it's oh so quiet...

Sorry for the dearth of posts of late, dear readers. Fact is, I've accepted a new position in the beauty sphere (which I'm quite excited about and hope to share details about soon). But in the meantime, things will be very quiet around here because SugarShock Beauty will be going on indefinite hiatus.
So yes, the news is bittersweet, but, onwards and upwards, as they say! You've no idea how much I've enjoyed sharing beauty scoops and product finds with you over the last couple of years. My readers are some of the coolest around.
Where shall you go to get your beauty fix from now on? Check out these SugarShock Beauty-approved sites.
The Canadian girls:
Beauty Editor
Beauty Geeks
I Heart Beauty
Lipstick Powder n Paint
And of course, the classics:
Beauty Addict
Bella Sugar
Beauty Blogging Junkie
Yours in Beauty,
Kristen
xoxo

liquid gold: vasanti magic liner

Eyeshadow color range is seemingly endless, but eyeliner colors just haven't kept up the pace, which poses quite the conundrum for us colored-eyeliner-lovers. So when I spy a particularly fab shade of metallic purple or cobalt blue shadow that would make for a killer liner, I'll dip my brush into water and then into the powder, pulling the old "liquid-eyeliner-in-a-pinch trick". But "in a pinch" is the operative phrase here, because let's face it, water doesn't have much staying power, and if you're in a hurry, the aforementioned process can seem entirely too fussy. So when I witnessed Vasanti's Magic Liner, a special potion that turns powder shadow into liquid eyeliner, I had one of those "wish-I-would've-thought-of-it" moments. It's basically a clear gel paired with a liner brush, that, when met with powder eyeshadow, becomes a pigmented, smudge-proof eyeliner. Brilliant! The best part? Dip the brush back in the tube, and it comes out clean and ready to take on the next color. Now, my beauty quandary is this: So many liner color options, so little time.

shadowboxing: cargo mediterannean nights and hands of hope palettes

Beauty fiends like myself anxiously await the holiday season to see what kinds of gorgeousness the beauty brands will unleash upon us. Each season, the brands seem to one-up themselves by showcasing ever-showy baubles, palettes and trinkets – each one seemingly prettier than the last. And Cargo has wowed me with their newest holiday palettes, Mediterranean Nights and Hands of Hope. The shadows and bronzers, themselves ornamentally embossed, come packaged in chic black boxes with gold imprint that look like something straight out of Arabian Nights. The Hands of Hope palette offers up nine iridescent eye shadows, each carved out with the Hamsa hand – a symbol of peace, hope and prosperity. And the colors are breathtaking: some vibrant (like the jewelled purple) and some neutral (like the gorgeous Gunmetal Grey), they're just right for eye-makeup-look experimentation around the holidays.

Next up, we have the Mediterranean Nights palette, with four eyeshadows and two blush/bronzer duos inlaid with beautiful Middle Eastern-inspired patterns. This is the more neutral palette of the two, but no less beautiful. In fact, I had a hard time deciding which palette I liked more - they're both so stunning. Cargo shadows and bronzers are always top-notch: highly-pigmented, long-wearing, easily blendable and crease-free. These holiday gems are a prime chance to get extreme value for your money – (each are valued at roughly 100 bones, but priced around $30) – to treat yourself or to check off a couple of girlfriends on your gift-giving list this year.

skin fix: mama mio boob tube

Now, usually I steer clear of any beauty creams specifically designed for the girls, in the belief that that area will do well enough on its own, thank you very much. But lately, I've started to notice the effects of neglect in this region (read: the force of gravity), and in the name of prevention, have decided that my pair might just deserve some extra special attention beyond my typical body moisturizer. Behold the cheekily named cult product Boob Tube by Mama Mio, a rich decollete cream designed for "owners of boobs of all ages". The gist? Think of it as the quality of facial skincare, but for your boobs. It's packed with pretty much every most-hyped skincare ingredient known to man: CoQ10, to help protect collagen and boost skin strength; shea butter to improve elasticity and improve skin tone; and a whole host of oils, including olive, sweet almond, evening primrose and avocado, to nourish and replenish moisture. Why I love it: Boob Tube has the loveliest botanical-ly scent and its rich texture melts into skin without feeling greasy. This product is such a joy to use that it's a constant reminder to treat this area with utmost care. And while I know that nothing can stop the downward sag, using Boob Tube will hopefully at least slow it down. I gifted it recently to a friend for her baby shower and this product was the talk of the party - all the ladies (most of whom were moms) wanted to know where to get it (you can find it at The Bay in Canada or online at mamamio.com). Mama Mio is designed with moms in mind, but anyone can use it, because, really, none of us can escape the downward spiral of time.
For the month of October, Mama Mio is donating $1 from the sale of Boob Tube to support Breast Cancer Awareness.

