Browsing Tag

Lipstick

Uncategorized

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?

12 Comments
Uncategorized

Guerlain Cherry Blossom, Beatrix & Blondie for Spring 2010

January 7, 2010
Guerlain’s Spring Cherry Blossom collection arrived at Saks a little over a week ago featuring the gorgeous Natalia Vodianova in soft shades of pink and rose.

The pattern on the new Blush Éclat Cherry Blossom blush is stunning, but the product itself is a bit of a disappointment since the gorgeous rose, peach and pink shimmers that you see on the top are merely an overspray. I am happy to say that the packaging is a sleek black compact instead of the usual chrome or metallic looking case. The good news is that if you liked Armani’s Sheer 12 Blush, you will probably like this one too – it’s a warmer glowy version of GA #12 (in my opinion). It’s pretty pricey at $49 USD, you might want to consider a cheaper alternative for a pale pink highlighter blush.

There were a bunch of new lipsticks in new formulas, the KissKiss Strass (too sparkley looking) & the Rouge G de Guerlain Le Brilliant (pretty, but pricey). I’m not exactly sure how the original Rouge G compares to the new Le Brilliant formula, but the ones I tested from this new line seemed glossier and a bit sheerer in finish. I ended up buying Beatrix (B60) a cherry blossom pink and Blondie (B01) a neutral pinky-beige.

10 Comments
Uncategorized

New Laura Mercier Crystal Pink Lip Shine & Barely Nude Satin Lipstick

January 1, 2010

The spring collection from Laura Mercier this year is very simple and polished looking with neutrals in the pinky-brown color family. Most of the collection was actually a bit too neutral for me but I really liked the new Lip Shine in Crystal Pink which is a potted rich-pigment gloss (bronzey peachy pink) and Barely Nude Satin Lipstick (creamy beige).

L to R: Crystal Pink Lip Shine & Barely Nude Satin Lipstick

Swatches in the same order (with flash)

Swatches by the window, natural light


The other lipsticks are in the brown and pink-brown family similar to MAC Spirit and Twig but more wearable. If you liked the Renaissance Eye Color Duo from Nordstrom’s Anniversary sale last July, you will probably like the new eyeshadow duos as well since they are all very natural and light.

Also in the collection is a cream highlighter with 3 different colors (pale pink, rose, bronze) placed into layers in the compact. It seemed a bit too messy for me, but was really pretty – it’s something I might go back and look at again.

11 Comments
Uncategorized

Giorgio Armani Spring 2010: Nude Contrasts

December 30, 2009

My Armani guy at Saks called me to tell me they got the spring collection in so I rushed over to check it all out. It was all very soft, light, airy and spring-y, reminds me of something a fairy would wear. Very pretty, sparkly and eye-catching! They didn’t have testers yet, but they let me play with the eyeshadow palettes since lately they haven’t been sent testers until a few weeks after they receive shipment of the product to sell.

The collection consists of:

* 2 new Silk Lipsticks: #98 is a pale pink shimmer, #99 is a neutral-warm pinky rose (similar to Nars DV but warmer)

* 3 new Lipshimmers: #62 is a pale buttermilk-cream color, #63 is a sparkley beige, #64 is a shimmery pale pink with a hint of peach

* 2 new Nude Contrasts Palette (4 Eye Designing Colors): # 1 has a pale iridescent baby blue, golden sand, matte black, pale sparkly ivory, #2 has a light golden nude sparkle, shimmery soft pink, matte black, and pale warm cream shimmer

* 1 new Eyeliner (didn’t catch the actual name): 01 is a pure black

* Shimmer Powder 5: repromoted from holiday, a sheer pale sparkle powder (very very sheer)

So far, I believe only the eyeshadow palettes are available online at Giorgio Armani. I’m not sure when the rest of the collection will be up online though.

A couple spring previews from the February 2010 issues of Voce & Maquia for more views:

The haul: Nude Contrast Palettes 1 (left), 2 (right), Silk 98 Lipstick,
Lipshimmer 63 (top), Lipshimmer 64 (bottom)
Close Up of Nude Contrasts 1 & 2

Swatch of #1

Swatch of #2

Lipshimmers & Silk Lipstick

Swatches on bare skin, L to R: Lipshimmer 63, 64, Silk Lipstick 98


Here’s a look from Biteki, while I can’t read Japanese, it indicates the MAC Lipglass is 2N, so I’m assuming the lipstick is also from MAC Warm & Cozy collection. Please note my camera washed out the color on her face, so it looks like she is barely wearing anything – I did the best I could, but hopefully it will give you an idea of how to coordinate the #1 palette. Can anyone translate?


Overall thoughts: The shadows are surprisingly pigmented for lighter shades and they are more sparkly than most Armani shadows which typically have finely milled shimmer. The swatches make the colors all look similar, but in real life they are more contrasted with each other. I think these will make a really pretty neutral eye that will go with a lot of different shades.

