Set to conquer in three… two… nope

I have zero inherent talent for anything design-related (or even design-adjacent, really), so product spreads are always a little tricky for me. If, by “a little tricky,” you mean “a time suck and a constant source of frustration,” that is.

Despite the sweat and tears and hours and hours and hours that go into these posts, though, I still quite enjoy putting them together — the challenge, when I can come out on top, is incredibly rewarding.

I hope you enjoy this week’s picks (even though I didn’t quite manage to conquer the image).

Skincare sweethearts

This week’s picks started off with the Sweet Leaf Bath Adzuki Bean & Rice Bran Face Polish, which caught my eye as a low-end Canadian alternative to the Tatcha Polished Rice Enzyme Powder ($65 USD). While Sweet Leaf’s version doesn’t have the same wow! factor or enzymatic powers, it’s still a very cool powder-format face polish for those of us who recognize budgets as, you know. Non-fictional.

Also in the skincare department is the eos 24-Hour Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream, which is a great silicone-free, scent-free shaving cream for those of us who want to keep our showers simple.

Pink potential

Less simple are the three makeup picks in this spread, however: you have your YSL Baby Doll Mascara, which comes in four indecently sexy shades (Noir Fétiche, Brun Enjôleur, Bleu Audacieux, and Violet Indiscret), alongside the lovely Annabelle Multi-Blush Palette in Fresh Pink (another great Canadian budget find), and topped off with a summer-collection Lise Watier Light Cap Nail Lacquer in Gulabi, a fresh, eye-catching pink.

Fresh Pink and Gulabi are both limited edition and in stores currently, but the Baby Doll (Babydoll?) release is a little more confusing: it’s permanent, with two shades at Sephora now, four shades in total, and a June release at Holt Renfrew and select The Bay & Murale stores.

What are you loving the look of this month? And, more importantly… what are you trying to conquer?

Feel free to let me know what you think of it in the comments, or just quietly peruse the beauty launches that have caught my eye this month!

To start us off, the highlights:

Spring lip focus

Bare a little skin

& everything else

Okay, so: I know I haven’t been the best about posting recently, but I’m trying to be better, I swear. I think I still need a couple weeks to really get back into the swing of things, but I may as well start now!

Here’s a quick, springy look to start off the week. Created by Hannah Murray for Topshop AW13 at the last last London Fashion Week, the look is “a bit Brit pop, a bit Eighties, a bit New Wave with an urban edge,” according to Murray. Backstage artists paired fresh skin with almond-shaped pastel blue eyes, and — I don’t know. It’s a bit of a “look,” isn’t it? Super-easy, but still not something I could ever see myself really loving.

Read Vogue’s backstage report for the show here, and catch a full tutorial here.

Topshop recommends using their Eye Crayon in Kingfisher to get this look, but it’s not actually what was used backstage. Rather, Murray put down a green eyeshadow base (I’m guessing a cream eyeshadow), then topped it off with a pale blue eyeshadow.

I went with a more direct approach, layering a white primer with a matte blue eyeshadow, but I would have liked to have used something with more intensity — the soft “glow” was lovely in real life, but I think the way it photographed left a little something to be desired.

You win some, you lose some, I guess!

Start with a blank canvas

& add a little colour. (Pre-blush & mascara)

The cool thing about this look, though, is that you could honestly sub in whatever shade you wanted to. I love the look of a matte finish for an eye like this, but I’m not crazy about bright blues — I think I’d have loved to do a lilac or a cobalt instead (both of which happen to be part of Sephora’s current ColorVision forecast, handily enough!)

Here are a couple springy shades that caught my eye:

Shiseido | Sephora | MAC | Stila

Products Used

EYES

NYX HD Eye Shadow Base

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk

42 Double Stack Matte Palette

Annabelle Smoothie Jumbo Eye Shadow Pencil in Licoriche

Annabelle Expandable Mascara

LIPS & BROWS

Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Petunia

Senna Sketch-A-Brow in Mink

SKIN & CHEEKS

Korres Quercetin & Oak Antiageing Face Primer

theBalm timeBalm in Lighter Than Light

MAC Powder Blush (Matte) in Harmony

FaceFront Rocket Bronzer (Steel) in Third Kiss

Smashbox Eye Shadow (Matte) in Smoke

Clinique Blushing Powder Blush in Smoldering Plum

This My Funny Valentine post is all about nails, glitter, and cats!

