Kevyn Aucoin Loose Shimmering Shadow in Topaz +

You may have seen me mention Topaz as one of my more recent acquisitions in this post. It's one of the newer products from the Kevyn Aucoin makeup line, and they come in six colors. Kevyn Aucoin's national makeup artist Felicia introduced me to the product and explained that the eyeshadows can be applied wet or dry. 

Packaging: clear plastic tube, with a rollerball applicator. You know those rollerball applicators, as in the ones in travel sized fragrances...or maybe your favorite lipgloss from childhood. I was a bit thrown off by the applicator since all of my loose eyeshadows you just dip your brush in the actual product (like MAC pigments). I actually appreciate the ball applicator because I can't count how many times I've almost knocked off a loose eyeshadow from a table/stand. Plus what's really neat about the ball is that you can just apply the loose eyeshadow directly onto your eye and it's a pretty even application. Color me surprised, I wasn't expecting even application from the ball (with a powder). The actual amount of product is pretty small, but it's so convenient for travel.

Color/Formula: in the tube, it looks like a dark cool taupe. When applied, it's a GORGEOUS warm bronze. I swear the plastic packaging throws the color off, so if you see these items at a counter, swatch them before buying. As for the formula itself, they're definitely long lasting without a primer. I had topaz on my lids for over 10 hours and no creasing in my crease area of my eye. What's also really cool is that when applied wet, it's more pigmented and has a more of a sheen than a sparkle. It's definitely a great formula. 

Price and Size: $29 for 0.08 oz or 2.3 grams.

ingredients

 

rollerball applicator

L to R: Becca Brocade, Kevyn Aucoin Topaz, Armani Eyes to Kill Intense #15

L to R: Becca Brocade, Kevyn Aucoin Topaz, Armani Eyes to Kill Intense #15 (with low flash)

L to R: Becca Brocade, Kevyn Aucoin Topaz, Armani Eyes to Kill Intense #15 (no flash)

Suqqu M Brush +

I've finally have gotten to write this review ... ever since back in May that I discussed Suqqu's L brush, I've been asked how I use the M brush. So here goes ...

Like I stated with the L brush, I still don't know what hairs it consists of, but my guess is still Grey Squirrel. I don't know the actual answer since I don't have access to a Suqqu counter to ask an associate. 

How this brush is different from the "L" brush: It's shorter hairs, and more shaped like a cyclinder on the base, and it's ever so slightly tapered. I don't consider it a pointy brush either. The bristles are a bit more densely packed together than the L brush. I like it because I can use the M brush for the crease for more precise work, moreso than the L since it's a bit too big at times. The L for me is blending a wash of color on the lid, or blending 2 colors on the lid (lid and outer V). For those who want to blend the crease into the highlight or just the crease in of itself, the M brush is a better fit due to the size and shape. 

Sometimes i feel like a really pointy eye brush I can't manage to get a really defined crease to my liking, because it's too defined. What's nice is that I don't have this issue with the M, since it's not too pointy. I will say it's a bit tricky to use at first since the bristles are a bit dense, but it took a bit of practice to get the effect I wanted.

Price: £48 at Selfridges, ¥10000 on ichibankao.com (which is about £81, almost twice the price).

Is it worth having: If you have a great blending brush that you don't find too large, then the M may not be necessary.  If you think brushes like the MAC 222 is too flimsy, MAC 224 is too big and scratchy...or don't have a nice crease brush, then I do think it's nice to have.

Onto the photos!

L to R: Chikuhodo Z10, Suqqu M, Suqqu L

L to R: Chikuhodo Z10, Suqqu M, Suqqu L

L to R: Chikuhodo Z10, Shu 5R (kolinsky) Suqqu M

L to R: Suqqu M, L (color enhanced the photo since flash wasn't cooperating)

L to R: Chikuhodo Z10, Suqqu M

The state of my makeup +

I've been in the daunting process of cutting down on what I own right now. It's at a point where it's becoming overwhelming to select what I want to use for an everyday basis. Blogging is something I do as a hobby and enjoy, but I think everyone has a personal threshold as to what they can handle in terms of organization and usage. 