The lipshimmers are pretty, #64 is the frostiest gloss I’ve ever seen from Armani, but still lovely. It reminds me of MAC Prrr & Bobbi Brown Pink Sugar though, so if you don’t have access to Armani or want to shell out $$$ for the gloss, you can definitely find cheaper alternatives.

Silk 98 is pretty, it’s a more pink version of MAC Plink! but still on the sheer side. I might go back for 99 at some point because it looked like a pretty rosey pink without shimmer.

14 Comments
Uncategorized

Estée Lauder Michael Kors Very Hollywood Collection Spring 2010

December 26, 2009

This spring Michael Kors has designed a collection for Estée Lauder “Inspired by iconic Hollywood glamour for everyday life.” I’ve been looking forward to the release ever since preview pictures were posted on BeautyEditor.ca back in early November which featured a fresh and modern looking collection. I was excited to see that Nordstrom put out their tester unit a few days ago. The collection is divided into two categories: beige/peach and pink/rose.


What I picked up:
* Blushes in Sunset Coral (a soft healthy coral) & Sunset Pink (a vibrant powdery pink)
* Eyeshadow Duo Blonde Mink (dusty beige shimmer and dusty-brown)
* Lip Gloss in Starlet Rose (pale light cream) & Starlet Peach (soft milky baby peach)
* Lip Sheen in Hollywood Gold (pale beige-gold), Starlet Peach (soft coral peach), Honey Blonde (medium beige shimmer)
* Shimmering Loose Powder (a soft medium pink shimmer powder)

L to R: Sunset Coral & Sunset Pink

Sunset Coral Blush

Sunset Pink Blush

Blonde Mink

L to R: Blonde Mink Eyeshadow Duo,
Starlet Peach Lipgloss, Starlet Rose Lipgloss


L to R: Starlet Peach Lipgloss, Starlet Rose Lipgloss,
Hollywood Gold Lip Sheen, Starlet Peach Lip Sheen, Honey Blonde Lip Sheen

Loose Shimmer Powder


Beige packaging & cute coral boxes


Overall thoughts: I think the colors are great for a fresh and simplistic look. Standouts for me are the lip sheens which are a semi-sheer creamy lipstick. I picked out the most natural beige and peach colors for the lip sheens (there were 2 other colors, a powder pink and bright rose). Most of the lipglosses seemed on the sheer side and have that distinct EL gloss scent (which I’m not sure my nose will be able to stand). The blushes are nice for a healthy glow.

Overall, stunning for Estee Lauder, and definitely great for everyday and extremely wearable, but the colors seem pretty dupeable. In the near future, I will need to think over my purchases more carefully before being sucked in by pushy sales associates. However, the colors are well coordinated and the nude lipsticks are very flattering and wearable where I find most other brand’s “nudes” and “beiges” look like death on my face.

Very pretty and suitable for spring. I think it will be flattering for all ages.

20 Comments
Uncategorized

Chanel Les Impressions De Chanel for Spring 2010

December 18, 2009

After a few iffy collection releases, I am happy to say that Chanel has gotten back on their gorgeousness track with the release of their Les Impressions de Chanel collection for spring (which seems more like summer, but still stunning).

Here is my “omg, I can’t believe I spent so much, but I’m so happy” haul:

* Empreinte de Chanel Poudre Eclat Illuminatrice
* Joues Contraste #59 Imprevu
* Les 4 Ombres #18 Kaska Beige
* Eyeshadow Single #85 Sillage, #86 Trace
* Nail Polishes #503 Inattendu, #505 Particuliere, #507 Tendresse
* Rouge Allure #79 Impertinente, #80 Delicieuse, #81 Insouciante, #82 Incognito
* Glossimer #139 Futile, #141 Maline

Part 1: Face and Cheeks

It seems like the star product of the collection is their compact highlighter Empreinte de Chanel Poudre Eclat Illuminatrice – this has a multi-colored base powder with an embossed crossing C logo on top in a gold shimmer powder. The shimmer goes all the way through, the Cs are definitely more pigmented, the base powder shows up, but is more sheer.

The new blush #59 Imprevu is probably the most shimmery Chanel blush I’ve seen. It’s a peachy-tawny-nude that will probably be too dark for fair skins. Right now, I have medium skin (check My Foundation Shades Here) and it gave me a bronzey-peach look. It doesn’t go on as shimmery as it looks in the compact and is just a tad lighter than Fandango but very similar.

Part 2: Eyes

These are definitely my favorite pieces. See MORE VIEWS HERE. The eyeshadow quad #18 Kaska Beige is very natural with a unique combination of colors: pale cream, medium pink-brown-beige, shimmery dusty plum, shimmery beige-gold.


Equally stunning are the new eyeshadow singles #85 Sillage (shimmery pinky shell) & #86 Trace (sparkley warm bronze). Sillage is more pink and less pale than Lotus and Island. Trace is warmer and more sparkley than Le Bronze and Cinnamon with the gold shimmers being more visible.


