Let's talk Green

....Cosmetics that is! So I recently discovered RMS beauty. Created by Rosie Marie Swift, her products are all natural and organic. So basically all the good for you stuff and none of the carcinogenics, fillers and what not. I quickly set about tracking down where to buy her brand and stumbled across spiritbeautylounge.com (not affiliated). They have a lovely offer of your pick of any 9 samples + coupon for $10.00 off your next purchase of $40 or more for $25.00usd. I decided why not give it a whirl and this way I could try a bunch of RMS products so I ordered: living luminizer, Lip2Cheek in muse, modest, and smile, Lip and Skin balm in simply vanilla and simply cocoa, Lip gloss in moment. I also got a sample of organic perfume, Sexy Angelic by Honore de Pres.



I was actually rather surprised with the amount of the samples as they are quite generous. With natural/"green" cosmetics since there are no fillers, a little goes a long way. I think these samples will last me at least 2 weeks of daily use.


I definitely think I may need the full size of the illuminator, which gave a lovely subtle glow..(though sometimes too subtle). But I do like how it gives an un-makeup, well moisturized skin look. It does not scream "look ma! I'm wearing highlighter!" which I like. I have NARS coppacabana, which is nice, but at times I find that it's a bit too shimmery for my liking.

I also think the lip2cheek products are quite brilliant and may need a few of these! I definitely love modest lip2cheek. It gives me a nice just pinched cheeks look without aggravating my naturally slightly rosy cheeks into looking like I have a bad case of sunburn. Smile is also a nice peachy pink, a nice to have kinda color, but I think I like modest more. Muse, on the other hand, I found pointless as it didn't really show up on me as blush or highlighter, though I guess it'd make for a nice nude lip look.

As for the lip and skin balm, the scent is rather faint on both which is fine. I don't think I like using this on my lips as I do find that it doesn't really moisturize and leaves my lips feeling dry again. It would be nice to use under lipstick as it isn't slick and it absorbs quickly into the skin. I do like using this to sheer out the lip2cheek and give a more luminous "glow" though.

Lastly, the lip gloss. I like the colors as they are rather universal and are more of a lip "stain" as they aren't particularly glossy. It seems like a more slick, colored version of the lip and skin balm. I do find it eventually sinks into your lips and just leaves a nice tint of color on my lips. I'm not particularly sure why this is called a gloss as it is nothing like a gloss in my opinion. I definitely like moment which looks very brown toned rosy in the pot, but on my lips it's a gorgeous my lips but better shade. Bloom was a nice soft, nude pinky shade on me. I wish it came out more like it looks in the pot, a nice medium pinky peachy shade.

Quick look using the living illuminator, Modest lip2cheek on cheeks, lip and skin balm on lips, and a dash of mascara. Voila!

Indoors next to window..it kinda washed out the color :(

Final Thoughts: While I don't think I'd toss my current stash to go all green, I definitely think I will be picking up a few RMS products. I do find that the final look is very subtle, natural, and fresh, something I have been striving for and working on perfecting. Though the one downfall is that I feel I do need to re-apply as it does fade somewhat quickly, but I may just need to tweak how much product I apply and what not to see if it makes a difference. Also the price point is a little painful as all the products are 7g and range from $25-$38.

FOTD 12.28.10

As requested by Olives, here's a look I did using Illamasqua Katie blush. I hope this is helpful :D

On my face I used JANE IREDALE-Latte pressed powder foundation. It's a tad dark on me so I lighten it with PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA - SPF powder in translucent medium.

Next on my eyes I used MAC-Bare Canvas as a base then applied the lighter side of NARS -Melusine duo to just above crease. Then I took the darker side (purple) and applied to crease/lashline. Mascara and done.

On my cheeks I used a little bit of EDWARD BESS- daydream bronzer and applied ILLAMASQUA- Katie to the apples of my cheeks

Lastly I finished up the look with a little bit of NARS- Risky Business gloss.

Overall I'm not quite sure how fond of NARS Melusine I am. The lighter side is unfortunately too cool on me and I feel like it makes me look more sallow than I am. Or maybe it could be the terrible lighting?? Any thoughts?

