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Ten Things I’m Loving Right Now

January 15, 2010

It was really hard for me to narrow my list down to only 10 things this month! Since I’ve already featured quite a bit of the new spring 2010 items, I decided to feature 10 non-new/non-spring releases that I’m loving right now.


1. MAC Sunny By Nature Mineralized Skin Finish – I’m a sucker for bronzers and MAC MSFs and fell in love with this one when it was released last July with the Color Craft Collection. Looks dark and almost muddy in the container, but on the skin it’s a nice natural satiny bronze. I love that it’s not too shimmery (which most MSFs are). I hope MAC makes more MSFs in this kind of finish! If you missed out, check your local CCOs, I saw this along with Cheeky Bronze at my local CCO a week ago.


2. Bobbi Brown Nude Beach Metallic Eyeshadow – This was released as an exclusive with the Nordstrom Anniversary Exclusives but is also in the (X Palette). You all know I’m obsessed with neutrals, Nude Beach is a pretty shimmery, but not overly frosty, nude shimmer with great pigment and lasting power.


3. MAC Eyeshadow Brush #239 – This is hands down the best MAC eyeshadow brush I own. I think it’s a must-have for everyone. It’s so versatile and soft which makes blending a no-brainer. I have a soft spot for all of MAC’s white-haired brushes, I wish they would make more shapes and sizes.

4. Nars Ondine Eyeshadow – This is one of the few eyeshadows I have ever hit pan on (the one pictured is my second one). I wouldn’t say it’s for everyone – those who can’t pull off plummy browns will probably find this looks bruisey on their skin. I really like this though because it has a complex combination of brown, plum and gold all mixed into one shadow. Those who wanted to love MAC Starviolet but found it too purpley will like Nars Ondine. The Nars is a more wearable, more brown, more grown-up and less trendy version of the MAC.


5. Edward Bess Bare Rose Lip Gloss – Not your typical milky pink, but still light enough to give a pretty natural pink lip. If you’re a fan of Nars Chihuahua, you will definitely like the EB Bare Rose which has a fig-scent, slightly sticky texture, long lasting, and high shine.


6. Dolce & Gabbana Sparkling Lipstick – I got this from the D&G Holiday Collection from Saks NY and it’s the most unique sparkling copper/nude/gold lipstick I’ve ever seen. It’s very pigmented and frosty, so those who don’t like metallic lips, you may not like it. The frosty-factor can be toned down with a cream colored gloss though.


7. Shu Uemura P Gold 94 Glow On – This is a blush I like to use as a highlighter for cheeks and eyes. It’s a light-medium shimmery flesh-toned gold with gold flecks. I like that it’s not completely gold or yellowy. It seems more pigmented than most of Shu Uemura’s Glow On Blushes, perhaps it’s the metallic aspect that gives it more pigment.


8. Paul & Joe Caramel 04 Lipliner – This is the creamiest lipliner I’ve ever tried. It glides on more smoothly than MAC Cremestick Liners (which I love) and the Caramel is the perfect YLBB nude-pink-brown. I bought this thanks to the recommendation of Hettie from Bergdorf Goodman. Lipliners were one of the few P&J items I hadn’t tried yet, so I asked her to pick out 2 colors for me, #04 Caramel was one of them and I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it.


9. Chanel Glow Glossimer – Pretty soft glowiness that’s hard to describe. It has peach and pink and bronze in it, makes my lips look full and glowing. The lasting power isn’t the best on this one, but I don’t mind reapplying it.


10. Paul & Joe Canyon 16 Face Color – Soft light pink and cool-toned shimmery highlighter. I like this for a natural angelic-pink blush. It goes on very soft and natural. It might not show up on MAC NC40s or darker though because it’s on the lighter side.


What’s on your list this month?

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Le Metier de Beaute Maldives Magic, Sugar Eyeshadow & Sorbet Lip Creme

January 14, 2010

I’ve been wanting to get the Maldives Magic Bronzer for sometime now but it *always* seems to be out of stock, so decided to do a pre-order for it when they had a recent GWP online for a full sized lip creme. (FYI, the advertised lip creme was Gilded Joy, but Sorbet came in the mail instead.) I’ve been waiting for over 1 month to receive this bronzer and can say this was clearly worth the wait.

