Adventures in cosmetics.....

Discovered a new 'must try' line... TARTE
Heard of it before, but it seemed very reminiscent of Urban Decay, and those other pink, poof poof glittery girl, bonne bell upgrade cosmetics. Even still, I am very skeptical of a lot of cosmetic brands because many aren't created equal. Many don't work on different skin tones or even different types of skin. I've taken a liking to TARTE because although the brand may target a certain audience, there are plenty of products for people with different needs.... here are some of the must try items!

Rest Assured Brightening Wand Brighten up-late-night-before bleary eyes by applying this nude-pink liner in the corners of the eyes, then apply it anywhere on the face you need a little 'well-rested' glow.

Little Blot Book Oil and excess shine are a girl's dirtiest little secret. No one wants to get caught with even the teensiest hint of sheen (or worse, all-out shine). The solution? Hiding the evidence, of course. Little Blot Book gives you two ways to send shine undercover - discreetly.


Cheek Stain This water based, push-up gel stick is perfect for a fresh flush of color - on the go.

Mineral Powder Bronzer This luxe bronze comes pretty close to a sun bunny fresh from the beach or from the East Hamptons: just add pearls and a sweater set for instant uptown chic.


Glam on the Go The mock-croc carrying case for this luxurious brush is chic enough that you may be tempted to touch-up in front of your date.

Available at Sephora stores near you!

Hmmm?

Thandie Newton


You more than likely have seen her some where, ER, Chronicles of Riddick, or the more popular Crash (she co-wrote the script with her husband Paul Haggis, the veteran TV writer/director who was nominated for an Academy Award for his Million Dollar Baby screenplay) , but I didn't really give her a good look until i started realizing that when she does show up somewhere, she's like a second Halle Berry..... she always looks fab! Great skin, style, accessories, hair and all.... though unfortunately, sometimes she has this Nicole Richie skinny thing going on... Okay don't ask what i know is coming... she's English and Zimbabwean. Now that she has my attention, I guess I can pay attention to her acting LOL.

Accessorie Shop
Accessories are always fun and can reinvent a wardrobe. This fall, get some sassy gloves that keep hands warm or cover an old manicure!

1. Bebe $138
2. Coach $298
3. La Crasia $300
4. Target $23

Like long boots?

Here's a perfect solution to trying to find those nice skinny jeans to fit inside your boot... no more baggy knees and bulkiness inside the boot. With a built in sock, you are taken care of in a one stop shop! $230

Celebrities- Jay Z

Everyone was talking about Jay Z losing weight and being on the Beyonce diet.. I couldn't see it.. his big head, eyes and lips clouded the rest but this pic gave me a good view. His lips even look deflated.... don't lose anymore Jay, we don't want the bobble head look.

Gotta Try

New Yves Saint Laurent's Perfect Touch Radiant Brush Foundation it comes in 14 shades, it is non-comedogenic (won't clog your pores) and contains skin brightening ingredients. With a built-in brush for no spills/ no mess, this lightweight product sounds perfect! (Pictured below it is the one touch, battery operated, foundation air/mist spray... yikes, i'm not in hollywood.. i'll stick to the brush applicator.)

I.S.O.

I really really really wanted to blog about fashion in gospel choirs but unfortunately the internet is out of stock! I wanted to talk about my man Tye Tribbett and GA, there's Kirk Franklin and his different family ensembles... my girls Mary Mary that stay fly. It almost feels like they are off pitch if their gear isn't tight....... oh well until I find some pics...

Stay yummy!

