (Wal-Mart, KMart, Target) were going to accomodate these new brands.
Max Factor, however, has been a disappointment: many of the main drugstore chains (CVS, Walgreen's, Rite-Aid) do not carry the line, and it is found only at Wal-Mart and KMart. Maybe the problem was the ads that featured Carmen Electra wearing scary makeup.
Revlon's much-hyped launch of Vital Radiance has been a disappointment. Due to lackluster sales of the brand, Wal-Mart, Target, and CVS plan to cut back drastically on the number of stores carrying the brand, while Revlon believes that consumers need more time to know the brand better.
According to WWD, "Market reports indicate that Wal-Mart will trim the line [Vital Radiance] from 2,500 doors to 500, while Target will cut it from 1,500 to 500."
My take is that consumers were turned off by the prices of Vital Radiance products, which are higher than those for other mass-market brands. Vital Radiance's target audience of women over 50 are probably value-conscious and rejected the higher prices.
Revlon sees a $40 million loss from Vital Radiance. Things haven't been so great on the personal front either: Revlon Chairman Ron Perelman's marriage to actress Ellen Barkin ended in February 2006, after five years of marriage.
See The Beauty Newsletter for a critique of Almay's dated eyeshadow concept.HIP appears to have been a success - L'Oreal has recently expanded the line with two new products: Pure Pigment Shadow Stick and Shocking Shadow Pigments, in addition to new colors for its eye shadow duos(another indicator is that searches on "L'Oreal HIP" are a major driver of traffic to this blog).
Max Factor, however, has been a disappointment: many of the main drugstore chains (CVS, Walgreen's, Rite-Aid) do not carry the line, and it is found only at Wal-Mart and KMart. Maybe the problem was the ads that featured Carmen Electra wearing scary makeup.
Revlon's much-hyped launch of Vital Radiance has been a disappointment. Due to lackluster sales of the brand, Wal-Mart, Target, and CVS plan to cut back drastically on the number of stores carrying the brand, while Revlon believes that consumers need more time to know the brand better.
According to WWD, "Market reports indicate that Wal-Mart will trim the line [Vital Radiance] from 2,500 doors to 500, while Target will cut it from 1,500 to 500."
My take is that consumers were turned off by the prices of Vital Radiance products, which are higher than those for other mass-market brands. Vital Radiance's target audience of women over 50 are probably value-conscious and rejected the higher prices.
I am not the only one who thinks this way - see comments on my post Vital Radiance UPDATED 2006-02-22.Revlon should have priced Vital Radiance lower, or issued discount coupons to entice first-time buyers. Then there's always the dicey proposition of marketing to older women without making them feel ... old. An introduction of skin care products planned for 2007 might change Vital Radiance's fortunes.
Revlon sees a $40 million loss from Vital Radiance. Things haven't been so great on the personal front either: Revlon Chairman Ron Perelman's marriage to actress Ellen Barkin ended in February 2006, after five years of marriage.
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