Breaking news folks. It *finally* feels like spring in Chicago – at least for a few days. We’re pushing 60 degrees today and it is amazing. I’m totally in the mood for spring beauty, courtesy of Clinique. I am loving the look featured in their spring collection, Juiced Up Beauty. To me, it’s actually very summery. Don’t you think? At least the promo is!

The collection features a beautiful shade of All Over Color and new shades of the Vitamin C Lip Smoothie, but the real standouts for me are the eyes! It feels fresh – a light wash of color, defined brows and lashes.

Juiced Up includes two new  “Fresh Picked” Eye Shadows in Berry and Pear. While I don’t think the colors are particularly unique, I’m totally loving the fruit patterns – especially the Pear! It actually reminds me a little bit of NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Taiga but I think I might like the Pear better. And while I’m at it with NARS comparisons, the creamy shade in Pear reminds me of my beloved NARS Abyssinia. And at $17.50, the Clinique option certainly is more friendly for the wallet.

Clinique also released a new product for brows, the Instant Lift, which houses a two-in-one brow pencil and highlighter to give dimension and precision to your brows. I think this has promise.

Did anything catch your eye in this collection? It’s still on counters if you haven’t had a chance to scout it out!

Clinique has been stepping up their gift with purchase game in a big way! Check out this beautiful bag designed by Milly for Clinique. I absolutely adore Milly dresses and think she has a second calling in makeup bags. This gift with purchase, valued at $75, is currently available at Bloomingdales free with any $25 Clinique purchase.

In addition to the adorable bag, you’ll receive:

• Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder with Brush
• High Impact Mascara in Black
• Even Better Skin Tone Correcting Moisturizer SPF 20
• Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
• Rinse-Off Eye Makeup Solvent
• Clinique Foldover Mirror
• Clinique Key Chain with Long Last Lipstick Mini in A Different Grape and Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Clearly Pink

To my disappointment, I just saw on Bloomingdales.com that this is not available in Chicago Bloomingdales locations (way to single out Chi-town!) Good think it’s online – I may need this Milly makeup bag in my life.

Speaking of Clinique, you have to try their new Deep Comfort Hand & Cuticle Cream. The job that pays the beauty bills (as Julia from All About the Pretty would say) has me dealing with vast amounts of paperwork on a daily basis so I’m constantly slathering hand cream on my hands. This hand cream is my new best friend.

You know when your hands are so dry that sometimes hand cream just sits on top of your skin and you still have that tight, dry feeling? That’s definitely not the case here, this hand cream absorbs quickly so my hands do not feel greasy and best of all, provides long lasting moisture so I don’t have to re-apply as often.

And… it is unscented so there’s no need to worry about offending anyone with its smell. I was once told by a co-worker that my L’Occitane hand cream smelled like a diaper. We all know that’s not the case but I didn’t bring that hand cream to work again. If you have sensitive noses around you to worry about, go ahead and slather Clinique Deep Comfort Hand & Cuticle Cream on as much as you want.

Clinique’s Black Tie Violets holiday collection is all about the purple. It feels festive – very sugar plum fairy. Don’t you think?  One thing is for sure – if shades of purple are your thing, then there is a very good chance that you will love this collection.

Here’s what we’re working with from Black Tie Violets:

• Shimmering Stripes Powder Blusher in Tuxedo Plums ($29.50)
• Powder Brush ($30)
• Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Black Tie Violets ($25)
• Brush-On Cream Liner in Violet Luxe ($14.50)
• High Impact Lip Colour SPF 15 in Extreme Pink ($14)
• Different Lipstick in A Different Grape ($14)
• Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine in Bloomberry (limited edition), Double Plum (limited edition) and Luscious Lilac. ($17.50)
• Defining Liner for Lips in Pomengranate ($14)

I love the Violet Luxe cream liner!  This was the first cream liner I ever tried (back in the day – smoke grey was my “first”) and I attribute my gel liner addiction to this very product. Another area that I think Clinique excels in is lips – and I’m ALL OVER the Extreme Pink High Impact. I like the formula and the color is a cool pink. You know I’m obsessed with pinks by now right?!

