Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Tipsy

Tipsy, tipsy, tipsy! I’ve been hearing a lot about this blush ever since I started my makeup journey. However, I have had almost nothing but bad experiences with Tarte Products and every time I swatched this in-store I was disappointed (yes!) at the pigmentation. So I put off buying it. Over, and over and over. But finally! I couldn’t take it anymore. I could always return it if it was a disaster right?

General Information:

Many of you will be familiar with Tarte’s Amazonian Clay “12 Hour” blushes. They’re Holy Grail-status products for many a-beauty blogger and come in a wide variety of colors (8 on Tarte’s official website, but many other colors are released as part of LE sets.)

Each blush costs $25 USD and contains 5.6g / .20 Oz of product. Tarte prides itself on its product composition and these blushes are made with amazonian clay, beeswax, vitamins C and E. They do not contain mineral oil, parabens, phthalates (how do you pronounce that?), sodium lauryl sulfate or synthetic fragrance. They are also cruelty free.

Color Accuracy:

Tarte describes Tipsy as a “coral.” I’m inclined to agree. It’s a very pretty, pink-undertoned coral both in the pan and on the face. You can view their product images on their site – they’re quite good and true-to-color. Great job Tarte!

Tarte Tipsy Unblended (Left) and Blended (Right)

Pigmentation:

Now, like I said above. Every single time I swatched this in-store it was not as pigmented as I wanted it to be. I’m starting to think these don’t like air – because the one I purchased for myself swatched completely differently than the ones on display. Even in the swatches above, you can see that the unblended and blended swatches are almost identical in terms of pigmentation aka: really strong.

Application:

Because the pigmentation on these is so strong, they could be a pain to apply. Luckily, Tipsy blends and layers well. It lets you go super sheer or REALLY bold if that’s more your taste. I’ve applied it very sheerly below (my preferred method of wearing it.)

Tarte Tipsy Clay Blush Applied

This is my go-to barbie color now. I wear it when I want to feel super girly but still indulge my love of coral.

Wear:

Yes, I did wear this for 12 hours for the sake of a thorough review. Yes, I have dry skin but oily cheeks. And no, it didn’t wear for 12 hours. Lightly applied it went about 6-7 on me, not too bad. Applied like the dickens and it made it to 9. So, I think it’s a good long-wearing product but not worthy of the 12 hour claim. Then again, we have 24 hour eyeshadow now so I feel like the rules on legitimate wear-claims are being thrown out the window anyway.

Summary:

I LIKE Tipsy. It’s a beautiful color, applies nicely, wears well and has a great skin-healthy formula.

Value: 4/5

You get a fair amount of product but yes, it is a lot more expensive than other blushes.

Packaging: 4/5

Utilitarian plastic. It’s not superb but it does its job.

Color Accuracy: 10/10

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Pigmentation: 10/10

It’s very well pigmented!

Application: 8/10

Definitely tread lightly if you’re paler or only have a full-blush brush.

Wear: 8/10

Doesn’t live up to the 12 hour claim (on me!) But it is still VERY long lasting.

Overall: 88% (B+)

So, have in-store swatches ever misled you?

<3 EA

MAC Hey, Sailor! Satin Lipstick in Sail La Vie

Okay so, two things.

1. I have the WORST luck with electronics. Larry the Laptop is getting replaced massive reconstructive plastic surgery that will leave him different in body and processor but never in spirit! – because he died twice in a one-month span. I’m still using him until the …uh…surgery happens but he’s pretty busy prepping so he hasn’t been in a letting-me-blog about makeup mood.

2. Is anyone surprised by my purchasing this item? I mean…it’s an orange.  Anyway, while this is LE and  sold out COMING SOON! usually means at least one more restock is in order so get your review-reading on and maybe you’ll find you need to snag this for yourself.

General Information:

Blaaaaaaaah Blaaaaaaaaaah Blaaaaaaaah. Same MAC stuff. This is a $14.50USD 3g / .1oz lipstick from MAC’s Hey, Sailor! Collection for Summer 2012. It’s one of four lipsticks launched in the range (along with a bunch of other stuff I didn’t buy.)

Packaging:

The real draw of the line is the Nautical-stripe design of the packaging. From compacts to glosses, all feature some seriously adorable blue and white designing.

MAC Sail La Vie Tube

It’s the same size and shape as your traditional MAC lipstick tubes, but i’m not quite sure it’s made of the same material as it feels smoother to the touch and has a shiny finish. Is it weird to want to plan an outfit around the packaging of your lipstick for re-applications?

While the packaging is cute – as you can see in the picture, it scuffs and scratches easily. That picture is right out of the box and I purchased it from MAC’s official website so yeah…

Color Accuracy:

Sail La Vie Official Image

MAC describes Sail La Vie as a “bright, mid-tone orange.” I’m…not sure how I feel about that. It LOOKS like an orange-based red in the tube – I kind of bought it expecting a Lady Danger lookalike. And below, you’ll see that it photographs really really orange red on me (not that i’m going to complain.) But in real life? I’d say it’s a corally orangey-red. Coral tangerine? I dunno. It’s got CORAL in it is what i’m saying. Which for me is a good thing but others might have expected a truer orange or a bolder red.