TEST AND PROVE

Always on the hunt for cosmetics, I took the time to catch up and experiment.
First, let's start off with the drugstore cosmetics...
HIP by Loreal


Enticed by the Scarlett Johanssen ad for HIP cosmetics ..and... a two for one deal at my local drugstore (CVS) coupled with a two dollar coupon, I gave HIP a second try. My first try was with their shadows. Interesting colors, great for different skin tones, but it just didn't reach me emotionally. Definitely in the make up case, but not a tried and true favorite. However, the second time around was different. I originally opted for one of the loose powder pigments that comes with its own brush and the bluest black mascara. Similar enough to something else i already own, I used the power of return and exchange and ditched the pigment. I also ditched the mascara due to my paper test, its formula wasn't thick and creamy enough to satisfy my search for volume intensifying (and color) mascara. The mascara seemed to be dry and on the shallow side. I wouldn't make use of it for more than two weeks, before looking to replace it. They also need to work on the casing... it's not a cute, yummy product lol.
Back to this Scarlett Johanssen ad: She's wearing lip gloss Pixie, which i had to have! Now, Pixie didn't look the same as it did in the picture. She's definitely wearing lipstick under that to bring out the color like that! I'll search for that later. The gloss, however, is a keeper. Shine factor, two thumbs up; color, neutral and peachy, two thumbs up! To intensify the color of the gloss and not have a clear gloss after 3 hours, a lipstick is definitely needed-- it is a gloss. I would opt to try other colors in the future.
Also in the ad, Scarlett is wearing blush #888. Now I liked her blush a lot, but once I got to the store, the shimmers and names skewed my vision and I opted for Tickled #890. I was just hoping to feel and look tickled and happy after trying on my blush. To my surprise, I was pleasantly pleased! Just peachy and rosey, shimmery and lustreful, with a little on your fingertips going a long way. I've heard HIP being referred to as the poor girls MAC, but it has good reason for its name. While I was delighted by the test results, the color is strikingly similar to one of my favorite MAC blushes.. Fabulush- direct competition! The difference is that MAC gives more shimmer with an emolient base (greasier) than HIP's lustre/sheen finish and much less tacky to the touch and application; a plus! I look forward to testing #888 in future.

DiorShow mascara by Christian Dior

On each lid, I gave my lashes nice coats of mascara with careful application to each lash, DiorShow won against it's competitors! Almay at the drugstore does wonders with lashes. Maybelline and Covergirl have been tested. I tried Prescriptives False Lashes (which i hoped would have lived up to his name) as well as Lash Envy. I've tried Lancome's editions... but none struck a chord as DiorShow did. Concentrating on volume, I was surprised to see my lashes grow like magic. A coat for above and below the upper lid's lash, with some teasing to ensure no clumps DiorShow topped the charts.... a devine invention, a faithful follower! The next step for me in mascara, conditioning and nurishing lashes. These beauties have to stay healthy! Instyle picked MaxFactor's mascara as a favorite... a drugstore product! I'll try that next as well. DiorShow is currently sold for $23 at its counter and Sephora. BONUS: Sephora is selling Angel's Wear Dior. Set includes Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow Compact in Incognito 030, DiorKiss in Gloss Pink 168, and a mini DiorShow Mascara in Black. All for just $50!


Scent Test
Moving into a new season, brings an indulgence to be fulfilled by all 5 senses... this stop: smell. The previous post listed yummy's picks for new fragrances, but I wanted to take it to the streets to find out if others enjoyed the same scents as I. The two up for grabs were Baby Phat Golden and Miss Cherie Dior. The mature, middle aged, young, inexperienced as well as experienced men and women were tested. Testers were asked to sniff and rate without seeing the package or knowing the name/brand of the scent.... who came out on top? Baby Phat Golden! This scent is not appreciated by the connoseurs of fragrances because it's not oily, French or ambiguous/mysterious enough to give them something to wonder about. Hey, I'm the average gal.. I love it! Add to the collection!

There is no sun in here!
One celebrity fashion misfit that society has accepted as the norm these days: WEARING SHADES INSIDE!
My super cool friends over at slate.com went on a mission to figure out why this is so...
check it out here.

More goodies to show and tell about later!

Look out!