Senna Cosmetics

Let me start off with saying Senna is such an underrated brand! It's sad it's not talked about more! I remember first finding out about Senna when I was in college. The Macy's downtown had a Senna counter and that's where I got Senna's kabuki brush, a blush in Charmed, and a gloss in Kissy. Then one day it was gone and I was heartbroken because my in-law's dog had chewed through my makeup bag and got my kabuki, which was the softest thing ever.

Fast forward to today where I am a web shopping aficionado who doesn't have the time or patients to deal with snotty sales people or crowds. First of all, I was impressed by Senna's quick shipping at a reasonable cost of shipping and handling...unlike some places ***cough**nordstroms**cough*** Also their CS is fantastic because they respond quickly and courteously. I also love how they keep you informed every step of your package's way to your doorstep.

Anyhow, on to the good stuff. I ordered the feather brush #15, the full size kabuki ($25), and the new blush in hue...but the goodies don't stop there! I got gwp of a FULL SIZE glisten powder in peachie, a FULL SIZE lip scrub + spatula, and a big bag of skincare samples!!! This totally made my day.

So onto my thoughts........

The kabuki isn't quite what I remember..it's not as soft and it's a little "poke-y". I wonder if there's a difference between the kabuki and the mini kabuki brush, and if I had the mini vs the full size before. Hm.....Anyhow, the feather no.15 brush is really soft, though I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but just swiping it along my eye, it feel fabulously soft.

The lip scrub is Aaaaaaaamazing! The pot is rather tiny, but you only need a tiny bit and your lips are flake free and feel oh so plush after the scrub. It smells really nice too, a nice vanilla-y/foody sent.

The blush is hue is lovely as well. It's yet another nude, everyday kinda blush to add to my collection. I can never have too many of those! It compares to my NARS Doceurs blush, but when swatched it looks to have much more pinky tones that the NARS which swatches on the nude/brown tone side.

The glisten powder is in the shade peachie. Such a pretty pinky peachy shad. It looks really shimmery in the pan, but don't worry you won't look like a disco ball when you put it on your face. It just gives a nice subtle ethereal glow.

Birthday haul!!!! NARS NARS and some more NARS

Oh how I love thee NARS! From your sleek and chic packaging, to the beauty that lies within.

So I have been really un-interested in the past few collections from NARS....until I saw the fall collection! And holy moley they *FINALLY* came out with a new blush, doucers, after eons. I *think* Doucers is french for pleasures and boy is it a pleasure to wear! It's a gorgeous nude blush that isn't too brown, too pink and definitely NOT orange! Yay! It's my perfect nude blush. :D

I also got NARS Rajasthan duo from the fall collection. It looks so beautiful! I was thinking about the other duo as well, but it seems like the pale side was too frosty and light and the other side was too cool toned and steel blue for my liking so I passed.

I also got NARS Habanera the most beautiful duo ever!! One side is a gorgeous soft sea foam green and the other is a spicy green-ish dark brownish shade, so unique!!!

And last but not least, I got a promotional 3 lipgloss mini set of Risky Business Moon Fleet and stolen kisses. The minis are tiny but oh so cute and oh so portable!

Comparison: MAC Virgin Isle CCB vs BB Cabo and Calypso Coral

Long time no see everyone!! I've just been really busy with some stuff, but hopefully things will be settling down soon so yay! :D

Summer is quickly coming to an end, so I figured I'd do a swatch comparison of my favorite summer coral cream blushers: MAC Virgin Isle, BB Cabo Coral and BB Calypso coral. They are all similar and within the same color family, but I do think they are different enough to own all three. (Or maybe I'm just trying to rationalize it to myself.)

In my opinion Cabo coral is the most different from the three. It's much more "subtle"/nude coral as compared to Calypso Coral which is a bright corally pink and MAC Virgin Isle which I find is a corally orange.

FYI: MAC Virgin Isle CCB is availible ONLY at MAC Pro unfortunately. HOWEVER, it did come out in a collection a while back and can be found at some of the Cosmetic Company Outlets.

MAC Gold Mode vs MAC Blonde's Gold

It has been said that gold mode pigment and blonde's gold pigment are dupes of each other. However, now that I have both, I must say they are NOT the same. They are similar, but they are different enough to own both...or so I say.


Gold Mode: Texture is a little chunkier. It's much more shimmery than BG. It's also a much brighter gold in my opinion than BG. Much more "night out" while BG is like it's softer more daytime safe sister.

