Thursday, June 30, 2011

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Shadow Creme in Silver Leaf

Silver Leaf is one of my first cream shadows from Estee Lauder, something that I have in my stash for more than a year. I just checked the EL website and I could not find the shade anymore. So, I'm guessing this is LE, not available online or it has been discontinued(I hope not). But, I just thought I'll put up a swatch, since, I love it so much especially all over my lids with a darker color in the crease.
  

This is a very unique shade with a mix of silver, purple and a good amount of multicolored shimmer. It is quite easy to go overboard, looking frosty especially for medium-dark skin tones. But, when blended well or layered over another shade, this one looks absolutely gorgeous. These eye shadows are almost similar to MAC paint pots in the texture and staying power. Sometimes, I even think they are the same since they are both from Estee Lauder :-) But yeah, whatever it is, the formula is smooth and super easy to blend. Also, compared to MAC paint pots, these have a wider range of shades and look classier in packaging which is probably why there is a dollar difference in the price($17.50).
I highly recommend you check it out if you can get hold of this shade. It's a lovely shade to have especially, if smokey eyes are your thing since it pairs well with quite a few darker colors.

What do you think of  Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Shadow Creme in Silver Leaf?

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine

The liquid lipshines are the new, re-formulated version of the older lip shines from New York Color. If you did not like the look and feel of the older lip shines, these are something that you must try. They feel more like a lip gloss, only less sticky. These lip shines come in 10 shades that range from sheer coverage to full, pigmented, opaque colors. I like how the range is a nice mix of cremes and shimmer. There are a couple of duo chromes too!
Top to Bottom : Fashion Avenue Fuchsia, Big Apple Spice, Nude York City, Midtown Mulberry
Left to Right : Fashion Avenue Fuchsia, Big Apple Spice, Midtown Mulberry, Nude York City
The revamped version feels light,  goes on smooth and packs a lot of shine and most of all, is super hydrating. They have a slight, sweet fruity smell which I don't mind at all and have decent wear time(about 3 hours)for a gloss.

'Fashion Avenue Fuchsia' is a very light fuschia with fine shimmer that looks almost invisible, letting the color show through well. 'Midtown Mulberry' is a deep berry that is very pigmented and goes on super creamy. Both these colors look good on their own and will look great on medium-dark skin tones.

From Top Left, Clockwise : Midtown Mulberry,Fashion Avenue Fuchsia, Nude York City,Big Apple Spice
'Big Apple Spice' is a duochrome with hints of copper & berry that looks fantastic on top of any boring, matte lipstick. It is quite pigmented to be worn on it's own too. 'Nude York City' is a shimmery nude that looks almost like a clear gloss on me. A dab of this along the centre of the lower lip looks absolutely stunning.

Overall, these are fantastic glosses for the price($2.49) and I think NYC did a great job with the packaging too! It's definitely worth a pick up and I'm sure you'll only go back for more.

Have you tried the NYC Liquid Lip Shines? Do you like them? I'd love to know!

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Nectar

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in 'Nectar' is one of the brand's best selling shimmer brick compacts that is made up of five different shades of pink & peach with a lot of added gold shimmer. I prefer to swirl all the shades around and use it as a highlight after blush or instead of blush for a gorgeous peachy pink glow with a gold sheen. This stuff is quite shimmery & hella pigmented. The shimmer is not too chunky and a little dusting along the cheekbones will not make you look so much like a disco ball. But, I would still go easy on it especially since too much shimmer emphasizes my pores. With these kinda highlighters, I prefer just a light sweep with a blush brush or better yet, a stippling brush.


Picking up just one color from the compact is quite a task and I always somehow manage to mix it up with the others. The packaging is very classy and elegant with a big mirror inside for touch ups. The only gripe is the amount of fall out that occurs every time I swirl the colors together. There is quite a bit of fall out which makes it difficult to travel with. For $38, there's a lot of product in there that would probably last you a lifetime.


 I love it & would definitely recommend it if you love super shimmery peachy highlighters that also add a golden glow! If you want something more bronzy, the Shimmer Brick Compact in Bronze is an awesome pick.
Have you tried Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks? Do you like Nectar? What other shades do you like?

Friday, June 24, 2011

Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss in Hot Pink

I've been wanting to try the Colorburst Lip Glosses for a while now & was pleasantly surprised when Ulta included it as part of their rewards system. Without even having to go through the other items, I quickly picked this one up. The shades in the Colorburst Lip Gloss range were quite nice & there are more shimmery shades than cremes, from what I see.


