YSL Volupte Tint In Oil In N3-Undress Me, N5-Cherry My Cherie, N7-Crush Me Orange

This was a giveaway hosted by the most generous Dave Lackie that I won a few weeks back and I couldn’t be more thankful! 

This is the latest lip formula innovation from YSL. Infused with Apricot Kernel oil, Jojoba seed oil, Coriander Fruit oil, Possiflora Edulis seed oil this is a perfect concoction for hydration desperate lips. The sheer wash of color makes the product even more attractive to be worn by itself or layered over your favourite lipstick as a lipgloss. 

Available in 8 colors, retails at $32 USD for 0.2oz of product.  

This is how the prize came with a lovely hand written note by Dave: 





The swatches are (L-R), YSL Volupte Tint In Oil In N3-Undress Me, N5-Cherry My Cherie, N7-Crush Me Orange : 





OVERALL : These were on my list since they were released. I just did not have a chance to try them. I couldn’t be more thankful to Dave for the most generous prize and being such a wonderful celebrity he is. Dave had been raving about these lip oils and I add my positive verdict too! 

NARS Dual Intensity Blush In Adoration

We have been ogling and googling the NARS dual intensity blushes ever since the pictures surfaced on the Internet last year. These are two products in one packaging, each in a separate pan to avoid undesired intermixing of the Highlighter (Left) and the Blush (Right). 

The most attractive feature is the Flexibility of Dual forms of application, wet for an intensified dramatic look or dry for those soft color kissed hues.





Available in 6 colors, Adoration is a champagne pink highlighter with sheer gold shimmer and a hot pink blush. These duos are color coordinated so you can never go wrong putting the two together. NARS blushes have been most loved of their products and these Dual Intensity Blushes are just cherries on top! 

Retails at $45 USD for 0.21oz. 





OVERALL: Absolutely in love and admiration with these, kudos to NARS for creating such an amazing product. The tough part is walking out of the store with just one. I am already contemplating getting a couple more (or more!) . I applied these separately as a highlighter and a blush but I loved how it works just perfect if combined and used as a blush, together they give just a lovely flush of radiant and glowy color. You can never go wrong with one of these. 

Artis Elite Mirror Makeup Brush In Oval 6

*Press Sample 

An innovation in the art of makeup application and a new standard in the makeup brushes. Featured in Allure magazine as “Revolutionary” , HarperBazar branding them as “Amazing”, these brushes are tough ones to ignore. 

The ergonomic patent design of the brush handles allow precise application of makeup without obstructing the view in the mirror. 

Matthew Waitesmith, the founder and designer of these unique brushes carried his experience of over 17 years working and eventually heading the entire Artis Training and Development Program at MAC Cosmetics into creating this innovative product. 

These cruelty free brushes are super soft and more densely packed than any other makeup brush, allowing for finer and more even distribution of the products on the face. 

I picked the Oval 6, as it’s the most versatile of all the other brushes for applying face makeup. I cannot help but keep touching and gliding it over my face, it feels divine. 

Here is a check list of what the other brushes do in terms of versatility .. 







OVERALL: These brushes can be cleaned by simply sliding them over a special cleaning cloth (created and sold by Artis) that removes all makeup and restores the fibers to just new. So no more scrubbing and rubbing those nasty buggers! They can seem a bit extravagant on the price point, but they are definitely worth the buck, quality sure give the big (and pricier) brands a run for their money. Also considering how each brush is designed to multitask , it averages to a price of the more economical brands by minimizing the need of stacking a bunch. I cannot enforce how amazing they are, try it to love it ! Sold online at ArtisBrush.com and Net-A-Porter. These WILL revolutionize your makeup vanity.  

Rouge Dior Baume In 740 Escapade and 660 Coquette

The freshest, most protective, easy-wearing and complementary of Rouge Dior products. No need to choose between lipcare and makeup—in a single step, lips are revived in colours with a healthy glow and wet dew-like shine, and drenched in a protective nourishing lip treatment.

These lip balms are better categorized as hydrating lipsticks than tinted lip balms. With a sleek and slightly more slender silhouette than the Rouge Dior Lipcolors, these lip baulms are more moisturizing and feels lighter on the lips than the other creamier lipcolors. The finish is sheen and although it’s a little on the pricier side of the budget, this compares to nothing like I have used before. Available in 14 shades from varying hues of nudes, pinks and neutrals there is something for everyone.







Swatched 3 coats of the lip Baume, the color is buildable to desired intensity without the feeling of an over application.



Swatches :Escapade on Top and Couquette On Bottom. 



Loreal Visible Lift Serum Absolute Concealer/Correcteur

A twist base corrector/concealer pen from L’oreal that disperses the fluid through a brush applicator and can be applied directly to your facial target areas. 

Retails at $12.50 USD, this lightweight formula come in 4 color shades Fair, Light, Medium and Medium Deep. 

Best used for undereye area and to even the skin tone. This is not to be expected to work as a heavy duty concealer but I would certainly rate it satisfactory as a corrector. 

One thing to be kept in mind, this finishes matte powder, which can seem to settle in fine lines, especially if overdone in areas with a thin layer of skin like the undereye. To avoid that, be sure to prime the skin well, use a mousturizer and finish with a setting powder. For rest of the face, you can do fine with just spot treatment for those minimalist makeup days. Use it under a powder foundation and over a liquid foundation, although personally I prefer to use it BEFORE I apply any foundation. 

The manufactures suggest picking your skin tone shade or a shade lighter. The brush applies well, I however still prefer to even if out with my fingertips or using a concealer brush and working in circular motions. 





