Beauty

Le Metier De Beaute True Color Eye Shadow SPICY and MILAN Review, Swatches and FOTD

June 9, 2012

Thanks Zuneta! Now, if you live outside of the US and have been itching to get your hands on Le Metier De Beaute, Zuneta is probably one of the few sources available internationally. After my success with Jojo, Corinthian and Bordeaux which I think are the must have shades, I immediately ordered some more eye shadows to try. And today’s review is for Le Metier De Beaute’s True Color Eye Shadows in Spicy and Milan.

Spicy is another lust-worthy shade that’s been quite hyped up by the beauty community. It is a warm bronze shade with a rusty gold undertone in its signature shimmer finish. The shade might not be the most unique but what makes Spicy distinctive is its superior texture – it feels creamy smooth and the ultra fine and silky texture makes the eye shadow feels weightless and layers beautifully without looking heavy on the eyes. The overall quality of Spicy is in line with the others which I have already given an in-depth review, so I won’t go into detail here.

Milan is my first LMDB eye shadow in Satin finish. You can see the silver micro shimmer from the pan but they are hard to see once applied on the skin. It is a very safe neutral brown shade, which is great for contouring the eyes or a base color over the crease. Compared to the shimmer finish which I can’t rave enough about, the texture of Milan is under-par in my opinion. It is smooth and soft but my cheaper eye shadows such as Mac or Bobbi Brown are just as good. I don’t regret buying it as I like to collect beautiful makeup, but for those of you who have a tighter budget but still wanting to try LMDB, then the shimmer finish would be a better choice for its unique quality.

Swatches

Compared to Jojo and Corinthian

EOTD: Wearing Jojo as a base, then layered with Milan followed by Spicy.

Overall Look:

Face: Estee Lauder Invisible Fluid Makeup (review coming soon)

Eyes: Jojo, Milan and Spicy

Cheeks: Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Blush in Plush Petal 14

Lips: Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick in 340B Rose Boudoir mixed with Nars Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight.

Bottom Line: Must buy Spicy and skip Milan.

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Labels: EYESHADOW • FOTD • Le Metier De Beaute

Estee Lauder Pure Color Blush Plush Petal Review and Swatches

June 6, 2012

I call this ‘The Blush of the Year’ – Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Blush in Plush Petal 14 . Isn’t it just incredibly pretty? As soon as I spotted the new collection of Pure Color Blushes at David Jones which retails for AUD$65 each , I had to have the Plush Petal. But it was all sold out so I had to back order it, and it finally arrived not long ago!

I don’t usually buy makeup from Estee Lauder, as I still relate them with granny makeup 😛 But this beautiful blush created by the legendary makeup artist Tom Pecheux really blew me away. The texture feels silky smooth and buttery soft, and the powder is densely packed so the color payoff is intense and rich. What appeals to me the most is the gradient hue that fades from a strawberry pink to to a soft hibiscus pink, which gives you a good control over the application as you can ‘fine tune’ the shade of pink that you like. When swirling together, it blends into a soft coral pink. Plush Petal has very fine shimmer that is only visible under certain lighting, and gives a satiny finish with a soft glow when applied on the skin.

Swatch of Plush Petal

Being a beauty blogger I am sometimes guilty that I am not doing enough comparison swatches for my readers…It’s just that the thought of rumbling through my stash (I am a neat freak by the way) and realizing how much makeup I have really puts me off! But I am working on it, and for this post I have pulled out these pink blushes to compare that range from hot pink to cool lilac pink.

CLOCKWISE: Nars Desire, Estee Lauder Plush Petal, Shu Uemura M Pink 30 (my all time favorite pink blush), Dior Rosy Glow, Blush Horizon de Chanel, Chanel JC Narcisse

Bottom Line: I love it, and looking forward to more gradient shades!

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Labels: BLUSH • ESTEE LAUDER

Accessories Report: NEON INJECTION

May 28, 2012

Noir Jewelry Neon Crystal Pendant Necklace – bought it here, a similar one here

Clockwise: Essie Pink Parka; Lancome Rouge in Love Lipstick in Rose Boudoir; Shu Uemura Lip Gloss in Radical Fuchsia

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Labels: ACCESSORY • ESSIE • Fashion • LANCOME • Shu Uemura

Lancome Rouge in Love Lipsticks Reviews and Swatches – 322M Corail in Love and 340B Rose Boudoir

May 23, 2012

Lancome has released a new range of long-wear lipsticks Rouge in Love (you can get them here in the US). Each lipstick retails for $45 in Australia. The entire range is divided into 3 variations of pigmentation, referred to as a “mood” by Lancome. I bought:

– the lipstick in 322M Corail in Love , and it falls into the mood of Jolis Matins: “Pretty morning” ready-to-wear, and luminous fresh day shades that recreate daylight on the lips, for subtle and soft brilliance, due to the precious mother-of-pearl.