I picked up Hot Pink, which is a bright pink with a ton of silver shimmer. The color sheers out quite a bit when applied but, not so much that there is no pink. It does not look so much of a Hot Pink on me, rather a sweet pink with a frosty finish. It looks gorgeous when layered on over a pigmented matte lipstick. I like the wand too, it helps deposit color evenly & doesn't over apply. The gloss itself goes on very smooth and lasts for a couple of hours and leaves some shimmer behind while fading which, I don't like so much. My nose detects a very subtle sweet scent that does not bother me but, these glosses are less stickier than the Super Lustrous Lip Glosses. Overall, I like Hot Pink a lot. They are priced between $6-$8 and since drugstores do have sales running quite often, I'm sure you can get it for a much lesser price.
Have you tried the Revlon ColorBurst Lip Gloss? Do you like Hot Pink? Share your thoughts!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

NYC 16H Smooch Proof Lip Stain - Review, Photos & Swatches

As much as I like the concept behind a lip stain, I remember staying away from them for the longest time. I always thought they were not the best pick for my super dry lips. Sure, an extra step of dabbing a lipbalm over can help but, that's not what lazy people like me want! New York Color's new 16H Smooch Proof Lip Stains come with a super friendly price tag & claim to stay put for 16hours. In New York Color's own words "NYC New York Color Smooch Proof 16HR Lip Stain stays put, providing a sheer to intense flush of color that sticks around longer than most guys in the City. This is no on-again, off-again relationship. Color stays faithful for up to 16 hours. Looking for happily ever after for a very happy price? Let your lips do the charming!" 
      Top to Bottom : Forever Mine Wine, Forever Fuchsia, Champagne Stain, Rock on Ruby, Never Ending Nude

16 hours for a lip stain does look very promising. I don't have a problem if my lip stain does not stay put for more than 5-6 hours but, I would love it if it does not dry my lips out. These lip stains come in ten gorgeous shades and pack a lot of color. They go on very smooth & can be layed on lightly for a sheer wash or swiped on with a heavier hand for intense, bold color. Since they are all super pigmented, I would suggest using a lighter hand especially with the darker shades. I like the fact that these lip stains don't dry completely matte, they have a bit of sheen to them. They don't provide any extra dose of moisture but, they don't dry out my lips as much either. But, I would still suggest topping it off with a lip balm after a couple of hours. If there is one shade you must try, its 'Rock on Ruby' - sexy, deep, beautiful red that would look amazing on all skin tones. 
    Top to Bottom :  Rock on Ruby, Champagne Stain, Forever Mine Wine, Never Ending Nude, Forever Fuchsia
As far as the staying power goes, the lighter shades stay on for about 4 hours and the darker ones stay on for a good 5-6 hours and leave quite a lot of color behind while fading. With the darker shades though, you need a good makeup remover, preferably oil based, to remove it all off! 

I love the shade selection here. From deep reds to light pinks & browns there's a shade for everyone. For $4.99, you just can't go wrong! 


What do you think of these lip stains? Have you tried the New York Color 16H Smooch Proof Lip Stains? I'd love to know!


Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Monday, June 20, 2011

ORLY Happy Go Lucky Collection - Review, NOTD & Swatches

'Happy Go Lucky' is Orly's Back to School collection for 2011. All four polishes in this  collection are bright, edgy & fun colors. Flirty -A bright bubblegum pink with silver shimmer , Frisky - medium teal with cream finish, Fresh - Super bright neon Green with a creme finish and Frolic - Deep Purple with a creme finish(my favourite).
L-R : Flirty, Fresh,Frolic

All of them are perfect summer nail polishes. Flirty has teeny, tiny silver shimmer that makes the color less neon-ish. This is one of those pinks that would look so beautiful against a summer tan. Fresh is a super bright green creme. This is my least favourite of the three & as you can see from the swatches, it does not look very flattering against my skin tone. Frolic is a deep purple which I'm sure will look good on all skin tones. I love this shade especially on my toes! This is one of those gorgeous shades that you would want to show off wearing flip flops.

Fresh and Frolic both dry to a semi-matte finish so, make sure to top it off with a glossy top coat. Since Flirty has quite a bit of shimmer, it does not look so matte. All of them are quite opaque but, I 've applied 2 coats here. Orly has been on a brights & neons spree, I suppose. The last 2 collections have been nothing short of bright and colorful. Beautiful, nevertheless.

All Orly nail polishes are free of DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde resin.

Availability : From July 2011 at Orlybeauty.com, Sally Beauty Supply & Ulta.
Price :  $7.50



I'd love to know your thoughts on this collection!


Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

MAC Viva Glam V Lipstick

Viva Glam V is described by MAC as a Neutral Pink with pearl. I love neutrals & pinks so, there's no way I was gonna let go of this shade. Viva Glam V is a nice mix of pink & brown with some golden shimmer. The shade is quite shimmery & the reflective glitter does show up pretty well on my lips so, if you don't like shimmery lipsticks, this may not be for you. Lustre is not one of my favourite finishes from MAC since, it does dry out my lips quite a bit once it starts fading. But, I don't mind re-applying since I love this shade so much!
The shade does look more brown than pink while in the tube. My lips are quite pigmented so, the pink in the shade does not look so vivid while indoors but under daylight, it looks like the most gorgeous, shimmery pinky neutral ever! If you are wondering how this shade compares to MAC's Lovechild Lipglass, Lovechild is a bit more plummy with a golden sheen.

Since there isn't an overload of chunky glitter, I would like to call this work-safe too! If there is just one shade that I would love to pick from the Viva Glam range, it would definitely be Viva Glam V.

What do you think of MAC Viva Glam V?

Friday, June 17, 2011

Lavanila The Healthy Body Wash 2-In-1 Shower & Shave

The Healthy Body Wash 2-In-1 Shower & Shave($15), as the name suggests is a multi-tasking shower/shave gel that is formulated without Parabens, Sulfates, Synthetic fragrances and Petrochemicals. Lavanila has some luxurious, divine smelling body butters and this body wash is no exception! An all-natural body wash, this comes in 5 scents,(vanilla being common to all of them) cleanses and preps the skin prior to shaving. Don't you just love products that multi-task? 

There is nothing artificial or fake about this particular scent - Vanilla Lavender. It smells just like a right mix of vanilla and lavender making me feel luxurious while in the shower. The scent lingers on for a while post shower which is something I love in any body wash. For a body wash formulated without any Sulfates, it does lather pretty well! As a shave gel, it does not foam up unlike the traditional ones, but the lather is quite slippery so, that helps the razor glide on smoothly. You might wanna be a little careful there though. As a shower gel, it is quite moisturizing but not greasy & doesn't leave a film so, I usually slather on a very light lotion afterwards.
If you are like me, a sucker for shower gels and bath products in general, I suggest you give these a try. I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do & won't be disappointed. 


Available in-stores at Sephora and online at Sephora.com.


What do you think of Lavanila The Healthy Body Wash 2-In-1 Shower & Shave? Have you tried it? Do you like it? 


Disclosure: The product in this article was provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 40+

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer is a chemical-free, Argan oil infused sunblock that I picked up randomly at one of those evil bins at Sephora during checkout. I wasn't sure how my dry, sensitive skin would react to this product so, I picked up the smaller size. Turns out, my skin actually loves it! The small size is super convenient to just throw into your purse and the pump tube is perfect for dispensing with minimum wastage.
The texture is more like a fluid, quite watery and super easy to spread. It does contain Argan oil but, absorbs super fast, is non-greasy and does not leave that whitish cast most sunscreens do. It does have a strong smell that most sunscreens do that quickly fades once applied. Thanks to the Argan oil in this sunscreen, I can skip my moisturizer most of the time and my skin still feels totally soft & hydrated. I'm not sure if people with oily skin would like it as much since, it does not leave your skin matte. I use this primarily for my face and neck and I can definitely say, I don't burn as much in the sun as I used to before! 
What's more? It's formulated without Parabens, Sulfates, Synthetic Fragrances, Petrochemicals and all those nasties. It is quite pricey ($14 for 0.5 oz;$32 for 2oz) for a basic sunblock especially, if you tend to use it on your body but, I use this only for my face and neck. As a natural product, it does tend to separate so, make sure to shake it well before using. I love this stuff & would totally recommend it if you are looking for a chemical-free sunblock with a good SPF factor, that also doubles up as a great moisturizer!

Available at all Sephora stores and online at Sephora.com.

Have you tried the Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 40+ ? 

Monday, June 13, 2011

Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer

Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definers are twist up, retractable, waterproof eyeliners that come in six beautiful shades most of which are just perfect for summer. These eyeliners pack a lot of pigment and the brighter shades especially, can turn any ordinary look into a sexy, bold one.