Does Black Tie Violets bring out the sugar plum fairy in you? Are you digging it?

The wonderful trifecta that is Nordstrom, Clinique and Trina Turk are bringing us another fabulous gift with purchase. It’s been about a year since this trio first grouped together to deliver some awesome, exclusive beauty and we’re quite excited to see them together again.

With any $25 Clinique purchase, you’ll receive:

• Liquid Facial Soap in Mild (1.7 oz.)
• All About Eyes (0.17 oz.)
• Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Cupid (0.06 oz.)
• Travel-Size Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad in Pink Chocolate
• Lash Doubling Mascara in Black (0.14 oz.)
• Long Lasting Lipstick in Pink Chocolate (0.14 oz.)
• 3-Piece Makeup Brush Set

Now I love a good gift with purchase, but I really love a Trina Turk for Clinique gift with purchase. Aside from the great value and goodies, I can tell you that these are some of the best gift with purchase makeup bags I’ve ever seen. They’re larger than you think and beyond cute.

This is available at Nordstrom stores and online while supplies last. I’ve been meaning to pick up some brush cleanser and scope out holiday, so I’m all in! Are you a gift-with-purchase-aholic also? Are you interested in this one?

October is winding down, but there’s still one week left to check out some of the special Breast Cancer Awareness beauty products available. Today, we’re showing you another limited-edition offering from Clinique – the iconic Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, available in a jumbo-sized (6.7 oz!) bottle featuring a pink ribbon and “C” charm.

Did you know that one bottle of this lotion is sold every five seconds? I’m pretty sure that at some point in our lives, we’ve all used this product. It was one of my first makeup purchases as a teenager – I used the three-step system from aged 13-16!  And actually, my husband is a big fan of this moisturizer still. He’s got little bottles of this stashed all over the place – his dop kit, nighstand, briefcase, etc.

This bottle can be found on Clinique.com, and $10 from every lotion sold in October will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Clinique introduced a few new products in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, one of which is the Lipgloss Key Chain, featuring three mini shades of the Long Last Glosswear SPF 15: Air Kiss, Kissyfit and Whisper.

I am a huge fan of the Long Last Glosswear – it lives up to its name. This is a very smooth gloss that goes on a little heavier, which helps with the staying power. I like the consistency, but not everyone does.

This is a really cute product – one I would absolutely give to all of my nieces (age 13, 7 and 6!) I can just picture them toting this around clipped onto their purses. And they totally would, they are girly girls and love when their auntie gets them makeup.

Clinique will donate $10 per Lipgloss Key Chain purchased in October to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Right now Nordstrom is running a great gift with purchase from Clinique. For this Nordstrom exclusive gift with purchase, Clinique teamed up with designer Trina Turk to create a gift with the designer’s favorite products in mind. This gift with purchase also features a makeup bag designed by Trina herself. Here’s what’s in the gift with purchase:

• Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser
• Zero Gravity Repairwear Lift Firming Cream
• Clinique Colour Compact
• Lash Doubling Mascara
• Long Last Lipstick with case in Beach Coral
• Long Lost Glosswear SPF 15 in Bamboo Pink

The Clinique Colour Compact has gorgeous shimmering plum and bronze eyeshadows and a mauve blush, very pretty! You can snap this Clinique gift with purchase at Nordstrom online or in store from now until November 21st.

Until recently, I didn’t really care for eye creams. I would use one if I got it with a gift with purchase but I never went out and got one with the intention of using it regularly. Then I tried a sample of this particular Clinique product and I starting thinking that maybe it would be a good idea to actually use one.