Blonde's Gold: Finely milled. Smooth and easy to apply/blend. A nice shimmery beige-y gold neutral. My go to for ever day looks.

Hanae Mori No. 1 ---- A Review

And so my perfume addiction pushes on full force. The new Hanae Mori perfume is my latest addition to my collection. It was, to be quite honest, an impulse buy even though I feel that perfumes are one of those things that make for terrible impulse purchases. A perfume needs to be worn around for a bit before so it can fully develop and you can go through it's wonderful....or terrible stages.

At any rate, onto the good stuff. The perfume bottle shape is the same as the original Hanae Mori perfumes, but the juice is a delicious lilac-y purple and No. 1 is inked into the back of the bottle in a traditional Japanese calligraphy sort of way. The perfume only comes in a 3.4 fl. oz bottle and retails for $95.00. Also some of the proceeds go to a clean air and wind something or the other. Good causes = 2 thumbs up :D The sales associate at Nordstrom told me that No.2 will be blue with aquatic/marine notes. Fortunately that is not my kinda thing so YAY!

So part of me is kicking myself for impulse purchasing this perfume as it does smell veeeeeeeeeeeeeery similar to Givenchy Hot Couture. Though I did a spritz of each on opposite wrists and they don't really smell exactly the same. (The notes are indeed similar though as noted below.)

NOTE COMPARISON:

Hanae Mori No.1 - bergamot, black currant, grapefruit, mulberry leaf, blackberry, jasmine, raspberry, white musk, sandalwood, amber and vanilla.

Hot Couture -

• top note: Bermagot, Orange, Raspberry

• middle note: Magnolia, Black Pepper, Vetiver
  

• base note: Sandal, Amber, Musk

They have a similar rich juicy sweet raspberry theme in the opening. However I find the opening sweetness of Hot Couture to evolve into a sharper spicy bite whereas Hanae Mori maintains the original burst of sweetness and creaminess. Hanae Mori No.1 also opens with a similar ripe raspberry sweet scent and has a interesting citrusy zing to it. Then it mellows down into a sweet vanilla cream on me with a lingering berry sweetness. Strangely, I find this very fleeting on me, which bothers me particularly since the price is rather steep. I honestly expected it to last longer than 10 min.... Ok fine, I exaggerate...a little. Also, the sillage isn't very robust and it sticks close to the skin (on me at least). I suppose it's not bad for the summer since I really don't want something overly sweet for the heat of summer. I did notice however while I was working out, that it intensified the smell which was a pleasant surprise.

Closing Thoughts: Overall I do like this perfume as a nice, lighter alternative to Givenchy Hot Couture, but I honestly don't know if I would have bought it had it not been an silly impulse purchase.

Hot off the press!!!! NARS Multiple Tints!!!!!!

OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!! I was beyond excited when I first found out about there new Multiples. Being the NARS addict that I am, I bought all 3 of these gorgeous limited edition multiples.

I got all three of the shades untried of the NARS website because I figured I couldn't go wrong with something with "tint " in the name. I'm really glad I got these because these are absolutely awesome! They have a gel like consistency so they are very smooth and glide onto the skin easily. However, they are slightly tacky once applied on the cheek like the Tarte cheek stains, but I like the consistency/feel of these better than the Tarte ones. They are also on the sheer side as the term "tint" implies. However, I find that the "sheer gel" makes it all the easier to use. Due to their gel like consistency, I find I don't need to use fingers or brushes with these. I just dab dab dab like a rubber stamp on my cheeks then a little blending with my fingers = perfection. I absolutely ADORE these and am so happy I got them!!!! While I doubt I'd ever run out, I am sad that they are indeed limited edition :(

So with out much further ado, the grand un-veiling!
All pictures are in the order as follows: Beveryly Hills, Turks & Caicos, Cadaques

Color Descriptions:
Beverly Hills - watermelon flush
Turks & Caicos - soft flushed peachy/coral
Cadaques - soft yet bright cool toned slightly neon pink

Swatches:

And on my Turks & Caicos on my otherwise bare face.
As compared to the regular line NARS multiples. As you can see, the Multiple Tints (packaging-wise) is much bigger than the regular line Multiple.


Product-wise, the Tints have 1 more gram of product than the regular line Multiple. They both retail for $38.00 usd.

