Recently I stumbled upon this display of new mini eye shadows by Revlon. Twenty five new colors sold individually at a great price. I liked the concept and figured why not try a few so I purchased two for $3.29 each.
These aren't even showing on the Revlon website yet and already displays are practically empty. This picture above was taken two weeks ago.
Here are the two I chose, Moss Pearl on the left and Onyx Pearl on the right.
Here's the fun part! They slide into each other so you can create a fun personalized palette.
Pearl Moss is a beautiful yellowish beige with hints of green,
Onyx Pearl a dark grey, almost black with fine silver glitter.
Here is another pitiful attempts at swatches! :( ... You can still get a pretty good idea of both the colors and intensity. They are surprisingly highly pigmented and have no fall out. What you see on the tip of my fingers is one relatively light pass.
How do they perform? Good.
For the price they do real well. I got about 6 hours or wear with no budging over a primer. After that, Black Onyx started to disappear rather quickly leaving only a light trace close to my lash line, next to my eye liner. The silver glitter didn't last long, sadly about 2 to 3 hours. Pearl Moss fared better but after 8 hours or so started to crease lightly.
On someone else they may very well wear longer since I personally don't get much mileage out of either M.A.C and some Clarins, two brands that get a lot of love and perform great for many.
Would I recommend Revlon Colorstay Shadowlinks? Yes.
These are not the most long lasting shadows (on me) but they definitely are worth a second look since I saw several respectable dupes of higher end shadows. If you're not sure about a color, there's a good chance you'll find a similar one in this range to try before making the jump.
Also, you know how sometimes high end palettes will catch your eyes with one color, one that you know you probably wouldn't wear often but are so tempted by? Well in this range you may, as I've mentioned, find a dupe that will either feed or calm your craving
At $3.29 each they truly are a good value and that little Pearl Moss is now my "Grocery Shopping" eye makeup base!
I mean, I still gotta look good on Saturday mornings, no? :)
If someone had told me last year that I would consider getting such a glittery color, let alone buy it, I would have probably flipped!
For a while now I'd been looking for a long wear purplish/reddish/plummish taupe and every time I found one that could maybe be the one, I ended up not buying. The latest smashing one I saw was from M.A.C but given their poor staying power on me I passed. Of course things might be different now that I'm using NARS Pro-Prime but I think the color I was considering a month or so ago is no longer available. M.A.C has so many collection launches and limited editions they're really hard to keep up with.
So back to my search! Last fall in it's Superstition Collection, Chanel had a rather pretty one called Hasard which was more on the lavender side. I swatched it but it didn't wow me much. I didn't think it would contrast enough with Mystère, the quad I purchased from my friend Stacey of Expat Make-Up Addict.
Then came #837...
Fatal
*Takes a deep breath*
Could a purplish reddish plum that's almost on the taupish side really exist? I mean really?
Could such a color also wear like iron?
Could I go for a reddish plum that has tons of glitter? Not gold but silver! Thank you very much!
This picture was taken at the Chanel counter. I just couldn't take the chance of having to wait a week to use it! The little retractable brush it comes with is excellent! Flat and slightly angled it takes a little practice getting use to and due to the fast drying formula you have to really be quick about application with it.
See how the color is different at home than at the Chanel counter where it looked more red? This picture here is much closer to reality. Notice the silver glitter?
Stunning!
The texture is fine and surprisingly soft. The brush it comes with is excellent for precise application but since this eye shadow is on the sheer side you have to be quick about it. It dries almost on contact which is the only downside for me.
Applying it with he brush will make it more intense. I've practice with both the little Chanel brush and my fingers and ended up preferring a regular eye shadow brush.
The glitter...
It definitely is there but, and this is a big but, it's truly not in your face in the sense that it doesn't look the same on your eyes as it does on a finger, you know the impression you get when you swatch in the store? Also I must admit at first I was truly intimidated by it, the glitter I mean, especially due to the fact that I apply my eye makeup using a magnifying mirror.
No one looks at me with through magnifying glass!
Thank God for that!!!
Ok so once it's on, with the regular side of the mirror it's stunning, positively stunning!!!
On it's own it's quite lovely and does bring out the green of my eyes but I needed a little more deepness and so brought out Diorshow 783 Velvel which I applied on the outer corners of my lids. With Fatal, a matte eyeshadow would not work in my opinion, not if you use it all over. Fatal could be used as a glittery accent with mattes but if it's your base you need to emphasize it with an equal which Velvet is. As it turned out, it was the perfect combination!
Love!!!
Both lasted the entire day, from 7:00 am to 9:00! They did not budge and stayed true till the time I removed them.
Impressed I am!
Chanel Illusion d'Ombre, in either Fatal or any other shade, try you need to do!
Oye! Possessed by Yoda I seem to be!
Have you tried Chanel Illusion d'Ombre? Which was the last eye shadow you purchased that wowed you?
I picked up this little gift to myself on my first day of work during my lunch break! Did I mention I was in trouble having Sephora and The Bay next door to my new work place?
