For Spring/Summer 2013, Elizabeth Arden released the New York in Bloom Limited Edition Color Collection. Inspired by the vibrancy of blossoming flowers in the city, New York in Bloom blends a kaleidoscope of bold, urban colors and soft neutrals. Eyes are lined and brightened with shimmering nude, pink, violet and blue/green shadows. Cheeks are flushed with a golden bronze glow. Nails dazzle with brilliant shades of purple and teal. The limited edition packaging is inspired by fresh cut flowers: a mix of delicate blooms and strong pops of beautiful color.

The packaging is absolutely beautiful, especially on the bronzing powder and eyeshadows. And the colour selection is pretty and spot-on for the season.

LIMITED EDITION Bold Eye Pencil ($22.00)
Conveniently packaged with a pencil sharpener, this dramatic liner delivers high-pigment color in just one stroke.
Shades: Iridescent Teal, Platinum Glow and Terra

The Bold Eye Pencils colours I have above are Platinum Glow (left/lower) and Iridescent Teal. I have tried many different eye pencils over the years, and have found chunky or bold pencils to be hit or miss. Some are too soft, some are too thick to use as a liner, some smudge too much. The Elizabeth Arden Bold Eye Pencils are, in a word, perfection! Packaged in a box with its own sharpener (huge bonus in my opinion), each pencil arrives sharp and pointy as in the photo above, and they apply like a dream. I had no trouble using them as liners, applying thin to very thick lines, and when the point eventually dulled, it sharpened right back to a nice point.

Application is flawless: the pencils are not quite as soft as kohl pencils (which tend to smudge a lot), but are not as hard as some eye pencils can be; they are a great medium hardness that soften a touch on warm skin. I loved the combination of Platinum Glow as a thick base colour with a thinner line of Iridescent Teal, as in the photo below:

Platinum Glow also makes a perfect highlighting shadow under the brow bone or in the inner eye corner! Bonus? It’s more purse-friendly than a shadow! And I wore Iridescent Teal alone, over-top of black liner for a pop of colour, used it to line my inner rim, and loved it every single way. I will try and share more looks using the pencils!

 

LIMITED EDITION Eye Shadow Trio ($38.00)
A palette of three eye shadows, in matte, metallic and shimmer finishes, offers a range of looks. Highlight, contour and accentuate eyes with multi-pigment powder shadows. Created through a proprietary process, each pigment is coated with emollients and long wearing ingredients. Hues can be applied dry or wet, and are embossed with an intricate floral texture.
Key Ingredients:

• Mineral Mica and Nylon act as optical diffusers, softening the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

Shades: Viridian Bloom, Violet Bloom

Is that not a stunning compact?? The gold, the colours, the flowers, even the tiny red door symbol that is so synonymous with Elizabeth Arden!

Open it up to reveal the gorgeousness inside:

This is the Violet Bloom Trio, embossed with pretty sunflowers. It looks like a piece of art! Inside the mirrored compact are three coordinated shadows: a shimmery taupe, a muted satin bright pink, and a matte deep plum, all meant to be used dry or wet. I am dying to wear these shadows, but have a confession: I have not been able to rub a brush over the prettiness of its surface yet! I will create a look soon and share with you. 🙂

 

LIMITED EDITION Nail Lacquer Duo ($22.00)
This double-sided polish offers a salon-quality manicure at home. With beautiful, trend-inspired color on one end and an ultra glossy, clear gel-like topcoat on the other, this nail duo imparts lasting color with a professional, high-shine finish.
Shades: Purple Orchid, Teal Blossom

Shown above is Purple Orchid, a medium-hued plum that will suit a huge variety of skintones. I applied two coats and added the glossy top coat provided. Look at that shine!

Application was easy, and I found the duo to be really useful, especially as it’s in such a small package. The polish dried very quickly, and was shiny even before topcoat.

 

Also included in the New York in Bloom collection are a Bronzing Powder, Color Radiance Blush, Luminous Lip Gloss and Lash Enhancing Mascara.

 

Final verdict? Elizabeth Arden has launched a cohesive collection, perfect for spring and summer, centering on a few beauty essentials in two tonal families. The application was fantastic in all the products I tried, and I think I will pick up the bronzing powder next!

The New York in Bloom Spring/Summer 2013 Color Collection is now available for a limited time beginning at all Elizabeth Arden counters nationally. For more information, check out www.elizabetharden.ca or www.elizabetharden.com!