Product Review - Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipsticks

So I've been looking around at new (to me) lipsticks to update my collection, and I found these gorgeous lipsticks from Make Up For Ever. The Rouge Artist Intense lipsticks are said to be 50% more pigmented than other lipsticks, and are supposed to be very long-lasting.

I picked up two shades: 29 and 38. I don't love numbered colour names, but Sephora's website describes 29 as Satin Rosewood and 38 as Satin Coral, which I think gives you a much better idea of what the colour actually looks like. I ended up choosing two satins, but the line also carries matte and pearl finishes. I would say the majority of the time, I prefer a satin finish. 

left: 29, right: 38

And the swatches:

top: 29, bottom: 38

As you can see, these are gorgeous colours! So rich and pretty, but not dry looking at all. I see these two colours as being able to take you from spring, right into winter. 

38 is such a pretty spring/summer coral with just the right amount of brightness, without being overwhelming on the lips. Actually, coral is quite a departure for me because I'm naturally drawn to the berry shades. You should note that the true colour of this lipstick is more similar to the swatch above, than to the photo of my lips below. For some reason, the lighting didn't capture the colour looking as coral as it really is in real life.

38 on my lips

29 is more of a typical "me" shade. I will definitely be pulling this one out a ton once it starts to feel like fall (well, probably sooner because I cannot resist). I just love this muted berry shade with the perfect amount of rosiness in it. It's so pretty on the lips. 

29 on my lips

So let's talk staying power. Worn alone, these do last longer than your typical lipstick that is not considered long-lasting. I do have matte lipsticks (from Nars, MAC, etc) that may last as long or longer, but that may be because I ended up selecting the satin finish. The Rouge Artist Intense matte shades may last longer than the satins. However, these do last longer than many of my other lipsticks that are not actually intended to be long-lasting, so that is nice. I would say they perform as expected. The great thing is that I do not find them drying at all, which is a pet peeve of anything intended to be long-lasting.

One last note - I believe these are sold exclusively at Sephora, so if you are interested, check out their website.

Have you tried any of the Rouge Artist Intense lipsticks?

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Product Review - Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer

With all of the online buzz, I gave in and picked up one of the new Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers. There were a lot of really pretty colours and I swatched a bunch before selecting the shade Celestial. Celestial is a rosey-berry shade that is not too dark, but definitely not a nude. It is a typical colour that I would select, and that's fine with me, because I love it!

I've worn this a few times since purchasing, so I can provide you with my pros and cons:

Pros:

- feels amazing on the lips - smooth and not sticky at all

- great pigmentation - one swipe across the lips and the colour shows up beautifully

- quite glossy - no need for layering a lip gloss over top

- easy to use applicator - there is a little dip in the doe foot applicator that makes it easy to get enough of the product onto your lips the first time. It is also easy to create a precise lip line due to the applicator

Cons:

- a bit of a strange smell - kind of like melons, although I only can smell it during application, and I don't notice any taste

- doesn't last particularly long - this is not a stain, nor does it dry down. It is more like a liquid lipstick

- not that cheap considering it is a drugstore product - I paid $9.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart. Rimmel. I suppose this isn't abnormal pricing for Canada, but if you want to pick up on a few shades, it will get pricey

So overall, I'm really loving this product! I might pick up a couple more shades if I see these on sale.

Have you tried this shade or any others of the Rimmel Apocalips?

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Product Review - Eyeko Skinny Mini Liquid Eyeliner Trio

A while back I received a black liquid liner from Eyeko London in a subscription box. I really enjoyed using it, so when I saw this trio of travel size liquid liners that included not only black, but navy and brown, I picked it up.

I had assumed that since I liked the black liner I had tried before, obviously I would like the brown and navy as well. I have been looking for a brown liquid liner for a while as I currently am loving using the Hourglass Calligraphy Liquid Eyeliner in Cognac, but at $37, I was hoping to find something at a lower pricepoint. The full sized Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner is $19. However, the brown was a huge disappointment for me. It is reddish in tone, and extremely dry. I likely will not use this.

l to r: Brown, Navy, Black

Ok, so I don't want to dwell on what I do not like. On to the ones I am happy with. The black is as I had expacted - opaque dark colour and easy application. The navy is truly gorgeous. I have never used a navy liquid liner, so I'm happy to have this one. I wore it today, with a wash of neutral taupe eyeshadow.