Maldives Magic, Sugar Eyeshadow, Sorbet Lip Creme (GWP)


Close Ups and Comparison Photos:

Maldives Magic Bronzer


Maldives Magic has to be the prettiest looking bronzer I have ever seen. It has the prettiest gold sparkles in it, but unfortunately the shimmer doesn’t really show up on the skin. I was worried it would be too dark, but when applied with a fluffy bronzer brush it gave a nice tanned look. It’s a few shades darker than Edward Bess Daydream and more brown than Bobbi Brown’s Bali Brown. Girls who are lighter than MAC NC30 might find this too dark.

Sugar Eyeshadow


Sugar Eyeshadow is a pretty pale white shimmer. Next to a pure white, it looks more like a cream, but on the skin it definitely shows up white. I compared it next to actual sugar (yes, call me silly) but it’s somewhere in between granulated white sugar and sugar-in-the-raw.

It’s not as cool-toned as Bobbi Brown Navajo Metallic, but pretty close. It’s not as white as Bobbi Brown Champagne Shimmer Wash.


Sorbet v Vanilla Rose

I don’t have a swatch of Sorbet because I’m saving it for when I use up Vanilla Rose, but you can see a swatch of Vanilla Rose here. It’s a soft milky pink shimmer that’s not too pale.

Overall thoughts: I wouldn’t say these are the most unique colors, there are definitely duplicates with less expensive lines (even with high end luxury brands too). I didn’t have access to the line in person, so I ordered these sight unseen. The quality and pigment are excellent – the texture of the products are finely milled and easily blendable. I find the quality superior to most other brands, but overall you can get a similar effect with other products at a fraction of the price.

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Today’s Look & What’s Inside My Bag

January 14, 2010

Today’s look featured neutral brown + sandy gold + plum eyes with peachy cheeks and lips (updated with swatches below).


Products Used

Cheeks: Dolce & Gabbana Caramel Blush
MAC Refined MSF

Eyes: Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Sunkissed (all over eyes)
Chanel Kaska Beige Quad
Bobbi Brown Cocoa Mauve Gel Liner

Lips: Laura Mercier Ambrosia
Estee Lauder Hollywood Gold Lipsheen
MAC Utterly Posh Dazzleglass

Today’s Purse Contents:


Paul & Joe makeup bag, Pocket Calendar, Iphone, Sharpie Pen, Mini L’Occitane Frangipani Hand Cream, Toblerone Candies + wallet.

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Korres Zea Mays Powder Blush & Shimmering Eyeshadow

January 13, 2010

Since I’ve recently fallen in love with the Jasmine Lip Butter & Guava Body Butter from Korres, I decided to order a few things from KorresUsa.com to take advantage of last month’s promotional codes and try out a few of their makeup items.

What I ordered:
* Zea Mays Powder Blush in Natural & Purple Brown
* Love Your Lips Set with Nude, Pink Beige, Light Pink Lipgloss & Pomegranate Lip Butter

I also checked out the line at Sephora and got 1 item:
* Grey Brown Eyeshadow, which I think is going to be discontinued since it was only $7

Purple Brown Blush, Grey Brown Eyeshadow (from Sephora), Natural Blush
*** note that Purple Brown is a bit darker in real life ***

18S Grey Brown comparisons

15 Natural Blush comparisons

32 Purple Brown blush comparisons

Love Your Lips Set $29 (no swatches because I’m splitting this set up with friends)


Overall thoughts: I haven’t tested the lipglosses so I can’t give a review for those. I do already have the Pomegranate Lip butter which I love for a soft cherry pink tint. It tastes really good too!

The 18S Grey Brown is a pretty medium-pigmented shimmery cool silver taupe. It’s not as pigmented as MAC Satin Taupe or Bobbi Brown Brown Stone Metallic, but not as sheer as MAC Clue. It’s good for $7 if you can still find it, but I think I prefer my Chanel Safari or Nars Ashes to Ashes for a light taupe shimmer.