Not to mention that items go rancid after a while...Will I ever go through and use all of my makeup before it goes bad? That's a question that I've been asking myself for some time. Eyeshadows are powder and will last, but think of all the cream/liquid products, they go bad after a while. 

So anyway, I figured I wanted to show you how much I've purged in the past couple of weeks alone: 

now to be fair, some of the MAC pigments will come back in my stash, since there's like 10 or so that I want to keep. But first, I need to start depotting some of my eyeshadows to make some room for them.

I know it's hard to part ways with what we own since it's hard to find, limited edition, sentimental value, or just simply ... money thrown out the window. It took me a long time to even think of the idea of purging, but now that i've started...

it seriously has gotten a lot easier.  

It started with items that I never really wear, or shades that look similar...it was a quick bulk of items, like about 95% of the purge pile. Then the second round consisted of physically testing items to see if I find it flattering or not -- there were only a few items that I found unflattering. 

I'll be working on face (like foundation, primers, etc) and blushes on another weekend. That will be easy since I don't own many items from those categories. We'll see if I even get rid of any blushes...maybe a couple of backup items, but maybe 5 blushes that aren't backups.

onto the photos:

There's also a small box of older MAC and Rock and Republic eyeshadows (not pictured)

I hope someone finds this somewhat inspirational to purge items that you really don't use or need. It's really a liberating experience. I feel so much better.

I don't know if I'll do a blog sale because going to the post office gives me more anxiety than going to the dentist. Some of it will go to friends, as for the rest...that is yet to be seen.

Please feel free to share your stories of organization, purging, or any questions in general... :) 

Addiction eyeshadow in Fudge and a long intro +

I know most of you are aware that the reviews on Addiction out in the blogosphere only state amazing things. There's something to be said about Japanese makeup in general -- there's a high level of quality and craftsmanship. It's seen in makeup brushes, or even skincare for that matter. It's not a coincidence that I've been using more of my Japanese makeup as of late, since I'm always a fan of minimalist packaging, beautiful silky textures of powders, and trying to edit my stash to just awesome items.

That's not to discredit makeup made from other parts of the world, because every line has something awesome. But you know there's something interesting about Japanese makeup when Karl Lagerfeld is an aficionado himself for the past 20+ years.

So back to Addiction -- my first items from the line were oddly enough, blushes. Maybe part of me was a bit nostalgic for the Shu glow-ons. Of course being in love with those, I slowly moved into eyeshadows. I would only buy like 1 at a time since I wasn't sure what items to get, and the fear of buying something I'd regret. I recently purchased a few as gifts for friends because they're always wanting a piece of what I own. It's a makeup line I would put in the back burner since I hate ordering online and the waiting time. There's also of course my budget and trying out new items that were sold here in the states. Yes, I really do have a budget. All of the items featured on this blog I've purchased, except one or 2 items (which their posts state I've gotten for free)...One of the items was a part of a GWP.

For some reason, the most viewed items (posts) on my blog weren't from Japanese makeup items. Part of me was a bit hesitant to even review Addiction since it didn't seem like people cared to read about my Japanese makeup reviews, like Shu Uemura, Suqqu, etc. I wanted to review this because a couple of posts ago about my haul, people oddly enough asked for an Addiction review...

so here it is :)

Fudge

Packaging: sleek black packaging. easy to flip open without being flimsy. the best part with this eyeshadow is that you can depot them into their palettes. pretty straight forward. my first impressions about the packaging is that it felt flimsy since it isn't a weighty pot like Burberry, but it's totally not flimsy at all.

Formula: It feels like silk in comparison to a creamy texture. It glides on, and the texture is so light weight. The best comparison in terms of eyeshadows are Rouge Bunny Rouge (RBR) or Suqqu. Suqqus feel a smidge creamier than Addiction. The complexity of Fudge is something special in of itself. To those who don't own any Addiction, but own a color like RBR Abyssinian Catbird or Bejeweled Skylark, it's in the same vein of complexity and texture.