Clinique’s All About Eyes is a lightweight cream/gel eye moisturizer that you can use morning and night on the lids and the under eye area. For a gal without any experience in the eye cream area, I think this Clinique product is just right for me, right now. I love this product’s texture, it is indeed very lightweight and the product sinks in quickly leaving my lids feeling very smooth. I’m always astonished on how so very little of this product goes so far, just a tiny dab is enough for my entire eye area. It always helps when the eye products I usually use are going on smoother now than they have before.

I can’t speak to this product’s effectiveness with fine lines and darkness, this is where my inexperience with eye creams comes in. Luckily I’ve inherited my mother’s good genes so I haven’t had to deal with this issue yet but I’ll definitely keep using Clinique’s All About Eyes for as long as I can. It makes a great “first” eye cream, if you will.

Clinique is launching their Summer 2008 collection in April and it has some interesting products in it. The collection is called Long-Last Bronze and the products in it are all meant to meant to help you get as much wear as possible during the day. As they say “from the beach to a BBQ”.

The stars in this collection are the Shimmering Tones Powder Quad (limited edition) in Golden Bronze, Brush-On Cream Liner in Bronze (also limited edition), the introduction of Quick Eyes Cream Shadow (l-l-l-love them!) and new Long Last Glosswear lipglosses. I received some samples from this collection and so far, I like what I’ve tried. The quad is going to be perfect for summer with it’s low sheen and shades will look great on all all skin tones… there’s something for everyone in this quad for eyes and cheeks. My small 188 brush really comes in handy here, the shades don’t mix. This collection also includes Clinique’s Touch of Bronze Moisturizing Body Lotion for a self-tanning color.

What’s interesting about this new Long Last Glosswear is that it claims to provide long-lasting shine, up to 8 hours worth. I can’t attest to that but I can definitely say that this gloss made it through 2 lattes, a smoke break and lunch. After all of that, I still had some color and shine on my lips. I can’t even imagine how it would perform if I didn’t drink or eat anything during the day. If someone ends up putting this lipgloss to the test, I’d love to hear your results. The texture is a teensy bit sticky but I would expect a gloss that tries to hang on for dear life to be that way, even just a little. The shades vary from sheer to fuller coverage in varying intensities from cream to pearl. Shades include:

Nudes: Goldspun, Brandy Twist, Knockout Nude, Sunset
Taupes: Cabana Crush, Juicy Apple, Bonfire, Guavagold
Pinks: Clearly Pink, Fireberry, Bamboo Pink, Air Kiss, Kissyfit
Violets: Mystic, Whisper, Tenderheart, Stellar Plum, Rock Violet

These have to be my favorite part of this collection. I’m drawn to anything “long lasting” and these shadows have are certainly that. I stopped paying attention after I realized I was about to enter the 14th hour and I still had eyeshadow on. These Quick Eyes Cream Shadows are going to be very good friends with my favorite new base. They have a light texture to them so the color is sheer at first but it’s completely buildable. I have 2 shades so far but I know I’ll be buying some more once the collection hits counters. Shades include Cocoa Shimmer, Sparkling Nude, Sunlit Palm, Lucky Penny, Starlit Pink, Muffin, Rock Violet, Truffle and Sea Shell.

Clinique is also including their Lash Power Mascara as part of this collection. With this, you have everything you need this summer for makeup that stays put.

Very soon on Clinique.com will be introducing a mascara that until recently was only sold in Asian markets and it’s called Lash Power.

You’re probably noticing that this mascara’s wand is quite a bit smaller than in other mascaras now on the market. I like this new smaller wand, it’s almost as if I put on my mascara this morning with more confidence that usual. This wand made it easier for me to control the application without fear of smudging. I was able to get in close and be more precise.

As for the mascara’s wear, it’s meant to stand up to the elements and remove easily with warm water. I haven’t put the mascara through the gym or rain test yet but I was really happy with how it performed. I put it on in the morning before work and it was still on without flaking or sliding into my under eye area by the time I went to wash my face before bed. My two coats held up and my lashes still looked defined and lusciously long.

