The Sunday Post, Vol. 31...

It's back to school time...

Fall sadly, is definitely at the door with the weather slightly cooling and kids of all ages getting ready to hit classrooms everywhere. Catherine got her class schedule on Friday and she was pretty happy about the fact that she got the science class she wanted. A few notebooks and a new backpack were all she needed... feww!!! Erm... Of course there are other essentials that will have to be purchased but nothing too crazy.

My posting schedule may become even more erratic due to the fact that something real unpleasant happened today to me personally, it's not work related. Just as I was catching up on blogs and was about to take the time to respond to all your comments of the past two weeks I find myself having to deal with a huge task. Just as I was starting to think things couldn't get any worse they did. Call it remnants of André's passing (for those who don't know read the about me tab). I don't know how I'm going to get through that one but I guess I have no choice in the matter, again.

This week's makeup love...

Well, it's been Laura Mercier Caviar stick in Amethyst all week!!! Love the color which reminds me a little of Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in Fatal but with no glitter. It is on the shimmery side and if applied dark can appear metallic but swatching it on your hand is definitely not the same as wearing it. A year ago I wouldn't have looked at it twice but now I'm really glad I took the plunge. I've been wearing it with Bobbi Brown Caviar Ink gel liner and I've even used a little gold from my Illamasqua palette for extra glam... Imagine that, me going metal crazy!

Since I've been doing more of a dark smokey eye look I've been keeping the rest of my face pretty neutral with my faithful Guerlain Terracotta and NARS Dolce Vita for lips.

Fingernails have been happy this week with Dior Glow and I think they will continue to enjoy it for a while since now both my index fingernails are in pretty bad shape. That's the price to pay for wearing colors non stop for two years! :(

What I have my eyes on...

While on the subject of nails, I'm still considering Chanel Le Vernis in Atmosphère for a lite shimmer since I can't really do dark at the moment and I have to admit none of the new nail polish collections are really calling my name. Dior and Chanel are on the boring side for me (except for the one mentioned) and so is YSL. I haven't seen Guerlain and in fact, being a little out of the loop at the moment I don't even know if they have new nail colors for fall. Last year they had the smashing Madame Batifole which I enjoyed a lot with an amazing formula. My guess is once the Back to School craziness is behind me it'll be all about eye shadow palettes and a few lipsticks.

For your viewing enjoyment...

Want the perfect pout? Have a look at this simple NARS tutorial for how to get that perfect red lip or any color for that matter. Using a lip crayon as a base not only gives more depth but also helps with long wear. After Rouge Dior, NARS lipsticks are my favorites (Tolède and Dolce Vita are HG of mine) and they've just launched a new range of fabulous colors called Audacious. I have my eyes on Brigitte and Juliette. They should be available at counters on September 1st and you can see them on NARS' website, here.

Now here's a bit of music for you... I've seen if first on Color Me Loud when Sara reviewed the new Guerlain Kiss Kiss lipsticks and this morning on Kiss & Make-up where Melissa created a beautiful Black & Gold eye look. Never heard of it before and it's been out since 2008, got a Grammy in 2009! After seeing it twice this week it's now stuck in my head! Oh and the dude is Australian. No clue as to why I'd never heard this song before! Read Sara's post, here and Melissa's, here.

Have a great week everyone! Hélène xoxo

The Sunday Post, Vol. 30...

The return of my makeup mojo...

I think it's coming back! I really do!!!

Super boring makeup summer that's what it was for me! I think this was mainly due to the bad day job schedule I had combined with my waking up in the middle of the night at least two to three times a week. I chose the easy makeup route most mornings which was fine but hey, boring!

Work schedule is finally easier to live with so I'll keep my fingers crossed for the insomnia. Since I'll be home most nights by 6 pm, I should be able to do some blogging in the evening once I get used to the new hours... I hope. I feel like I've been out of it for a while with not much social media presence but I'll sure try to catch up.

I'll also be able to keep up with your comments, thank you so much for hanging in there you have no idea how much your feedback is appreciated.

This week's makeup love are all blurred up with my new additions...