Lasting Power: I've recently worn Fudge without eyeshadow primer, and it lasted for 12 hours on my lid with no fading, but there was creasing on my crease after the 4th hour. Without primer that's something pretty awesome, especially in this heat.

 

Color: It's a beautiful warm bronze. It's really warm, but not garish or sickly looking on my medium skintone. It's a color that's so beachy and glorious. I didn't feel comfortable wearing it at first, but I felt like a summer advertisement for a makeup ad when wearing this shade.

Price and Size:  ¥3200 (approximately) $41 USD for 1.2 grams on Ichibankao. They're half the size of a RBR eyeshadow. It's definitely worth every penny. I know it's a lot for the size, but who really finishes an eyeshadow? 

Pictures ahead -- 

L to R: RBR Bejeweled Skylark, Fudge, RBR Abyssinian Catbird (with flash)

L to R: RBR Bejeweled Skylark, Fudge, RBR Abyssinian Catbird (no flash)

backside of the eyeshadows so u can see the size and writing

L to R: RBR Bejeweled Skylark, Fudge, RBR Abyssinian Catbird, GA ETKI 6, 15 (low flash)

L to R: RBR Bejeweled Skylark, Fudge, RBR Abyssinian Catbird (close up)

Shiseido Lacquer Rouge in RD305 (Nymph) +

I know there are some of you who are interested in me blogging about some of my new lip items...and for me to feature something as a post by itself, it's because it's truly a gorgeous item. I'm totally in love with Shiseido Lacquer Rouge (which wasn't pictured in my haul post), because I bought it the day after or so when that post was featured. 

It's funny that I never have featured Shiseido because it was the first skincare brand I used back when I was 13, thanks to my aunt. I loved the skincare back then, and just associated Shiseido with my teenage years. I know it's not a low-end brand, but I never felt the need to buy anything from them aside from the cotton pads. They do have lovely items, and are seriously underrated, especially when it comes to their lip products and skin items.

According to the Shiseido website:

Inspired by Japanese Laquerware, one coat provides intense color and deep luster. This rich liquid lipstick leaves lips as smooth as lacquer. Applicator fits closely against the lips for a comfortable, even application that does not bleed. Lacquer Rouge improves dry, rough or peeling lips with continued use, leaving them smooth and deeply moisturized.

Contains Super Hydro-Wrap Vitalizing DE.

So I present to you Nymph:

Packaging: Sleek, minimalist packaging. It's really functional with a screw top cap, and a doe foot applicator. I'm totally in love with the packaging, although the one thing I wish I could personally have is to see how much product is left in the item. 

Formula: this is the best part -- it glides on like a gloss, sets to a semi-matte finish, but it's a cushiony matte, as in it's not drying at all. I will suggest applying the lip item on exfoliated lips because if you have peeling lips, it will look a bit odd once it sets. It's a liquid lipstick so it has the look of a lipstick, not a gloss. It's more runny than Laura Mercier Lip Velvets, but a bit less runny than Chanel's Rouge Allure Laque, and not as glossy as YSL glossy stains. It's totally opaque, and nymph has no shimmer. And yes, the best part is that it DOES NOT BLEED !! (Chanel, take note from Shiseido PLEASE).  I LOATHE Chanel Rouge Allure Laque because it feathers, it slides all over my lips, and it's just an epic fail.

Color: a cool mid tone rose shade. For some reason it shows up as a deep pink nude on my lips when applied. Of course I'm someone who has dark pink lips, so anything lighter than my lip color I see as a nude. It's a wonderful shade for both day and night, and it's not overpowering. I really love the color, since I don't have anything like it. :)

Longevity: I can get a little over 5 hours of wear, and with it lasts through a meal as well. It has minimal transfer, and I mean VERY minimal. I've been working for 12-13 hours and I only had to reapply it once. At the end of my day, it faded a bit, but the color is still present. It fades really well too. 