Now this time I didn't take any chances and took my pictures in the store at the NARS counter! Since the days are shorter I knew that I wouldn't be able to do this at home and there was now way I was going to wait an entire week before using it.
This is my first encounter with NARS eyeshadows and right from the get go I knew we would get along just fine! Ever since it came out I sooo wanted it! The colors are just perfect for my green eyes and I love the smart combination of shimmers and mattes.
On the picture above you get a very good idea of the colors. The only one I haven't played with so far is the dark grey on the lower right corner because I've been wearing these for work and didn't want to overdo it. It's a good shadow to line the eyes with but I prefer to use a gel liner to make sure it'll last all day.
Can I just say that I chose a good one!!!
My favorite combination? The top middle sparkly beige all over lower lid, defined with the upper right purple blended with a little of the lower left light lilac. The middle lower dark grey I've used under my gel liner. It kind of makes the line darker and give a "wow" effect!
The upper left light pink I've used on my upper lids. This is the one that in my view gives this palette its name! I call it Pixie Dust! It's soooo pretty! It gives the most gentle glittery effect and to my amazement there's barely any fall out which is surprising for this type of shadow. It's pinkish in the pan but looks almost skin toned on skin. It's not an in your face glitter it's Pixie Dust! Really!
I don't know if NARS consulted with Tinker Bell for this one but I'm telling you it's perfect!
The texture...
They go on like a dream, highly pigmented and no fall out! I'm really impressed at how nice they are to use. One would expect the matte shades to be somewhat cakey but they are not. Of these six, the light lilac on the bottom left corner is the hardest but it's still quite easy to work with. The two dark mattes are on the soft side and so you need to proceed with caution. Do a few passes on your hand with your brush first to see how it goes. The intensity you get will depend on the type of brush you use for the lighter shades but the dark ones, well they are dark so again, do a few tests. What you see is pretty much what you get.
Lasting power...
I've used Fairy's Kiss eyeshadows with NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base and they stay put from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm! No creasing and barely any fading. Actually I'm not even sure that there is fading. It's kind of hard to evaluate these days with the lighting but if I look in the same mirror with the same light in the evening as what I used in the morning to apply my makeup, it truly looks the same!
I haven't tried them without the primer but I do think they would still perform well just because of the feel of them.
These are my first NARS eyeshadows but they surely won't be my last. This palette which is great for green eyes can actually make any eye color pop and the fact that there is a warm medium beige in it makes it suitable for practically any skin tone.
This was a limited edition launched for fall but it's still out there and definitely worth a second look.
I actually wasn't planning on writing a post today but I guess blogging has in a way contaminated my brain to the point where it really is hard to resist getting on the computer whenever I have a bit of free time.
Last Sunday I brought you my makeup routine which was kind of fun to do. This past week was pretty much the same so it would be redundant to repeat but do know I have a few good reviews in the works. I just have to figure out a way to take pictures. Thanks to Fee from Makeup Savvy who gave me great tips recently, I just might be able to pull it off without any sun. It is cloudy today and there seems to be snow in the air. So far we've pretty lucky at avoiding the white stuff but there's no getting around it, it'll come!
Gloves and boots shopping this week!
For my first two weeks on my new job I was working from 8:00 to 4:00 but this week the schedule will be 10:00 to 6:00. Two hours more in the morning! This will indeed be great but the downside will be evening meals. I've prepared a few things to be heated up so there will be as little cooking as possible but now Catherine will have to pitch in and set up before I get home which should be around 6:45.
Let's hope she doesn't burn the house down!
Here are some of the reviews I have coming up soon...
Sorry if this looks a bit crowded. These are some of the new goodies I got to play with recently and there is not one disappointing product in the bunch!
I also received several fragrance samples that I'll be enjoying so hopefully I'll be able to review those as well. One of the samples is Coco Mademoiselle the Eau de Parfum. I was quite thrilled for these are pretty hard to come by. Years ago I wore Coco Le Parfum and it remains one of my favorite fragrances ever. I have tried Coco Mademoiselle in the past but wasn't impressed by it, like something was missing. Now that was years ago so why not give it another go! I wore it twice this week and, well, I LOVE it!!!
For your viewing enjoyment...
I thought it would be fun to stay with Chanel and show you this video about two legends, N° 5 and Marilyn.
Recently I've been having issues with certain eye shadows, especially dark ones, you know the ones we use to really give definition to our eyes? The ones I wear most often don't crease but they do fade lightly during the day...
Now Mystère is not that bad, it's actually very good but it does lightly fade.
This I just had to try! Perfect eye makeup that lasts all day? Sign me up!
NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base...
I don't remember exactly when this came out but it's quite recent and it's been getting lots of love from the blogosphere.
How do I use it?
