Saturday, May 31, 2014

Dior Addict It-Lash Mascara

Dior Addict It-Lash Mascara ($26; shop.nordstorm.com), is Dior's newest formula that lengthens, volumizes and comes in some vibrant fun colors. I got a deluxe sample of this at my local Dior counter, free with a purchase (Sephora currently has one too, free with a $25 purchase Code: DIOTITLASH). It-Lash comes in four shades - It-Black, It-Purple, It-Pink and It-Blue. Mine was It-Black, a soft black with a glossy finish.






The brush is quite similar to Benefit's They're Real Mascara, which is something I quite like, in terms of length. Dior's brush is great for separating and for lengthening, but it needs a bit of work in the volumizing department. Its a really nice formula though - my lashes looked and felt soft,even after about two coats and the overall look is very natural, which wasn't the case with Benefit's They're Real. It-Lash also does a great job with holding a curl and it grabs even the tiniest of lashes really well. For my stubby lashes though, I felt like I could use a little more volume. Its not waterproof or water-resistant, so very easy to wash off. Overall, its a very natural looking, lightweight mascara that doesn't weigh down lashes, doesn't smudge or flake either. Great for length and separation, would have been perfect if it did volumize a little more.





Two Coats of Dior-It Lash Mascara. This time around I skipped curling my lashes prior to mascara.

Have you tied Dior's It-Lash Mascara yet?  

Kérastase Spray À Porter

Kérastase Spray À Porter ($35; kerastase-usa.com) is one of many products, as part of Kerastase' Couture Styling Collection. Its a medium hold spray that gives a tousled effect and creates beachy waves without all the stickiness. *Press Sample




Spray A porter is packaged in a convenient spray bottle that dispenses just the right amount of product. It is to be used on wet hair, preferably, but Kerastase also recommends using it on second day hair. Just spray on a few spritzes,  before styling or air drying and then scrunch or heat style. I absolutely love the fragrance - it is a tad too strong, but in a nice way and lingers on until you wash your hair the next time. On my slightly fine, frizzy hair, I found that a very little amount of this goes a long way. A little more than what you need can make your hair quite crunchy and the ends a bit dry. A couple of spritzes here and there and it turned my hair into a beautiful tousled state, with a lot of the fine frizz controlled. There was no stickiness, but I find that I get better results when air dried than with a heat styling tool. With any kind of heat, it does tend to dry out my strands. Overall, its a nice product that holds a curl very well and is great for thicker hair types,  but be sure to be light handed if you don't want it to turn you hair too crunchy. It is medium hold and also comes with UV protection.





Have you tried the Kérastase Spray À Porter?

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask

First Aid Beauty is one of my favorite brands for skincare. I love many of their products including the Face Wash, Facial Radiance Pads, Ultra Facial Cream, to name a few. Their products are targeted at sensitive skin and most of them are fragrance free. The Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask ($22; sephora.com) is a quick, 10 minute mask aimed to de-stress, calm and soothe, dry/sensitive skin.






Like everything else from FAB, this one too comes packaged in a simple, travel friendly squeeze tube, The product itself is quite thick, slightly chunky with gritty oat bits. Its all mixed into a creamy base that is quite easy to spread. There's also a mild vanilla scent to it that doesn't bother me much. The mask also contains some very moisturizing ingredients like cocoa butter, shea butter, apricot oil, along with colloidal oatmeal to soothe and sea buckthorn oil for a radiance boost. Its a mask I reach out to a lot, its quick, easy and effective for when my skin is feeling dry and dull. I don't leave it for more than 10 minutes though and that's enough to give a quick boost to my skin. It definitely does brighten, adds moisture and lightly cleanses. Overall, if you have dry or sensitive skin, its a good mask to try.



Have you tried the FAB Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask?

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

bareMinerals Lasting Line Long-Wearing Eyeliner

It's never been easier to create endless eyeliner looks that last. This twist-up pencil glides on a precise line for maximum color intensity. The mineral-rich formula stays soft and creamy for blending, then sets to a long-wearing finish that won't smudge, smear or fade. Includes a built-in sharpener plus an ergonomically angled smudge tip for smooth, effortless blending. From natural daytime allure to sleek definition to seriously smoky glamour, it's lasting liner love all the way.



bareMinerals' Lasting Line Long-Wearing Eyeliners ($16bareescentuals.com) come in eight subtle shades ranging from slightly metallic bronzes and plums to matte browns and blacks. These are twist up eyeliners that come with a smudger and sharpener attached. The tip is quite precise and  great for the waterline, to tightline and for the lash lines.  *Press Sample






The colors are all very wearable, everyday colors, great for a natural look. Some of them aren't very pigmented - they go on sheer, but the color is buildable. The texture is smooth, easy to smudge and stays put once it sets. They are quite forgiving to mistakes and take a while to completely set, giving you time to smudge the color out. Absolute Black, Lasting Brown and Non-Stop Navy were the most pigmented, Absolute Black being a softer black, just a tad richer and deeper than Lasting Brown. I don't have the best luck with longwear liners on my waterline, but these ones don't bother my sensitive eyes. I've worn them on my waterline with absolutely no reaction or sensitivities, which is a huge plus for me. These aren't as creamy and pigmented as the Round The Clock liners by bareMinerals, but they also don't smudge as much. Infinite Sage and Eternal Bronze are both gorgeous colors, although I wish they were a tad more pigmented. Overall, its a nice collection, perfect for someone who likes subtle shades as opposed to brighter or shimmery liners. Absolute Black is my favorite, and a lovely soft black to try, especially for the waterline. 