I played with my new Illamasqua palette (see below), wore a new purplish/pinkish lipstick and went to work with no eyeliner on Thursday! By mid day I felt like I looked like death! I guess that's what happens when going from black to nothing! On Friday I brought out my beloved L'Oréal Infaillible liner in Slate and felt oh so much better! By the way, sorry about how weird the picture above looks but I had no time to redo it and noticed too late my hand showing in the mirror of the NARS duo.

New additions...

Illamasqua is leaving the North American market! Almost one year to the day the brand was introduced at The Bay (Canadian retail stores) it's calling it quits! Sad but in a way I'm not surprised since there weren't that many special events or promotions. In Montréal it was located in a nice looking boutique but in a corner, in front of Armani next to YSL. A quiet spot, a little out of the way which for a brand that isn't that well known is kind of a recipe for doom. Last week everything went down price wise, 25% off! I just had to take advantage of the markdown and so got a palette, lipstick, a mono eye shadow and went back the next day for a nail polish.

I finally got the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Amethyst I'd been coveting for so long. Hey at $34.00 a pop it did take some thinking about it. It's love! It's the perfect little boost for my green eyes. Combined with my beloved Diorshow mono in Velvet and Slate eyeliner it produces a great polished daytime look.

Yesterday I went shopping with Catherine and of course I just had to stop by Sephora, again... and as I was planning on getting a Dior Glow lip balm I was side tracked by the new Nail Glow...

Guys, you have to get one! Stat!

These past two weeks I've been getting a little lazy with my mani and there's also my left index that seems to have a hard time to get back to its normal strong self which means that I'd been using an illuminating base coat from Nicole by O.P.I. It was ok but the finish, being a base coat wasn't that shiny. Dior Nail Glow is Da Bomb! One coat, high illuminating shine... It's the perfect every day finish for when you don't feel like color, really it is!

What I have my eyes on... 

I'm still undecided about Dior Rosy Glow Healthy Glow Awakening Blush... I swatched it... again... I'm not seeing it! Am I missing something, will I regret not getting it?

I'm not a blush person, I find them pretty but honestly I've always gotten away with a few colors. Coral, pink and wine have done good by me for everyday but for some reason that Dior Rosy Glow is calling my name but every time I swatch it I'm like, really? It's soooo lite and almost feels powdery. I almost purchased it yesterday, almost!

So tell me, should I, really???


For your viewing enjoyment...

Dior does it again! Talk about timeless beauty, that lady Robert Pattinson dances with is a Babe! I can only hope to look that happy at that age, hey I can only hope to get to that age! Getting older isn't fun but we have to make the best of it! I don't own a car which means I walk a lot and I know it keeps me in reasonable shape and I sure am not planning on not curling my lashes anytime soon! Not having André to tell me I'm beautiful and loved everyday for the past year and a half has been hard, real hard but in a way I've always taken pride in my appearance for me, to feel good about myself.

Aches and pains are starting to be more of a regular occurrence, neck is starting to fall and don't get me started about my eyelids... Still, I don't intend on looking like I'm letting myself go nor do I plan on starting to try to look like a 20 yrs old. Taking public transportation I see women of every ages and so many look drab and sad that it makes me want to get up and give them a makeover on the spot while others look fantastic!

The way I see it, it's not a money thing, it's a willing thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV0ONCkyV5s

And speaking about timeless beauty, go have a look at The Beauty +, the new baby of Jane / British Beauty Blogger celebrating the "getting older" thing. Yes it is a thing and whether you consider it good or bad, well, that depends entirely on you. Since we have no say in the matter, might as well make the best of it.


Have a great week everyone! Hélène xoxo

Maybelline Color Tattoo® Leather Eyeshadows...

The first Color Tattoos were way too shimmery for my taste, the matte were to stiff, hard to swatch and didn't seem very smooth so I passed despite the hype.

These I figured just might have the right texture so...

...Yes I went for them and purchased three!

Maybelline Color Tattoo in Creamy Beige 80, Deep Forest 85 and Vintage Plum 90...

This was almost an act of faith since there were no testers and I hadn't read any reviews (only saw pictures on Instagram), but the colors just seemed so right. I first purchased Vintage Plum and before even trying it on, the next day went back for Creamy Beige and Deep Forest.