Dipping the applicator once in the tube will give you enough product for one eye. The only thing I don't like about it is the fact that the sponge at the end of the wand is a little rough and so I simply deposit a little blob on each lid and spread it with my fingers. The super smooth feeling formula is a pearly white type gel that becomes invisible and gives just a bit of a satiny finish. It dries in no time but it's still the first thing I reach for when I sit at my makeup table. By the time I'm done with basic face makeup I'm ready to apply my eye shadows.
How does it perform? Beautifully!
I kid you not! With this baby my eye makeup does last the entire day! Chanel Mystère did have good staying power on my lids to begin with but combined with NARS Pro-Prime it really stayed put!
The big bonus! It doesn't irritate my lids the way Too Faced and Urban Decay did. Again, it's smooth and doesn't make my eyes look all "crinkely".
Do I recommend NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base? Yes!
If you have issues with eye shadows staying powers this one is definitely worth a try. It will set you back $29,00 which sadly is a little on the expensive side but I don't regret the splurge and I honestly don't think you will either.
My routine is pretty basic so I don't do these types of post very often. What I experiment with the most are cleansers, lip balms and mascaras as you can see in the pictures below but I did empty a few treatments that are staples of mine.
All of these I truly loved. Biotherm Pure-Fect was purchased for my daughter but I tried it and it really is a good cleanser. I would definitely consider it again for next summer since it's more for combination/oily skin. Biotherm an Marcelle micellar waters, well, excellent! I wouldn't hesitate on recommending either of them and they both take care of eye makeup brilliantly. Caudalie Foam Cleanser (a product I forgot to review) was a great cleanser although the fragrance was slightly on the chemical side. For some reason I always ended up tasting it, a little nasty if you ask me. Still it's an excellent option and it too I would recommend.
As mentioned my skin care is on the boring side. For anti aging I rely on Avène. These three products contain the highest concentration of retinaldehyde available over the counter with the advantage that they are not as irritating once your skin gets used to them. Move effective than Neutrogena or anything you could get at Sephora. Ysthéal Cream was replaced by the Emulsion. This was probably my 4th tube of Eluage Cream and now I prefer the 1st mentioned. Eluage Concentrated Firming gel is a favorite due to the hyaluronic acid fragments in the formula which plumps the skin. I love this one for my forehead and as an eye contour. It's no longer available here but I have 2 backups.
Marcelle Xtension Plus mascara was ok but did require a bit of effort to hold the curl so I will not repurchase. Not a fail but not the best drugstore option. I've since then discovered L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes which for roughly the same price performs better on my lashes. Benefit They're Real is my HG mascara and so this one will be replaced.
Any Holy Grail product you've had to replace lately?
Sorry for the blurry pictures it's been cloudy here this past week and so they were taken inside.
Last May I purchased Biotherm Pure-Fect Skin Cleansing Gel for Catherine and she really liked it. You must have guessed by now that she is slowly becoming one of my Ginny pigs for trying products. She's not into makeup, yet, but she does have a skin care routine. At 14 I'm happy to say that her skin is clear so I guess we're in control, so far.
I'm not going to have her experiment with moisturizers because I don't want her to mess with a good thing. She uses Avène Cleanance K at night and she rarely gets blemishes. Whether it's the treatment or her genes making a difference I have no idea so we won't take any chances.So far she's never had any issues with cleansers except for a Neutrogena (Pink Grapefruit) that was clearly too drying. She's used a few and seems to be slowly developing preferences.
Vichy Pureté Thermale Purifying Foaming Cream...
Is the latest I purchased for her. Paraben free it's geared towards sensitive skin and since the weather is cooling down I thought it would be not only gentler but less drying.
She doesn't like it!
She told me she didn't enjoy the fragrance nor did she like the texture which is like a thick creamy mousse. Biotherm was a clear gel.
This means I've inherited a cleanser. Good, in the shower it went! For some reason I love having a different one in there. :)
How does it perform? Good.
Truly it's a good basic cleanser and it's way superior than some of the recent ones I've tried. Although it does have a somewhat of a thick creamy mousse texture it is slightly drying so I'm not sure how someone with dry sensitive skin would fare with it. The fragrance? I don't know what Catherine's problem is but I find it very pleasant although I'll admit it's a little stronger than Biotherm was. As I've mentioned I keep it in the shower and a few times used it in the evening to remove makeup and it did a pretty good job. Using a micellar water after, I barely had any dirt left on my skin.
Would I recommend Vichy Pureté Thermale Purifying Foaming Cream? Yes and no.
It is a good basic no fuss cleanser but it is slightly drying and this can be an issue especially if your skin gears toward the dry side. Although I don't have any problem with it, the fragrance could appear a little strong for some. Catherine is not sensitive to smells in general so her comment did take me by surprise. If you have normal/combination skin I think this would be a good option.
Since it's not too expensive it's the type of cleanser that you could use for your body if ever it doesn't work for your face. It's about $18,00 for 125 ml (it will last long since little is needed) but it's often on special, I purchased ours for just under $13,00.
Reviews:
Makeup Alley: 4.4 / 5 lippies for 14 reviews.
Beauté-test: surprisingly there are no reviews of this product at this time so I believe it's relatively new.