I find these liners to be extremely long-wearing. I do not have any problems with them running or smudging. I also find it difficult to remove the liner at the end of the day without using a good eye makeup remover. For me, I appreciate this as I do not have to worry about my liner throughout the day.

The pen-like packaging of this liner, with a felt-tip applicator is so easy to use. It allows you to make a thin, precise line, but of course, if you want to thicken it up, that is possible as well.

Overall, I would recommend the navy and black, but skip the brown. I have not tried the purple or the olive, but I would definitely want to swatch these before purchasing. 

Have you tried any products from Eyeko?

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Product Review - Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation

Hourglass Immaculate Liquid Powder Foundation is a mattifying foundation that has been designed to absorb oil and last all day, in order to minimize the need for touch-ups. This is exactly the type of results that I look for in a foundation, however, I've never really tried anything that has been able to do this for me. I don't want to say this foundation is perfect, but it is currently the best product that I have ever tried for controlling shine throughout the day. 

I purchased this foundation at the end of last year, however, I have to admit I didn't use it at first. Now that I have been using it, I wanted to give it a good test period before writing a review. Foundation is a tricky subject for a lot of us, and since everyone's skin is so different, everyone has their own preference. As I've mentioned before, I have oily skin that needs blotting by lunchtime, or about every 3-4 hours. I also prefer a medium to full coverage foundation that can be built up, or layered with concealer without looking too cakey. 

When I first purchased this product, Sephora did not have it stocked in my local store. I had to order it from their website. Of course this made me nervous, but I had swatched a few shades when vacationing in the USA, and I generally select the lightest shade in any range, as long as the undertones are on the yellow side. I do have a fair amount of pink in my face, but my neck and body are more yellow, so I tend to try to match my face to my neck. For your reference, I'm a shade 117 Marble in the Makeup Forever HD foundation.

I selected the shade Porcelain, which the Sephora website describes as "very fair with yellow undertones". When I got it home, my initial reaction was that it was not the right shade - much to yellow, and made me feel a bit orange. I did not return it, however, but put it aside, until recently when I tried it again. Now that it is the summer, and I have a bit of colour, it seems to be a much better match. I think in the winter, I will try either Vanilla (pink undertones) or Shell (neutral undertones). 

Now that it is summer and my natural skin colour matches the shade of the foundation a bit better, I have been wearing it pretty much everyday, since the beginning of June. One of my favourite things about this product is the finish. It dries down to a powder finish, like the name suggests, which leaves your face feeling really natural and un-sticky. There really is no need to use a setting powder, which is nice. I have been layering concealer over the foundation in the areas I need it, and haven't had any issues with this.

As for oil control - it really does help with the shine. I can still use a blotting tissue, but there is a noticeable difference between when I am wearing this foundation versus any other foundation. Even if I did not blot, I could actually go through the whole day without feeling disgusting, so that is a major selling point.

I have tried pretty much every matte primer, or mattifying gel, etc. that I have come across, but have never had results like this. I'm very excited to have this product in my life. I should note that I have not yet tried Estee Lauder Double Wear, and have been meaning to for a while now. I know a lot of people with similar skin types like this foundation. I wish I could compare the two, but for now, I'm going to stick with the Hourglass.

If you read my April Favourites post, you may remember that the new Cover Girl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 foundation is something that I have been enjoying using. It also provides a matte finish and dries down to a powder texture. I do stay matte longer with Hourglass, but the Cover Girl foundation is a really good option as well.  Both are really good foundations, but of course Cover Girl is the much more affordable option.

Neither Hourglass in Porcelain nor Cover Girl in Classic Ivory are perfect matches for me. I can make either work, but for me, 117 in Makeup Forever is still the best colour match for my skin that I have found so far.

In natural lighting, top to bottom: Makeup Forever #117,
Cover Girl Classic Ivory, Hourglass Porcelain

Bottom line

This should go without saying, but shade selection is crucial. Unless you are very golden, I would not select the shades with yellow undertones. 

If you have oily skin, I think you need to at least get a sample to test this product out. This foundation really does wonders with controlling the shine, and so it will remain a constant in my routine for this summer, and I'm going to try out another shade once I go back to my winter colour.