Well…you can decide the exact color classification for yourself using the below swatches but I wouldn’t describe it as “bright” on my lips. Though i’ve seen paler women wear it and it really packs a punch there. I have come to think of this as a very bold , a bit shy but still quite pretty in her own right!

MAC Sail La Vie Bullet

Sail La Vie Swatched

I was kind of afraid that there’d be some weird shimmer or duochrome in this shade from the official image. There isn’t, though it does hail from MAC’s Satin line (I usually wear their Amplified lippies) so it does have a bit of…satiny…ness…to it.

Pigmentation:

Sail La Vie is a very well pigmented lipstick, though it does layer nicely as well. Below is two swipes, as I wanted to get a good opaque application for the photo.

Bare Lips

MAC Sail La Vie Applied

Application:

I’ve read quite a few reviews saying this is a one swipe winner. It’s more two swipes for me. In the picture above, on the top right, you can see where I didn’t quite get two swipes in and the pigmentation definitely suffered for it. Because it is such a bold shade, you can’t really apply this without a mirror. With that said – it was rich, smooth to apply and not TOO creamy (which can cause bleeding, slipping, etc.) It also didn’t pull or tug.

Wear:

This wore around 4-5 hours on me and faded evenly where it was applied evenly. I was pretty pleased, as I fully expected the satin finish to fade faster than amplified (it’s maybe an hour shorter.) It doesn’t bleed much and you can really extend the wear time with a liner.

Lack-of-Dupe-Alert:

So, like I said before I purchased this expecting a Lady Danger lookalike.

From Left to Right: Giorgio Armani Rouge D'Armani in 401, MAC Lady Danger, MAC Sail La Vie, NYX Round Lipstick in Eros, NYX Matte Lipstick in Indie Flick and Revlon Lipstick in Fire & Ice

From Left to Right: Giorgio Armani Rouge D'Armani in 401, MAC Lady Danger, MAC Sail La Vie, NYX Round Lipstick in Eros, NYX Matte Lipstick in Indie Flick and Revlon Lipstick in Fire & Ice

Sail La Vie is the third swatch from the left. Of the lipsticks swatched, it has the most coral. NYX Eros, Indie Flick and Revlon Fire and Ice are much bluer. Lady Danger looks redder. And I kind of thought GA’s Rouge D’Armani in 401 looked similar swatched…but…

Top Left: Revlon Fire & Ice Top Right: Rouge D'Armani in 401 Bottom Left: MAC Lady Danger Bottom Right: Sail La Vie

You’ll recall that Armani’s 401 was another lipstick I purchased looking for a Lady Danger lookalike. Swatched, they look the most alike of any of the four I have on my lips. Revlon Fire & Ice is MUCH MUCH bluer on my lips than any of the other 3. And, as I said, Sail La Vie is the most coral and the least red of the bunch. I like this particular shot because you can really SEE that although it looks bold up top on its own, it’s very toned down compared to other shades.

Summary:

If you still haven’t jumped onto the orange lipstick bandwagon, but aren’t satisfied with shier incarnations of it (aka: pinkish corals) than Sail La Vie is a good way to get yourself going. It’s a pretty, orange-coral that wears well, is nicely pigmented and is packaged prettily!

Value: 4/5

Drugstore barganistas might find this pricier than they’d like. But the quality of the lipstick is well worth the price.

Packaging: 4/5

Adorable design and sturdy packaging. Points off for easily chipping/scratching.

Color Accuracy: 7/10

I’m REALLY proud of MAC for not putting a red label on this. Though, I wish they’d mentioned how much coral really resides as an undertone here.

Pigmentation: 8/10

ON ME <– It wasn’t THE MOST pigmented. But it WAS pigmented very well and two-swipes is still quite good.

Application: 9/10

No tugging, pulling and only minimal bleeding.

Wear: 9/10

A very solid wear on this, especially for a Satin finish lipstick.

Overall: 82% (B-)

If you’re a die hard orange or orange-red fan, this might not be the one for you. It’s one of my gulp! tamer lipsticks, believe it or not.

So, have you picked up anything from the Hey, Sailor! Collection? Is the packaging as adorable to you as it is to me? What are your thoughts on laptop replacement …plastic surgery. Do you get sentimental like I do?

<3 EA

Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush No. 05 Blossom Blush

Whaa! Officially done with my bachelor’s! I’m taking a year off before law school. Believe it or not, i’m way more nervous about the break than I am about school. 8D On the plus side it means i’ll be writing a lot more regularly. Until that time comes, here’s a review that’s been sitting – waiting to be published. It’s yet another birthday gift from my sister (2 months later! haha!) Burberry’s Light Glow Natural Blush in No. 05 Blossom.

General Information:

(Why yes, this is directly copy-pasted from my review of the same blush in 06 Tangerine Blush!)

Burberry’s Light Glow Natural Blushes come in 8 shades: No. 01 Russet Blush, No. 02 Cameo Blush, No. 03 Rose Blush, No. 04 Peony Blush, No. 05 Blossom Blush, No. 06 Tangerine Blush, No. 07 Earthy Blush and No. 08 Misty Blush. The light glow name suggests a sheerer formula, though some shades definitely stand out more than others.