My first week at my new job is done and went quite well! Lots of things to learn but mostly about procedures which is what I was expecting. In all honesty, I do believe I will simply love it! :)
As suspected and mentioned last Sunday, I didn't get the chance to take note on interesting articles for you but I think I'll be able to next week. You see this weekend I've had to clean up the yard and do a lot of leaves picking. I got 10 big orange bags! I would have double if not for the leaf picker upper that mulches them! You may have guessed that I'm a little tired.
First week's beauty stuff...
I thought is would be fun to show you the items I reached for in the morning. Aside from getting up at 5:30 am, my biggest challenge was to figure out where I would "put on my face"! As it turns out, same place as usual only this time instead of relying on the light coming in from the window I use an artificial one. At that hour it's still night outside and thank the *putting on makeup* gods I have a good halogen lamp!
On Monday I started off the week with Chanel Mystère quad but as a *first day of work* gift to myself I got NARS Fary's Kiss palette during my lunch break and have been playing with it ever since. The top middle and top right colors have been my favorites so far and yes, I will bring you a review real soon. I also have one in the works for NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base.
Bobbi Brown Cement and Slate from the Navy & Nude palette have been great complements. Mascara, I started with L'Oréal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess but for some reason on Wednesday it looked weird on my lashes, almost kind of goopy. I was able to smooth it out but it did make me a little angry so out it will go. On Thursday morning I switched to Dior Iconic and although it takes a little longer to achieve the thickness I like, it lasts all day and keeps the curl beautifully.
Guerlain Crazy Terracotta has been getting all my attention this week and with good reason, just read my review, it's total love! I used Madame Rougit a few times for a little extra kick of color when I felt the need for it.
Lips...
On my first day it was Rouge Dior Grège 1947 but for a work day it's too creamy and doesn't last long enough so the following day I wore Rouge Dior Nude in Esquisse 683 and on Friday, Rose Dolce Vita 555 was the one I reached for. Those last two haven't been reviewed yet but it's coming! I also kept in my purse this new Revlon Lip Gloss but have to find the color. I bought two recently and they lost their stickers at the bottom. This one here has a bit of glitter in it which gives it dimension and results into a nice nude lip.
Nails...
I started the week with Diorific Minuit and on Wednesday night went for Essie Sable Collar. Usually I would not have done my nails again in the middle of the week but broke a nail.
Recently I reviewed Hourglass limited edition Ambient Lighting Palette which by the way is pretty amazing. You can read my original thoughts, here.
Ambient Lighting Palette with Veil Mineral Primer
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15...
Described as a mineral-based, water-resistant primer that neutralizes the skin, minimizes shine, and creates a smooth uniform canvas for flawless makeup application. Helps keep makeup looking fresh and prevents fading. Absorbs excess oils and minimizes the appearance of pores by evenly distributing light to help hide and soften skin imperfections and fine lines (source Sephora).
This primer gets lots and lots of love!
The texture is an opaque milky white creamy liquid! Does that even make sense? It's quite interesting actually and really soft. Light and non greasy, it goes on like a dream and transforms to a powdery finish in no time.
The regular size comes with a convenient pump.
Ok so that's pleasant and I must say that it does feel rather luxurious on skin and is fragrance free.
How did it perform?
Well, hold on to your seats! I saw no difference with or without.
For a week I did a split face experiment. I used it on the right side of my face and the only thing I can report is my Estée Lauder BB cream was slightly easier to apply. If you refer back to Sephora's description of Veil Mineral Primer, well, I saw no difference and I think it's because of the state of my skin at this time.
I have combination skin and at the moment my t-zone is less oily due to the colder weather. I do believe that those with combination to oily skin would benefit more using this.
For luminosity and blurring, on me, no difference. I do have some enlarged pores here and there and do have some tiny wrinkles (*sigh*), expression lines but I can't say that they are less noticeable and I have looked under different types of lighting.
Now it does work if I don't apply any creamy product over it! In other words, if I use only powders it clearly does blur things up but using my tinted moisturizer seems to neutralize that effect. If you try it on your hand in the store you'll see what I mean. It's almost magic!
So, what I have left I will put aside and use next summer or at least when the weather warms up and will experiment again. I think it just might be a go to, to help control the oil production on my t-zone especially on those days when I don't want to apply too much makeup, you know, those hot and sticky ones?
Since the full size of Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer is on the pricey side at $60,00 I would recommend you try to get a sample first.
Reviews:
Makeup Alley: 3.9 / 5 lippies for 221 reviews
Beauté-test: Hourglass is not listed.
Ingredients (Sephora) -Titanium Dioxide: (2.45%) An alternative to chemical-based sunscreen agents that reflects UVA/UVB rays to protect skin from harmful damage. -Zinc Oxide: (4.20%) A mineral with anti-inflammatory properties that offers full spectrum coverage by absorbing UVA and UVB rays at the skin's surface.
This is not a skin care item per say but since it's applied all over it would be a good thing to patch test first if you have clog and/or acne prone skin or have sensitive skin.