TRESemme Fresh Start

Lately I've become more frugal and have been browsing the aisles of the drugstore rather than my usual haunts. I have been washing my hair every other day as my hair has been suffering from dryness. On those no wash days, I have been using TiGi Rockaholic dirty secret dry shampoo (6.3 oz. retailing for approximately $19.00) and Klorane (3.2 oz retailing for $18.00). I found these to be both rather price-y and was ecstatic to find a cheaper alternative.




I found the following coupon (I am in no way affiliated with TRESemme or the coupon site. Everything was purchased with my own money.):

http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?bt=vg&tqnm=zdvnedb13159742&o=62587&c=TR&p=o79TZ8sR



I went to Target where I found the dry shampoo and refresher hair mist as a pack for about $4.00. So I got 2 sets for $4.00 which is an AWESOME deal. The TRESemme line has a dry shampoo for straight normal hair as well as a waterless foam shampoo for wavy/curly hair. (I picked up the dry shampoo for straight hair.) The line also has a refresher mist and no-frizz cream. On their site TRESemme says of the product:

- Formula with Mineral Clay soaks up excess oil and impurities to leave hair looking refreshed. - Contains Citrus Extracts to neutralize odor and enhance clean feeling. - Volumizes oily/straight hair that becomes limp in between shampoos, giving hair added body and bounce. - Perfect for color-treated hair, it reduces the need to wash as frequently, which prevents color from fading. I found the smell to be quite pleasant as I do love citrus. I didn't find any noticeable volumization of my hair but it was enough to get rid of the 2nd day oilies. It definitely works well enough to keep my hair from looking un-washed which is all I need. Not to mention it's at a price you can't beat!

Drugstore Perfume - Coty Jovan Musk for Women

As I've mentioned before I'm a huge lover of musks in perfume. I originally thought Musk = dirty armpit or something but I found that musks are actually quite light, clean and fresh in scent, though there are the more animalic musks out there (I haven't tried any though so I don't know). Also musks smell different on everyone and some people cannot smell musk or certain musks. I guess the musk molecules are quite large thus heavy, hence the fact that the sillage is not that strong.

For the longest time I was tempted to try the Jovan Musk that you can find at your corner drugstore for fairly cheap. I finally caved and got mine this past weekend at Jewel-Osco in a 2 fl. 0z size "gift package" for $15.00. I think you might be able to find them on discount perfume sites and ebay for cheaper, but I wanted instant gratification so......


Packaging: The bottle is simple with no particular bells and whistles. It definitely seems cheap, but it's what's on the inside that counts so no big deal. The lid is particularly flimsy which annoys me, but fortunately it seems to snap into place well.

The Juice: Upon initial spritz, it's all alcohol very much like a cheap hair spray, a la aqua net or something. The alcohol/hairspray scent is it's one biggest down fall. I'm am a little annoyed that it smells like this, because if I wanted to smell like this I may as well have picked up a bottle of cheap hair spray for a few bucks. At any rate, once the alcohol/hairspray scent fades, it settles into a lovely clean skin scent with a hint of powder...which makes it well worth the wait. When I say a hint I mean a hint. I personally despise powdery perfume as they are usually headache inducing for me, particularly when mixed with florals.

Not to mention for being such a cheap perfume, the staying power is surprisingly strong! It lasts a good half day if not more on me. Staying power is a huge make or break with me. I hate those perfumes that disappear within an hour, but then again, I guess the fun is in the application. :D

Overall Rating: Overall I give this a 5/5. I think it's worth the $15.00 price tag for a 2 fl. oz bottle, particularly since it had fantastic staying power. It lasts a good half day if not more for me. Even so I will give it a little refresher spritz every so often. It's a lovely everyday, subtle scent. Very work safe in my opinion. A very nice relaxed perfume. I will definitely be re-purchasing when I run out.

Diving into Illamasqua

So without question my all time favorite blush brand has got to be NARS. With that said, I think Illamsaqua blushers fall into second place. During the Sephora 15% off madness, I got 3 Illamasqua blushers: Katie, Tremble, and Create.

Top: create
Bottom left to right: Katie, Tremble

PACKAGING: It's a little bulky, but something about them is kinda nice. I like the ergonomic design of them. They are lightweight with a clear lid so you can see the color inside unlike the NARS packaging where everything looks the same. I also have to say the plastic case that it is in seems a little flimsy and cheap, but I'll live.