Burberry describes their offering as:

“A lightweight blush that gives the skin a bright fresh glow. Burberry Natural Blush contains silicones for effortless and even application and wild rose extract for moisturising benefits

The complexion glows with natural looking radiance”

You get 7g or .24 oz of blush for $42.00 USD. MAC’s blushes contain 6g or .21 oz for under half that price ($20.00 USD).

Packaging:

Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush No. 05 Blossom Blush in Pan

So, just as described in the review for 06 Tangerine, 05 Blossom comes in the scented cardboard box, with the velvet pouch and the metallic closure case. It’s all very luxe packaging and probably contributes to the price-point. But it smells so gooooood.

And as I mentioned before, the brush is actually quite good for one included with the product. It’s not the BEST but it does in a pinch.

Color Accuracy:

Again, Burberry loves to do itself a service by taking great product pictures (you can view the official product page here.) I remember there being some concerns that Tangerine and Blossom would be too similar. I can assure you this is not the case. Tangerine is definitely more of a brownish blush whereas Blossom is very pink. Not to mention the fact that Tangerine was a matte blush and Blossom has some real sparkle (see below.)

Blossom Blush Swatches (Unblended and Blended)

All in all I think Burberry did a good job representing their product, capturing even the hints of coral that this blush has in certain lights. The only thing that bugs me is that they don’t specify whether a certain shade is matte or shimmery. This can be make or break some people’s buying decisions and If I hadn’t been prepared (by reading other reviews) for the sparkle I probably would have returned this.

Pigmentation:

Although Blossom too is part of the natural blush like, it is considerably more pigmented than Tangerine. Of course, that could just be the difference in finish (matte products tend to be less pigmented.)

Blossom Blush Applied

I’ve heard this compared to Orgasm. It’s a pink with shimmer…but that’s about where the similarities end for me. Blossom, for one, has silver shimmer (not gold.) It’s also much sheerer than Orgasm and is a much cooler pink.

Application:

Blossom too is a buttery soft dream-to-apply. Of course, any shimmer product will give you some fallout (I accidentally left a brush in my makeup bag that had been dipped in this and only used lightly? It looked like a Cullen took a nap in there.) But the color is a joy to blend, and in the case of Blossom is quite buildable. It too is scented with CLASSY-DOM.

Wear:

Because it’s more pigmented than Tangerine, Blossom outshines it in the wear category. …Also literally because it’s sparkly. (ha.) I get a good 5-7 hours of wear on primed, set skin. However if I don’t prime (I can skin setting) it only goes 4 hours – max. It just seems like this blush doesn’t like oil! Ah yes, Blossom manages to work over my powdered skin (where Tangerine had a bit of a hard time.) Just FYI.

Summary:

As you may or may not know, I don’t favor pink blushes. But i’m glad to have this in my stash for days when I want something a little more natural than matte but a little less glowy than…Orgasm and its many lookalikes. The cooler pink looks better against my skintone and the buildable nature make it great for various occasions.

Value: 4/5

A little bit expensive, but you get plenty of quality product.

Packaging: 5/5

Gorgeous!

Color Accuracy: 9/10

Almost perfect, but no mention of the shimmer so a point off.

Pigmentation: 10/10

Supremely pigmented for a “natural” blush. The color also layers well on itself.

Application: 9/10

Buttery smooth and soft, blends well. Minor fallout.

Wear: 8/10

Lasts much better than its’ sheerer sister shade. But still not horribly impressive and REQUIRES primer. Otherwise you get stuck with half the wear time.

Overall: 90% (A-)

It’s a shame that matte blushes tend to fall…well…flat compared to their sparklier counterparts. Blossom is a lovely color and great for all year with its high building color and cool sparkle. But I just like matte shades better! How about you?

All for now!

<3 EA

Flora Garden Collection by GUCCI

On Friday, just as my spirits were being crushed by the hopelessness that is the-week-before-finals I received a box. A beautiful, glorious box. Can you guess what was inside?

General Information:

The Garden Collection is Gucci’s newest scent offering(s). Launched from the iconic Flora (a perfume apparently commissioned for Princess Grace of Monaco) the Garden collection is a set of 5 different perfumes each of which “explores a different bloom and with it a different facet of the Flora Garden woman.”

The collection consists of 5 scents: Gorgeous Gardenia, Gracious Tuberose, Glamorous Magnolia, Glorious Mandarin and Generous Violet. Gardenia, Tuberose and Magnolia are available in 50 ml bottles for $70 USD or 100 ml bottles for $100 USD. Mandarin and Violet are a bit more limited, being sold only in select department stores and Gucci stores in the 100 ml bottles.

I received some rather generous samples from Gucci via BzzAgent. And let me just give kudos to Gucci…the packaging? It’s goooooooorgeous. Very art-noveau (currently the theme of my room so I’m now using the box for decorative purposes.)

Even The Tissue Paper Matched!

Packaging:

The Details of the Packaging are Sublime!

In addition to the traditional mini sample-spritzers, I received three 5ml bottled samples of the three main scents, Gorgeous Gardenia, Gracious Tuberose and Glamorous Magnolia. Now, I know that the real-deal bottles have a clear cap and spray nozzle/spritzers? What are those even called? But these are black-capped with open mouths. Still, It’s a very chic, classic design.