Have you tried Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer? Thoughts and what's your skin type?
The only product of this type I've ever tried was from Gatte Fossé a few years back. Presented in a tube the texture was a little thicker than a cleansing oil per say but the effect was similar. An oil you massage on skin and rinse off with water. Simple, right?
The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil...
When I first heard about it I was a little excited. A cleansing oil at under $20,00 with a convenient pump? Perfect! If I remember correctly it was $16,00 for 200 ml. If only the product was as nice as the price...
How did I use it?
I used two pumps and spread the oil on dry skin, massaged a little to dislodge makeup and dirt and than tried to rinse. I say tried because that step didn't go so well. It didn't melt away the way a cleansing oil should and as much as I tried massaging with water it left a heavy oily film on my skin. In fact it was almost as thick as if I had used a regular plain carrier oil. The problem is with the formula, there isn't enough surfactant-emulsifying agents in it! I had no choice but to use a foaming cleanser to remove the oily residue and even after that could still feel it lightly.
Would I recommend The Body Shop Chamomile Silky Cleansing Oil? Sadly, no unless you have very dry skin and don't mind an oily residue.
It doesn't work the way a cleansing oil should. It could work nicely for someone with dry skin since the residue can provide extra moisture but I doubt a person with combination/oily skin would enjoy this cleanser much. I truly didn't except this and except for the pleasant light fragrance this is a disappointment.
Said to remove lip and eye makeup, it left a residue that irritated my eyes so even for that it's a no go for me.
What I will do is try to take it back since I have absolutely no use for it.
Of course again, it's not because it didn't work for me that you will have the same results. It's really a your mileage may vary thing especially since according to the reviews, as few as there are, some do like this cleansing oil.
Reviews:
Makeup Alley: 3.7 / 5 lippies for only 3 reviews (this is relatively new) Beauté-test: 4 / 5 stars also for 3 reviews.
If you decide to try this product, as with any other skin care item, make sure to patch test especially if you are clog and/or acne prone or have sensitive skin.
Have you ever used a cleansing oil? If so, which is your favorite?
Ok so remember, those who follow my critic/reviews/fall in love with whatever products will know that last spring and summer I was all about Diorskin Nude Coral Glow! Well... I've found another fantastic, complexion blowing gorgeous beautifying goodie!!!
I've been using it only three days! Oh sweet Julius how easy can I be!
Guerlain Crazy Terracotta!!!!!!!
Funny how usually I'll go for meanings but this time I honestly don't care what the "68" means!
So I've covered the story of this revolutionising offering from the house of Guerlain La Terracotta, I've raved about how I just love it for contouring, face shaping and year round glow provider!
Crazy takes it to another level!
I swear this one needs to be part of the regular line up of Terracotta!
What I usually do is apply bronzer, Terracotta of course and... use a tiny bit of blush on the middle of my cheeks and even on my upper lids just to make my face not only come alive but believe it or not if you have somewhat droopy lids, it somehow "lifts" them up by providing a "glow".
Look at this little beauty!!!
Now it's a little woozy but the colors are, for once, almost perfect!
Feww!!!
With Guerlain Crazy I've got both all wrapped up into one! Ok notice the lighter spots? Those appear gold when you see it in real life but what they translate to on skin is simply a natural sheen!
Getting up at 5:30 in the morning all I can say is that I'm so grateful for this little beauty!
I didn't swatch the "balz" (ok I'm not sure here, does it take an "s"?) and from reading reviews I've figured they gave a slightly more "shiny" finish. With the compact all you get is a perfect glow!
I'll say it... even better than Coral Glow! Sorry Sunny! This one takes it all!
I still love the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette compact but Terracotta Crazy is like the mother load for the perfect colorful glow. Now I don't mean pink or peach or any weird unnatural "fakish" color. I mean a natural skin tone way improved. Oh geeze I hope I make sense!
Soft brush = no fall out
I could of course if I wanted to, use a bit of Guerlain Madame Rougit for that nice light flush of color but honestly, with Crazy I don't need it and this is just fabulous! One step less in the morning, one less compact to open! And I thought I didn't like a glow in winter! Technically it's still fall but it's pretty darn cold and I'm enjoying this glow a lot!
I know, you'll think me lazy but believe me, my new reality demands less steps and I do not want to compromise when I "put on my face" in the morning. With Gerlain Crazy Terracotta I don't need to! Oh and no need to reapply during the day so this baby stays safely at home! :)
The compact, heavier than regular Terracotta, comes with a cute little pouch, remains shut with a magnet blah, blah, blah...
Twenty years ago or so you could find Roger & Gallet products at the end of some dusty alley in certain department stores practically forgotten at least that was the case in Montreal. Not anymore! In recent years they've regained their status and now have envious placement in most major drugstores. Oh and by the way, some drugstores in Canada are pretty amazing!