PRICE: $23.00 for 0.14 oz compared to NARS $26.00 for 0.16 oz
PRODUCT: Ok. I have to say the texture of these blushers are unlike any other blush I've had. In fact I find it hard to explain/drescribe these. I find that the texture of these blushers are a bit "chalky" and powdery. However, they apply like a dream. They are easy to blend and apply. They are also very pigmented, but not as much as say NARS Exhibit A or NARS Taj Mahal...which is a good thing. I'm finding it tedious applying these uber pigmented blushers lately.

COLORS: I know the most popular color that I see people using is Hussy, but for some reason I passed over it and opted for these 3. They seemed more "unique" as to what I own and have seen out on the market. I also like how all the blushers in this range (thus far at least) are all matte in a market overflowing with shimmer and glimmer.

- Create is a lovely peachy bronze color that's great for contouring or for use as a bronzer. I find that this doesn't really pull that orange on me despite the burnt umber shade that it is in the pan. I find this color to be very unique! I have yet to find a blush that is like this! (I'm sure there is a dupe out there somewhere but none that I've come across.)


-Katie is a lovely pale lilac-y pink...a matte version of MAC Well Dressed from what I've heard. (I don't personally own Well Dressed so I can not speak as to how they compare.) I was a little hesitant to order this since it is a cooler lilac-y pink blush and I was worried it would clash with my warm yellow complexion. However, this gives me the most fresh, innocent pink glow and I think it even counteracts my yellowness a little.

-Tremble is a slightly deeper pink tinged than Katie and less milky, no trace of lilac and with a little tiny tiny hint of rose. In the pan it's a pretty peachy pink shade, however on the cheek I find this to be similar to Cargo Catalina and possibly a matte dupe of NARS Deep Throat.

New lip balm love -Evolution Of Smooth

So I've been hearing about these Evolution of Smooth lip balms for a long while now. However they were not as readily available until now. I found the summer fruit flavor and vanilla bean at my local Dominick's in the lip care aisle. Strangely these are the only two "flavors" I could find. I know there are a few others: sweet mint, honeysuckle honeydew, and lemon drop.

On their website they say:

• Long-lasting moisture
• Shea butter & vitamin E
• Smoothes on clear
• New smooth sphere precisely glides on to lips
• Twist-off top
• Gluten-free
• Paraben-free
• Petrolatum-free
• Phthalate-free

eos lip balm is 95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free. Packed with antioxidant-rich vitamin E, soothing shea butter and jojoba oil, eos keeps your lips moist, soft and sensationally smooth.

PACKAGING: So the shape of these are really nifty! The case is a soft "rubber" feel, very similar to the NARS packaging. The spheres are a lot bigger than you would think thus a little bulky to carry around in your pocket per say. They also come in a traditional tube form as well. I love how the lid clicks snugly into place or twists tightly into place with the sphere.

SCENTS: The summer fruit smells really yummie. I can't quite put my finger on what it reminds me of, but it's pleasantly sweet yet faint enough that it's not cloying once it's on your lips. The vanilla bean is also a soft true vanilla scent. Once again nothing over powering once on your lips.

FLAVOR: There is a slightly sweet..but waxy taste to these..so not bad, but I wouldn't recommend licking your lips THAT often with this stuff on.

PRODUCT: The product itself is quite nice! I find these moisturizing without making my lips feel slick, sticky or gooey. I have read some reviews that find these very drying and are great as a lipstick primer. While I don't find them drying, I do find that due to it's waxy texture it does help lipstick stick a little better. This is perfect to wear under those lippies you have that you find drying and need something under (or over) to help moisturize your lips.

OVERALL RATING: I give this 5/5 stars. This is such a creative new take on lip balm packaging. I love that soft rubbery feel of the case. I also am very pleased that this is multi-tasking: lip balm and primer all in one. These balms are also natural and free of parabens. (To be honest I'm not really all paranoid about parabens..but yeah). Overall these are quite nice! I picked these baby's up on sale for around $3.00 at my Dominicks. You can find locations that sell these on the EOS website (EOS.com)

Impule Buys of April

So I've done some major damage this month. I feel horrible, but I told myself after this no more for at least 3 months.