Have you tried this product yet?

Thanks for reading!

Product Review - Stila Smudge Crayon

So here is another Stila product review. I have really been loving my Stila products lately - both new products, as well a older ones that I have rediscovered in my collection. The Stila Smudge Crayon is a waterproof eye primer, shadow, and liner in one. It is one of those multi-purpose eye products that is supposed to do it all for you! I would say these are along the lines of the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils or the Tarte SmolderEyes Amazonian Clay liners (the chubby ones).

I believe this is a relatively newish product from Stila. I believe I got my first one back in early 2012. Since then, I have accumulated four different colours and they are all gorgeous!

The colours I have are:

• Umber - A deep reddish brown, on the burgandy side. 
• Pink Violet - Just like the name says, a pinkish violet. Really pretty on brown eyes.
• Smoke - The first one I bought - this is a taupey-grey. It is less green-ish than the swatch below may be showing. It is really pretty smudged allover the lid.
• Kitten - This is another product in Stila's iconic colour Kitten, which is a pretty champagne shade. This is pretty for allover the lid, but also for in the inner corner and for highlighting under the brow. 

The other colours (that I do not have) are:

• Black
• Dazzle
• Midnight Blue

top to bottom: Umber, Pink Violet, Smoke, Kitten

That little cap at the end? There is a little sharpener in it. This is a twist up product, so technically sharpening is not required, but I suppose you could use this to create a pointed tip to the product in order to get a more precise line. I've never actually used the sharpener, but it is there. Personally, I would prefer a smudger instead of the sharpener, especially since it is called a Smudge Crayon, but of course I can use my finger or another brush to blend out the edges.

This product claims to be waterproof. So I did put it to the test. I would probably say that these are actually water resistant, not waterproof. After putting the above swatches on my wrist, I put my had under the faucet. While the swatches held up quite well under the running water, I did not have to rub very hard at all to get the colour to move. However, a few tears or some light rain would likely not create a problem at all for this product. 

Final thoughts? Well I really like these for smudging around the lashline. This is mainly how I wear Umber and Pink Violet. I like to blend Smoke in as a lid colour, and I like to use Kitten as a highlighter on the inner tear duct area. I'm not a fan of the darker colours as either a primer or a shadow because they set a bit stiff, if that makes sense. If I want to use a pencil product for an allover lid colour, or as a deeper coloured primer, I would probably reach for my Tarte SmolderEyes over these, but I love these for a smudged out eyeliner look. If this is what you are looking for, I would highly recommend. 

Have you ever tried any of the Stila Smudge Crayons? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading!

Product Review - Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar

So I'm a little late to the game on this one - I just got my first Lip Tar! I'm so late that Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics is now releasing newer versions of their Lip Tar that are glossy, metallic, and probably others. Oh well, better late than never. I picked this up in the shade Memento, which is one of their more wearable shades. These things come in an impressive shade range that includes blue (RX), green (Power Plant) and even black (Tarred and Batty)! The whole point of these, is that  you are able to buy multiple colours and then mix your own custom look, so I guess the black would be quite helpful in achieving a deeper evening look. For now, I just purchased the one colour.  

I have to confess - I didn't love this at first. Yikes, I know these are so popular, and I had such high expectations, but it was a lot more liquid-y than I had expected. With a name like Lip Tar, I expected a thicker, more tar-like consistency. When I applied the product to my lips, it just felt kind of slippery and strange and was travelling around like crazy. I don't know, but I didn't really think I would pick it up that often.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Memento

But, out of some strange coincidence, the next day, there was a tutorial posted to Sephora's You Tube account showing how to properly apply the Lip Tar, and I realized the problem was that I was using way too much product. This is extremely easy to do, however, as the product comes out of the tube very quickly, and is quite liquid-y, as I mentioned. So I gave it another shot and the results are in the above photo - not to bad, right? 

Later, I checked the OCC website and found the following directions:

DIRECTIONS: Apply the tiniest bead of Lip Tar with our newly-included #010S Short-Handled Precision Lip Brush for complete, opaque coverage, either mixed with other shades or on its own. Applying too much product can result in feathering outside the lipline, so remember: a little goes a very long way!

Well, I should have looked at that from the beginning!

