Put On Your Face

By no means am I a beauty expert, dear readers. But I am a shopping specialist extraordinaire and I've noticed that "designer makeup" seems to be making a splash these days. Maybe it's because even though we won't plunk down $200 for jeans in this economy, we will still spend $20 for an single bottle of nail polish (ahem, Chanel) to feel like we're pampering ourselves with a little bit of luxury.

Even familiar brands are reinvigorating themselves with designer collaborations and collectible bottles. Avon, for example, has paired with Marimekko for a series of shadows (right) and powders in Marimekko's signature poppy pattern.

Regular readers of the blog will know that the DCGF loves her some Marimekko, but the prices for their household goods and clothing can be incredibly steep. These Avon products give you access to the brand, though, for just $10. Like all good collaborations, this one is a "limited edition," so grab 'em while you can!

Remember ck One? And how, like, everybody and their mother seemed to wear that fragrance when you were in junior high? And then there were all these knockoffs and we all just got sick of smelling it?

Well, it's still around and now Sephora is offering a limited-edition (check!) bottle exclusive to Sephora stores. Apparently those are dancers on the bottle, although I'm not sure what that has to do with smelling good.

Calvin Klein, though, has practically made an art form of merging fashion with other "lifestyle" elements like bedding, dinnerware, accessories, and yes - even a whole line of fragrances. Again, if you can't afford the looks from the runway, you might be able to acquire the $46 eau de toilette.

Maybe the right product can even get you a little bit closer to a celebrity. Or at least give off that illusion. Such is the case with Kiehl's "Aloe Vera" Biodegradable Liquid Body Cleanser (I'm glad they went with the shorter name - whew!), whose bottle is signed by no less than Brad Pitt!

Can you live in a fabulous chateau in France or jet around the world with your movie star partner and photogenic children? Probably not, but you can lather up with Pitt-approved cleanser. I like that it has a low environmental impact, but the whole celebrity endorsement feels a bit forced, eh?

Do you shop for makeup and body products the same way you shop for clothes? Do "names" matter to you when you're applying bronzer or washing your hair? And are these little bits of luxury going to take on more importance as we quit buying the big-ticket items? It's really hard to part with that $20 for the nail polish, I have to say...


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