The damage thus far:

With the Sephora 15% off codes + bing 10% off I got.....
-YSL Parisianne gift set
-NARS So Famous set (Deep throat blush, Mini Orgasm multiple, Bettina velvet lip matte)


Then today, while job hunting for a part time job at the mall I stupidly went to browse the Chanel counter. I tried on the new coco rouge lipstick in Mademoiselle. While the texture was FAAABulous I passed. The color was like every other lipstick I own. Not to mention $30 for a lipstick??? Then I moved onto the glossimers. The SA showed me a few colors I might like: iris, galactic and nebula. After debating for a while, I settled on Galactic. Yes I know I was *just* griping about a $30 lipstick and here I am buying a $27 lip gloss. I totally feel guilty buying basically your basic sparkly clear gloss...BUT it does have phenomenal texture, the sparkle is somewhat unique, and it's a versatile color..great to use over other lipsticks and such. I'm actually kinda excited to try it out over some of my lipsticks! Anyhow here it is on my lips..pardon the "up the nose shot".

Sorry the lighting is terrible but you get the idea :D

What's on my Wishlist Now

1. YSL Parisienne - As I've mentioned before, I've become obsessed with perfumes lately! So I was looking for my next fave perfume and was browsing Sephora. The lovely SA there was nice enough to give me a VERY GENEROUS sample of this.

According to the Sephora site, Parisienne is described as "The essence of a woman who is incredibly free—she is not from Paris, but Paris adopts her. She knows how to love, how to live. Parisienne is the fragrance of ultra-femininity and sensuality, built with notes of blackberry, damask rose, and sandalwood. The grand floral with a woody structure is luminous even in its mystery." I would have to agree with this synopsis. It opens with a lovely sweet fruity blackberry scent. I don't really get much of the "vinyl accord". Then it blossoms into this very authentic rose scent that makes me feel like I'm in the middle of a rose garden. The fresh rose scent is laced with remnants of sweet tart blackberry. It finally dries down into a lovely soft sweet rose scent. It makes me feel so classy and ready for a night out.

2. Givenchy Ange ou Demon Le Secret - Yes yet another mainstream perfume. Ah well. But this is really quite a lovely perfume. The opening is a little rough, but the dry down is fantastic. This is a very crisp, clean, fresh scent. On the Sephora site, it's described as "Fresh and luminous, the secret of this caressing, fruity floral is its "jasmine tea" theme. The fragrance faithfully reflects its inspiration's transparency and delicacy. The result is an unmistakable signature, very Givenchy."

Notes: Cranberry, Green Tea, White Peony, Sambac Jasmine, Blond Woods, White Musks.

I really like the drydown, very subtle and clean but not soapy. Normally I am not a fan of florals, but for some reason I really like these fruity florals. The green tea adds a really nice crisp freshness that keeps it from being overly headache inducing floral.

I ended up caving and purchasing this with my Sephora VIB 15% off code. :D

3. Lancome Miel Glace - I keep hearing such good things about this blush! It boggles my mind that it retails for $29 and change!! That's more than a NARS blush!!! I am always on the hunt for a blush that will give me a nice neutral/natural looking subtle hint of flush. I hope this will be the one! :D

4. Another Husky - Ok so not really makeup related. But a client of my Father-in-Law is looking to give away their husky. Yes I already have 2 and 3 would be quite a handful..but look how cuuuuuute they are!!!

Product Spotlight: NARS Alhambra Eyeshadow Duo

So I did some stash shopping today and dug out my much neglected NARS Alhambra. I got this as an alternative to NARS All About Eve, which was just too cool toned and frosty on me. While Alhambra is frosty on me as well if I over apply, but it's warm toned, thus MUCH more wearable! :D


The one side is a gilded pink-y champagne. The other is a golden apricot-ish shade. The texture on both of these shades are soft and buttery, though I find the golden apricot side a tad harder in texture, but not so much that it's hard to blend or anything like that.

I like using the champagne shade all over for a nice glowy nude eye look. To be honest I have NO CLUE how to wear these two colors together. I need a slightly darker "contour" shade in my crease to give my eyes some dimension.