Alfons Mucha (1860-1939) c. 1900
Like many of you I've developed a passion for fragrant oils in recent years. Liérac Huile Sensorielle aux Trois Fleurs and Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse (both reviewed here) are favorites of mine and often replace perfume especially on days I stay home. I have a small size of Caudalie Huile Divine reviewed, here, and do like it a lot but that one is for my purse, mainly for hair taming during the day. Ok so that's three. I want more and as much as possible I want them to be affordable. I've tried one of The Body Shop's dry oils, Sweet Lemon, here, and although it's quite nice, the fragrance lasts barely 30 minutes on me and the same goes with Origins Ginger Gloss Smoothing Body Oil, here. The last two are fails and are dying in my shower. I always have to remind myself to use them, to empty them so I can get rid of the bottles.
Roger & Gallet Fleur d'Osmanthus Perfumed Beauty Oil...
Looking for new ones, last spring I stumbled upon a new Roger & Gallet display at my local drugstore. Fleur d'Osmanthus was the first I tried and frankly I fell in love with it. The fragrance, that of this Asian flower I had never heard about before, reminds me of a mixture of mixture of citrus fruits but sweeter. Not surprising since the Osmanthus flower has been described as smelling like mandarin and apricot.
The cost, $34,00 for 100 ml. The glass bottle is easy to hold and the spray is brilliant. Quite similar to Caudalie but with a little more power so be aware if ever you sample it in a store.
The fragrance lasts about five hours on me but if I spray it all over after my shower the fragrance transfers to clothes a little so there is a faint silage that remains even if I can barely smell it on myself. This makes it a very appropriate fragrance for the work place it you don't want to knock down anyone with a strong perfume and it's also perfect for a job interview!
Things are a little crazy in la maison d'Icaria...
As some of you already know, tomorrow is a big day for me. I start my new job! Woot! What this means? I'm a nervous wreck! I'm very confident about my qualifications but it's still a big deal especially since I've been looking for the past six months. Well it would seem that the saying "good things come to those who wait" can happen because this new career is everything I've been looking for.
Planning ahead...
This past week I've been getting ready. Cleaning the house, making sure I have the right clothes and shoes and of course figuring out a few makeup looks. So far I think I'll be sticking to my plan as far as eye makeup is concerned, keeping it simple so I won't go nuts in the morning.
Oh I've been writing like crazy too! I have several posts lined up so you will have new entries to enjoy. The difference will be that I may not be able to reply to your comments as rapidly as before. A new routine will have to be put in place and some evenings may be a little more hectic than others but I'll do my best to respond as quickly as possible because as you may have guessed, I love getting your feedback.
Another downside and this has already started to happen, is that I will have less time to read other blogs and this means that this weekly post of notable reads may become a bi-weekly or monthly feature. With time I'll adjust I'm sure. Just yesterday I had over 99 new posts on my Bloglovin queue even though I've reduced the numbers of blogs I follow and had to mark them all as read which was a bit of a downer but for now this is the price I must pay to put food on the table.
Yesterday's shopping and a little surprise...
I just had to take advantage of Sephora's 20% off sale and I had a list which I posted yesterday, here. Is it surprising that I went for makeup only?
I will try to take pictures of these today but unfortunately it's raining outside and I don't have any good lighting indoor for this purpose. I'll do my best but unlike some recent purchases I won't be able to wait an entire week to use them. On my recent entry about Rouge Dior Grège 1947 I tried to take a swatch picture but it was pretty bad which I did point out and Melissa from Kiss & Makeup agreed! :)
So, even if the colors are a bit off (they almost always are but then I guess that makes me endearing... no?) I'll still bring you my impressions/reviews of these. I have the distinct feeling that the Guerlain compact will become a staple and will not only replace my regular Terracotta for winter but will have a permanent place in my purse. It's a beauty!
Erm... Is it crazy that I already know what I'll get with my first pay check? :)
So after Sephora... Oh by the way Catherine was with me but as some of you know she hates Sephora with a passion! She's not into makeup at all! What I did was getting her a nice iced mocha coffee from Café Depot and she sat just outside the store waiting patiently. If you look at my Instagram feed you'll see what I mean. Notice the empty cup at her feet. :)
Again, after Sephora we went to The Bay where I figured I would start on my quest for finding a pair of nice work shoes. I found some along with two amazing tops for my girl. My last stop was at the Guerlain counter. I wanted the new Sulfurous Nail Lacquer.
Dupe Alert!!!
I still had Essie Sable Collar on my nails (reviewed here), picked up Sulfurous, took a close look and tried it on my pinkie. They're identical!!! Guerlain has a very but I mean very small edge over Essie in the depth of it's finish but believe me after two days wear there would be no difference at all. I was stunned! Remember I had planned to get a new nail polish? Sulfurous was the one I wanted but given the fact that I have Sable Collar I got an O.P.I chosen by Catherine instead. I saved some monies yay!
Ok so what was the surprise?
By the time I tried on the nail polish Catherine and I were pretty hungry and we needed to sit down. We were on our way out and as I walked by the Estée Lauder counter I remembered that I wanted to try their new fragrance, Modern Muse. As we were stepping away an SA offered me a sample!!!