Bottles

The perfumes are tinted (Gardenia is Pink, Magnolia is Blue, Tuberose is Green, Mandarin is Yellow and Violet is…duh, Violet.) Their individual boxes also have small accents that follow these color schemes. Sturdy and NOT glass, which I’m so-so thankful for because I’ve broken one Versace Bright Crystal and one SJP Lovely due to their glass bottles.

The Perfumes:

I’ll do a quickie review for each and then discuss the collection overall.

Gorgeous Gardenia:

Gorgeous Gardenia

Okay so, this was primed to automatically be my favorite out of the three because my parents used to hang Gardenia flowers over my bassinet when I was a baby. Of the perfume, Gucci writes:

“Light and addictive the scent’s floral heart is embraced by red berries and pears and leaves the memory of delicate petals, warm frangipani flower, patchouli and brown sugar. Gorgeous Gardenia is an elegant, sensual, celebration of the shrug’s first blossom and sumptuous full bloom.”

Of the above scents, I picked up Pear and Patchouli most readily. My aunt disagreed, stating that she picked up Gardenias. Most of the internet disagrees with her and I have to as well, I don’t really get much Gardenia from this scent. It’s more of a fruity floral. In case you’re wondering what the heck Frangipini is? It’s Plumeria and it becomes more and more apparent as the scent settles down. According to the official breakdown, the topnotes (ie: those you pick up immediately after application) are  Red Berries and Pear. The middle notes (which make their appearance as the topnotes fade off) are Gardenia and Plumeria. And the base notes, or the ones that combine with the middle notes to make up the overall fragrance are Brown Sugar and Patchouli.

I’d say it’s a spicy, fruity scent – rather than a true, white-floral. Honestly? It reminds me of a toned down Viva La Juicy. Which, although I like it on other people, is a little too…BOLD for me.

Gracious Tuberose:

Gracious Tuberose

Gracious Tuberose the innocent, delicate flower of the three Gucci Flora scents. Gucci writes, “The glorious recreation of the Tuberose’s sculptured, smooth, flowers. Serenely beautiful, the brush of violet leaf top notes lingers into the tuberose heart, before leaving a base of citrus and white cedarwood. Gracious Tuberose is a classical homage to the flower’s innocent nature and luscious petals.”

You might call me crazy, but I picked up a LOT more Gardenia from Gracious Tuberose than from Gorgeous Gardenia. This is especially odd, given that there are no Gardenias in this perfume’s composition. Topnotes are Violet and Peach. The middle notes are Tuberose, Orange Flowers and Rose. It ends in a citrus and white cedarwood mix.

I thought this scent started off really powdery and sloooooowly became a gorgeous gardenia (I’M STICKING BY IT) Tuberose and African Orange Flower lovechild. It is by FAR my favorite of the three perfumes for its delicate, elegant true-floral nature.

Glamorous Magnolia:

Glamorous Magnolia

Glamorous Magnolia, according to Gucci is a “Striking recreation of the Magnolia’s silky, statuesque flowers. Sensuous and compelling, the scent’s freesia top note gives way to a heart of peony and magnolia and a memorable sandalwood base. Glamorous Magnolia is a reverent homage to the flower’s radiant freshness and smooth, velvety petals.”

If Gorgeous Gardenia is the Spicy Sweet and Gracious Tuberose is the Powdery Floral than Glamorous Magnolia is the Green Floral What does that mean to you? It means it’s a crisper, fresher floral. Officially, the complete list of notes are topnotes of Freesia, Green Notes and Citrus. The Middle notes are Magnolia and Peony, while the Base Notes are Chocolate, Musk and Sandalwood.

Yes, I think the Magnolia is there. But the Freesia and particularly the Peony overpower it strongly. It starts off quite green and fades into the peony, ending in a soft sandalwoody musk while retaining its floral nature. I think it’s the most “mature” of the scents – and I hope that doesn’t offend anyone. It’s a sensual, velvety floral with a strange mix of starting-off-green-ending-up-musk.

Wear:

Gorgeous Gardenia was the longest-lasting of the three scents I received, fading relatively quickly (15-30 minutes) into its middle-notes and disappearing at about the 4 hour mark. Tuberose dried down to its official scent much quicker, 10 minutes tops and stayed for about 3 hours. Magnolia took about 15-20 minutes to settle and also lasted 3 hours tops. Honestly? That was a bit disappointed. I love Tuberose but I’m not sure if i’ll purchase it just because of the short wear time.

Summary:

I think Gucci succeeded in capitalizing on the personality-profiling type of marketing. The scents are definitely different enough to cover all the bases of perfume-wearers, whether sensual or sassy – there’s something for everyone. However, it probably won’t live up to lovers of the scents after which each perfume is named. The topnotes just aren’t present-enough to warrant naming them after specific flowers.

I enjoyed the samples and have definitely had friends and family clawing all over themselves (Yes, CLAWing) to get the sample vials from me. Will I purchase? …Probably (Tuberose is so delightfully white ; w ; …erm…scent wise.) But at $70 – these are totally overpriced. I’ll probably go for the $100 just to feel I got a decent amount of perfume for that price. Given the wear time – i’ll probably be re-applying it frequently anyway.

Have you tested these out yet? Do you have a favorite? PLEASE tell me someone else picked up Gardenia from Tuberose otherwise i’ll have to go to the crazy doctor because I REALLY DO smell it.