They come with a built-in smudger that I love to use with the darker shades especially along the lower lashline. Creates a casual, smokey look while in a hurry. I love when these kinda twist up pencils come with a sharpener. It helps with precise definition each time and keeps the tip hygienic.
Deep Ocean is a deep, dark blue with a metallic sheen. Looks great by itself by just smudging the color along the lower lashline.
Purple Shock is a bright, bluish purple that looks almost like fuchsia on my eyes. Very few skintones can carry off this color. Pretty shade, nevertheless.
Precious Gold is a metallic yellow gold that I like to use on my lower lashline with a dark smokey eye for some extra drama.
Emerald Sparkle is an awesome green with golden glitter. Just a trace of this along the lashline looks so summery and beautiful!
L-R : Purple Shock , Deep Ocean, Precious Gold, Emerald Sparkle
I would recommend using these only on the lashline and keeping it away from the waterline since all of them do contain quite a bit of shimmer. They go on pretty smooth on the upper lashline but, I did have to tug just a little bit along the lower lashline.They also set pretty fast which is good, but if you wan't to smudge, you gotta be quick! As far as the staying power goes, they stay on for about 5-6 hours and are definitely waterproof. I washed my face a couple of times, sans soap and they did not budge and needed a good eye makeup remover to get it all off.

If you love colorful, long wearing eye pencils that are priced amazingly well ($5.70), these are worth checking out.

What do you think of the Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definers? Have you tried them? What shades would you choose?

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

John Frieda Full Repair Giveaway Winner!

Here are the names in random order:

I used Random.org to pick a winner. And the winner is...
*Misty*   
                                                                                            
Congrats, " Misty " . You win a full set of John Frieda Full Repair products! You'll receive a mail from me shortly!

A big Thank You to those who participated & there are more international giveaways coming up soon. So, stay tuned!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Sonia Kashuk Super Sheer Shimmering Highlighter

Super Sheer Shimmering Highlighter by Sonia Kashuk is part of the permanent collection and a new launch for Spring/Summer 2011. 


 
What it claims:
"This shimmering pale rose gold highlighter adds a natural-looking radiance and leaves skin with a beautiful dewy finish. This formula is super lightweight with multireflecting pearls that gently brightens skin with a smooth and soft finish. Hyaluronic acid helps to hydrate skin, while vitamin E and grape-seed oil impart anti-oxidant and anti-aging properties. Linden extract and jojoba oil smoothen skin for a silky finish."


What I think about it: 
The pale rose gold color goes well with my skin tone and has the perfect amount of shimmer. It leaves a natural, dewy finish when I dab it along the top of my cheekbones and does not make me look like a disco ball even when I mix a few drops with my foundation. The packaging is very simple & the pump lets me control the amount of product needed.


















Without  any blending





















The texture is more like a fluid, but not very runny and blends in very well. It doesn't leave an oily film, but keep in mind that it is is quite shimmery. The formula is very lightweight and the light reflective particles add a beautiful glow. Price wise($9.99), I think this is a great pick too, since most high-end, gold based highlighters retail for a much higher price and it's hard to find such a shade at the drugstore. I just wish there were more shades available to choose from. Maybe some light pink & peach based shades so, there's one for everyone.


If you are looking for a sheer, gold based highlighter that adds some warmth and a nice sheen without breaking the bank, I highly recommend this one!


What do you think of the Sonia Kashuk Super Sheer Shimmering Highlighter?


Disclosure: The product in this article was provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Plaza Pink

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipsticks have one of the best selection of pink lipsticks at the drugstore. From what I've seen, they have seen a decent assortment of warm and cool pinks. 'Plaza Pink' is a mauvy pink that has very less, fine silver shimmer that is almost invisible and leaves a cream finish.
These lipsticks have a slight, sweet smell that is not cloying at all. I usually tend to avoid mauves but, this one looks like a right mix of pink and mauve on my lips. In my opinion, this is a shade that would go well with all skin tones and is very work appropriate too.

For the price, I think these lipsticks do a fantastic job. They have a nice selection of colors and last a good 3 hours on me without drying out my lips.

What do you think of Plaza Pink?

P.S : The John Frieda Full Repair giveaway on my blog ends tomorrow night. If you haven't already entered & would like to, please go to this post to enter! Best of Luck!

Friday, June 10, 2011

New from TOPSHOP!

Here's some info on the latest makeup to hit the block from Topshop and on www.topshop.com.

Cheeks ($20) – Available in Luminescence (pink), Prism (light bronze) and Ray (Bronze)




Glaze ($12) – Available in Bubblegum (Pink), Dash (light pink) and Laid Back (Coral)




Nails ($10) – Now available in Bees Knees, Celestial, Dust Storm, Green Room, Hocus Pocus, Journalist, Lacquered, Marine Biologist, Milkshake, Peaches & Cream, Peeping Tom, Sandy Lane, Spotted Pig, Threadbare and White Lie












All products with the exception of a few nail polishes are now available!

Aren't they so cute?

Official Press Release provided by PR. Please link back if you happen to use images/content.