The textures... Both Vintage Plum and Deep Forest feel slightly dry and take some getting used to to work with but Creamy Beige is just dreamy! Creamy as it's name states it goes on easily and truly has that gel like texture as advertised.

Long wear... Over NARS Pro-Prime reviewed here, they all stay put all day with no creasing but do note I didn't try them on their own.

One more thing that's to be noted, I tried a powder shadow over Creamy Beige and it was a little hard to smudge properly. I wanted to deepen it with a dark blue and although the final result was ok it wasn't as flawless as I would have liked. Next I'll try with Diorshow Fusion Mono Matte in Nocturne reviewed, here, which I haven't used much to be honest but I think they should work well together for a classic look with liner.

Here is yet another lame attempt at swatches...

Indoor on the left and in the sun on the right. I think you can get an idea of how both Antique Plum and Forest Green appear a little dry compared to Creamy Beige which shows a faint shimmer. Now of course it will look different on the eyes since on my arm I swatched them over a little foundation. So far I haven't tried them with a brush preferring my fingers. In fact, I'm not sure a brush would work well with Antique Plum and Forest Green because they seem to go on more easily warmed up a little, almost like a stiff concealer.

Do I recommend Maybelline Color Tattoos Leather? Yes.

These for the price are pretty good, especially Creamy Beige. Both Antique Plum and Forest Green require a little more practice to appear smooth but I can work with them and although I haven't purchased any of Maybelline's Color Tattoos from the matte line having only swatched in stores (of course those may have felt dry due to the constant opening of containers), I do think the Leather formula looks more natural, less cakey.

Tempting but I will not compare these to the easy almost buttery texture of Laura Mercier Cariar sticks (I own Khaki reviewed, here) although Creamy Beige is almost there. LM go for $34.00 a pop while Maybelline Color Tattoos are around $10.00 each. That's a third of the price and I have no idea how long I'll be able to use them for I'm sure they will dry up over time but I guess I should be ok using them coming up fall and winter. I give them about a year which is fine for such a cheap thrill. :)

There are two more colors available, Chocolate Suede 95 a deep warm brown with gold specs (for some reason I think that one will have a texture similar to Creamy Beige) and Dramatic Black 100 which appeared similar to the Dior I already own.


Have you tried any of the Maybelline Color Tattoos yet? If so, what did you think?

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer...

Recently I've been looking everywhere for my favorite concealer, Rimmel London Match Perfection but it's nowhere to be seen! In fact most of the Rimmel displays in drugstores in my area are practically empty, especially the ones for face makeup and concealers. Seems they get lippies and eye shadows but don't renew the basics. I could just kick myself for not getting a backup last summer but I didn't think it would get to be so hard to find again.

Although I wasn't much of a fan of Rimmel's packaging it did a good job. Nothing fancy, light, well maybe the formula was a bit too light but still it was ok once set with powder and so I would have gone on using it. A good concealer at under $8.00 is a good thing in my book.

Since last year I wasn't too lucky with my makeup purchases from the drugstore I skipped the brands available there and started to look at Sephora. I swatched several and finally settled with this one...

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla Light 2...

This is the second lightest shade available and once home I realised I could have gone with Chantilly which is a smidgen lighter but the lighting at Sephora is just horrible for color swatching, especially for foundation and concealer and so it makes it real hard to pick the right shades. Still it's a pretty good match and the difference between Chantilly and Vanilla is really barely noticeable once on the skin.

Thank you concealer Gods for inventing the little sponge applicator! No really I bow to you!

This is my kind of concealer as far as packaging is concerned. I don't like sticks! In fact I think the last time I purchased one was in my teens! Creams? Not so much of a fan although I remember loving the one Dior had in my 20s. Little jars are super cute but my Laura Mercier Secret Concealer is slowly dying... It's too much work! I have to put a bit on my hand to warm it up with my fingers and even doing so I end up having to rub the delicate skin under my eyes to apply. A brush doesn't do much except to finish up and pick the little extra product that ends up in my many, many little wrinkles!!! :(

I'm getting old people!!!

The formula...

