Rescue Beauty Lounge Archives - The Beauty Look Book

Best in Beauty 2015: The Beauty Look Book Favorites for Hands and Nails

December 31, 2015

Hands and nails get their own favorites category this year. There were a lot of really good colors launched this year – unfortunately quite a few were limited-edition. My top picks for hand creams, treatments, polishes and other basics. Previous reviews linked for reference:

Marc Jacobs Hi-Shine Enamored Nail Lacquer in Daisy – this is one I’ve owned for a couple years but everytime I wear it I always get asked “what’s on your nails?” it’s the prettiest soft pearly color that makes the hands look polished
Chanel Le Vernis in Beige Rose – best baby pink cream nail color
Dior Vernis in Lady – so sad this was limited-edition, the prettiest powder pink, I wish I bought a backup bottle
Dior Vernis in Sunkissed – also limited-edition but still available at Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue, the best nude peach cream
Tom Ford Sugar Dune – this was a limited-edition color from spring 2014 but made a comeback this year and was added to the permanent lineup, it’s the closest one to Dior Lady and such a polished beauty
Louboutin Scarabée Nail Polish Collection – the three had to be the prettiest nail colors launched this past year, I was happy to get them before they sold out, looking forward to what they will release this upcoming year
Rescue Beauty Lounge everything, in particular the R29 Collection – RIP RBL, you were one of my favorite nail polish lines, I was very sad to see the line go, but their polishes will always have a very special place in my heart
L’Occitane x Pierre Hermé Hand Creams – L’Occitane launched such an amazing with their holiday collection this year, I fell in love with everything in the Pierre Hermé line and am embarrassed to admit how many shower gels and hand creams I stocked up on because they are limited-edition, right now you can still find Miel Mandarine and Pamplemousse Rhubarbe online but I don’t suspect they will be available for long
Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Remover and Cuticle Oil – both of these remain at the top of my list for DIY nail essentials, I use them weekly and had to replace both because I use them so often
Molton Brown Hand Cream in Pink Pepperpod – the most unique refreshing scent I’ve tried
Tweezerman Pushy Cuticle Pusher – still the best one I’ve tried, although if you have any good ones to recommend I’m all ears
Chanel Chataigne – from the fall collection earlier this year, initially I thought it was so similar to other vamps but it grew on me, best vampy shade launched this year
Chanel Top Coat Lamé Rouge Noir – prettiest gold glitter top coat launched this year, I hope you were able to get one! It’s limited-edition
Marc Jacobs Hi Shine Enamored Nail Lacquer in Wine Not – best metallic wine color released this year, it sold out almost instantly but was restocked online at Marc Jacobs Beauty, if you haven’t tried it you need to
Nails Inc. 45 Second Top Coat – I don’t think I reviewed this in detail although I did mention it in this post here, one of the best top coats I tried this year and doesn’t cause shrinkage with other nail polish brands
Formula X Nail Cleaner and Base Coat – I’ve found the Nail Cleaner to be a game changer, having a completely clean nail surface makes all the difference in helping polish adhere to the nails, the Base Coat has been a staple all year long, it’s what I’ve used the most and I can’t recommend it enough

Nail polish and hand cream fanatics – what were your favorites this year?

21 Comments

Uncategorized

Rescue Beauty Lounge Fan Collection 3.0

October 9, 2015

I’m thrilled to share swatches of the latest collection from Rescue Beauty Lounge called The Fan Collection 3.0. This is a launch includes seven new nail polish colors inspired by fans of the Rescue Beauty Lounge line. Ji has mixed up seven dream nail colors and as always, they are absolutely stunning colors. In a world full of hundreds of nail polish colors, Ji never ceases to impress me – each time I open a box, I’m in total awe of her. She is a genius mix master.

There are seven new shades. These will be available for pre-sale starting October 13th for 48 hours so be sure you’re signed up for her newsletter via www.rescuebeauty.com to receive the link to shop. It will be available for sale to everyone else shortly after.

Ethereal is a gorgeous pearly seashell ivory shimmer. It has a lovely glow to it. It’s semi-sheer but you can layer it for full coverage, I have it shown with three coats.

The inspiration, “It is reflected in a fleeting sunrise, the lining of a seashell, the bubbles of pink champagne in a gold-rimmed flute, the shimmering silk of a sari, the glow of a candle through a gossamer white curtain. Ethereal is elegant and infinitely wearable, but has the merest hint of flash. It’s a versatile polish that can be worn by anyone, for any occasion.” —Nancy’s Fantasy.