L-R : Absolute Black, Endless Orchid, Lasting Brown, Forever Brandy, Always Charcoal, Eternal Bronze, Nonstop Navy, Infinite Sage

Have you tried any of the Lasting Line Long-Wear Eyeliners by bareMinerals?

AVON FEMME Eau de Parfum Spray

AVON's newest scent, FEMME ($30; shop.avon.com), is described as a "glamorous and sophisticated scent evokes an elegant contrasting combination of sparkling freshness and a floral bouquet of jasmine and magnolia". Femme comes packaged in a heavy, pink crystal glass bottle with a beautiful design. *Press Sample






Femme is a fruity floral with dominant notes of Jasmine, Magnolia and Grapefruit with a touch of woody musk. The dry down is when I get the musk, but otherwise, its mostly floral, with a little bit of softness to it. Femme is probably the nicest AVON fragrance I've tried, with a good mix of fruity and fresh that is nice for spring/summer. My only qualm though, is that it doesn't last very long on me, no matter what. I tried spritzing more than usual and while it was a tad overpowering at first, it disappeared completely after about 4 hours or so. Overall, the scent itself is nice, very feminine, soft and quite light, but the lasting power could have been better.

Have you tried AVON's Femme?

Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Resist24 Pure Retinol Express Smoothing Eye Mask

The Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Resist24 Pure Retinol Express Smoothing Eye Mask ($17.50 - $63; shiseido.com) is a concentrated mask that claims to reduce the appearance of  fine lines, wrinkles and smoothen the under eye area, leaving it more fresh & bright. The mask claims to do all of this in less than 15 minutes and retain moisture for up to 24 hours. *Press Sample





Its quite an easy mask that is great for travel too - comes as a smaller, three pack, perfect for trial and a 12 pack if you decide to make it a part of your regular skincare routine. The pads are quite easy to use and fit the contour of the under eye area well. Each single use pack comes with a pair of very saturated eye masks that feel cool upon contact with skin. Shiseido recommends leaving it on for about 15 minutes and then to gently pat the excess solution onto the under eye area. Its quite a sticky serum-like essence that does take a while to completely absorb, so I'd definitely recommend this only in the night. As for it smoothing wrinkles, fine lines and dark circles dramatically, I din't see much of a difference with those, but my eye area did look quite well-rested, less tired and definitely very moisturized. Its a quick fix for someone with a drier under eye area, or for anyone who needs a moisture boost, but also something that needs to be used on a regular basis to keep the effect going. I also had a bit of a tingling sensation soon after using this, which lasted quite a while, so if you have sensitive skin, definitely try the smaller size before investing in a full size pack of these.




Ingredients from Sephora : Water, Butylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Alcohol, Carbomer, Sodium Citrate, Fragrance, Bht, Squalane, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Trisodium Edta, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Sapindus Mukurossi Peel Extract (Sapindus Mukurossi), Limonene, Linalool, Uncaria Gambir Extract (Uncaria Gambir), Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydroxyproline, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Beta-Carotene (Ci 75130).


What are your thoughts on the Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Resist24 Pure Retinol Express Smoothing Eye Mask? Have you tried it? 

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

NARS Libertango Nail Polish | NARS Adult Swim Summer 2014 Collection

Libertango ($19; narscosmetics.com), is a beautiful, bright coral creme limited-edition nail polish released as part of the Adult Swim Collection for summer, by NARS. Its a perfect summertime color that looks amazing on tips and toes! *Press Sample



The formula, consistency and drying time were all perfect. Libertango is a rather opaque polish with no shimmer/glitter. Its almost opaque in one coat, two coats is perfection. Its not the most glossiest though, so I'd recommend a good, glossy top coat. Its a color that would flatter quite a few skin tones and doesn't look overly bright or neon even with a couple of coats on. Used with Dior's Apricot Top Coat, it lasted chip-free for about three days with very minimal tip wear. The brush is nice for smaller nails and helps with smooth strokes, although it is quite capable of picking up a little too much of polish. Overall, I love Libertango - its a perfect spring/summer pick and a fantastic pedicure color!




Two Coats of Libertango - photo slightly color tweaked to bring out the actual color of the polish. 


What are your thoughts on NARS Libertango?