Beautiful coverage but you have to work fast because it sets rather quickly, in fact once it's dry it does not budge and it can even feels a little "stiff". Due to the cold weather my under eye area is slightly dryer these days and so I think, well in fact I know I'll appreciate NARS Radiant Concealer a lot more once the mercury goes up a bit and my skin gets back to normal.

Be gone winter! Now!!!

A nice plus, it has just enough illuminating pigments to make it look natural. None would make the eye area look flat and too much would only emphasize tiny lines/wrinkles.

Do I recommend NARS Radiant Concealer? Yes.

If you have normal to oily skin it gives beautiful coverage with little effort due to the sponge applicator, sets in no time and you may not even have to use powder over it. At the moment I don't but like I said my skin is dryer at these days.

I personally don't have that issue but if you have dark circles I think this concealer with it's opaque formula will do an honest job at hiding them.

If you have dry or extra dry skin then you better skip this one for your under eye area because you may find it drying. I used it on a very cold day and it wasn't comfortable to wear.

NARS Radiant Concealer comes in 10 different shades from the very light Chantilly to the darkest Cocao so everyone is sure to find their perfect match whether it's for under eye or for hiding imperfections. For the sake of experimenting I used a little of in on my forehead which is on the oily side and it lasted a good 6 hours so that's pretty good I think.

Getting the perfect color...

If you don't have a perfect match you can mix two. I know it's not the best option but for some it's the only one. You could even get Chantilly to mix with a little bit of your foundation to make it just enough lighter for your under eye area. It will of course modify the formula/texture but if you have a good long wear foundation you like it can work nicely. I used to do this a lot back in the day with another brand's super light concealer. It was the fastest way to get a match when doing a makeup.

Remember that for an illuminating/natural effect you have to go one shade lighter than the rest of your face. Too light and you'll look like you wore goggles while skiing and too dark, well, that truly doesn't work.

As NARS Radiant Concealer become a favorite, an HG?

I just don't know yet. It's an excellent formula that as mentioned I will surely enjoy more once the weather gets warmer but at the moment it's just ok because my under eye skin is on the dry side. Since it's thicker than Rimmel it takes a bit of getting used to an I do have to be careful about the amount I apply.

Here I thought I would show you the color difference between Rimmel and NARS. On my skin it's not that noticeable but I just might get Chantilly anyway and keep Vanilla for summer or for hiding imperfections when I get them.

Make sure if you use it to hide blemishes not to dab with the sponge. Apply on a clean finger first to avoid putting bacteria in your tube.


Reviews:

Makeup Alley: 4.3 / 5 lippies for 208 reviews.
Beauté-test: 4.2 / 5 stars for 78 reviews.


Ingredients:
Aqua (Water), Dimethicone Hydrogenated polydecene, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Glycerin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, BIS- Butyldimethicone Polyglyceryl-3, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Isostearic Acid, Polysilicone-2, Aluminum Hydroxide, Maltodextrin, Trisodium Edta, Lecithin, Silica, Tin Oxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Magnolia Officinalis, Tocopherol, Vitis Vinifera

This product may not be for everyone. Created for the eye area it could still cause allergic reactions. If you use it to hide blemishes make sure it's not making them worse because sadly this could happen. 


Have you ever mixed 2 concealers or foundations to get the perfect match?

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick...

I finally took the plunge and purchased my first Laura Mercier Caviar Stick last week! After months of hesitation I caved in when I saw that Sephora had finally received a new shipment.

These have been reviewed left and right so I won't bore you with a long review, just my thoughts guys, just my thoughts... :)

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Khaki...

Green on green is not the best combination to make my eyes stand out but it's a great option for every day when worn with a good liner and mascara. In fact, for me, it goes with everything.

The texture...

From the stick it goes on dark but it's very easy to blend with either a finger or a brush. I've actually been contemplating getting a pack of sponge applicators because the more I think of it, the more I believe these would make a more precise application easier. I'll get back to you on that.

How does Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Khaki perform? Very well thank you!

Not as tenacious as other cream formulas I've enjoyed recently but it lasted a good 9 hours over NARS Pro-Prime before it started to crease a little. I'm not sure if I will get such performance during summer when my lids can get a little oily but at the moment I'm pretty pleased. Unless you have dry lids, I definitely recommend you apply this over a primer.