Part 3: Lips

The lipsticks come in the Rouge Allure formula. The colors, L to R are #79 Impertinente (dusty rose pink), #80 Delicieuse (soft coral), #81 Insouciante (nude beige-grey), #82 Incognito (neutral nude pink).

The glossimers in this collection are both sparkley and sheer but still really pretty. #139 Futile is a super pale pink and #141 Maline is a pale gold. If you have colors like Rose Sand, Seashell, Pink Crystal, or Bronze Crystal, you probably won’t need to get these unless you’re a die hard Chanel fan. I believe both are Limited Editions.


Part 4: Nail Polishes

I posted pictures and swatches of the nail polishes already a couple days ago here, so today I’ll do comparisons to other similar shades I have.


#503 Inattendu comparisons
L to R: Chanel Jasmine, Chanel Inattendu, OPI Coney Island Cotton Candy


#505 Particuliere comparisons
L to R: OPI You Don’t Know Jacques, Chanel Particuliere, OPI Over the Taupe


#507 Tendresse comparisons
L to R: Paul & Joe #10, Chanel Tendresse, Chanel Rose Satin, Zoya Jessika


Also in the collection (not purchased):
* #68 Khaki Dore Le Crayon Yeux (olivey-gold shimmery eyeliner)
* #100 Ombre D’eau (a khaki-greenish fluid eyeshadow)
* #36 Beige Le Crayon Levres (pale beige lipliner)
* #110 Beige Claire Poudre Universelle (a luminous setting powder)
* #68 Sand Eyeshadow Single (repromote)
* Soleil Tan de Chanel (Sunkissed – reformulated version of their Brilliance Pur)
along with a few other items I didn’t catch since everything was still in boxes.

Overall thoughts . . .
Winners = Eyes: To me, the must haves are the Kaska Beige Eyeshadow Quad and Sillage/Trace Singles.
Face/cheek: While I love all the Chanel JC blushes, the new Imprevu didn’t wow me as much after I saw how it compared to my other Chanel colors (if you have Fandango or Enchantresse I don’t think you need this new one). I must admit the store lighting made me gasp when I saw the new blush though. The highlighter powder is really nice, but I think YMMV on this one. It shows up on me, but I was a bit disappointed that multi-colored base is sheerer than the rest of the powder.
Nails: The nail polishes are amazing in the formula, but not so unique with the colors. I really wish they had some pearl or shimmer to them to give them that extra unique Chanel-touch. Particuliere (the grey/taupe) can be easily duped with OPI Over the Taupe – the only difference is that OPI OTT is more warm/brown where Chanel Particuliere is a tad more greyish/cool. If you like grey/taupes but want something lighter with a pearl finish, check out Zoya Pasha.
Lips: These are great if you like natural wearable colors. I think Chanel always does a great job with their lipsticks and glosses.

*Commentary deleted*

30 Comments
Uncategorized

Victoria’s Secret Makeup: Heidi Klum’s Exotic Jewels & VS Makeup Collection

December 4, 2009
I stopped by Victoria’s Secret a few weeks ago and decided to check out the Exotic Jewels Holiday collection by Heidi Klum among other things (thanks to some recommendations). I’m a huge fan of Heidi Klum, she always looks stunning and glowing. I like her modern and chic style – I especially love that she’s been featured for Ann Taylor’s holiday ad campaign. She gives the brand a more modern look.

What I came home with (beauty-related):

* Lipglosses & Lip Lacquers $10 to $14 – The lipglosses are pretty sheer, they are have a non-sticky texture similar to MAC Lip Gelees, but a bit sheerer. The lip lacquers are more pigmented.

* Heidi Klum Perfect Lipstick in Exotic Spice $16 is a great nude nude with good coverage/pigment. It has a tiny bit of sparkle in the tube, but it’s not visible on the lips. I’m not the biggest fan of the packaging and $16 seems steep for something from VS, but the texture is creamy and I love the color. I’m not sure about the regular lipsticks in the VS line, but this one has a chocolate scent.


These blend out very sheer:


* Eyeshadow quads in Eye Contact and Sultry $15: I have to say I am fairly impressed with these! $15 is a steal for this size – you get a decent sized quad. The texture is really soft and pigment is decent and very blendable. I wouldn’t carry these in my purse though – I think the formula is pretty fragile – there were several boxes on the display unit in the tore that had broken shadows inside.


* Heidi Klum Luminous Gems $22 – a bit pricey in my opinion for VS makeup and it seems like you get about 1/2 of what is pictured on the Victoria’s Secret website (in terms of amount of product) , but there is still enough product in the actual container and I can’t imagine ever using this up. Swirled together you get a pink-gold shimmery glow. (Swatch didn’t turn out so hot on my arm.)


I have to admit I bought these mainly b/c I had some coupons to use up. If I had paid more attention to which glosses were “lip glosses” versus “lip lacquers” I probably would have passed on some of these knowing that they were very sheer.

For those who just like sheer makeup and decent prices, I recommend checking the line out too. They had quite a few good neutral nude-pink lipsticks. I didn’t purchase any though.

Do you have any VS makeup favorites?

5 Comments