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)

Blush Part 1: Cream Blush

I am a blush "aficionado" and today I was thinking of sharing everything I've learned about blush and application over the years.This is just my 2 cents on blush application and it is not the end all be all of how to do this. Everyone is different and each person has methods that work best for them, but I hope this helps someone! :D

This will be divided into two parts:
Part 1: Cream blush
Part 2: NARS Multiples
Part 2: Highly pigmented Powder Blush

Lately I am on a huge cream blush kick, so we will start here. In the past I hated them because I wasn't applying it correctly. So I hope that this will help some of you make that cream blush in your stash work for you or what not.

My Cream Blush Hall of Fame-rs:
(In no particular order. Personal color faves below)

* Bobbi Brown pot rouge -Cabo Coral

*NARS cream blush - Penny Lane

*Stila convertible cream - Petunia

First things first, I don't really like using a brush for cream blushers. I like fingers b/c it helps warm and spread the product. I also feel like I get the smoothest finish using my fingers while a brush leaves me a little streaky, uneven and splotchy. Sometimes I do use my NARS yachiyo brush to apply cream blush, but not often.

Another thing is, depending on the formula/texture of the cream blush, especially if it's on the drier side, I find applying on a freshly moisturized face helps with the blending process. (Or a freshly MAC Fix+ misted face). So here goes! Onto the pictorial!

Starting with a naked face...*eep*

Step 1: Swirl middle and ring fingers in product. You should have a decent amount of product, but be sure not to get over zealous and get too much.


Step 2: Rub opposing fingers together.

Step 3: Dab/stipple onto face starting where you want the color intensity to be the highest working your way back. By the end of this, your fingers should have little to no product left.



Step 4: Blend in with fingers. At this point I like to smile to get a more accurate idea of where to blend the blush. I also like to use my index and middle sometimes for more control and precision.

Step 5: (Optional) Set face with translucent powder or your regular light weight powder. From here you can contour or layer on a powder blush/highlighter/etc.

If you find that you applied too much and the color looks scary bright and clown-ish, you can buff on your regular powder to help tone it down. Make sure the powder isn't too heavy though so you won't end up looking cake-y.


***HINT***If I am using a very pigmented/bright cream blush (ie BB calypso coral) I apply first, then foundation on top. For something softer like NARS Penny lane which is really fool proof on me, I apply on top of my foundation.

and Voila! You're done! Piece of cake right??

Serge Lutens

Uh-oh. I seem to have found a very expensive new lemming. I was a little concerned when I had ordered samples of Serge Lutens perfumes from The Perfumed Court, but now I'm in trouble. The samples (Chergui, Bois et musc, and Fleurs d'Orangeur) arrived yesterday and from the two I've given an honest try, I'm in love. So I pre-face this with the fact that I am a perfume newbie and I suck at explaining perfumes but I will do my best. I also wanted to note that I was quite impressed with the size of the TPC vials. I was expecting a small tiny cheapo vial..the type you get at perfume counters..but these are bigger than expected (or maybe it's an optical illusion?) and very nice looking..like mini mini mini beer bottle looking things.

I tried Bois et Musc first. Opening notes are quite nice and un-offensive. Slightly powdery, floral..slightly sweet, soft and very feminine about this perfume. I think I also detect something slightly woodsy in the mix as well. There's something in there that I don't particularly LOVE but don't really hate either, I think it's the powder, but like I said, it's a very un-offensive smell to my nose. I'm not particularly fond of powdery scents, but holy moley the dry down on this is AMAZING!!! Very "your skin" smelling. I can't describe how the dry down smells, but it's very soft and comforting. LOVES! Unfortunately this is one of the non-export perfumes, which means it's only available in Paris in the bell jar as shown in above picture. Fortunately, there are ways around it, but you will be paying a bit more..or less depending on how you look at it. Shipping and handling vs going to Paris yourself.


Next I gave Chergui a go. It is described as having notes of: honey, musk, incense, tobacco leaf, hay sugar, amber, iris, rose and sandalwood. Initially I wasn't liking this one at first blush, very spicy, smokey and woodsy. I do smell green-ness..kinda like a tea leaves kinda smell. Initially there's this very masculine scent about this perfume, but it's tempered by something that makes it quite feminine. I can't seem to put my finger on what note does that though...perhaps the sweetness of honey? There's also something a little powdery to this as well. To my untrained nose, I don't really smell floral in this at all. Once again, the dry down to this is amazing! Very creamy, comforting, sweet and warm. Thankfully this is part of the export line and is thus easier to aquire.

Ok. So the whole export and non-export thing is very confusing and I think it gets even more confusing because within the export lines there's something to do with the lable colors. I am not even going to attempt to explain all this because I am not quite sure myself. If you really care to know, http://sergelutens.blogspot.com/ has a comprehensive list of all all things Serge Lutens. (I'm not affiliated, yadda yadda yadda).

Stressed Rambling

So my girl, Gwen had 2 seizures within 24 hours of each other. So far there wasn't any need to put her on meds, but it seems like we are going that route. Gosh it's horrible watching her go through the seizures. It's incredibly frightening for me and I'm sure it stresses her out as well. Oh my poor baby. Then the heartache continues because it's so sad watching her come out of the seizure all disoriented stumbling and bumping into stuff.

I am so scared that she's going to get yet another seizure within 24 hours. I'm afraid to let her sleep because that's when she seems to get them, at night when she's sleeping. Right now she's curled up next to me and every time I see her twitch in her sleep I cringe. I know it could be something worse than seizures, but it's a hard thing to deal with when they do happen. I really don't want to have to put her on meds, but I think it might end up being the best thing for everyone involved especially if the meds stop the seizures all together or at least spread them out to 6 months to a year apart. I am at a loss of what to think/feel. It's been an emotionally tense month for me this month and this is just the frosting on the cake. :(