Be yummy about yourself inside and out! The Human Pampillomavirus is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause cancer. It is important to be tested and to monitor your health. The cancer can cause a variety of complications to your health as well as infertility. HPV happens to women of all ages. It's very necessary and easy to ask your doctor for the test. Now, the FDA has approved an HPV vaccine. You can get the vaccine if you don't have the virus. Inquire about the vaccine with your doctor as well! Tell everyone about it!

For more info check out these sites :

• theHPVtest.com
• Questions and answers from the National Cancer Institute about the vaccine
• American Cancer Society- facts on cervical cancer and the HPV virus

TYRA BANKS

hey Tear!

You can say what you want about Tyra Banks, but you know that she's got it going on! Her own reality tv series America's Next Top Model, production company, a talk show and supermodel as her middle name, she is doing big things and doing them right! She inspires and helps women all across the country. Get more inside information on this media superstar by visiting her website tyrashow.warnerbros.com. Get details on both the talk show and America's Next Top Model. As she nicely blogs each show, you feel like you are getting to know her-- quite likeable too! Find out all kinds of cool things about Tyra; her favorite things as well as her hobbies. The Yummy spot on her website is Tyra's Boutique. You get to view her outfits from each show and find out where she got each piece. Fab idea, right? No more reading the fast scrolling credits!

YUMMY'S favorite perfumes......

There's nothing better than grabbing a guy's attention....... by the way you smell. To have his nose following you, try these scents!

1. Live! Luxe by Jennifer Lopez Dedicated to J-Lo's love of dancing, this scent has notes of pear, peach, amethyst freesia, muguet petals, diamond musk, and soft amber among others.
2. With Love by Hilary Duff From the same makers of Britney Spear's perfumes, Elizabeth Arden, Duff has hit a high note in this scent with effervescent mangosteen, champagne, and an accord of textured cocobolo woods.

3. Baby Phat Goddess Golden by Kimora Lee Simmons Simmons gives us a warm and sensuous scent, but keeps it clean. A floral gourmand scent by Firmenich with a top note of bubbling champagne; a heart of seringa, blue lilies and night orchid, and a drydown of caramel, vanilla flower patchouli and vetiver.

4. Miss Dior Cherie by Dior Notes of mandarin, strawberry leaf, violet, jasmine, caramel popcorn, wild strawberry sorbet, musk, and patchouli is a wonderful fall scent (via Nowsmellthis)

5. Bright Crystal by Versace Versace has launched Bright Crystal, a fragrance with pomegranate, iced accord, yuzu, magnolia, peony, lotus flowers, plant amber, acajou and musk.

6. Bora Bora by Liz Claiborne Blend of: pink peppercon, sand accord and tropical mango musk. It is recommended for casual wear

L-A-M-B.com

Yummy took a browse through Gwen Stefani's website for her clothing line at l-a-m-b.com, since there is a lot of hoopla about how her line is overall doing much better than Sean John. What a surprise! So of course, you have to get the review on her collection and line from yummy411. The website is fun, trendy and has that retro feel.... as if the same web designers that hail from Urban Outfitters has come to lend a hand. The selection is small like most of the celebrity lines (ahem, House of Dereon.) There is a page on the site that shows items featured in magazines from the lamb collection (the typical "as seen in" deal) that boasts shopping on the web. I saw a crazy hot jacket that I couldn't even find online! tisk tisk.... She's doing doing her thing, definitely, by creating a line for those of us that identify her by her sense of style... trendy, rock, edgy and boundless. Disappointingly, many of the items are track jackets, pants and canvas loafers (the rave of the summer,) but very cliche for Stefani's line. We really wanted the Japanese girls to help pump up the fashion. It is rumored that the truth behind her absence at the VMA's is because of the demand for her line to make it in Fashion Week. Her fans really must be obsessed for this stuff to go so far in the markets. Prices are for the casual LA and NYC shopper, but not for the practical mall rat. Yummy will skip and be a Sean John fan. (Puff, what's up with your ladies' line?)

(yes this is a woman's shoe!)

New and Improved?

GAP, Inc.