Ok I know my swatches are not yet what they should be but bare with me! The lighting these days is horrible and it's so cold out that I don't want to freeze my arm in order to take pictures.

On its own it pulls a bit golden brown on my skin. On the left, right from the stick, middle is blended 

and right is blended with a little Nocturne which makes it slightly more khaki.

For a good basic day look I've paired it with Diorshow Nocturne and they go together like fries and mayo!

Ok I know, I'm sure some of you think it should have been fries and ketchup but hey, I'm in the mayonnaise clan. If you haven't yet, try it! Decadently delicious and if you're lucky enough to have homemade and spicy, even better! :)

Now I have my eyes on Amethyst and Sanglow!


Have you tried Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks? 

For your French Fries what are you, Ketchup or Mayonnaise?

2013, The Flops...

In a perfect world everything would work for everyone! Ok I guess it would be a little boring but at least there would be less money wasted. Looking back on the reviews I've posted in 2013 I'm glad to say that out of all of them most were if not hits, products that were good enough to recommend. Others on the other hand just didn't work for me and were hard to comment on. To call them flops may be a bit harsh but sadly that's what they were to me.


Here goes...


Revlon Colorstay Cream Eyeliner in Charcoal

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden

L'Oréal Color Riche Balm in Caring Coral 418

Laura Mercier Mineral Finishing Powder

L'Oréal Telescopic Shocking Extension Mascara

bareMinerals Pretty Amazing Lip Color

Clarins Graphic Expression Eye Quartet Mineral Palette

Real Techniques Brush Collection, Eye Starter Set

Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil

Nuxe Lip Moisturizing Stick

Almost all the products tried for my Hair Quest, among them L'Oréal Nutri-Sleek Precious Oils

These were such disappointments. I've tried the Clarins Quad again recently over my 

NARS ProPrime Eyshadow Base and still no staying power. I regret not taking
 the Laura Mercier back for as it turns out, my daughter who I thought would 

use it over her sunscreen just doesn't want to be bothered with it.

These two L'Oréal products were fails at first use! I tried to make them work but with no success.

If you already use and love some of these products then I'm truly happy for you. Also do not let this list reflect on the brands mentioned for they all offer great beauty options. My favorite gel eyeliner is from L'Oréal and I will continue to buy it and the same goes for The Body Shop, especially their bath/body offerings.

Hopefully there will be less of these flops in the future because like everybody else, I hate wasting money! My consolation is that some of these reviews may have enabled some of you to make more enlightened choices and save pennies in the process.


Have you had flops this year? What was you biggest disappointment?

Laura Mercier Foundation Powder / Review

I've had this for a while now and have no idea why it hasn't been reviewed yet. This was a present from my lovely webfriend Marilla who lives in London. See my original entry, here.

Laura Mercier Foundation Powder, presented in a compact, is a product that can be used wet or dry. I haven't tried it wet since I don't feel the need for the extra coverage. Dry, it works beautifully in evening out my skin. It is a little heavier than a regular powder and does leave a light cast but that's easily taken care of. The color, 01, perfect for me. For some reason Marilla knew that! :)

My Current Favorites / Makeup

There's a lot of makeup on my table but these are the items I reach for the most and all have been reviewed, just click on their names if you want to know more about them.

As you can see, for me, less is more! I don't wear foundation but I do wear concealer and powder. Why do I have three concealers? I don't have dark circles but do have a little redness on my lids and I find that either one of these serves me well as an eye shadow base. Rimmel, Hard Candy and Laura Mercier are all favorites and I use either one of them depending on my mood but I do tend to reach for Rimmel most of the time.

Givenchy Le Prisme Visage Mat is my go to powder at the moment. So light and natural, it goes from my table to my purse when I go out. I often use the "dark" beige as an eye shadow when I want a "no makeup" makeup look.

Revlon Colorstay Quad in Sea Mist. This is such a surprise for me since I haven't used any of Revlon's products for years except for a lip butter purchased one year ago. I've been reaching for it every morning, especially the dark purple which is quite flattering on green eyes. I've used these eye shadows on hot days (we've had only few so far) and I must say, they have good staying power. For such an inexpensive item I couldn't be more pleased.