Estée Lauder OFFERING samples??? I swear I almost fell down! To top if all off, she nicely gave me TWO!
I've worked for Estée Lauder and for years I've been purchasing from the brand some staples but every single times I asked for samples the response was always "no, sorry we don't have any". Is this a new thing? I sure hope so!
So all in all, this was a good week, and yesterday was a good day.
I'll probably go later today but still haven't decided what exactly I will get to take advantage of the 20% rebate. Since I would like to also get some new nice shoes I may skip a few of these but I'm quite sure I'll get at least a Dior lipstick, NARS eye makeup base and the Truth Serum, I think...
NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base and Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer
Another Rouge Dior, Rose Bonheur maybe and I'll have a closer look at the quints
Givenchy Le Rouge Intense in Rose d'Exception (if I go downtown
because my local Sephora doesn't carry the brand)
Caudalie duo hand cream and Huile Divine (not shown)
Guerlain Crazy Terracotta Healthy Glow Powder
Ole Henriksen Truth Serum
Want to bet a nail polish might, just might follow me home as well? :)
Poor Catherine! She'll be stuck waiting for me, again! She hates Sephora! I guess I'll better make sure I get her a nice Vanilla coffee for her "troubles". :)
Have you or are you planning to take advantage of the Sephora sale?
Recently I had a "light bulb moment"! Michelle from Lipstick Rules asked the following question: Which Comes First, The Makeup Or The Outfit? My response was the outfit and I adjust makeup accordingly but what I realised was that unconsciously the main reason why I'm always attracted by neutral lip colors is that I privilege not only a thick line of eyeliner but tend to apply darker than medium shadows on my lids and if I were to wear dark lipsticks I would probably look like a reject from the 80s. Ok maybe not that bad since I don't exaggerate blush but still it might be a little much.
I've always preferred to emphasise my eyes and since I have good pigmented lips I can either go without lipstick or with a medium neutral. Now I can't do a real nude color, when I do I look a bit "deadish".
My recent favorite lip color was NARS Tolède, a light dusty pink, which I wore almost everyday ever since I purchased it back in May but these past few weeks it became less comfortable due to the fact that it's fairly matte so a little drying. This wasn't an issue when the weather was warmer but the mercury has dropped more than a few degrees and it's only the beginning. Winter is coming and so this means I need a more moisturizing formula.
Rouge Dior 169 Grège 1947...
A perfect nude for me. Not too light and not too beige it has just the right amount of pink to make my lips noticeable. What I love about it is that I can reapply without using a mirror. Now I don't do that often but it happens. With a few passes of Grège 1947 I get the "my lips but better" effect and although relatively light it doesn't scream spring or summer it's simply the kind of timeless/season less shade we all need.
The formula of Grège 1947 is very creamy so if you expect it to stay on your lips for more than four hours you might be disappointed. I get close to three hours of wear with it and no it does not resist a meal on me. Like the older Dior formula I used to love, it fades evenly but if you talk a lot it will make that weird line on the inner rim of your lips which can be annoying but this is normal with such a formula and I don't mind personally.
The packaging, navy blue paired with silver, gorgeous! Dior on the bullet and the satisfying click when you put the cap back on are some of the reasons these lipsticks are a joy to use. Quiet elegance.
For many of us winter is coming rapidly and Grège 1947 is a pretty good option if you want a nice basic nude color that is not too light and that comes with an excellent moisturizing formula but the fact that it's creamier doesn't mean that it will treat your lips if they are irritated to begin with. This week I've had issues and Grège 1947 didn't help much but then I knew it wouldn't since it's not a lip treatment.
I'm truly in love with this little beauty and isn't it interesting that on the displays it's paired with Dior Vernis Nuit 1947? Believe me, they look good together!
This is a pathetic attempt at a swatch picture. Reason why I rarely show you any.
It does not look that orange in real life nor does my skin look so pink.
This is my first Dior lipstick in years... For some reason I had kind of let go preferring Chanel but Grège 1947 is a great reminder of how much I used to love them, after all my first ever lipstick was Dior. It was a shimmery bubble gum pink... To my defence, I was 19 and it was all the rage at that time, along with dark tans. Thank God I didn't fall for the tan!
Do you remember the color of your very first lipstick?
Part of the new Winter 2013 Collection, Shearling Darling that's starting to pop up here and there, Sable Collar is not my usual type of color but it had just enough purple in it for me to totally want to try it. Described as a cocoa plum, although I see a bit of grey in it, two coats are all you'll need to get a nice streak less metallic finish.
Wait what??? Metallic finish?
Ok I'm not a fan of metallic and I must admit that in a way Sable Collar looks better in the bottle than on my nails BUT like I said, it does have that nice plum to it that make me like it. In fact to my great surprise I like it a lot.
Right, after 3 days with no top coat. Left with top coat. Notice the purple in the bottle.