Carol's Daughter Sacred Tiare Anti-Breakage and Anti-Frizz Sulfate-Free Shampoo & Fortifying Conditioner

Carol's Daughter's Sacred Tiare Haircare Collection ($10 - $14), available exclusively at Target features a sulfate-free shampoo and a moisturizing conditioner, meant for dry, fragile and unruly hair. Both products have some very moisturizing ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter in a rich and creamy base. *Press Samples





The shampoo, like many others from the brand, is sulfate-free. It lathers well, and cleanses without drying. It does, however, leave my hair extremely tangled - it doesn't necessarily dry out my hair, but it feels tangled enough for me to use a conditioner afterwards. Not sure why, because it does seem to have quite a few moisturizing ingredients listed on the top of the list. Its quite a creamy shampoo, packaged in a pump bottle and there's quite a lot of product in there that would last me quite a while. When used with the conditioner though, my hair feels a lot smoother. The conditioner is thick, creamy and does a fabulous job of leaving my ends feeling soft. When used alone, the shampoo does require some sort of conditioner to be followed up with, especially if you have fine hair. The conditioner though is perfect - light yet thick enough to smoothen dry, rough ends without leaving behind any sort of greasy residue. Both the shampoo and conditioner smell pretty amazing and the scent does linger on for a couple of hours after. Overall, I do like the conditioner more than the shampoo, especially when used alone. But when used together, they make for a really gentle yet nourishing duo for slightly dry, frizzy hair. I can't speak much about the anti-breakage part of it, but if you have curly, wavy or fine hair, this is a good line to try.









Have you checked out the Sacred Tiare Collection by Carol's Daughter?

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Issey Miyake L'Eau D'Issey Summer | Limited Edition for Summer 2014

Issey Miyake's newest fragrance, L'Eau D'Issey Summer ($74; shop.nordstorm.com; sephora.com), is a fresh fruity floral for summer. A limited edition fragrance, packaged in a beautiful blue bottle, features notes of pink grapefruit, litchi, passion fruit, guava, mixed in with floral aquatic notes & a touch of vanilla. *Press Sample



I love the packaging - although a tad heavy, its a gorgeous sleek looking bottle that sits pretty in my perfume collection. L'eau D'Issey Summer opens up with a beautiful aquatic floral scent mixed with the right amount of sweetness. There's a hint of zest that keeps it from turning sickly sweet and a touch of vanilla adds a bit of warmth to the scent. The fruity notes aren't too dominant, but I do get quite a bit of the litchi with the dry down. Its quite a refreshing scent that is light, fresh and definitely perfect for summer. For an EDT, it does wear quite well on me - I get about 5-6 hours of wear before it fades completely. Overall, a great, youthful fragrance to try for summer, the limited edition packaging in cool blue perfectly goes with the scent itself. If you like light & fresh fruity florals for summer, this one from Issey Miyake is a must-try!





Have you checked out Issey Miyake's L'eau de Issey Summer Limited Edition Summer EDT?

Friday, May 23, 2014

NARS Baalbek Eye Paint and Malacca Shimmer Eye Shadow | NARS Adult Swim Summer 2014 Collection

NARS' Adult Swim collection features a brand new shimmer eye shadow, Malacca and an eye paint in Baalbek. Both are gorgeous, interesting shades that look great when worn alone and pair really well with each other.  *Press Samples




Malacca Shimmer Eye Shadow ($25) - Malacca has a good deal of shimmer and is highly pigmented. The texture is soft and smooth, can be worn sheer or layered. If you are going for a stronger, smokey eye, be sure to pat the color on with your fingers, rather than using a brush and then blend the edges with a fluffy blending brush. There's a bit of fall out because of the shimmer, so I would recommend using concealer and everything else, face wise afterwards. The color is quite interesting - its a dark, grey/blue duo chrome with a hint of dark green. Definitely one that is perfect for a stronger eye look and looks fabulous with a nude lip. The color is quite difficult to capture in camera - I've included a couple of pictures in different lighting. Malacca also blends better without a primer than it does over one. If you aren't a fan of darker colors all over the lid, it definitely works great as a liner, especially along the lower lash line and looks fabulous along the outer corners.

NARS Baalbek Eye Paint and Malacca Shimmer Eye Shadow NARS Adult Swim Summer 2014 Collection

NARS Malacca Shimmer Eye Shadow NARS Adult Swim Summer 2014 Collection
NARS Malacca Shimmer Eye Shadow NARS Adult Swim Summer 2014 Collection Review, Photos, Swatches, EOTD
NARS Malacca Shimmer Eye Shadow Ingredients

Baalbek Eye Paint ($25) is a gorgeous shimmery, olive bronze. Its a rich, pigmented color that is to be used as a shadow/liner. I quite like it as a liner though. It pairs well with Malacca and looks amazing by itself. The formula is super smooth and glides on with absolutely no tugging. The color can be layered for more intensity and it does not budge once set. Baalbek is also a very interesting shade and the finely milled shimmer adds a gorgeous sheen to the liner. My favorite of the two and definitely a must-have piece from the Adult Swim Collection.

NARS Baalbek Eye Paint NARS Adult Swim Summer 2014 Collection Review, Photos, Swatches, EOTD

NARS Baalbek Eye Paint

L-R : Malacca Shimmer Eye Shadow, Baalbek Eye Paint

Malacca paired with Baalbek on the upper lash line


Available online at narscosmetics.com, sephora.com and Sephora stores.

What are your thoughts on NARS' Adult Swim Summer 2014 Collection?