I took some swatches of NARS Alhambra and close "dupes" from my stash

Left to right: Stila Icon, Stila Kitten, NARS Alhambra 1, NARS Alhambra 2, UD X

NARS Alhambra 2, the golden apricot, isn't as orange as swatched. It's a little more golden neutral.)
I don't know why UD X is a lovely subtle duo-chrome..pink to golden melon.

Brand Spotlight: Kiehl's

My latest favorite brand is Kiehls' so I figured I'd do a little blurb about why I love Kiehl's. When an actual free standing Kiehl's store opened at my local mall I was thrilled! Not only am I am very impressed with the great customer service I get there, but I am way more impressed and pleased with the knowledge of their products that the sale associates have. So onto some items that I love.


I recently bought the Original Musk perfume and it's LOVE! It's a fantastic "skin scent" on me. The lovely sales associate was telling me how (and this is loosely re-told) this perfume was found in a sealed vat in the basement of the original Kiehl's apothecary. It was "hidden away" because when it first came out they said it was too "racy" for the times. They finally brought it back and here we are. She was also telling me that musk smells different on everyone because of how it reacts with everyone's own body. On me it's a wonderful warm (but not spicy), clean, subtle scent that lasts and lasts. This is the type of perfume I can wear everyday to the office, grocery shopping, casual weekends, etc. The sillage is minimal so you won't be suffocating anyone with your perfume even if you O.D. with the juice :P The price point on this is quite nice too! 1.7 fl oz retails for 39.00 usd. This also comes in oil form as well. I tried the oil form, but I couldn't really smell it so I passed and went with the EDT.

Onto the Kiehl's lip balm #1. I love how this! It's fairly thin in texture yet it's oh so moisturizing and has spf 4 to boot. I also like how it's not tested on animals as well. I have a friend who swears by this because a lot of lip products seem to irritate her lips. I like using this to moisturize day and night, but when my lips are in really bad shape I unfortunately have to resort to the big guns, aquaphore.

Today while at the store, I tried out some of the Superbly restorative Argan Dry Oil. I saw this being used on a youtube vid, and being obsessed with hair products that give tons of shine and moisture, I HAD to give this a try. I must say there is a lovely faint egyptian musky smell to this, nothing offensive. In fact I had to get really close to even notice any scent. You only need a tiny drop before smoothing into your hair or all over your body. My hair definitely had a little more shine and looked a little smoother without looking greasy or slick. The lovely SA gave me a generous sample to take home and try out. She also gave me a sample of the argan moisturizer lotion.

Overall I'm very pleased with Kiehl's products. I am also very pleased with the SAs at the store. In a time when CS seems to be falling to the way side, I have come to really appreciate when I get good CS. I will definitely be returning to that store for all my Kiehl's needs :D

Bronzer Season

Hello everyone! I know I've been MIA for a while, but life has been really busy lately and I just haven't had the energy to deal with pictures. Not to mention I just had no inspiration on what to blog about....until now.

The weather is getting warmer. The days are getting longer. You know what that means! Summer is *almost* here! So with bronzed skin in the forecast...I present to you my alarmingly numerous bronzer products!

And a few swatches (Not all the bronzers are swatched).....

Top to bottom: Elf blush/bronzer duo, BB aruba illuminating bronzer, EL Bronze goddess soft shimmer bronzer, Korres monoi oil bronzer 02, MAC sunny by nature msf, Guerlain brunette 02 bronzer.

Quick how to on applying bronzer. I like to do the reverse 3 method.

1. swirl brush around on product
2. starting at forhead near temple area follow the shape of your face down towards your cheekbones (I like to apply bronzer a little below my cheekbones as opposed to on top of my cheekbones.)
3. Then follow the contours of your face down to under your jaw line.
4. Take any remaining product and do a swipe down my nose, a little on the middle of my forehead and a swipe on my chin...basically anywhere the sun hits. Be sure not to over apply to these areas or else you will look a little sun burnt.

Moi with BB aruba bronzer on. Ignore the redness around my nose...I'm suffering from a cold. :(

Blush Part 3: Intensely pigmented Blush

We have finally reached the last installment of my 2 cents on blush --- those amazingly highly pigmented blushers. You know...the ones that are impossible not to over apply. In my opinion, I've never seen a more pigmented blush than some of NARS blushers...Particularly NARS Exhibit A and Taj Mahal. (For swatches/descriptions http://mintedrose.blogspot.com/2010/01/nars-blushersoh-pretties.html#comments)

I find the best way to deal with these suckers is to use a very fluffy brush. The fluffier a brush is, the less amount of product is picked up giving a lighter and more even application. Here are the brushes I use from left to right MAC 188, 131, NARS yachiyo. Please pardon the fact that they are kinda...dirty.