Sanguine is a deep rich burgundy wine red shimmer. It’s packed with loads of sparkles but applies very smoothly on the nail with a glossy finish.

The inspiration, “The color I crave is a juicy jelly a la Starfish Patrick with a bright, burgundy base. It is luminous, like Poco a Poco, illuminated by the soft, peached pink glow and subtle flashes of orange. The color is vibrant, bold, and spirited. At once bright and sparkling, mysterious and dark.” – Lygie’s craving.

Electro Glacier is a baby blue with electric sparkles. This one took Ji a lot of mixing to get the right mix of bright, light and blue undertone to get the perfect color.

The inspiration, “This dream color would be an icy pastel blue/green with magical iridescent sparkles. It would be light and bright, never described as muted or dusty. More blue than Aqua Lily, and much lighter than Faraway, it is closer to the color of Bikini Bottom, but striking and opaque. I imagine the sparkle effect to be along the lines of Scrangie and NailsandNoms. Tiny, yet highly effective.” — Ashley’s #want

Galaxsea is a stunning complex iridescent purple with blue, silver, magenta, and purple sparkles inside. It’s almost duo-chrome with the way it’s complex, but it’s a very smooth sparkle. This one brightens up my mood, it’s such a fun color to wear. It’s almost like a glitter polish but very smooth and the base makes it easy to remove.

The inspiration, “Things that excite (and somewhat terrify) me are outer space and the sea. My inspiration for a new shade are those two extremes, as well as my favorite colors — multi-faceted shades of purple, blue, magenta– think fish scales. I love glitter in my polishes or sometimes a well-done shimmer makes an even bigger impact — think stars.” –Danielle’s Yearning…

Golden Horn is possibly my favorite out of the collection. It’s a gorgeous iridescent soft shimmering white that isn’t too white with suspended gold flecks. It’s an off white shade in color but not a pure white so it’s wearable on my hands (while true whites always look like white-out). There is a beautiful soft shimmer in the base which makes it glow. I had to add a closeup of the bottle – the gold is really subtle from a distance but up close you can see how gorgeous it is.

The inspiration, “This is a beautiful place in Istanbul where the Bosphorus makes an inlet. The idea is to have an off-white base (nothing too strong) with gold particles in it, similar to Naked Without Polish (which had a pink base). I love Naked Without Polish and I believe this can be a unique addition to your line. The particles should show through, so probably the base will not be 100% opaque. I love white and gold, I think it can be worn all year round, it is classy and chic.” – Sara’s Marvel….

Vixen by Sassy Shelly is such a surprise. It’s a medium-deep gorgeous berry magenta in the bottle but the shimmers are so bright the mix creates a unique bright but deep color on the nails. There are so many beautiful colors in the shimmer it’s a really complex color. Of course as always, I love RBL shimmers because even the complex ones apply smoothly on the fingers.

The inspiration, “I’m dreaming of a shade that (as of yet?) has been missing from the RBL spectrum. It’s rich and decadent and just dripping with luxury. A vivid magenta! A semi-translucent jelly, but one that is so drenched in color that it can become fully opaque in just a few coats. Its depth is filled with shimmer, a shimmer like (the first) Scrangie so deep you feel as though you could dive right in and swim around for hours. A magenta that almost glows from within with stunning teal and gold, sparkling, shining through its layers…”— Shelly’s Dream…

Last but not least, Many Splendors is the most unique color in the collection. It’s a deep black and gold glitter that dries to a matte texture. Ji calls this lava-like and I completely agree. I love the look of this with a glossy top coat added, but I’ve swatched it here as is alone with 2 coats. Being a glitter matte, it is challenging to remove, so I recommend using a base coat to create a barrier for your nails.