The Zea Mays blushes are interesting in that they have shimmer in the pot which doesn’t really show up on the skin. Natural is a good nude with a hint of peach/bronze to it. What I like about this is that it doesn’t look muddy and it’s not too orange. The finish is very natural and has decent lasting power. It’s most similar to MAC Warm Soul, but not as frosty or shimmery and more natural looking. I didn’t compare it to Nars Silvana, but Korres Natural is a more wearable less brownish/orange version of the Nars.

Plum Brown also has shimmer, but it doesn’t really show up on the skin. It looks a bit muddy in the compact (it’s darker than the photos show, I think the camera flash picked up the shimmers more). On the skin, I was worried it would look dirty, but I used this today and it actually gives a very natural plummy-pink-brown cheek (hard to envision how this works, but it does). It has more brown than MAC Plum Foolery and Nars Sin. Compared to the new MAC All’s Good blush, it has more purple/plum.

Overall I’m happy with the products although I probably wouldn’t have purchased these at full price. The blushes range from $22 to $24 (depending on whether you purchase them through Korres or Sephora) which is pricey. It’s great that the products are made with natural ingredients, but unfortunately it’s not something I really pay much attention to.

I also ordered a bunch of Guava lotions & shower gel sets too. One of them came with an expiration date for THIS February which is was a bit disappointing. How do they expect one to use up an entire lotion in 2.5 weeks before it expires? I emailed customer service about it so we’ll see what they say.

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More Love For Paul & Joe

January 11, 2010

Paul & Joe and Bergdorf Goodman still remain at the top of my favorites list and I am super excited about the upcoming Wild Flowers, Alice In Wonderland, and new additions in cream blushes, eyeshadows and nail polishes for spring 2010.

Since my Paul & Joe series back in November, I have added a few more items to my collection thanks to the recommendations of the Bergdorf Goodman staff and think I have found my holy grail creamy lipliners!


The loot:

  • Lipliner 01 Plum – natural pinky color with plum tones
  • Lipliner 04 Caramel – neutral beige
  • Lipstick 12 Bougainvillea – neutral-cool rose pink
  • Lipstick 27 Debutante – sheer sparkley peach
  • Lipstick 28 Darling – beige
  • Eyeshadow 22 Belle du Jour – peach shimmer
  • Eyeshadow 91 Butter & Sugar – pale cream shimmer
  • Nail Polish 06 Framboises – mauvey pink cream
  • Nail Polish 09 Full Bloom – baby pink cream
  • Holiday Blue Paisley Makeup Bag – comes with a brush holder inside



* Note #28 Lipstick is not swatched b/c I’m undecided about keeping it right now.

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Lipstick Queen Big Bang Theory Illusion Gloss, Butterfly Ball & 15 Minutes of Fame

January 10, 2010
I have a love/obsession with brands I do not have immediate access to and Lipstick Queen is no exception. I purchased a few items back in May of last year from Barneys in Beverly Hills and love everything (see Infinite, Creation & Pink Saint here).

Lipstick Queen recently released a few new products to her line and I blame the drool-inducing swatches and photos from Karlasugar, Just Makeup, London Makeup Girl and Beauty Moogle Zone for making me break my resolve to wait and see these products in person. From LipstickQueen.com, I ordered the following, left to right:

  • Butterfly Ball Lipstick in Trance & Float
  • 15 Minutes of Fame Lipglosses in 1, 4 and 5 minutes
  • Big Bang Illusion Gloss in Expansion

I did a few swatches of the Butterfly Ball lipsticks and Big Bang lipgloss but I highly recommend you check out the other links to the other listed blogs above for better swatches! I hope this will show you why I don’t usually do lip-swatches, they just don’t turn out well with the flash 🙁

Trance: sheer raspberry with a slight greenish shimmer


Float: very sheer natural pink, doesn’t give much color, this is pretty much my natural lip color with a bit of shine (also has greenish shimmer which you can’t see in the photo)


Expansion Lipgloss: pigmented iridescent peachy-pink, the flash washed this out in the photo so it looks very natural, but in real life it does show up pretty well on the lips


One more view of the lot where you can see the greenish tinge in the Butterfly Ball Lipsticks. No swatches of the 15 Minutes of Fame lipglosses. Karlasugar and Beauty Moogle have *awesome* swatches though!