In contrast, the more densely packed a brush is, the better it picks up pigment, thus more product is deposited on your face. These types of brushes are good for those sheer blushers that don't really show up on you.

From left to right, MAC 109, unknown brush, Sue Devitt Baby Cheeks.

But I digress...the type of brush you want is something like a skunk (ie MAC 187, 188, 131) or the NARS Yachiyo type brush. Lately I find myself reaching for the NARS yachiyo over any of my MAC skunks. I feel like I have more control with the yachiyo. Also, I want to mention, you don't want to use something too fluffy like a powder brush because then you can't control your placement.

Step 1: First I dab the brush...NOT swirl onto product.

Step 2: Tap off excess product

Step 3: Tap on back of hand to remove any other excess product from brush

Step 4: Tap lightly or "stipple" onto cheeks starting at apples and slowly blending/stippling backwards.

Step 5: If you still managed to apply too much, as with the previous "how-tos" you can buff over it with your regular powder using a fluffy powder brush.

And done. Perfect gently blushing cheeks.

UPDATE: Use it up Challange

Soooooo very EXCITED!!! I finally finished something!!!

So quick tip for those of you don't know the little trick on getting the most mileage out of your gloss ----> remove that plastic stopper on the inside of your gloss. I should have taken pictures, but I was lazy and didn't. I'm sure there are tons of youtube tutorials on this if you are still confused. I find the best way is to use a clean staple remove. Just jab one of the prongs into the soft plastic part and keep wiggling it in a back and forth upward motion. You may need to re-jab into the plastic a few times at different parts. Eventually the little stopper part that "squeegees" excess gloss off the wand pops out and you can get the last bits of your gloss :D

To be honest, I'm sure I could have gotten that tube spotless but I am too lazy and I'm sick of seeing it. LoL

But for those industrious few who want to know, you can either use a lip brush to get the last bits. You can also dunk the gloss in hot water so the gloss "melts" and all goes to the bottom of the tube so you can get it with your lip brush. (Standing the gloss upright for a long period of time works as well, but may take longer.)

Blushes Part 2: NARS Multiples

These poor multiples catch so much flack from everyone, but they really are an awesome product...if applied properly. (This is just my opinion) I agree that some of these are just annoyingly shimmery and the texture on some are not so great, but I do adore the bronzer multiple as these are not total glitter bombs. I also find the texture to be different from the regular multiples...less oily.

I have NARS multiple in Cap Vert. So pretty! I love using this all over in the summer for a nice warmed up look. I find the easiest way to apply these are to use a dense flat top brush or fingers (a la cream blush method) vs. streak and blend. In my opinion the streak and blend method deposits too much product on your cheek thus making it difficult to work with to achieve the look you want.

NARS Cap Vert heavily swatched (to the right)


This has the perfect amount of brown and redness to give me a perfect bronzed glow. It's so smooth and silky to apply. It looks fairly matte, but if you look very closely, there is a subtle shimmer to it. I love the subtle shimmer to this, gives me a nice glow without looking greasy or like a disco ball.

NARS Cap Vert blended out with flat top brush (below left)



It looks a little blotchy there because I just blended out the swatch above. This is why I don't like the streak and blend method.

Sonia Kaushuk Flat top brush...my weapon of choice. It's densely packed and the bristles are soft. I like the size of the head as it's not so big that I can't be precise on application.

So lets get started :D

Step 1: Spritz brush with MAC Fix +
(This is optional. I like to do this because I find that this helps in the application process)

Step 2: Swirl brush/fingers on multiple

*Step 2b (for fingers): Rub opposing fingers together to distribute product a la cream blush directions in previous post.*

Step 3: Then in a dabbing circular motion, apply onto face starting where you want the color intensity to be the highest working your way back. Be sure not to apply too much pressure..let the brush do the work for you!

Step 4: Blend blend blend!

Done :D
(Nothing else on face except NARS Cap Vert)