 <3 EA

This product was sent to me to review by BzzAgent on behalf of Gucci. I received no monetary compensation for my review and all of the above is my honest opinion.

MAC Lipstick in Watch Me Simmer

Now, I know that I haven’t been in the makeup game for very long (still under a year!) But I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a Limited Edition lipstick being repromoted so close to its original release! You might remember Watch Me Simmer from MAC Shop MAC, Cook MAC. But you’ll probably remember it from the more recent, Reel Sexy collection. It sold out pretty quickly both times, but I was lucky enough to snag it with my Reel Sexy lipstick (thank you Nordstroms~) So the question is, of course, was it worth the frequent window refreshing?

Oh. And stick tuned till the end, there’s a possible Dupe in it for you!

General Information:

Nothing you haven’t already heard before. This lippie cost $14.50 USD and contained 3g / .1oz of product. It’s already sold out, and I’m rather curious as to why they repromoted it so soon. Maybe they found a warehouse full of them and decided to throw it into Reel Sexy? Anyway, knowing MAC – the chances are high we’ll see this again in the future.

Color Accuracy:

I gave Reel Sexy a very poor grade, largely in part due to the inaccuracy of the promo image to the finished result. This is a real pet-peeve of mine. It seems like buying stuff online is difficult enough without an accurate depiction of the finished result. Anyway, Watch Me Simmer suffers from the same problems but not nearly to the degree that RS did.

Watch Me Simmer Official Image

Watch Me Simmer (described as a “Bright orange-pink” by MAC)  is not very orange IMO. It’s a bright, full pink with maybe the teensiest bit of orange undertone. Granted, it is more orange than other, similar shades.

Bullet Comparison (From Left to Right: NYX Femme, MAC Full Speed, MAC Vegas Volt, MAC Watch Me Simmer, MAC Impassioned, NYX Spellbound)

Cool Comparison Swatches (From Left to Right: NYX Femme, MAC Full Speed, MAC Vegas Volt, MAC Watch Me Simmer, MAC Impassioned, NYX Spellbound)

Warm Comparison Swatches (From Left to Right: NYX Femme, MAC Full Speed, MAC Vegas Volt, MAC Watch Me Simmer, MAC Impassioned, NYX Spellbound)

Watch Me Simmer is the fourth swatch from the left. As you can see, it is similar to MAC’s Full Speed than it is to NYX’s Femme or MAC’s Vegas Volt (which have more orange) or MAC Impassioned (yes review coming soon!) and NYX’s Spellbound (which are both much bluer.) Maybe MAC was just jumping on the coral bandwagon with this?

Pigmentation:

Watch Me Simmer is BLISSFULLY pigmented. Really packs a nice wallop.

Bare Lips

MAC Watch Me Simmer Applied

Application:

Because it’s so nicely pigmented, Watch Me Simmer is a joy to apply. It has very little streaking and is a one swipe-only color. It is a little creamy, but nowhere near as much so as Reel Sexy and not enough for it to be soft.

Wear:

Above, you’ll see Watch Me Simmer recently applied. Below is an image of the same application, 5 hours later.

MAC Watch Me Simmer 5 Hours Later

It hasn’t completely disappeared, and is still going strong in places. You can see how the color migrates to the outer lines of the lips too. I’d say I re-apply this every 3-4 hours. It’s not super wear but it’s decent. Oh, the above is with some drinking from a water bottle.

Dupe Alert?:

Some of you might have noticed a significant similarity between Watch Me Simmer and Full Speed in the swatch comparisons. Here they are, applied side-by-side.

Watch Me Simmer (Left) vs Full Speed (Right)

Watch Me Simmer is a little bit darker and more matte (but not matte at all.) Full Speed is just a hint lighter, worlds creamier and a lot more glossy. I personally think they’re similar enough that I probably won’t jump on WMS if it’s for sale again. But the Sheen Supreme formula isn’t to everyone’s liking – so there’s that to consider.

Summary:

Now, despite what the above swatch comparison might suggest – I don’t actually feel I have a lot of pink lipsticks. The alienation that Barbie inspired in a 5 year old me has left some seriously deep psychological scars that made me averse to the color for a long time. BUT – Watch Me Simmer (or Full Speed) should definitely be in the pile of potential pickups for girls looking for a bold, summer pink.

Value: 4/5

Same ole same ole MAC. Pricy for drugstore store lurkers but well priced for department stores.

Packaging: 4/5

Simple, classic, sturdy.

Color Accuracy: 6/10

It’s not an orange-pink. That’s my opinion and i’m sticking to it. But it is similar in bullet and applied form. More coral than not, but not coral enough for me to let the description slide.

Pigmentation: 9/10

It’s almost completely opaque.

Application: 9/10

It applies evenly, opaquely and smoothly. Point off for the creamy formula, which can mess up your lines a bit.

Wear: 7/10

Average wear time. It fades about on par with most drugstore lipsticks – but doesn’t all and all disappear.

Overall: 78% (C+)

It’s not a unique color, doesn’t have super wear and is poorly described. But it’s still quite pretty if you don’t already have a similar shade. Being LE, it may already be too late for you to pick this up now. But did seeing it here make an impression? Or would you pass?