If you can't get enough of Banana Republic or are tired of sharing it with guys, GAP, Inc. is coming out with more of it's new store Forth & Towne- a direct competitor of Anne Taylor. The store made its debut in 2005 in Chicago and New York and was expected not to do so well. In their second year of business, Gap, Inc. is opening up five more locations in Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle markets. You haven't gotten the word on Forth & Towne? In the center of every store is a circular fitting room and complementary bottled water is available. They have four different collections and fits sizes 2-20.. not leaving out the big girls =) With a brand that you can count on for style and quality, Forth and Towne isn't a let down. The collections definitely boasts some keeper items. Unfortunately, they've come up with another name with a bad acronym...F.A.T. just as GAP (amongst 13 year olds stands for Gay and Proud.)

(Adrian Wilson of the Rockwell Group)

Check out these sites for more info on the locations, clothing collections and other's opinions:

• forthandtowne.com
• Brand Autopsy
• Business Week Online

On keeping up with M.A.C.

They have put on their official site the link to an online make up shopping venue- Gloss.com. Why waste your time shopping at gloss.com for mac (or any product for that matter) when you could just go to MAC's website? The newly endorsed website doesn't give any special looks at items like yours truly does, but simply gives a direct link BACK to maccosmetics.com........ MAC, that was a lame attempt to get customers for both you and Gloss.com

Since i unsuccessfully elicited comments from you guys to build this next blog entry.. you get more directly from yummy411...

Favorites for fall

My favorite colors for fall are: chocolate and purple in the deepest of shades in all materials and patterns..... suede, wool, pinstripes, polka dots, patent leather, croccodile (faux for animal lovers/thrifty on the pockets) and much more (Gray was a runner up, but only in the trendiest of fabrics.) On the accessory front: pearls- the timeless classic; and animal prints are roaring again!

(shoe, trench coat and bracelet- Ninewest.com; dress- shown in black comes in a beautiful plum, Bebe.com)

Labor Day Madness!

Long weekend folks!
Yummy's back!

Okay so who is your favorite designer on Project Runway??
(Wednesdays on Bravo, 10pm EST)
Uli, Kayne... uh what's her name and 'em???  Or is it ATL's Michael Knight?? (If you really care click here to vote!) If you said Michael Knight like i did, then we are on the same page...straight (rodonline confirms it), fierce and can wrap my tail in some cloth anytime!

Hopefully, I can feature some of his designs to show his skills, but until then check out this site for some fab fashion talk about the show from some of our 'faaabulous friendses' @ rodonline and here for some more pics of this oh so yummy designer. Whatever you say, he's cute in his own way =)

WHAT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.....
MAC's VIVA GLAM VI is here!










Good choices for spokes models MAC! Eve (a fashion icon), Lisa Marie Presley, Debbie Harry, and Dita Von Teese.
If you have tried the colors, let me know how they rate! Yummy Watch: the Holiday collection! What's up with the Zandra Rhodes collection exclusively in certain stores.. who cares, nothing to write home about.

YUMMY products! Check out some yummy stuff from Clinique...

Colour Rub Allover LustreSheer, lightweight liquid creates a natural-looking glow. Used as blush or highlighter for the face.

Gel BlushSee-through gel colour for cheeks. Produces a natural-looking, sheer blush of colour.

Glow Crazy Loose PowderLimited Edition What to wear on the party circut this season? Something shimmery and sheer.

EVE- FASHION ICON

Our girl Eve Jihan Jeffries (Philly, b. 1978) is a diva in her own right. She's come up through the ranks and has made a name for herself apart from her stripper past, being a homemade explicit video star, and the woman behind producer Stevie J. She is a multi-platinum selling rapper, an actress starring in her own show on UPN Eve and The Barbershop movie series, and designer of her own fashion line Fetish. Stay yummy Eve!
ALL ABOUT YOU!
Hey readers, I want to know what has inspired your style... Have you had any life experiences that have influenced your style? Who's your fashion/style icon? Let me hear what you have to say in the comment area below!