Phyrra asks: do you know the Fitzpatrick Scale? Find out why it matters!

If you’re looking for the perfect, long-wearing summer gloss, then don’t miss Rae’s review of a gorgeous, peachy pink with six hour wear over at theNotice!

In this edition of BBLL, MM puts the much-hyped Rodin Olio Lusso to the test. Will it pass with flying colors or leave her wanting more?

Love new makeup brands? Sophie from Makeup Wonderland does too! See what she thought about FM Cosmetics!

Want Ciate’s Chalkboard Manicure look but don’t have the set? Musicalhouses shows you how to DIY your own chalkboard manicure!

polish insomniac may suck at nail art, but even she can handle these nail tattoos!

Want soft lips? Check out Jenn from spiced beauty’s secret weapon.

Prime Beauty gets the perfect bronze goddess look with the new Buxom Hot Escapes Bronzers — they even smell like the beach!

What products are you loving lately? Pammy Blogs Beauty shares her Spring Favorite Beauty Products!

Jude reviews collagen shots at Love, Lust, and Fairy Dust — a nightly drink from the fountain of youth!

Gouldylox Reviews thinks the new Moxie Lip Collection from bareMinerals is pretty gorgeous and packed with pigment. Which is your favorite?

What’s not to love about a sheer lipstick, especially when it’s by Bobbi Brown? Come admire Beauty Crazed’s Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Color swatches and fall in sheer love!

Did you find the new Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Glove disappointing? Hop over to Handmade Reviews to read her Cleaning Glove review and dupes post.

The product: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain in No. 27 Pêche Cerra-Colla

The shade: I have to admit, Pêche Cerra-Colla isn’t exactly my usual shade. A slightly pinked peach, it has a blissfully shimmer-free finish, and fades to a soft, super-sheer tangerine.

A solid “medium” in both opacity and depth, this peach Glossy Stain is darker than my bare lips, but creates a very natural effect — far from bold or brash, it delivers good colour while still maintaining a wonderful visual translucence. Though the touch of pink makes this wearable on my cool, pale complexion, I can see it creating a beautiful “my lips but peachier” shade for warmer skintones, too.

The application: Like many bright, translucent stains, Pêche Cerra-Colla applies with a milky finish that soon disappears (think Benefit Posietint, but better). The applicator is a thin, slanted doe-foot, and it distributes the perfect amount of product for an even, glossy lip.

It’s not your typical applicator, but that only makes me like it more. The thin profile keeps you from picking up too much product, and the shape makes it easy to both apply product quickly & get right into the corners and edges of the lip.

Swatched L-R: YSL (1) Volupté Sheer Candy in No. 12 Tasty Raspberry, (2) Glossy Stain in No. 27 Pêche Cerra-Colla, (3) Glossy Stain, sheered out

The wear: The internet is a crazy place, but they get some things right… one of them being that YSL’s Glossy Stains are awesome.

Lightweight and relatively non-sticky, even a sheer shade like Pêche Cerra-Colla wears for ages: I can get a solid five hours with a glossy finish (if I don’t eat or drink anything), and a few more with just a light stain. While not hydrating, it’s reasonably comfortable for a solid 5-6 hours, even on my dry lips – as long as there’s still a tacky finish, the Glossy Stain formula is incredibly easy to wear.

L-R: YSL Framboise Craquante, Pêche Cerra-Colla heavily/sheerly

YSL Pêche Cerra-Colla Glossy Stain – stains

The verdict?

Like almost everyone else who has tried out a YSL Glossy Stain, I’m pretty smitten with them. While I could do without the added fragrance, the Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stains (what a mouthful!) pair fantastic wear time with ease-of-use, comfort, and a fantastic shade range. They’re as easy to apply and wear as a gloss, but you get the extra-long wear time of a stain, too.

Availability:$34 USD/$36 CAD. Pêche Cerra-Colla was new this January with YSL’s Arty Stone Spring 2013 collection, but is now part of the permanent line.

Skip it if…

You’re on a budget or you’re sensitive to fragranced lip products. The nearly-identical L’Oreal Colour Riche Caresse Wet Shine Stain ($9.99 USD/$12.99 CAD) version is a fantastic drugstore alternative, with its only downfalls being a smaller range of colours and sheerer shades.

See it worn: here!

The ingredients

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