OVERALL : It’s an extremely convenient, non messy and a travel friendly item. I suggest owning atleast one and keeping handy for touchups during the day. It’s discreet and works pretty well. I suggest this for everyday use, but you might want to jump to a more longer lasting and effective product if you seek coverage. For those who have subtle target areas around the face, this is your answer. 

Black OpalBeauty ColorSplurge Eyeshadow Duos

* Press Sample

This is a relatively new brand for me, but the more I have been exploring it, the more I have been loving it! 

Sharing with you today are the ColorSplurge Eyeshadow Duos, perfectly complementing and contrasting sets of eyeshadow colors. It comes in a super sleek and neat compact with an eyemakeup sponge included. I find the casing sturdy and of a great quality. The eyeshadows are extremely pigmented and finely milled, so working with them needs no effort. Since the duos are complementing, creating a look with them together is not a challenge for a novice like me. 

Using brush applicator or eyeshadow brush, apply color dry for a rich shimmer color or wet for intense pigmented color. To create a natural eye, apply lighter shade all over lid and darker shade in eye crease. To create a smoky eye, apply darker shade all over lid and lighter shade across brow bone as a highlighter. Use the shadows separately or blend to create multiple looks.





Bordeaux Bliss: 





Black Shock : 







Roccan It : 



Mimosa Pop: 



Overall: Sold for $6.95 Each, these are easy to carry in your makeup bag and really last all day. The compact once closed doesn’t spill product in the bag, which is a huge plus for me. They can be purchased via company Website directly. This brand is a gem, one after another it’s nothing but amazing products. I most strongly urge you to try the brand and I assure you will be converted.

Pixi By Petra Palette Bronzette Summer Glow From The Pixi Spring 2015 Collection

*Press Sample 

This is a super convenient palette with 12 eyeshadows, one bronzer, highlighter and a blush along with an included dual ended sponge applicator.  

The eyeshadows are categorized into a group of 3 as Eyeliners, Crease Shadows, Eyelid Hues and Highlights. These can definitely be mixed and matched but the sorting works as a quick guideline for those who have not yet perfected the art of eye makeup, think me. 





The first swatch shows the Bronzer-Highlighter-Blush.



The next set of swatches are the eyeshadows shown clockwise from top to bottom. 











OVERALL :  Sold online at Pixibeauty.com and instore at Target, this multi use palette retails for $28 USD. I am not the biggest fan of the eyeshadow brush that comes with it, but I always use mine anyways so it’s not a deal breaker for me at all. I have always loved the PixiBeauty face palettes and the color payoff is amazing. Highly pigmented, this sleek-multipurpose makeup magic palette is worth a buy. 

Revlon Highlighting Palette – 30 Bronze Glow

Available in 3 shades, Revlon has come up with its own take on the cult favourite Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks. 

Just shy of $10 USD, it’s a 5 color strip in one palette deal. It comes in a clear plastic case with no brushes or mirrors, so it’s just the palette that you pay for. 

The double pictures swatches are in direct and indirect sunlight. Although it appears to have a shimmer, it doesn’t tranfer to the cheek as a glitter, so it’s very muted. 





OVERALL :  The powder applies just fine and gives a subtle bronzy color but that’s about it. It is no where comparable to the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick. The powder is not finely milled and although it appears neat in the palette, it had a tremendous amount of fall out. I applied it by swirling my powder brush over the palette and then applying over my cheeks, sadly the white bathroom sink I was leaning over to access the mirror was filled with bronzy powder falling out, something I never experienced before. I had much higher quality expectations from Revlon. The product quality was extremely unsatisfactory and I would compare it to the ultra cheap Elf brand, chunky and disappointing. 



Mini Mani Moo – Mess No More : Liquid Tape

*Press Sample 

The one big reason I don’t do nail art is because of the cleanup. Thanks to a new concept of liquid tape for manicures, that issue is well tackled. 

The product comes in a lip gloss resembling tube with a doe foot applicator. It very easy to navigate the liquid, and without any practice I could easily apply it very close to the nail. The liquid dries almost instantly to a clear finish. 

I applied a double coat of Maybelline “Walk In The Park”. Once dried I applied Venique Glitter Polish “Selfies With Santa” as a gradient with a makeup sponge. 

I was not worried about neatness, once done I simply rubbed the tape (think glue) with my fingers and pulled away! The manicure shown did not require any acetone cleanup around the nails once I removed the tape, that’s how accurate and precise it works.  





 

OVERALL : The similar product is sold by other companies for a hefty $22 USD for 10ml (Liquid Palisades), the one shared today is priced at $9.90. Sold on amazon or directly via company Website  , it works to keep the polish off where it’s not needed. It eases cleanup (stamping, gradient nails spacing, endless opportunities pretty much) and also works as a peel off glitter base coat. All in all, grab one today, you will be amazed at how easy it makes your life! 

Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer Highlighter In 10

Who doesn’t like a lovely glow that adds a healthy touch of Summer on the skin? 

With so many products that resonate around the same result, making the right selection can be quite a bit overwhelming. 

Available in a wide rage of shades to act as a radiance booster, color corrector a or as makeup base shades the possibilities are endless. 

The color 10 is a warm toned golden/copper hue that is best used alone as a highlighter, before applying foundation as a radiance booster or mixed with foundation for a sun kissed glow. 

Recommended to be applied with fingertip or a makeup brush. It comes in a pump up bottle. 







OVERALL :  As promising the results sound and versatile the uses, for $62 USD , it fails to impress me. Although it doesn’t carry the “cheap glitter effect”, I hoped for a little more coverage and intensity. Having tried the recommended application techniques, I am left disappointed.