too faced lashlight puts lashes under the spotlight

We've seen light-up lipglosses before, which come equipped with mini flashlights for touching up in the dark. And now comes Too Faced Lashlight, a mascara with an LED-lighted wand that shines a light on each and every lash for precise application. I'm not sure why you'd need this, unless, of course, you're a vampire and daylight makeup application is a no-no (and, for those of us who aren't creatures of the night, the idea of applying mascara in the dark would be sheer insanity). So for me, Lashlight fits squarely in the category of "Things that make you go: hmmm". It did, however, bring to mind my beloved Tweezlight, a nifty little gadget that's a tweezer fitted with a miniature flashlight, and that actually makes quick work of honing in on every stray brow hair that's ripe for the plucking. Sounds gimmicky, but Tweezlight is actually a pretty novel innovation.
But there was one feature about Lashlight that did capture my beauty imagination: the formula is said to contain millions of microscopic mirrors that bounce the light off of lashes for a bedazzling effect. So it could be worth checking out for that alone.
What do you think: Will you be trying the Lashlight?

styleshock: evan rachel wood at fashion group international's night of stars

Bravo Evan Rachel Wood. It looks like you've finally found your stride, style-wise. For a while there, you were looking like Dita Von Teese's 'Mini Me,' and that was, well, more than a little creepy (considering both of you have dated and/or married the Dark Lord himself, Marilyn Manson). Well, we both know that little dalliance didn't really work out, but it surely put you in line to join the cast of True Blood and sink your teeth into the coveted role of Vampire Queen Sophie-Anne LeClerq. You're still channelling old Hollywood glam as Sophie, vamping it up with red lips and the like, but off-screen, I'm really loving your modern-girl beauty look. Your grey smokey eye is a refreshing take on the trend and it really brings out the steely-blue of your eyes. A lighter-than-usual lip, in a subtly shimmery rosy hue, keeps the look soft yet still glam. And while you've gone to the dark side again with your hair, the deep red hue really suits you and nicely off-sets your porcelain skin. Whatever it is you're doing, keep it up, because playing Miss Sophie-Anne really agrees with you.
Image: Trueblood.net

fixation: kat von d true romance eyeshadow palette in true love

I kind of love Kat Von D's "stickin-it-to-the-man" sense of style (read: tattoos-a-plenty and full-throttle makeup), which appeals to my inner goth-rebel. Those same sensibilities show up in her makeup line for Sephora, and her newest holiday palette offering, the True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in True Love, is about breakin' all the rules when it comes to beauty and eyeshadow pairings. While most palettes give us either "cool" or "warm" shades – (and never the twain shall meet) – True Love gives us both in one slick black matte case, and they're meant to be mixed and matched. Now, you might not think that purple and gold would go well together, but Kat's picks, most of which have a hit of metallic to them, mesh together surprisingly well, giving a sort of edgy royalty effect. The stand-outs are Peanut, an iridescent champagne with tinges of silver; Benji, a creamy, highly pigmented coppery gold; and Cholita, a deep, dark burgundy purple with subtle shimmer. Now go forth and blend.

gold star: YSL beauty your lovely duo lip colour palette

"Hello, gorgeous!" Those were my precise words when I spied this luxe, shiny bauble that's the pièce de résistance from YSL's Holiday 2009 collection. The Lovely Duo Lip Colour Palette houses two ultra-moisturizing, looks-good-on-everyone lipcolors - one a subtle soft-pink lipstick and the other a super-sheer, shimmery peach gloss. But let's be real here, gals; this is really about the compact, and what a piece of loveliness it is. Inspired by the luggage tags found on YSL handbags, this chunky – (and weighty, I might add) – golden, mirrored compact is engraved with YSL's signature art-deco-ish, heart-emblazoned logo. The Lovely Palette, which is also available in a silver version housing two eyeshadows, comes complete with a patent-leather cord so you can attach it to your handbag, belt or keyring for an extra hit of bling. Pull this baby out post-dinner, or whenever you need a lip touch-up, and makeup application becomes the ultimate indulgent experience. An accessory in itself, the Lovely Palette just screams chic. It's just a little bit of YSL for those of us who can't afford to splurge on a month's-worth-of-rent handbag or Trib Twos. Need I say more?
Get it now while supplies last - it's limited edition, but of course.