Illamasqua CanCan Eyeshadow

Illamasqua CanCan Eyeshadow ($20.00 for 0.07 oz.) is described as a “bright lilac purple.” It’s a medium lilac with strong purple tones and a cool undertone. The finish is matte. Benefit Fancy Pansy is closest in color, but it’s lighter and has a shimmery finish, so it appears different. Inglot #346 is lighter, more pastel.

CanCan had lovely color payoff, but it was a smidgen on the drier side, so there was a little powderiness to contend with. It’s not overly difficult to deal with, but it’s noticeable and must be mentioned. It can be hard to find a shade of lavender like this that has such strong pigmentation, though, and it’s what makes this shade stand out the most.  I liked that it was darker than your average lavender/lilac shade, because it’s easier to wear, especially on medium to dark skin tones.  The texture is soft and smooth but a little too soft (hence the powderiness).  When I tested the wear, it managed seven hours with light fading around the edges but no creasing.

Where to Buy: Sephora, $20

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Ingredients

Talc, Dimethylimidazolidinone Rice Starch, Mica, Aqua (Water), Propylene Glycol, Magnesium Myristate, Octyldodecanol, Isopropyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-150, Phenoxyethanol, Ricinus Communis Oil (Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil), Cetearyl Alcohol, Quaternium-26, Silica, Methylparaben, Glyceryl Ricinoleate, Cera Carnauba (Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax), Candelilla Cera (Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax), Ethylparaben, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Stearic Acid, Cera Microcristallina (Microcrystalline Wax), Propylparaben, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Paraffinum Liquidum (Mineral Oil), Cetyl Alcohol, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Parfum (Fragrance) And May Contain: [+/- Titanium Dioxide Ci 77891, Iron Oxides Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499, Carmine Ci 75470, Ultramarines Ci 77007, Yellow 5 Lake Ci 19140, Blue 1 Lake Ci 42090, Bismuth Oxychloride Ci 77163, Manganese Violet Ci 77742, Ferric Ferrocyanide Ci 77510, Red 40 Lake Ci 16035, Chromium Oxide Greens Ci 77288, Chromium Hydroxide Green Ci 77289] (Eu Exclusive Shades May Contain: Ci 12085, Ci 15850, Ci 45380, Ci 15985, Ci 73015, Ci 45410, Ci 77266). May contain Carmine as a colour additive.

Illamasqua CanCan Eyeshadow

Illamasqua CanCan Eyeshadow

Illamasqua CanCan Eyeshadow

Illamasqua CanCan Eyeshadow

Illamasqua CanCan Eyeshadow

Illamasqua CanCan Eyeshadow

Beauty.com Friends & Family Sale – 20% Off

Beginning tomorrow, May 15th at 12:01 am PST, through May 18th at 11:59 pm PST, save 20% off at Beauty.com (must click-through the link or the banner above to activate).

Your Mission: Fill in the survey below with your answers, and then share your answers with us in the comments section!

• Your skin tone/coloring:
• Favorite pink polish?
• Least favorite polish finish?
• Best top coat?

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15 ($52.00 for 1 oz.) is a “mineral-based, water-resistant primer with SPF 15 that neutralizes the skin, minimizes shine, and creates a smooth, uniform canvas.” It is also supposed to “[absorb] exess oils and [minimize] the appearance of pores.” This primer uses a mix of titanium dioxide (2.45%) and zinc oxide (4.20%) to provide the SPF content. As a result, you may get a white cast, particularly in pictures, as these are physical blockers (which work by reflecting), as opposed to chemical ones (which work by absorbing). I have worn it in photos on the blog, but primarily in ones without flash, which is where you would worry most about what kind of sunscreen agent you had on.

It has a thin consistency that appears white when pumped out of the container. One pump tends to be sufficient coverage for me. I use either a flat face brush or my fingertips (cleaned, of course!) to apply all over my face, and then I let it dry down for about five minutes. There’s a slightly oily feel initially–it almost feels like a moisturizer–that dries down to a more powdery feel that looks satin-like in finish. It does give my skin a “smooth” feeling from the silicones. The primer doesn’t pill, though, which I do appreciate, as that has been an issue in the past with silicone-heavy primers.