– the lipstick in 340B Rose Boudoir, and it falls into the mood of Boudoir Time: Trendy, punchy “it” shades that give color to the lips thanks to the intense contrasted mother-of-pearl. These shades offer an intense bright color reflection. Perfect to start the evening right.

I have skipped the most intense range as I thought the pigmentation was just way too rich for my liking – Tonight is My Night: Sophisticated, pure intense shades to give depth to lips and brighten a night out, for a deep lacquered effect and luminous color, thanks to gold mother-of-pearl.

I like to judge the makeup by its packaging, and unfortunately I do not like the packaging of Rouge in Love. I cannot really pinpoint the reason (maybe it resembles an aluminum tube..) but they just look cheap next to my arrays of other high end lipsticks.

Please note that the two lipsticks I bought look strikingly similar when they are side by side, but they show up completely different on my lips due to the difference in pigmentation.

322M Corail in Love is a foolproof peachy pink shade for everyday use without any shimmer. The formula is good but I won’t say it is blowing me away. It applies nicely, feels lightweight and non-drying and leaves a semi-satiny sheen to the lips. The lasting power does live up to my expectation, as I get to have 4-5 hours wear even while drinking in between. My only pet peeve is that I consider it as a full coverage lipstick (completely covers the natural colors of your lips), as opposed to what I expected which was a luminous finish. If I apply only a sheer wash of the color, it looks almost matte on my lips. In the swatch below I had to swipe it over my lips a few times to get a sheen.

340B Rose Boudoir is unique and beautiful. I can’t find any dupe of this from my stash of lipsticks. It shows up as a true warm neon pink on my lips. The pigmentation is rich and intense, but in the meantime it stills feel feathery light on the lips. I have not tried other shades in the Boudoir Time range, but I thought Lancome has given the perfect description for Rose Boudoir – it is young, trendy and punchy. One of those “IT” shades that will just make you the center of attention from the crowd. It will be my default “party shade” from now on! The phenomenal lasting power is truly cocktail proof.

Group Swatches:

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Labels: LANCOME • LIPSTICK

KIEHL’S Cucumber Herbal Toner and Ultra Facial Toner Reviews

May 10, 2012

I have finished using my KIEHL’S Cucumber Herbal Toner and the Ultra Facial Toner recently so I thought I would do a quick review for them. The older I get, the better I know what my skin needs and it appears my skin always reacts better to the gentle products. I bought these primarily because both of them are gentle, hydrating and most importantly – they are alcohol free. It may sound like quite a simple criteria but if you check out the ingredient list of your toners, you might find that a lot of them contain alcohol.

The KIEHL’S Cucumber Herbal Toner is my second bottle. I love it! The texture is exactly the same as water, and appears as reminiscent of the real cucumber water. Both the name and the smell appears very organic and natural to me, and I find it very enjoyable to use. It instantly hydrates and soothes my skin, and it can also be used as a very mild astringent (but alcohol-free!) so it purifies the skin gently and reduces the appearance of pores. This is exactly what I am after from a simple product that I can rely on all year round and works well with any skin condition. It’s been with me through the transition from summer to winter and my skin was more sensitive during the change of seasons, and the KIEHL’S Cucumber toner is my savior.

The texture of KIEHL’S Ultra Facial Toner is milky white, and has a thicker consistency than the cucumber water and it is fragrance free. It mainly contains ingredients such as Glycerin, Hyaluronate, Sweet Almond Oil, Kernel Oil which all help to moisturize the skin. It does prep my skin well for other products as it absorbs immediately without any residue. As a toner alone it is quite average in my opinion – it hasn’t done any harm but neither has it impressed me. I sometimes use it after the cucumber water as a more moisturizing intensive toner, but most of the time I like to use it as a quick mask lotion. I bought these amazing cotton pads and each sheet can be separated in to 5 sheets when it is wet. So I like to completely soak it with the Ultra Facial Toner and leave them on my face and neck for 5 minutes as a quick fix for hydration. That way it leaves my skin feeling super moisturized, smoother and softer.