The inspiration, “…a night-sky black polish that, like Uluru, responds to its environment revealing fiery flashes of red orange from within. “Many Splendours” could be thought of as a darker sister to my beloved bottle of Piu Mosso, however, like the island that inspired her, she will be truly one of a kind.”— Angela’s envisage

A few swatch comparisons:

Rescue Beauty Lounge Bubblegum Punk (swatches)

Rescue Beauty Lounge Morning Light (swatches)

Rescue Beauty Lounge Better Than Boyfriend Jeans (swatches)

Rescue Beauty Lounge Peachypolish.com (swatches)

Dior Galaxie 992 (discontinued, review here)

Chanel Tulip Noire 457 (discontinued)

Rescue Beauty Lounge Pretty Gritty (swatches)

Tom Ford African Violet

Dior Czarina Gold (discontinued)

Rescue Beauty Lounge Scrangie 2.0

Be sure to check out more swatches, details and close ups on these amazing nail and beauty bloggers. There photos are amazing and nails impeccable. More details on the RBL Blog too:

Rescue Beauty Lounge Blog: Introducing The Fan Collection 3.0

Kellie Gonzo
Polish Police

These polishes will retail at $20 each. Pre-orders will start on October 13th for 48 hours. Be sure to sign up for the Rescue Beauty Lounge newsletter on their website to receive the pre-sale link. Also follow RBL on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with the latest from them.

Many thanks to Rescue Beauty Lounge for sending me samples for a preview.

13 Comments

Uncategorized

Rescue Beauty Lounge Bloggers’ 3.0 Collection

July 20, 2015

Rescue Beauty Lounge has teamed up with five amazing nail bloggers Makeup Withdrawal, Manicurator, Peachy Polish, Refined and Polished and Warmvanillasugar0823 to create a new collection of nail polishes. I received news that these launched while I was away last month and was thrilled to come home to a lovely package from Rescue Beauty Lounge. As usual – the colors Ji mixed up are stunning and unique with flawless application.

The five colors are designed by:

Morning Light from Yukie Loves

Morning Light from Yukie of Warmvanillasugar0823 is a light baby blue with a finely milled shimmer infused throughout. It has full smooth coverage with two coats. I like that it’s a baby blue but has a lot of color in it so it doesn’t look too pastel on the nails. The inspiration behind her creation:

“Periwinkle/Forget-me-not blue was one of my dad’s favorite colors. He used that tone a lot in his paintings before he passed away. I love it paired with a soft, golden shimmer or micro glitter. This painting, called Morning Light, inspired the polish. A light, cool blue, with a bit of pale gold light coming through.”

Peachypolish.com from Peachy Polish is an amazing metallic plum. It’s metallic in finish but has an ultra smooth application free of visible brush strokes. The creation of this color went through several variations. According to Ji:

“Valesha gave me very specific color directions and yes, you read this right, she sent me numerous submissions because some of them were technically impossible. Nevertheless, I’m just thrilled that we went in this direction, a new one for the RBL family; we have nothing like this color AT ALL. If you took a combination of raspberries, strawberries and blackberries, mushed and mixed them together and topped this mixture with gold, pink, blue and orange shimmering powders, what you would get is this elegant color. It’s not too dark, not too light, but an elusive medium tone that speaks to everyone. With a streak-less satin finish that’s a dream to apply, this one is definitely a new RBL classic.”

Manicurator is one of the best teal nail colors I’ve tried. It’s a mix of teal, aqua green and baby blue which makes it more wearable for me compared to other bright teals but that being said I do think Rescue Beauty Lounge makes the best blues out there. Manicurator reminds me of a summer vacation. I adore this one. It has a tiny bit of iridescent shimmer flecks inside. Application is smooth and flawless. The inspiration from Victoria came from a moodboard she created:

“All the Turks & Caicos photos are my own! I included the RBL shimmers I adore. I’d like it to be a light, dusty aqua base with a mix of your famous fantastic shimmer :D”

According to Ji:

“Who can argue with the color of lovely, tantalizing island water all-year round? A wee bit darker then our beloved Bikini Bottom, this color has a hint of a green overtone in this fantastical crème-jelly hybrid formula. And of course, like the waters by Turks & Caicos which brilliantly shimmer in the sultry sunlight, this polish is jammed-packed with micro-blue, purple, and green shimmers that will mesmerize.”

Refined and Polished is a stunning peachy orange cream that has blue and silver glitters inside. I’ve never seen a mix as interesting as this one. The blue glitters are visible on the nail (swatched in this post holding the Anya Hindmarch case here). Per Lakeisha from Refined and Polished:

“My dream polish would be coral (more peach or orange-leaning, but not red) with turquoise and gold glass flecks or shimmer. This is a timeless combo that works so well for clothing, accessories, and makeup.”

Makeupwithdrawal is a deep indigo violet jelly cream with multi-colored shimmers mixed in. With two coats the color is almost 100% opaque but the jelly texture makes it semi-transparent. It’s very smooth and applies easily on the nail without streaks. Even though it’s stunning in the bottle, it looks even more incredible on the fingers. Per Mimi from Makeup Withdrawal:

“My perfect shade would be almost if Piu Mosso and IKB 2012 had a child. Not quite as inky as Piu Mosso or as creme-like in its finish, but with some of IKB’s vibrant jelly-like properties (but more purple). I picture it containing large gold particles instead of Piu Mosso’s fine, coppery shimmer. In fact, perhaps even bigger than the gold flakes in Naked Without Polish, but sparse enough to not overwhelm the base color. I am imaging a color that is regal, guilty of hubris (that is, if a color could even be accused of such a thing), something simply exquisite like a lapis lazuli gold filigree necklace.”

One last roundup:

Bottom line all shades are winners. I’m not a fan of glitter polishes but even Refined and Polished is amazing. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite because they are all amazing. Manicurator is the prettiest teal sea green blue, Peachypolish.com is the perfect metallic soft plum wine, Morning Light is an amazing baby blue, Makeupwithdrawl is deep plum jelly perfection.

For other swatches be sure to check out Fashion Polish, Refined and Polished, Kellie Gonzo, Polish Police (along with comparison swatches), Yukie Loves, Makeup Withdrawal, Peachy Polish, and Manicurator. Each color retails for $20 available exclusively at Rescue Beauty Lounge.

These polishes were provided courtesy of Rescue Beauty Lounge.

13 Comments

Uncategorized

Rescue Beauty Lounge Je t’aime, Je’ t’aime! Part 2

April 24, 2015

Today I have Part 2 of the Rescue Beauty Lounge Je t’aime, Je’ t’aime! Collection to share. Part 1 was swatched and reviewed here with four shades. Two additional colors have arrived and I’ve been dying to share them with you for a few weeks but had to wait patiently to reveal them until today.

Combien? is a metallic gold-beige with flecks of champagne and silver shimmers. It dries to a semi-matte finish but still has some sheen to it once applied. There is a good mix of warm and cool making it a very wearable gold shimmer. There is a slight rosy hue to it which gives it warmth and prevents it from being too yellow. At the same time the silvery champagne colored shimmers add a complex twist and cool undertone to make it more neutral and refined.

Ji describes this as “Elegant and neutral, this beige-gold with a slight rose cast is not too shy to ask how much. This color is jammed-packed with sugary shimmer, but dries down to a matte for a tasteful bling-ness. Add a swipe of topcoat to amp up the bling factor.”

Swatched in direct sunlight below. Two coats will give you full opaque coverage. Application is very smooth and almost 100% streak free. There is some texture that is visible. This is applied without any top coat. Even though it has a more matte finish, I like that it’s not 100% matte.

In natural light the texture is more visible:

Trois Oignons Rouges is a jelly fuchsia purple that also has a matte finish which is really unique. Two coats will let the nail show through a little underneath but application is still very smooth and even. If you’re a fan of jelly cremes this will be right up your alley. It has a brightness to it which reminds me of summer, but it’s not screaming bright.

Ji describes this as “This was the first French phrase I strung together. Like the inside of red onions, this color is a cross between magenta and a toned-down fuchsia that dries to a chic matte. This application is so easy that you might want to try all of our other crème jellies. For ultra shine, use our legendary topcoat.”

Here’s a quick collage of the entire Je t’aime, Je’ t’aime! Collection (Part 1 Swatched here).

The colors will be available for pre-sale/early access today if you are signed up for the newsletter you should receive an early access link to buy. Colors will be available for everyone to purchase on Tuesday the 28th online via Rescue Beauty Lounge. Each polish retails for $20.

Did you order any of the colors from Part 1? Do any of the two remaining colors catch your eye?

The polishes were provided courtesy of Rescue Beauty Lounge for review.

14 Comments

Uncategorized

Rescue Beauty Lounge Je t’aime, Je’ t’aime!

March 23, 2015

Rescue Beauty Lounge has released six new beautiful polishes in the Je t’aime, Je’ t’aime! Collection inspired by Ji Baek’s love for Paris (the full story on the Rescue Beauty Lounge blog). I have four of the colors to share today. Each color retails for $20 and they will be available for pre-sale online starting tomorrow, March 24th at 12:00 PM EST through March 26th to those signed up for her newsletter. Available for everyone else starting April.

The four colors, are as usual, are true to Rescue Beauty Lounge’s style which is edgy perfection. I’ve mentioned this before, but Ji Baek is a true innovator when it comes to mixing up unique colors. She’s done it yet again with beautiful shades for spring. I can’t wait to see the other two that are part of her collection (to be released mid-April).

Close ups and swatches of each color:

C’Est Tout is a metallic green grey silvery color. It’s a complex color that flashes different colors depending on how the light hits it. This one is my favorite of the bunch. It reminds me of Chanel Black Pearl but with more silver and grey and it’s more metallic.

From Rescue Beauty Lounge:

This color is a rivalry between gunmetal and green, for sometimes it appears to be a dark gray with blue undertones and in another moment, you will see a green with micro shimmers of pink, blue, and gold. If you are ever asked, “Avec Ça?” You should answer with a resounding, “That’s all!”

Bonne Journee is an ultra-girly pink. It has a slight jelly finish where the pearl looks like it’s suspended in a gel-like polish. It flashes bright pink, silver, a bit of blue. It’s extremely unique. Brush strokes are visible but can be smoothed out with a second coat. You do need to apply this one slowly to get smooth coverage.

From Rescue Beauty Lounge:

Have a good day is how we should all take leave of anyone—this is a happy rose pink with blue undertones and a hint of copper. The shimmery satin finish will put a smile on your face and spread happiness because it works with all sorts of skin colors. This formula just glides on. Pink has never been this good.

Pardonne Moi is a deep blue metallic. There is a brightness to it which gives it life and prevents it from looking navy on the nails. There is a soft pearly quality which gives it a bit of softness even though it’s a sharp blue metallic.

From Rescue Beauty Lounge:

This phrase somehow sounds more chic than “excuse me” when you’re bumping into people in the market. This color is a satin finish of an exceptional indigo, blue overcast with iris purple. Flashes of a beautifully generous shimmer gleams with stunning sparkles.

Last but not least is Ah, Oui which is a periwinkle cream. This one has the most smooth finish being a cream without any shimmer. It’s very bright but has enough blue in it so it doesn’t look lilac or pastel on the hands. I think this one will be fun on the toes for spring-to-summer.

From Rescue Beauty Lounge:

“Ah, yes?!” Just keep saying this if you don’t understand a thing anyone is saying—I’ve fooled so many peeps saying this while exhaling, “Pfttt!” This color epitomizes Parisian chic. It’s not blue, not purple, not gray; just picture a perfect, cloudless Parisian powdery periwinkle sky. This polish is a glasslike periwinkle cream-jelly (I’ve only a few to go to complete my rainbow of crème jellies), transparent in one coat with an exceptionally smooth application; you can even add another coat on the tips of your nails for an easy gradient effect.

One last shot, all together:

Bottom line love. Rescue Beauty Lounge never fails to release unique polishes. These four are really pretty bright spring to summer colors that are different from the classic corals, pinks or reds (which I love, but sometimes it’s nice to wear something different).

For more swatches on different skin tones and nail shapes, be sure to check out these lovely nail polish and beauty bloggers for their posts. I have major nail envy every time I visit their pages. Their manicures are pristine!

YouTube Warmvanillasugar0823
Refined and Polished

Be sure to sign up for their newsletter on Rescuebeauty.com to stay up to date with new releases and sales. You will receive the 48 hour pre-sale link via e-mail tomorrow. If you miss this round, no need to worry as they will launch for regular purchase mid-April.

Many thanks to Rescue Beauty Lounge for sending me these polishes for review.

10 Comments

Uncategorized

Winter Glow

January 16, 2015

This time of year my skin feels like it lacks natural luster so I rely on illuminators and soft nude shimmers to fake that glow-from-within. Today I’m sharing my favorite go-to’s along with thoughts on a few new items I’ve been testing to get that soft glow. Picks include items for nails, lips, cheeks and eyes. When it comes to shimmers I like to mix them in for one to two areas of the face with color rather than wear champagne shimmers all over the face, otherwise it’s just too much. I like using these as a cheekbone or very soft brow bone highlight too in order to add dimension.