L'Oréal's Infaillible Lacker Liner 24h in Dark Slate, the best I've tried so far. I have deep set eyes and let's be real, my upper lids are starting to be influenced by gravity. *sigh* This eye liner has not let me down so far except on the day when I had to work in the yard for a bit and it was extremely hot (38C with humidity). After about 40 minutes or so, it was starting to disappear on me. Now let's be fair, I don't think any eye liner would have resisted that. The color, Dark Slate is perfect for me. Dark but not as harsh as black would be. Even if I'm a brunette I have a fair complexion and I don't always curl my lashes. A black eye liner would be the only thing one would see on my face.

Benefit's They're Real! Given my recent rave review it's no surprise that this is the mascara I reach for every morning. When I want to keep the curl all day, I heat my Shiseido lash curler with my blow dryer. With Benefit's mascara the process is not as long for they get and keep the curl pretty fast.

La Terracotta de Guerlain, my favorite basic bronzer. No shimmer, perfect for contouring I sometimes even use it as an eye shadow or liner on the outer ends of my lower lids.

Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo... Love! This is the perfect summer glow in a compact! The bronzer side gives a light natural tanned look with just enough of a satiny finish. It's not shimmery and so I don't look like a disco ball. Mixed with the coral, perfect glow! I apply the coral lightly on my cheeks but also on my upper lids, very lightly. This gives the effect of having been in the Sun without the damage. I'm so glad I gave in to temptation. :)

M.A.C Whole Lotta Love Pro Longwear Blush. The only item I haven't reviewed yet and I'm starting to wonder why I purchased it. I've used it only once, the day after I bought it. It was lovely but for some reason I'm not attracted by it, especially since I got my Diorskin Duo. I rarely wear pinks and so far Bourjois Rose Ambré (not shown on the picture) was my go to. For Summer I wanted something with a little more brightness, reason why I got this M.A.C but now I don't know when I'll use it. I guess I included it in this line up in the hope I'll start using it soon. :)

I don't know why NARS Larger Than Life Gloss in Gold Digger is there either since I've only used it a few times. I guess in this case it's to remind me that I want to try it in another color... :)

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 05 Candy Shimmer and 06 Rosewood Shimmer. These I reach for every day. Moisturizing, they give a little dimension to my lips and are perfect for a natural look.

NARS Satin Lipstick in Tolède really turned out to be my Summer lipstick so far. This color is perfect and I get a good four hours of colors. Light, I haven't found it drying so far although I don't wear it every day, only when I go out. It goes with everything but I must admit I don't wear super bright colors This shade should definitely become part of NARS regular line up because again, for me, it's perfect!

Oh how long does it take me to put on "my face" in the morning? Rarely more than 10 minutes! Unless I'm experimenting with a new color or product, I've got my basic look pretty much covered.


How long does it take you to put on your makeup in the morning?

Clarins Bronzing Duo Mineral Powder Compact / Review

My daughter recently started to complain about the fact that she thinks she looks like a ghost! It's the end of April, Spring had been horrible this year and since she's careful about sun exposure, she does look a little pale compared to some of her friends who have darker complexions. I'm very proud to say that she's well informed and so she's aware of the risks of tanning. Now I do know that by the end of Summer she will have a bit of color but so did I when I was her age. I've also suffered a few sunburns like her. I guess it's part of growing up. You can't be with your kids 24/7. It's one thing when they're little but once they start to go to school, have outdoors activities you can only hope for the best.

So far she's done ok but when one lives is a society that still somehow glorifies tanning, it can be hard to resist peer pressure. I know I've lived through it. When I was 15, all my friends where tanned by May. During our lunch breaks we would meet in the park next to our school and sit in the sun. After a while, I started to sit in the shade. The sun made me sick! Too hot, it made me feel woozy.

In order to make her feel more like her friends I bought her a bronzer. Originally I thought or getting her Rimmel Natural Bronzer since it's one I really liked using but the packaging is so horrible I figured she deserved better since this was going to be her first item of makeup. She'll be 14 next month and hasn't started to wear any yet. Last week I offered to buy her a mascara but she wasn't interested. She's clearly not a girly girl.