<3 EA

Olay Pro-X Professional Advanced Cleansing System

I tweeted this a while ago, but around the end of March I purchased Olay’s Pro-X Professional Advanced Cleansing system from drugstore.com. It’s been two months and I thought i’d do a quick write-up on my opinion.
Sorry – I am not nearly consistent enough to have taken before and after pictures, but uh…just take my word for it?

General Information:

The suggested retail price of the system, which includes the brush body, one head, two batteries and a sample of Olay’s cleanser is $29.99 USD. I’ve seen it from between $20-$40 (on eBay, naturally).

When I bought mine at drugstore.com they had a non-advertised coupon (you had to check a box prior to adding the item to cart) that brought the $29.99 price down to 19.99 USD!) That coupon’s gone now – but another one that brings their price down from $29.99 to $23.99 USD is in its place – still a bargain.

Product Details:

There are two speed settings, one that’s medium-fast (not slow by any means) and one that’s fast. The brush is not too soft and not too firm. I’ve been able to use it to exfoliate my lips with no severe irritation. Did it cause redness? Yes. The first few times I used this brush (with my St. Ives Apricot Scrub, btw) my face did get red. It’s still a bit pinkish now (two months later) but it goes down fairly quickly.

Brush

The brush is replaceable and Olay suggests replacing it every 3 months. I’m on month 2 and I still don’t think i’m a month away from having to replace it. Oh, the replacement brush heads are about $9 USD for a 2-pack. Suuuuuuuuper affordable.

Getting Started:

One thing i’ve read consistently is that there are no instructions for inserting the batteries. Now, i’m not sure if this is the old packaging or if they’re just missing the teensy instructions on the side of the box – but they are included and read as follows:

Gently rock the battery compartment side to side while pulling to release battery cover. Insert 2 AA batteries, aligning the +/- Symbols. Replace battery cover. Replace batteries as needed.

The brush head is super easy to install as well, just pop it in. But, in case that’s all too much for you guys – I went ahead and did a quick video demo.

Use:

Sorry, no video of me using this! No one wants to see me in the morning or super-late at night. I use this, like I said, twice a day: Morning and Night. I dampen my face and apply some of my Cleanser/Exfoliant of choice on my face. I then dampen the brush head and run it all along my face for 1-2 minutes. The brush head can then just be rinsed (along with your face). Oh! It’s water-resistant so you can use this in the shower as well.

I’m not a fan of Olay’s cleanser. The grit is too fine for my tastes (I like thick, chunky exfoliants.) But it does in a pinch.

Results:

The cleansing system has managed to help my dry, patchy skin become a little more even. I definitely feel like my moisturizer penetrates more – with my skin freshly exfoliated every time.  I dread not having the time to use the brush because I can totally feel the difference in my skin when I just use my hands or a washcloth. I’ve also noticed a severe improvement on my acne – and worsening after not using it for a few days. The skin gets addicted I tell you! Now, I have really bad, dark blackheads on my nose. And the brush hasn’t really done much for them. But that’s really pore-strip territory.

Summary:

Woo! Quickest review ever (from me, at least) or what?

Value: 5/5

Especially with the coupon!

Brush: 9/10

A good, not-too-soft-not-too-firm brush that is sturdy and cheap to replace. It might be too much for delicate skin and not enough for those that like a super harsh scrub – but for me it’s just right.

Use: 10/10

Convenient, two speed settings and water resistance means you can use this however you like!

Results: 8/10

This is worlds above and beyond manual (with hands, brush or washcloth) cleansing.

Overall: 91.4% (A-)

This is one of the cheaper options in the world of Clarisonic knock offs and for this girl? It’s all I need. Sorry Clarisonic! I’ll just keep the extra $200USD for myself.

<3 EA

Diorskin Shimmer Star in Amber Diamond

I’m a girl who frequently gets oily, who abhors shimmer and who until recently thought name brands were some terrible conspiracy theory. I am also a girl that completely lacks any and all willpower. This, combined with fabulous reviews, caused me to pick Dior’s Amber Diamond as one of my various birthday gifts, courtesy of my little sister Harmony. Let’s take a look at it, small we?

General Information:

Dior Shimmer Stars are currently available in two shades: 001 (Rose Diamond) and 002 (Amber Diamond.) This was gifted to me before I became friend(lier) towards pink blushes, and the shade that is most hyped of the two is Amber Diamond, so Amber Diamond it was. Both cost $44.00 USD and give you .35 oz of product. That’s a little bit less than twice the amount in a MAC Blush, fyi.

Packaging:

Diorskin Shimmer Star in Amber Diamond (Velvet Pouch)

Diorskin Shimmer Star in Amber Diamond (Case)

The packaging is sturdy, classic Dior blue and comes with the a black velvet pouch bearing the CD for Christian Dior. It’s rather luxe, though I must admit feels a bit bulky given the amount of product actually inside. Admittedly, it’s really fun to pull out when you want to feel fancy (which I often do.) Though I can’t really think of many opportunities where one would bring a highlighter on the go (except vacations.) That said, the huge mirror they include is super nice but there’s no brush so you’ll have to pack your own.

Color Accuracy:

As you may or may not know, the Shimmer Stars come in strips of 5 colors. Sephora and Dior do us the favor of giving us a color breakdown. From left to right Amber Diamond’s shades are  ivory, champagne, tan, bronze and  peach.  In the pan, it’s spot on.