The OCC website claims that this product has the longevity of a lipstick with the ease of application of a lipgloss. I would definitely agree that the lip tar has a good amount of staying power. I've been wearing a lot of creamy lipsticks these days, so I'm actually used to lipsticks that do not last very long at all, so for me, the Lip Tar lasts a significant amount of time. I would not say that the ease of application is that of a lipgloss. First of all, they do supply a little brush, but this is not good for taking with you in your purse - what do you do with it once it has been used? If you put it back in the little pouch it come with, you smear product allover, so it always has to be tissued off. It's just not convenient. So I will be using my retractable lip brush instead. Further to this, the beauty (to me) of a lipgloss, is applying on the go without even needing a mirror. You will most definitely need a mirror for applying Lip Tar. Not a big deal, but something to be aware of.

Anyways, overall, I'm glad I picked this up. I'm interested in trying a coral shade, so I may pick up another at some point in the future. I might pass on the black though!

Have you tried the Lip Tar range? What are your thoughts?

Thanks for reading!

Product Review - Clarins Ombre Minerale Mono Eyeshadow

Recently I picked up three shades of the Clarins Ombre Minerale Mono Eyeshadow. This was my first time trying anything from the Clarins makeup line, so I thought I would post a review on how these worked out for me.

Clarins Ombre Minerale Mono Eyeshadow
back (l to r): Taupe, Silver Green
front: Nude

I knew right away that I wanted the Nude and Taupe shades. They are just beautiful neutrals that can be combined with anything on a daily basis. But as far as a colour to make a bit more of a statement, I wasn't really sure what to choose. There are a couple of gorgeous purples in the collection (Aubergine and Vibrant Violet) and a pretty blue-grey (Slate Blue), but I ended up selecting Silver Green as I don't normally pick greens. This green is more of a neutral grey-green that is not overwhelming for those of us who are unlikely to jump right into an emerald green eyeshadow. I don't mind wearing bright eyeliners, but I normally pair a bright eyeliner with a more neutral shadow. 

Swatches on fingers (l to r): Taupe, Nude, Silver Green 

Below are the swatches - applied dry, you can see that these shadows are quite sheer.I had to apply a very thick swatch of Nude because it is extremely close to my skintone and was not really photographing very well.

Silver Green, Nude, Taupe

Applied Wet:

Nude, Taupe, Silver Green

I've already worn these shades as a trio a couple of times and they looked really pretty. Of course I layered them over a primer (currently using Benefit's Stay Don't Stray), and the shadows lasted all day. I mentioned above that the shadows are quite sheer, but  I actually hesitate to call them sheer, because the colour payoff is quite nice. Perhaps it is better to just say that the colours are muted. You will likely not reach for these for a dramatic evening look. but they are very appropriate for an everyday work look, so overall I'm happy with these and will turn to them often.

Thanks for reading!

Product Review - Too Faced La Creme Lipstick

Too Faced La Creme Lipstick - Spice Spice Baby and Naughty Nude

After hearing so much buzz around the Too Faced La Creme lipsticks, I was really interested in trying them out. I even had them on my wishlist for quite sometime before getting around to making the purchase. Well I'm really happy that I finally picked them up because they are really, really nice.

I chose the shades Spice Spice Baby and Naughty Nude. Both of these shades are incredibly neutral and wearable but give a really healthy, polished look. Perfect for everyday, especially for those who work in an office environment. Spice Spice Baby is a more rosy toned brown-nude, and is pretty much a shade that I would classify as "my lips but better". Naughty Nude is a more neutral brown-nude that is not pale at all. Nudes are hard for me to wear as I find they look quite dead on me, but these are perfect.

Spice Spice Baby and Naughty Nude

As you can see, there is a bit of a sheen to the finish, so a gloss is not necessary. But of course, that is up to you. 

The scent of these is quite interesting to me. I've never come across a lipstick that smells like this - it is kind of a spicy smell. I'm not sure how else to describe it. But it does not bother me at all, I actually quite like it. 

These are not long-wearing lip colours by any means. The creamy texture is lovely, feels moisturizing on the lips and just looks just as moist, so of course the trade-off is wear-time. Without eating or drinking, I would say that these last on my lips for several hours, but as soon as I sip on a coffee, I know that I will have to reapply. That is fine with me though. Especially with these neutral shades, it is not really a problem as I can easily reapply without a mirror.