I set my choice on Clarins Bronzing Duo Mineral Powder Compact in 01, the palest shade. Now this states SPF 15 but please do not rely solely on this for UV protection. Do use a proper SPF moisturizer or sunscreen, especially is you plan to spend a lot of time outdoor.

First the compact looks very good and it comes with a nice velvet pouch to protect it. Clarins usually opts for a gold finish but for the bronzer it's a nice dark chocolate color, like the pouch. The way the powder is presented and pressed, beautiful, with the Clarins name embossed on it.

Two shades, a light matte and a darker one with light gold shimmer. Depending on the brush one uses the effects can vary. The lighter shade can be used all over with the darker for accents or you can simply mix the two all over. For a first bronzer it's quite simply perfect!

The quality, excellent! Swatching it with my fingers it almost felt buttery. Using a soft powder brush there's practically no fall out so no loss of powder. For my daughter's complexion, again, perfect! As you can see on the pictures, no orange!

To go along with the Bronzer I purchased the Ecotools Large Powder brush. Again, for her, perfect. It's soft, picks up the right amount of powder and it's easy for her to use. Since the bronzer goes for $39.00, I didn't want to spend too much for a brush. This powder brush, which by the way is surprisingly nice, is around $10.00 and Ecotools are sold in most major drugstores.

How does she use it?

In the morning after applying her SPF moisturizer she uses the brush for a quick light dusting of loose powder. She uses Laura Mercier the one I recently purchased. I've discovered that on her the white cast is not as pronounced. She is lighter than me. She applies some all over to take care of the shine left on by the moisturizer and then proceeds with the bronzer. She goes all over with a bit for the neck and then goes again for the cheek area and temples. The effect is quite natural and when she comes back from school it's still on. We don't know yet how it will perform on hot days but so far so good. Maybe by then she won't bother with it much.

Would I recommend Clarins Bronzing Duo Mineral Powder Compact? Yes!

Beautiful presentation, beautiful product, the quality is excellent! Even at that price, the powder is so compact that you clearly get your money's worth. Plus the fact that it comes with a little protective pouch means that it will look good for as long as you have it. 

Clarins Bronzing Duo Mineral Powder Compact sells for $39.00 

and is available at The Bay as well as most major drugstores.

What was my daughter's reaction when I gave her these? "Oh thanks mom!"

Spoiled I tell you, just spoiled!

That's fine, she's a good kid and she deserves it. :)

Laura Mercier Mineral Finishing Powder / Review

In the past few years, loose powder has become a staple for me. I've mentioned several times already, I rarely wear foundation and so in the morning, after putting on my moisturizer, it's perfect to take care of the shine and it allows me to brush on bronzer effortlessly.

In a recent entry I showed what my old Clinique loose powder looked like. I had it for the longest time and it needed to be replaced, not because the container was in bad shape but because there was hardly any powder left. I'm still amazed at myself. It took years but I did get to the bottom of the jar!

I could have replaced with the same but for the sake of trying I looked to other brands and decided to go with Laura Mercier.

I purchased the Mineral Finishing Powder which comes in one shade only, 1 Translucent. I got the last jar from the drawer since there where none left on the shelf display. Last jar, I took this as a good sign. On Sephora's website, we can see that Laura Mercier has in fact six different types of loose powder. In the store there where only two, this one and the Mineral Powder SPF15 which comes in height different shades.

The price? It is more expensive: $42.00 for 12 g, compared to Clinique which is $27.00 for 35 g. Quite a difference!

How does it perform?

Well but nothing exceptional. It does what it's suppose to do, which for me is mainly taking care of the shine but it leaves a white cast which I didn't get with Clinique.

Do I recommend Laura Mercier Mineral Finishing Powder? Sadly, no.

It's a good product but it's not all that. I find it's texture coarser than my old Clinique and the white cast, since I'm quite fair, I found surprising. If you have a darker skintone than check this one off your list.

Then there's the cost! Considering that it's almost twice the price for a third of what you get with Clinique then I guess it's a no brainer.