Diorskin Shimmer Star in Amber Diamond (Open)

But…I think there’s a lot MORE to the actual product. That is, I think the official description really doesn’t do it justice.

Diorskin Shimmer Star in Amber Diamond (Swatched from Left to Right in Order)

Diorskin Shimmer Star in Amber Diamond (Swatch of All)

The ivory has a lot of beautiful gold duochrome and the bronze is more of a beautiful rose-gold. The only line that disappointed me was the peach, but I think a lot of its natural color got lost against my skintone. The combined color is closest to the second strip on me, but with lovely hints of the other colors.  If we’re not being too nitpicky, it’s an accurate representation and the product images are SPOT ON.

Pigmentation:

Hurr…this is a highlighter and shimmers are notoriously pigmented. I’ve seem them botched up, but for the most part this is a really lovely and pigmented color. All the shades show up at least decently if not more so.I was a bit afraid that it wouldn’t really show up on my skin – and for the most part the colors don’t. But it does what it needs to do – it highlights.

Application:

You’ve no doubt heard about how soft, buttery and smooth this product is. It’s not just hype! It really really is that great. Of course, buttery soft products can go powdery in the pan but that was pretty minimal hear. It’s so smooth that I can apply it with the coarsest of brushes (ELF’s standard Blush Brush) and it still gives me great results with minimal fallout.

Dior Amber Diamond Applied

I’d love to say that the lack of other-makeup was done to showcase how luminous and lovely the results of this product are; but the truth is I was just really lazy. It’s gorgeous and brings a natural glow wherever it’s applied. Which, in this case is my cheekbones.

Wear:

Amber Diamond has a fabulous wear time on me, even with oily skin. I’d say 5-6 hours minimum and it’s gone as far as 8. Oh, and did I mention i’ve totally worn this as eyeshadow? It stayed all day there as well – a 9 hour day. …A HOT 9 hour day.

Summary:

Do I love it. Yes. Is it kiiiiiiind of expensive? Yes. Do you need it? Maybe. I’ll admit it’s not an everyday use thing. But for certain looks it really comes in handy. And I SERIOUSLY encourage anyone who hasn’t tried to use this as an eyeshadow. It’s really glowy and pretty. The lovely results and superb wear time make this a great luxury item for yourself of a loved one.

Value: 4/5

Pricy initially; but lasts forever, yields great results and is a luxury brand.

Packaging: 4/5

Beautiful, protective but a tad bulky and no brush.

Color Accuracy: 9/10

This is one of the products that the company should hype MORE. Simple descriptions like ivory for a gold duochrome don’t cut it.

Pigmentation: 9/10

It’s a shimmer, so pigmentation was a given. Some shades (peach, tan) don’t show up as well on my skin as they do on others (paler others) but the overall product is well pigmented.

Application: 10/10

Soft, works with even the cheapest brush and has minimal fallout for a shimmer. Score!

Wear: 9/10

It withstood a hot day on primed lids and cheeks for about 8 hours total. Nuff said.

Summary: 90% (A-)

Highlighters. Yay? Or Nay?

<3 EA

Naked 1 and Naked 2

There exist some definite mixed opinions on these two palettes. Are they too similar? Not similar at all? Do you need both? Just one? Neither? I’ll let you know what I think at the end of this post. But for now, brace yourself for some serious picture-loading.

The Palettes:

Naked Palette (Top) and Naked 2 (Bottom) Without Flash

Naked Palette (Top) Naked 2 (Bottom) with Flash

Palette Close Ups:

Naked Palette (Left) Naked 2 (Right) Shades 1-6 Without Flash

Naked Palette (Left) Naked 2 (Right) Shades 1-6 With Flash

Naked Palette (Left) Naked 2 (Right) Shades 6-12 Without Flash

Naked Palette (Left) Naked 2 (Right) Shades 6-12 With Flash

The Swatches:

(Click for Full Size)

Swatches Naked (Top) Naked 2 (Bottom) - Without Flash

Swatches Naked (Top) Naked 2 (Bottom) - With Flash

Summary:

So, at the end of the day. I think these palettes ARE quite different. Yes, they’re both neutral. But where Naked 1 excels at providing warmth, Naked 2 is all about the cool tones. Also, Naked 2 has at least two taupey shadows – colors that have become the darling of … well a lot of women I know. So that alone might be a make or break difference between the two.

Whether you need both is really a matter of personal preferences. But if you can only have one? I suggest first determining whether you prefer cool toned shadows (like I do) or are more of a golden goddess type.

So…Naked? Naked 2? Both? Let me know~

All for now!

<3 EA

Purple dreams was created using ONLY the Sweet Dreams palette and Too Faced Shadow Insurance. Here’s the palette, in case you’ve somehow forgotten it.

Too Faced Sweet Dreams Palette

1. Of course, I started the look off by prepping my bare eye with Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Satin Sheets From Center Lid to Inner Corner

2. Using a flat shadow brush, I patted Satin Sheets (Champagne Shimmer) onto the center of my eyelid. I then took a fluffy blending brush and blended it towards my inner lid.  I made sure to apply the color well into my crease, as I have hooded eyes and didn’t want to lose the eyeshadow in the folds of my lids.