Spice Spice Baby

Naughty Nude

Can I also say that I love the packaging? The packaging is really pretty and sleek. I appreciate details like this.

Have you picked up any of the Too Faced La Creme Lipsticks?

Thanks for reading!

Product Review - Stila Countless Color Pigments

left: all shades swirled together, center: mid-toned orangey-brown, right: deepest brown

This was an impulse purchase at the Sephora VIB sale. It was not on my list, and I had never actually seen this new and limited edition product before (also, according to Sephora's website, this product is exclusive to them). But once I touched it, I was sold. The texture is so silky soft and I knew that it would blend nicely on my eyelid.

The version I chose was the most safe (most boring?) option - Groupie is basically a trio of neutral brown shades. The collection also included a bright pink, some purples, a turquoise, a blue and a reddish/brown combo. 

I immediately assumed these were just for the eyes, but they are marketed as pigments, so I guess that would imply that they are multi-use. In fact, I read a couple of reviews on Sephora's website later that night and someone mentioned that she uses the pink shade as a blush. I probably wouldn't have thought of that, but it's always great to get more than one purpose out of a product.

So far I have worn this on my eyes twice only. It definitely goes on smooth, and I enjoy using it, but I really didn't need to pick this up, especially considering all of the neutral browns I already have in my collection (especially, due to this). I actually wish I had been more adventurous and picked one of the more colourful selections such as Lyric, Tie Dye, or Light Show. I guess that is what you get for making impulse purchases!

Stila Countless Color Pigments in Lyric

Stila Countless Color Pigments in Tie Dye

Stila Countless Color Pigments in Light Show

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Product Review - MAC Plumful Lipstick

The MAC lipstick in Plumful is part of the permanent collection, however, since it was recently re-released as part of the Year of the Snake collection, I thought I would write a quick review. The version from the Year of the Snake has a gorgeous dragon design embossed on the actual product. Mine however, is plain.

I absolutely love this colour! The irrational side of me wants to buy the version from Year of the Snake as a back-up, but the rational side knows that is silly (especially since I have dupes - see below!).

This is a Lustre lipstick, which I believe just means it is sheer on the lips and has a nice sheen. In my experience, Lustre-type lipsticks last 3-4 hours, however, I normally touch-up within this amount of time regardless of what type of lipstick I wear since I normally will have had something to eat or drink.

With my light skin tone, I don't have any problem with colour payoff, however, a darker skin tone may want to either use a lipliner, or lighten up the lips with some concealer or primer prior to applying.

Since I love this colour so much, I hate to say it isn't all that unique, but I do have some other lip products that can be considered similar. I guess I'm just drawn to these berry tones! MAC's website describes this colour as a blossoming rose-plum.

Dior Addict Lipstick in Backstage

Dior Addict Lipstick in Backstage is similar but perhaps a bit more sheer.

MAC Viva Glam IV

MAC Viva Glam IV is darker and more opaque, and could be considered similar but with a frost finish. I don't really notice the frost finish when I'm wearing this one, but I guess you can notice it in the above picture. MAC's website describes this colour as a mid-tone rose with gold pearl.

So there you have it! A gorgeous berry lip to brighten your day.

Thanks for reading!

Product Review - Shiseido Camellia Compact

So I picked this up at Murale because it just looked too beautiful to pass by. It is the Shiseido Camellia Compact ($38 in Canada). When I got this home, I had to try it out immediately. I think I over-applied this the first time I tried it because the redness scared me and I wondered if I made a mistake buying it.

But alas, I gave it another shot, but with a lighter hand. It is extremely beautiful and very flattering on the cheeks. You can control the shade you get by varying the amount of each colour you use. In the swatches below, I'm showing each colour separately and then the combined effect (bottom finger). Also, the white can be used alone as a pretty highlighter. It would work really well as a brow bone highlight.

When you first open this compact, it appears that the product is extremely glittery. However, this is just the top layer and disappears to reveal a product that is actually quite matte.

Overall, I would recommend this. I think it would work well for a variety of skin tones as someone who is quite pale (like me) can use a lighter hand, but it should also show up very nicely on a darker, deeper skin tone. 

This compact is limited edition and Murale online is sold out, but I did see it at the Bay's Shiseido counter the other day, so I believe you still can get your hands on this one.