Removing the mascara wasn’t quite what I expected though. The formula of this product, which I don’t know much about at this time, seems to be like that of Blinc’s Kiss Me Mascara where it coats lashes in what seems like little tubes. Only this seems to be a bit easier to remove than Blinc’s. I didn’t have to tug at my lashes as much, just a bit of rubbing and the mascara started coming off.

You can get a 2-week sample of Lash Power now with any $50 purchase on Clinique.com, just use offer code LASH08 at checkout. You can also find it at Nordstrom’s now (thanks Lauren).

Clinique’s new fall collection is titled “Play in the Darks” and it’s rich with color. This collection includes new and limited Colour Surge eyeshadow trios (which we love) in gorgeous colors, an assortment of mascaras for all your lash needs, cream eyeliner and best of all, new limited edition Almost Lipstick shades. You can see the entire collection here.

The eyeshadows are just beautiful. The trios include Black Truffle (Limited Edition), Crème Brulée (Limited Edition), Totally Neutral, Blushing Nude, Ebb and Flow and Come Heather. The Ebb and Flow and Come Heather trios are part of the violet family but all of these other trios are right up my alley.. gorgeous wearable shades that you can wear to work and mix to create a great evening look. You can find them all here.

I was most excited about the Almost Lipstick part of this collection. It introduced new shades such as Black Raisin, Black Raspberry and Black Plum. I’ve been wearing Black Plum almost non-stop since I got it. Like many people, since this is a iconic beauty product, I love this product in Black Honey and I was very happy to see new shades in this collection. However, they won’t stick around so stock up on this while you can, that’s what I will be doing.

Given my last experience with Clinique’s eyeshadow, I wouldn’t normally be interested in their eyeshadow but I saw the words “Colour Surge” and remembered how much I like this lipstick.

Clinique’s Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quads come in 6 gorgeous palettes. The one pictured here is Spicy, which is the one I picked up. The quad colors range from nude, tawnie to violet based shades and pictures do not do these shades justice. I tend to reach for matte eyeshadow for everyday wear but the quads in the nude and tawnie ranges would be great as well, the shimmer is not overwelming. I was happy to find that the shadow was well pigmented and blended well, all while leaving a soft shimmer on the eyes. The eyeshadow is soft enough to provide a sheer wash of color and rich enough to really pack on the color for a bolder look, which is fun to do from time to time. This eyeshadow quad certainly meets my eyeshadow criteria. Pigmentation? Check. Texture? Check. Long Lasting? Check.

Let me tell you a little story… I made an appointment at Clinique two weeks ago have my makeup done. I did it all for the samples, I was lured in by the promise of two sample lip glosses and makeup remover. The overall experience was awful. I guess I have just been spoiled by every other counter that has ever applied makeup on me, but what I experienced was just odd.

Do you know how they applied makeup on me? With Q-tips, cotton balls and kleenex. I’m not sure why they couldn’t be bothered to use real brushes and maybe do something wild, like clean them between appointments, but the experience really dissapointed me. I expected to walk away ready for a night out but the execution was horrible. I tried to console myself with my lipstick, that was the only good part of that day. I’ll never forget how that woman took a kleenex and ran it over and over the eyeshadow to get enough product to apply it on me… with a Q-tip.

Until I saw this product, I was beginning to understand why Clinique was known for skincare and not color. This lipstick is fantastic though, I’m starting to wish I had more of them. Clinique’s Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick contains shea butter so it’s very moist and keeps your lips soft. It also delivers an amazing shine. When the “makeup artist” gave me the mirror, I was stunned to see how much shine this lipstick gave me… I didn’t even need gloss on my lips. Of course, actually adding a gloss on top of this lipstick will only make your lips look hotter. If you’re looking for a sheer lipstick with a great shine, this lipstick is definitely worth trying. I picked up “Adore U” that day and went back for “De-Lovely” earlier today… now I’m trying to decide what’s next.