Sadly it doesn't look the same on nails but it still is a very nice color.
The formula went on super smoothly. I doubt one would be satisfied with just one coat although it is thick enough for an even application. Since I'm no expert I did need to go for seconds to even out the finish.
Although it does have that metallic finish it's not that super shiny the day after so a top coat is required to give it it's full depth otherwise if falls a bit flat as you may have noticed on the above pictures.
As with most of Essie's nail polishes I've tried so far, you should get a good four days out of it on it's own. With a top coat, I'd say six with a little tip wear. Now of course this depends on your daily activities. I don't put my hands in water much but do A LOT of typing!
Essie Shearling Darling Collection,
From left to right:
Toggle To The Top, a bright red packed with red glitter
Shearling Darling, a deep burgundy creme
Warm & Toasty Turtleneck, described as a wisteria pink, a pretty dusty purple creme
Sable Collar, as seen above
Parka Perfect, a pretty dusty blue with light shimmer
Mind Your Mittens, a dark diamond teal creme
As you may have guessed, you really have to see these colors in person because pictures on the web don't do them justice. In real life, Shealing Darling and Parka Perfect are darker and Mind Your Mittens is more vivid.
What do you think metallic nail colors? Do you like them?
In recent years makeup wasn't too high on my list of priorities, putting on my "face" in the morning meant that it was relatively basic and so my look was a kind of no makeup, makeup look. One step I've never skipped has always been powder because of my shiny t-zone and eyes where I use concealer as an eyeshadow base. Last spring when I started my quest to find a new job I went to Sephora looking for an everyday powder compact and I remember seeing Hourglass Ambient Lighting but I was somewhat puzzled about them. Intrigued, I remember trying each one on my arm and then walking around the store looking at the swatches liking what I saw but still not sure enough to go for one and so that day I got my little Givenchy Le Prisme Visage compact.
Not long after it would seem the entire blogosphere was talking about Hourglass and since then these Ambient Lighting powder appear to have become almost essentials to those looking to achieve a flawless complexion. Unlike Le Prisme which tones down shine and lightly evens out the complexion, Hourglass' Ambient Lighting powders create a gentle diffuse light effect on the skin, in other words it softens the way light reflects on one's skin.
When I saw the first pictures of this palette last summer I knew I just had to have it. Having the chance of trying three was just too irresistible considering they are $52,00 each, the palette although still not cheap at $67,00 offers a great opportunity to experiment.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette comes with a small size of the well loved Veil Mineral Primer which will get it's own review.
My first Dior eyeshadow in ... years! I'll keep you guessing on that one. Let's just say that it was a long time ago. I still have a few palettes and yes, I do use them once in a while. Dior's texture has remained almost the same and that's a relief, in fact I might even say that it's comforting. A little stupid I know but hey, it's been years!
Before going for a Dior palette I wanted to try a mono to see how it would hold on my now "older" eyes and the results are more than positive. Recently I brought you a review of Mystère (here) where I mentioned that in the past Chanel's eye shadows were not amongst the best. I guess in the case of Dior I was afraid of the opposite, meaning they may not be as good today as they were back then... Ok I'm not an old geezer but it was a wile back!
I'm glad to say it's not the case!
Diorshow Mono 783 Velvet...
Diorshow 783 Velvet is a beautiful purplish grey, perfect for green eyes. It may appear quite shimmery in the pan but on skin it's very flattering. Of course I tried to take pictures of a swatch I did on my arm but it was just pathetic.
In case you've never heard of Movember please read my entry from last year, here.
André's illness is not listed among those mentioned but last year at this time he had started to get sick. When I wrote my post about Movember I was a little worried about him but although the diagnosis was serious, there was hope.
Had he gone to the doctor just a few months earlier, the outcome would have been preventable, he would still be here.
Men have a tendency to think they are invincible, they are not! Believe me I know!
If you have a man you love in your life, nag, nag, nag for him to take care of his health. I did!
Seems I didn't do enough of it... He didn't listen...
Yes, he did have a moustache!*
Do whatever you have to to make them go for a yearly checkup, nag, nag, nag and don't do like me, don't take no for an answer!
Have a great week everyone and go take care of those guys of yours, make sure they stay healthy! Hélène xoxo
*Sorry about the quality, you may have guessed, it's a picture of a picture taken the year we met.
It would seem everyone has been raving about Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner for years and now I know why but although it is that good, I still prefer another...
For the past year now I've been wearing L'Oréal Infaillible Lacquer Liner in Slate which on me is just perfect since I can't wear black, well maybe I could but I don't feel comfortable with it. Green eyes with a rather pale complexion, I feel if I wear black it's the only thing we see. Slate is a dark grey/brown that goes with everything and with it I can do a thick line without looking like I'm coming out of the 60s and the fabulous thing about it is that it's matte!
Although I love L'Oréal's for everyday I wanted another just a tiny bit darker but again, not black and it too had to be matte. I found one in the Bobbi Brown's line up of gel liners, Caviar Ink.