Cut the Cake from Middle Lid to Outer Corner

3. I then took Cut the Cake (Pale, Lavender Satin) and also patted it onto the center of my lid, only this time I blended it towards my outer corner. Again, I made sure the color was applied up beyond my crease and towards my brow.

First Dance Blended Into Outer Corner

4. I then layered First Dance (Matte Purple) over Cut the Cake on my outer lid; using a fluffy blending brush to create a gradient towards the center of my eye.

Party Girl from Center to Inner Lid

5. The last shadow I used was Party Girl (Medium, Shimmery Purple.) I placed it at the center of my lid and blended the color towards my inner lid.

Finish Up With Mascara

6. Of course! I finished up with a coat of mascara.

Notes:

Now, you know I like to do my foundation AFTER my eye makeup on days when use eyeshadow. This EOTD was a REALLY good example of why I do that. The purple and lavender fallout from this EOTD made me look like someone had punched me in both eyes! Haha. Luckily, foundation hides all sins.

No FOTD, sorry! Here’s…two eyes~ Ooh lala~

Finished EOTD

I know it’s not superb. But i’m actually really glad that I’m starting to use my eyeshadows. Baby steps! Right?

All for now!

<3 EA

MAC Reel Sexy

I think the hardest part of my 3 month no-buy (which, if you haven’t guessed ended as of the first of April) was the lack of MAC lipstick purchases. In fact, the last MAC lipstick I reviewed was way back at the end of September!! Bwaaa! Let’s jump right in shall we? Here’s the LE Amplified Finish lipstick released as part of the Reel Sexy collection…aptly named, Reel Sexy.

General Information:

Reel Sexy is the namesake color for MAC’s Spring Reel Sexy collection. It was definitely the dark horse of the collection, selling out quickly while everyone was busy scrambling for Watch Me Simmer. (Which I also snagged! Woo woo!) Like all MAC lipsticks, it cost $14.50 USD and contained 3 g/0.1 oz of product. It’s been sold out for a while now, but as MAC does frequent re-releases of their LE shades, I have no qualms posting this review!

Color Accuracy:

I’m not always sure where MAC gets its product images from. I mean…From the official product swatch I was originally expecting a peachy shade, along the lines of this whole orange lipstick craze. But the official description is “Light, Bright, Coral.”

Reel Sexy Official Image

But I’d have thought I was looking at a more opaque Sheer Mandarin if I hadn’t swatched this in-store prior to the release. Luckily, I did know what I was getting otherwise I might have passed! It doesn’t even match the bullet color!

Bullet Comparison (From Left to Right: Gotta Dash, Reel Sexy, Ravishing and Vegas Volt - all MAC shades)

Swatch and Comparison (From Left to Right: Gotta Dash, Reel Sexy, Ravishing and Vegas Volt - all MAC shades)

Reel Sexy is the 2nd shade to the left. It’s really more of a pale coral and has none of the peach tones implied by the promotional image. I included similar MAC shades for comparison purposes. gotta Dash is the closest in tone but has a lot more pink and a sheen finish. Ravishing is the next closest but looks brown by comparison. Vegas Volt is nowhere near it – but i’d seen some people wondering if the two were similar at all and I wanted to clear that up.

Pigmentation:

Reel Sexy is a very light shade, but it builds relatively well. One sweep of color is MOST DEFINITELY not enough for me. Part of it is the creamy amplified finish and the other part is just that the color lightly applied is a bit sheer.

Bare Lips

Reel Sexy Applied

The above is one blotted layer and then two nice thick second swipes of color. If anyone wants a single-swipe shot let me know and i’ll do so. And, protip: fellow beauty blogger Brown Girl Friendly suggests MAC’s Cork lip pencil to back up the color if you have pigmented lips but still want to rock this shade.

Application:

Unless you have naturally pale lips, this is not a sweep-n-go shade. It takes either a similarly toned liner, or blotting and patient application to get it to look smooth. More than once i’ve walked out of the house with this shade on – only to discover a glaring line where the color is not evenly distributed.

Wear:

Now that I think about it…this really reminds me of the wear of the Sheen Supremes. It’s a beautiful color, but a pain to apply evenly and it fades after a few short hours (without liner) and doesn’t go much farther with it. I’d say I get a max 2-4 without eating and 2 max with eating and drinking.

Summary:

Do I love the color? Heck yes. It’s a beauuuuuuutiful pale coral that makes me think of spring. But it’s NOT the best MAC has ever put out. It’s a bit unpigmented, takes work to apply and doesn’t have a great wear time.

Value: 3/5

Regular MAC lipstick quantity but lesser quality than usual.

Packaging: 4/5

Simple, classic, sturdy.

Color Accuracy: 4/10

The bullet looks like the product…and the description is semi accurate. But that’s about it. Don’t guide yourself by the promo images if you can help it. It’d be a mistake.

Pigmentation: 6/10

I think this would do well on unpigmented lips. But otherwise it requires some building and working to get it to show up.

Application: 5/10

A bit tedious to get on evenly. Takes multiple steps.

Wear: 5/10

I’ve seen worse…but i’ve seen better.

Overall: 54% (F)

Unless you absolutely NEED this color – i’d pass. It’s just more trouble than its worth. Do you ever splurge just for a color, even when you know the product itself isn’t great? I…clearly do.

<3 EA