Japanese Cotton Pad (bought here)

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Labels: KIEHL'S • SKINCARE

Chanel Stylo Yeux Eyeliner BEIGE CLAIR and GRENAT Review and Swatches

May 8, 2012

I bought the Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner in BEIGE CLAIR from the Le Blanc 2012 Collection and in GRENAT from the Spring 2012 Collection recently. Both of them are limited editions. I normally don’t buy high end pencil eye liners but Chanel always make me break my rules!

Out of the two Beige Clair is the best purchase in my opinion. I have been searching for a creamy matte flesh-colored eyeliner pencil for the longest time, and I am so glad Chanel has finally released one. I like to wear it along the lower inner rim, as it instantly makes my eyes appear more energized, brighter and bigger. The formulation of Stylo Yeux Eyeliner is hands down the most smudge proof and waterproof that I have ever used. I have quite watery eyes, and Beige Clair lasts on my eyes for the whole day without fading . The color is so versatile so you can also use it as a nude lip liner or a pointed concealer pen.

Grenat is another unique shade. I don’t usually wear colored eye liner, so to me Grenat is nice to have but not a must. It is a rich plummy brown shade, and it would look absolutely gorgeous on green and blue eyes. As for my eyes, it looks the best when it is paired against cool toned eye shadows, otherwise it seems to emphasize the redness of my eyes. The lasting power of Grenat is also phenomenal.

Wearing Grenat on my eyes

Comparing them with Rose Platine.

From left to right: Rose Platine, Grenat and Beige Clair

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Labels: CHANEL • EYELINER

Le Blanc De Chanel 2012 Collection – Joues Contraste Fleur De Lotus Powder Blush Review and Swatches

May 6, 2012

Being an Asian I always find it hard to resist the Asia Exclusive Collection, as the color palette is specifically designed for the Asian coloring, and the quality is often surpassing my expectation. Chanel has released its Le Blanc 2012 collection a while ago, and I literally wanted everything from the collection but my rational side has limited myself to a few products. One of them is the Joues Contraste Fleur De Lotus Powder Blush which I think is an absolute must have.

Whoever owns this beautiful blush would agree with me that the quality is more superior than the regular JC Blush. The powder is still baked, but is more finely milled, softer and offers a better color payoff. Unlike the regular JC which requires more than a few swipes, the Fleur De Lotus only needs less than 2 swipes per side.

Fleur De Lotus is a universally flattering peachy pink color – an everyday “go to” shade that would complement any makeup look. If you like the Nars 0rgasm, Fleur De Lotus is a more luxurious and refined version of it. It contains finer shimmers and the overall powder texture feels smoother. The finish is more subdued than the Nars, and it inherits the unique finish of a baked formula that offers a satiny sheen with a soft flow. Espiegle is another popular JC shade, so I have also included it in the comparison swatches for you.

Wearing Fleur De Lotus

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Labels: BLUSH • CHANEL • NARS

Suqqu Spring 2012 – Blend Color Eye Shadow 11 HIMESANGO Review and Swatches

April 29, 2012

Hi everyone, long time no see! Hope you are all well. I went on a vacation during Easter, and then I have been swamped with work upon return so I decided to take a mini break from blogging. I received a few packages today from all of my blogging friends over the world – can’t thank enough of them! The minute I opened my long awaited Suqqu Blend Color Eye Shadow HIMESANGO 11 from its Spring 2012 collection, I knew I had to share it with you immediately. My heart is singing when I swiped my fingers across these too-die-for eye shadows.

Different to the eyeshadow quad from the permanent line, the spring collection comes with 5 colors. As a taupe lover I bought shade 11 Himesango. All shades are foolproof and they layer together beautifully. If you think the permanent line is not pigmented enough, then this spring Suqqu has delivered an extraordinary eye shadow palette. The pigmentation is richer with an ultra buttery and velvety texture (it almost felt cushiony!). The three shimmery shades contain the finest micro-shimmer, and they apply silky smooth with a delicate gleam . I love the fact that there is always a matte shade included in the palette. Himesango contains an ivory white which feels creamy and serves as an excellent base color. It instantly evens out the lid color and make your eye makeup look “cleaner’. As I have mentioned in my earlier post, Suqqu eye shadows are the most densely pressed and smoothly milled, so you will never experience any fallout with their eye shadows.

Swatches of Himesango

This picture below is out of focus but it shows the gleam well…

On my eyes:

Upper Lid: Applied the peachy shade all over the eye socket, then layered with the taupe shade beginning at the lash line and blending into the crease line. Finished with the lighter chocolate shade intensifying the outer v.

Lower lid: Accentuate the inner corner with the shimmery peachy shade, and rim the outer third with the dark chocolate shade and smudged the taupe shade across.

Overall Look: