Category: eyes

Chantecaille Spring 2013 Lips

I’m one of those odd souls who loves winter. I love the cozy holidays, exciting weather and layered fashion. So, I am grudgingly accepting the quickly approaching hot weather. One thing that makes this so much easier is the stunning new lip products from Chantecaille to celebrate Spring. These shades are right up my alley – wearable, fresh neutrals that you can just swipe on. And of course, with it being Valentine’s Day, can’t think of a better topic than our pout. Pucker up!

I’m was already hooked on the Chantecaille Lip Chics – think buttery soft lipsticks that hydrate but are still packed with color. The lightweight texture has plumping effects of a gloss but coverage of a lipstick. I’ve treasured Heirloom but the new spring colors are so cheerful and feminine. Daphne is a nude pink with a sheer finish – perfect easy neutral lip. Rose Délice is a stronger, cooler pink but still relatively sheer. The pigment looks very blue and pigmented in the swatch above, but it is decidedly wearable.

Unlike the Lip Chics, I was totally new to the Luminous Gloss Long-Wear Lip Shine. Wow… are these good. These rich and pigmented lip glosses have great lasting powder and such a smooth finish. There is no settling into lines or stickiness. Extra shiny polymers give a wet, glasslike shine and superior adherence. There is no scent to these formulas. Pink Melon is a cool, relatively opaque pink that settles into a light nude. Framboise is a true raspberry that gives just a wash of color.

I can honestly say these will be my go-to spring shades. There are tremendously easy wear and use on the go. They hydrate and heal my dry lips. The fresh, girly shades are sure to cheer me up as my beloved winter comes to an end.

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE WAS PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Covet Waterproof Eyeliners

I’m going to keep this one short and sweet. My requirements for eyeliners are as follows:

Waterproof
Built in sharpener
Velvety, creamy texture
Precise
Varied shades
Smudge-proof

This newest eyeliner from Anastasia ticks all the boxes. They developed an unusually rich, pigmented liner with great shades. Pixiwoo is also a fan of these liners and I love their technique for using them: apply a thin line and then use a MAC 266 brush to wing out and perfect the line. Or wiggle the pencil into the lashes for a tight-lined look. Admittedly, it doesn’t work great on the waterline (for this try this one), but for a great cat eye that is not going anywhere for the day or evening, this is a winner.

note: Pixiwoo is a beauty blogger with stunning video tutorials – check out their you tube channel here.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Covet Waterproof Eyeliner is available at Ulta, Nordstrom and www.Anastasia.net, $19

Best Brushes

I believe that great tools can make any product work better. I have more brushes than I can count, but I seem to reach for the same ones each and every day. I never once have regretted spending the money for a quality brush because, if you take care of them, they will last forever (note: I wash mine with this every week and dry laying flat overnight). Here are my brush MVPs:

Armani Beauty Designer Foundation Brush: While I still reach for this brush, I find the Armani version is more nimble because of its size. The sharper end can get into the contours of your face. And the synthetic brisstles play well with even the thickest of foundations, not leaving one single streak.

Laura Mercier Long Secret Camouflage Brush: When you have a blemish, there is just no better tool to apply concealer. The tapered tip allows for extreme precision and feather like strokes will keep the product from becoming cakey.

Bobbi Brown Powder Brush: I’ve had this brush for years and – to this day – it retains its strands and shape like a champ. It picks up powder and buffs on skin without being cakey or over-delivering product.

Chantecaille Cheek Brush: Made of goat hair, this super super soft brush can do everything on the cheeks. The tapered end deposits pigmented blush like a champ, but can also perfectly contour a bronzer under the cheek bones.

Le Metier de Beaute Eye Shadow Brush #1: This brush made of natural goat hair and perfectly shaped for applying shadow on the lids. I love the look so popular for Spring of a bold color just to the crease. This fluffy, square brush gets just enough pigment in all the right spots.

CHANEL Precision Eyelash Curler: I used to be a devotee of the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler (I had mine for about eight years). But it wasn’t until I replaced it with the CHANEL version that I got that true lifted curl that lasts. The shape of this curler is much better suited for my lashes. Game changer.

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Maybelline New York The Rocket by Volum’Express Mascara

I have mascara attention deficit disorder. Frankly, I am trying something different in the interest of reporting and reviewing. But I am also on that quest for a great drugstore mascara. Guys, I think Maybelline’s Rocket is my holy grail right now.

The Rocket builds volume right from the first application. The glossy black formula thickens each last from root to tip with a unique gellant formula. While my lashes are long, they can be thin – so this is the precise effect I’m chasing after. But as the lashes build up volume, the finish still looks natural and not clumpy.

Now, plastic brushes aren’t my favorite. For some reason they don’t feel as good going on as a big, fluffy natural brush. But this guy has a rigid core, allowing me to really get at the root of each lash. The tiny, short bristles are what minimize clumping. I guess I need to start giving these plastic brushes a chance.

During the day, I’ve been sticking to one coat. In the evening, I am able to amp up the application for an almost doll-like effect. Either way, I get zero fallout. I’ve been using Blackest Black (non-waterproof). Next time you’re at your drugstore, I highly suggest snagging one of these. Or, you can order one here for $6.29.

Le Metier de Beaute Indelible Inks Eyeliner

I am pretty partial to Le Métier de Beauté’s Precision Liquid Eyeliner so I didn’t know what to think when they came out with a second version of liquid eyeliner. I was already hooked on that Monte Blanc pen and inky black liner. But I love pretty much everything Le Métier de Beauté does so I had to give it a whirl.

The Indelible Inks Eyeliner is classical but with rich, modern pigments. The tube and narrow brush harkens the eyeliners of the past, but the highly highly pigmented formula is intense, with a serious no-budge promise. The liquid-gel consistency allows for nimble application. While it dries fairly quickly, you do have time to build a thicker line or perfect a thin one.

At first, I had some trouble with the ultra-fine tip. The key is getting just a little product on the brush. It is easy to wipe off excess before application. I also like using an eyeliner brush for a tighter line right at the lash line. Admittedly, I was able to do this with the applicator too after a couple tries. My favorite trick was using an eyeliner brush to apply on the base of lashes a la mascara – such an impact with the great shades!

I respect the way Le Métier de Beauté carefully chose these too innovative shade. Fans of black: don’t dismiss these too quickly. The darker blue has the same effect as an inky black, with a hint of glimmer. In other words, the colors are subtle but still make a statement. Artemis is a brilliant blackout-navy while Castalia is a rich aubergine eggplant.

Mine removed easily with Bioderma Créaline H2O Ultra-Mild Non-Rinse Cleanser for Face & Eyes (just order it and trust me – the bottle is huge and it is genius eye makeup remover for dry or sensitive skin).

NARS Spring Color 2013

Today marks the day! NARS Spring Color Collection is available now on shelves. I have been wearing three peices of the collection for a week or so. All three have a sort of subtle punk glamour. However, the whole collection is more assertive:

Fresh and fierce, strong and sexy; the Spring 2013 Color Collection introduces a vibrant, ‘90s-esquepalette that sets the tone for a season of audaciously feminine looks.

Cythère Velvet Lip Gloss is a soft, metallic rose. I’m a long time fan of these pencils (see review here) which are glossy and hydrating while still uncannily long-wearing. The rose slants slightly more brown than pink, making it an almost nude and really feminine – a great shade to balance so many of the bolder shades in the collection. It does have that suggestion of frost a la 90’s but not in a cliche way.

I was new to the Soft Touchshadow Pencils. They are a relatively new product designed for smooth, long wear color. I’d like to note: these shades look really brillant in the package. I was slightly intimidated to wear these. (I still hadn’t worn Aigle Noir, part of the holiday collection). So, I grabbed Corcavado, a true 24 karat gold and part of Spring 2013 Color, and Aigle Noir and started playing.

These pencils give just a wash of color making them so much more wearable than I expected. I suppose you could layer for a full, opaque color, but I love using Corcavado for a wash of gold. Aigle Noir is perfect for the lower last line when you have a smokier, sultry eye. The shimmer is a festive level, but not adolescent I’m treasuring these for priming or layering under other looks to add some oomph.

Lastly, I’ve been rocking Disco Inferno Nail Polish. I was hoping this would be slightly more opaque. But I am so smitten with the shade, I’ll let it slide. This is three coats and I am almost tempted to add a fourth. That was the case with Desperado and Space Odyssey, reviewed here and here. It has the perfect iridescence reminiscent of holograms seen all over the runways, like this clutch from Proenza Schouler.

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