It has been a very long time (years) since I’ve tried a face primer with this many silicones in it. I’ve worn this numerous times over the past couple of months, and I haven’t had any extra breakouts as a result. I’ve certainly had acne before, after, and during the previous months, but the level is as much (or as little) as is “normal” for me. Previously, it seemed like I had a sensitivity to silicone-based products, which meant that I had to limit how many products I wore each day that had silicone–e.g. avoid silicone-based primers, because they appear to have a lot more silicones as compared to a blush, moisturizer, or foundation, since there are usually a few in the beginning of the ingredients’ lists.

I’m not a doctor, and no dermatologist ever evaluated/tested my skin in relationship to silicones. The last time I saw a dermatologist, she told me to never wear makeup and that wearing any makeup was causing all of my acne (so I never returned to her!). After that, my general doctor prescribed me Differin, which has greatly decreased my acne. I decided to give Hourglass’ primer a chance, because I saw a lot of readers rave about it!

Mineral Veil makes everything else I layer on top of my skin look noticeably better. I think that “smooth canvas” enables foundation to apply and settle better against the skin. I used this a lot during the winter when my skin was drier, because I did have a few flaking areas (particularly around the nose), and it helped to smooth and almost hydrate those areas. It didn’t do much to minimize pores, but it certainly helped add longevity to my face products.

Typically, when I would wear this under a foundation, it would prolong the wear by an hour and a half to two and a half hours–and as a result, my blush stayed on better and for longer as well. Though I have normal-to-dry skin, I do get a little oily around my t-zone after six to eight hours of wearing full makeup. This really did help combat that and staved it off until eight to ten hours.

The biggest downside to this product is that it’s very pricey! I’d recommend trying the smaller version (0.33 oz.), which is a more palatable $18. It’s a great way to test out the product over a longer period of time to get a feel for whether it’s suitable for your skin type and needs. It’s one of my favorite primers, but I can readily admit that my “big picture” view on primers is limited, as I haven’t tested many in the past few years because I’ve wanted to stay away from silicone-based ones! I may open this up a bit more in the future, but no promises–it will be a very slow, gradual introduction to see how my skin reacts!

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Ingredients

Active:  Titanium Dioxide (2.45%), Zinc Oxide (4.20%)

Inactive: Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Polysilicone-11, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hexyl Laurate, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-4 Isosterate, Stearic Acid, Alumina

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15

Shiseido Sweet Pea RD 304 Perfect Rouge Lipstick

Shiseido Sweet Pea RD 304 Perfect Rouge Lipstick ($25.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a strawberry red with warm undertones and a white shimmer. There’s a natural sheen to the finish. NARS Flamenco is very similar but less warm-toned. Guerlain Rouge Sensuel is a bit warmer. Milani Bing Cherry is slightly brighter and doesn’t have shimmer. Guerlain Grenade is very similar.

This formula is extremely hydrating with an almost gel-like consistency that glides right on.  It’s lightweight, comfortable to wear, and has no discernible taste or scent.  Sweet Pea wears a solid five and a half hours, and the color applies opaquely with little product needed.  I’m always impressed by Shiseido’s Perfect Rouge formula; it’s a really moisturizing formula that feels so good to wear and wears well.  I also love that there’s 0.14 oz. of product, while many lipsticks are 0.10 to 0.12 oz. in size.

Where to Buy: Sephora, Nordstrom, $25

See more photos & swatches!

Shiseido Sweet Pea RD 304 Perfect Rouge Lipstick

Shiseido Sweet Pea RD 304 Perfect Rouge Lipstick

Shiseido Sweet Pea RD 304 Perfect Rouge Lipstick

Shiseido Sweet Pea RD 304 Perfect Rouge Lipstick