First up are pale shimmers for the lips. I am always a huge fan of those soft pale shimmers for the lips but can’t always pull them off easily. I have medium pigmented lips with olive skin so often times pale shimmers make me feel like I have white lips. Two I’ve discovered that work for my lips include Rouge Dior Baume in Star and Lipstick Queen Ice Queen. Both have that lovely translucent quality with multidimensional shimmer to prevent these from looking too frosted.

Both look similar in photographs on my lips but I think they are different enough to justify both. The Rouge Dior Baume in Star has a cooler-toned quality and is sheerer. Lipstick Queen Ice Queen looks lighter in the photos but it has a higher level of frost which reflects more. It has a mix of silver and gold particles which makes it a good layering lipstick. I have a slight preference for the Lipstick Queen because the shimmering quality is really pretty. If you are anti-shimmer for lips, you may find it too frosty.

For the nails, I’ve been obsessed with Rescue Beauty Lounge Bubblegum Punk for a fun multi-colored shimmer frost. It has an ultra smooth finish even though it’s on the sparkly side. I can never resist pale shimmers for nails, but some are hard to work with if they are frosts. Marc Jacobs Beauty has released two new Hi-Shine Enamored Nail Polishes. Blanche was released last fall. It’s a metallic soft white which I found took some extra effort to make work. Being a metallic I found brush strokes visible with two coats, but they disappeared a bit with the third coat. I have yet to find a good white shimmer that is streak-free. This one is pretty good if you are patient. Milk is a new addition to their Runway Shades. This is an iridescent beige that flashes pink and opal. I adore these kinds of colors but I know some women find the colors like this difficult to work with on their skin tone (something about the beige makes the skin look sallow). Milk flashes enough iridescent shimmer to prevent the beige base from dominating. I find it very wearable.

For highlighting, there are a number of multi-tasking products for eyes and cheeks. I love a good shimmer that gives a glow without looking frosty. I know everyone has different preferences for what degree of shimmer they are comfortable wearing so I’ll give a summary ranking of what I think is the most subtle to the most frosted.

First up are creamy ones. NARS St. Lucia Multiple is the latest from NARS (currently a Nordstrom exclusive, available at all NARS counters in March, review here). It’s a multi-purpose creamy twist up stick. On me it gives a natural glowy soft pink highlight to the cheeks and eyes. On fairer skins this will probably give you more color and look more blush-like.

My holy grail cream highlighter is Edward Bess All Over Seduction. He has two shades, Sunlight is the paler one (shown below) and Afterglow is a bronzey version. Both are incredibly natural and glowy. The texture blends in beautifully with the skin and the shimmer is finely milled. If you’re afraid of shimmer I highly recommend you check these out because it’s impossible to overdo and looks amazing on everyone I’ve seen it applied on.

One of the newest illuminators I’ve been testing is the Chantecaille Liquid Lumiere Anti-Aging Face Illuminator in Sheen (I received this as part of the Net-A-Porter holiday beauty box but it’s available separately). At first swipe I found the shimmer in this one to be on the high side but after playing with this I found it blended out to a soft smooth veil of shimmer. It does have more shimmer than Armani Fluid Sheers or the Edward Bess Sunlight but it is still very wearable. The pigment and shimmer is intense but it’s concentrated so you only need a tiny amount. A little goes a long way. If you’re one of those beauty lovers who is in search of a liquid highlighter that won’t disappear on the skin once you blend it this is a good one to look into. I’ve dabbed it on top of the cheekbones or eyes (after foundation/powder) and it doesn’t disrupt your makeup base. Check out the review on Best Things in Beauty to see how the colors look once blended properly.

For additional highlighters, my go-to powder highlighter is from Hourglass. The Ambient Lighting Palette (review here) goes with me on all trips. I use the full size versions at home and take this palette with me for on-the-go or on vacations. The palette came out after the individual ones were released, so I have some duplicate colors. If you’re new to these powders, I hands down say go for the palette. There is a good amount of product so it will last you a long time and it’s super convenient to use and carry with you.

I used to use the Kevyn Aucoin Celetial Powder in Candlelight a long time ago when it had the larger compact packaging. I liked it but didn’t love it. Several have recommended I check it out again claiming it reached holy grail status for them. I like the new compact packaging and the powder is lovely but I don’t love it. I find it a bit too pale for my medium-olive skin. That being said if you thought the Hourglass Luminous Light was too shimmery or glowy I recommend the Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight because it is a notch down in the shimmer intensity. If you prefer neutral to cool-toned highlighters then you will really like Candlelight. I have friends who are on the fair side (Chanel Beige 10 or MAC NC20) and they swear by this one.

Last but not least, I think the NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadows in Himalia and Dione are the best shimmers on the market. It has a really good blendable cream texture. The shimmer/frost is high on this so your mileage may vary. Full review here. If you don’t have a lot of the colors you may want to check out the NARSissist Dual Intensity Eyeshadow Palette. I already own 5 of the 8 shades so I’m having a hard time justifying a purchase since it will result in a lot of dupes for me.

What do you like to use to get a nice glow in the winter time?

The Lipstick Queen Ice Queen, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette, Rescue Beauty Lounge Bubblegum Punk Nail Polish and Chantecaille Illuminator were provided as press samples for review consideration. All other items purchased by me.

36 Comments

Uncategorized

R29 + Rescue Beauty Lounge

November 10, 2014

Rescue Beauty Lounge has partnered with Refinery29 to release a stunning collection of seven new nail lacquers this month. The colors in this collection were inspired by the seven teams at Refinery29, each of which put together color inspirational boards to create their dream color of nail polish for Ji to mix up and create. I’m thrilled to share the colors with you today. They are available for purchase now online at Rescue Beauty Lounge, all are limited-edition. The seven shades include:

Elvis in the Cloud (inspired by the R29 technology team)
All About Yves (inspired by the R29 fashion group)
Sunny Skies (inspired by the R29 health and wellness team)
Better Than Boyfriend Jeans (inspired by the R29 shopping team)
Pretty Gritty (inspired by the R29 beauty team)
Bubblegum Punk (inspired by the R29 news team)
Galaxy Glue (inspired by R29)

Elvis in the Cloud is like a red sunset. It has a mix of orange, iridescent purple, gold and some green in it. This is a metallic but applies smoothly and the brush strokes are minimal. The texture is really beautiful with a slight transparent quality. Two coats will give you full coverage. It has a complex mix of colors making it very unique. I normally don’t like orangey nail polishes (unless they are creams) but this one has completely changed my outlook on orange colors.

All About Yves is a bold blue cream with a high gloss finish. You get full coverage with two coats and the texture is phenomenal. It’s quite bright – almost electric but it’s still deep in color. If you want a statement nail color, this is it. Even though it is opaque, there is a slight jelly quality to it giving it a cushiony look and feel.

Sunny Skies is a richly pigmented sea green + teal mix. This one applies smoothly on the nails as well with two coats for full coverage. This one will be fun to wear on the toes. These kinds of colors can be hard to pull off without looking too pastel or chalky sometimes. Rescue Beauty Lounge always has the best sea-green/teal colors.

Better Than Boyfriend Jeans is a baby blue cream. I love this one for the name. Most pastel blues tend to be sheer in formula on the nails and this one is no exception. I need three thin coats for full coverage with this shade. It will take a bit more time with application but it is worth the wait. Baby blues are also difficult for me to pull off but this one is just perfect. It has the right mix of white and blue to be very flattering on medium skin tone.

Pretty Gritty is an orchid purple base with gold shimmer mixed in. It’s a really pretty color, one I find is well executed with the mix of purple and gold. It applies smoothly with two coats. The gold is very fine so there are no visible brush strokes with this one. The way it’s mixed in is impressive. It gives the effect of a soft veil of gold dust on the nails.

Bubblegum Punk reminds me of bubbles. I also like the name of this one. It’s a sparkling color that has tiny micro sparkles of clear iridescent glitters but it’s not a glitter nail polish. This one looks good alone with two coats but it’s also nice as a layering color. The shimmer particles are visible like micro glitters but the formula is very smooth and not chunky at all.

Galaxy Glue is a beautiful sea green iridescent mix. It has a mermaid-like feel and the colors change as the light hits the nail. In some light it looks more green, while in others it has more blue. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a nail polish as pretty as this one. I am going to need a backup.

All the R29 + Rescue Beauty Lounge shades lined up:

The R29 + Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polishes are available for purchase now online exclusively at Rescue Beauty Lounge ($20 each). All the shares are limited-edition and in my mind each color is a stunner. All winners in my book. If you asked me to pick a favorite, it would be impossible. I love them all, but my top three picks are Bubblegum Punk, Galaxy Glue and Better Than Boyfriend Jeans.