Overall thoughts: I haven’t been able to test out the 15 Minutes glosses yet, but the colors look very natural and light. I love the Big Bang Lipglosses because they are pigmented but not sticky or slimy and have no scent. The Butterfly Balls are sheer and glossy with a greenish tint in the shimmer (like MAC’s Lollipop Lovin Lipstick). I knew there would be a chance Float might not show up well on the lips, but it didn’t stop me from wanting it. (I’m a sucker for light pinks.) I think it will work well layered over a creamy pencil or chubby stick to add shine. Trance gives a pinkish-raspberry stained look on my lips.

Have you tried these yet? What are your Lipstick Queen faves?

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Get a Soft Glow with Benefit Luminizers & Bronzers

January 9, 2010
This is a post for those who have requested photos and swatches of more affordable brands, particularly Benefit. (See below after photos for additional commentary.)

To date, I’ve accumulated 6 of their luminizing and bronzing powders which come in a wide variety of soft pretty shades. The lighter shades like Dandelion, Thrrrob & Georgia (not featured) are on the sheerer side. Some might find they won’t show up on your skin. Dandelion & Thrrrob give a soft pink glow for me, Georgia didn’t show up on my face at the store so I didn’t purchase it. Coralista, Dallas, 10 and Sugarbomb are more pigmented but not overly shimmer or frosty which is nice.




My descriptions:

  • Coralista – a softer version of Nars Deep Throat/Torrid, nice and peachy with pearl
  • Dandelion – soft powder pink, this is pretty sheer, but gives a nice pink warm pink glow
  • 10 – SHOUT OUT to Jojoba from My Makeup Reviews for making me buy this (see her review here), a very pretty soft bronzey color and pale champagne
  • Dallas – bronzey brown-pink, might look borderline muddy on light skintones
  • Sugarbomb – four shades of soft sugary candy colors in peach and pinks
  • Thrrrob – pale cool pink, similar to Dandelion, but cooler

I usually try to avoid this brand because I really don’t like the high pressure sales tactics that I typically experience from associates representing this line. While I understand it might be required of them to use this approach (based on training or corporate culture), I don’t like super pushy sales associates and I’ve found it to be an extreme turn-off. I try to shop for this line at Sephora where I find a much friendlier staff.

*UPDATE* In response to one of the comments below, these retail for $28 USD each which I agree isn’t exactly more affordable. The request for “more affordable brands like Benefit” came directly from several readers (quote on quote). I perceive Benefit as a mid-end brand, but I agree the pricing isn’t quite mid-end. You do get 10-12g of product for these boxed powders depending on color. They are comparable in price to MAC MSFs where you get 10g of product for $27 USD. Benefit also has powder eyeshadows at $18 each for .11 oz (compared to MAC priced at $14.50 for .05 oz) and cream eyeshadows at $19 each for .16 oz (compared to MAC priced at $16.50 for .17 oz).

The pricing of Benefit doesn’t exactly reflect my perception that line is a mid-end brand. While in some cases you get a better deal for your dollar, the prices are as high as brands like MAC and Bobbi Brown (like back in the day before price increases). Is the line priced correctly? Some might argue that something is worth what someone is willing to pay but since us consumers have no bargaining power with big corporate brands/stores, perhaps this isn’t the best justification of price or worth.

I might be in the minority, but I perceive Benefit lower on the brand scale compared to Clinique and MAC, but the prices indicate otherwise. I admit I did not really notice the prices much until a couple months ago when my receipt total was over $50 for 1 blush + 1 eyeshadow from the line. It was when I checked my receipt breakdown that I realized Benefit isn’t quite as “mid-end” as I assumed with regards to price.

Overall, I like the quality of Benefit blushes and eyeshadows, but there are some products from the line I refuse to try out mainly because of my prejudiced perception of the brand such as their mascara or foundation. Will I purchase anymore Benefit? Most likely yes, but I will be thinking out purchases more carefully knowing that I’m not really saving money like I thought I was by picking products from this line over my other favorite high end brands.

Do you have any Benefit Cheek Colors? What are your thoughts?

(Updated with edits, I apologize for the spelling errors!)

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