So for me this one is a no but remember, Laura Mercier has six loose powders in all, five of which I haven't swatched nor tried.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden / Review

Recently I've been on the hunt for an eyeshadow base. Until now I've always used my regular concealer to hide the little lid redness I have. Alternating between Laura Mercier and Rimmel, I never really had an issue with eyeshadow performance. My everyday shade was M.A.C. Putty and sadly it's been discontinued. It was just perfect for my "no makeup" makeup look.

Laura Mercier Secret Concealer / Review

Isn't it frustrating when you've used a product for so long and then all of a sudden you find it doesn't work for you anymore? Sadly this has happened to me too many times to count.

For me, one of the most boring makeup items to get is concealer and I believe when you find a good one you stick with it through thick and thin. Repurchasing automatically when needed. You can try others here and there but somehow always come back to the one that looks best on you, the one that looks natural.

Last Spring the one I've been going back to for years no longer looked good on me. This was Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Concealer. Not moisturizing enough, it was starting to make my eye area look creepy. I then tried M.A.C. Select Moisturecover Concealer in a lighter shade. This one did make my eye area look better but it's staying power was more than poor. Since I don't like to throw anything away I did use it for several months, not liking it but at least not wasting my money.

After this disappointment I was contemplating going back to Clinique, another concealer I liked. In fact I kind of alternated between Estée Lauder and Clinique for years since their respective formulas gave me similar results. Looking at their website I was surprised to see the many options they now offer. I guess the one I was using was the Line Smoothing Concealer but I started to wonder if it was the same formula. Not wanting to risk it I decided to forget about this one.

Browsing the Sephora website, looking at all the different brands I finally thought I would go for Bobbi Brown Corrector, especially after reading Beautiful With Brains' positive review of it. You can read it here. With that final push I went to Sephora with the intention to buy it.

I hit a wall! Even if it's available it 12 different shades, I wasn't able to find one I felt comfortable with. The two lightest, Porcelain Bisque and Porcelain Peach would not have given me the natural look I was looking for. I do have to say that the formula seemed more than nice.

Leaving empty handed was not an option so I after having a look at other brands I opted to try Laura Mercier Secret Concealer in shade 1 for light complexions. It's actually the lightest they make, with slightly pink undertones.

It was weird for me to go for a cream after years of more "liquidy" formulas. The last time I did was with Dior when they used to have one in a little round compact.

How I use it?

I find it easier to apply with my fingers than a concealer brush. It's even better if you warm it up a little. For this, simply do so by "rubbing" a little of it between your two pinkie fingers and then go gently on the eye area. You'll notice that this way it will glide more easily. I also use it as an eye shadow base. I finish off with my concealer brush, to make sure the application is smooth and doesn't set in fine lines. A light dusting of loose powder with my fan brush and it's set.

Would I recommend it? Yes!

The formula is excellent and buildable. One big plus, it's non drying. If you apply it with a concealer brush you will have a more opaque finish but this will involve a little more pulling of the eye area. I've been using it for about a month now and can honestly say that I'm pleased with this purchase.

The only 2 things I don't like about it are, first the screw top. I would have preferred a flip top like Bobbi Brown. Second, the price. At $30.00  it's a little expensive for 2.2 g even it you do get a little more for the same price than Bobbi Brown Corrector which contains 1.7 g.

Available in six shades:

Reviews:

MakeupAlley: 3.8 / 5 lippies for 411 reviews.
Beauté-test: 4.2 / 5 stars for 19 reviews.


Screen captures from Laura Mercier and Sephora's respective websites.

Beautiful Compacts

As much as I love a nice lipstick a beautiful compact is its essential companion. After all, how can you apply your lip color without a mirror? Doable with sheer shades but as soon as you go for a more pigmented formula you have to see what you're doing otherwise you'll end up looking like my aunt Marie-Louise! A lovely woman bless her heart but, sometimes, her bright red lipstick ended up just below her nose. Not very elegant!

With Christmas just around the corner some of us are struggling with the lack of gift ideas and this is not because there are not enough "gift suggestion lists" out there. They are in fact everywhere at this time of year. Kitchen gadgets for the foodie, "At Home Pedicure Kit" for the beauty geek, teapot or salt & pepper shaker for the collector, hmmm! Been there done that maybe?