I know some of you are asking why I'm reviewing Shiseido when I also own a YSL glossy stain: I mean the glossy stain is nice, but the longevity is so lack luster, as in it doesn't last through a meal. There's also the fact that if you wear it two days in a row, I can feel my lips getting dry after the end of the second day. With the Shiseido two days in a row, my lips don't feel dry, but it's too early to see the hydrating benefits that it states on the website. 

Price and Size: $25 and 6ml.

Pictures below:

next to an Hourglass lipstick to see size comparison

lid removed so you can see the applicator and color

L to R: By Terry Lacuqe de Rose in Rose Pulp (8), Shiseido Nymph, and YSL glossy stain #5 (low flash since it's 11:30 pm)

L to R: By Terry Lacuqe de Rose in Rose Pulp (8), Shiseido Nymph, and YSL glossy stain #5 (with normal flash)

Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadows in 25, 27, and 28 +

I know I'm late to the Armani party with the new Eyes to Kill Intense eyeshadows. I will say I've worn them twice, so it's not enough for me to give a full on review. Of course seeing that they're limited edition, I've decided to take photos for those who aren't sure on which ones to purchase. I hope these are helpful. 

I sat there for a good 5 minutes debating on which ones to get, and I liked 25 and 28 at first glance, but the makeup artist mentioned 27. I usually trust his judgement so I went with it. I'm so glad I got it since it's really a beautiful pink/purple shade (in the pan it looks much darker and it would seem to pull red). 

They are of course long lasting: they've lasted 14 hours in the heat, although it was just enough for a work shift. I haven't had much time with them, so I couldn't tell you if they last longer. 

I think it's odd that I haven't reviewed other Eyes to Kill Intense eyeshadows, since they are my holy grail for long-wearing cream eyeshadows (and of course By Terry's Ombre Blackstars).

Packaging: glass screw top with the plastic stopper. please don't trash the black stopper. If you do trash it, the eyeshadow over time will crumble and fall apart.

these are the shades that i felt were unique enough to own, the others were pretty, but nothing special. (my personal opinion of course). I know it's a bit of a quick review, but since It's almost 4 am and I'm a bit out of it, I figured the pictures would speak for themselves.

Price and Size: $32 for 0.14 oz.

Here are the photos:

left to right: 25, 27, 28

left to right: 25, 27, 28

left to right: 27, 25, 28

left to right: 25, 27, and 28 (with flash)

left to right: 25, 27, and 28 (with no flash)

items i've acquired in the past couple of months +

I've been in a rut of sorts, plus the summer heat has made me less inclined to wear makeup in general. there's probably the fact too that i'm not a fan of summer collections. Don't even get me started from what i've seen for this fall so far, I'm a bit let down since the colors aren't quite my thing (NARS i'm looking at you).

But anyways, here's what I've gotten :)

Top row: 

Addiction Rigoletto and Truffle. Then there's Burberry Trench and Midnight Brown

Middle section from left to right:

YSL Glossy Stain in #5, Burberry Blush gloss, Armani Eyes to Kill Intense 27, 28, (25 is the one that's in between the nail polishes). 

Illamasqua Naked Rose Blush, then on the far right is Kevyn Aucoin Pravella (the color when swatched is warmer than the photo).

The two nail polishes are: Rescue Beauty Lounge Jack in the Pulpit and the brown one is Ghost Ranch (which got renamed due to some copy right issues), .

On the far bottom left is Kevyn Aucoin Topaz loose eyeshadow, to the right is Citrine. 

Any items you'd like me to review? please let me know. :D

Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Bronzing Veil in Tropical Nights

Keeping it with the summer trend...today I get to present to you Kevyn Aucoin Tropical Nights Bronzing Veil. As most of you probably associate Kevyn with the Sensual Skin Enhancer, or perhaps his Candlelight highlighter or Sculpting Powder, which are probably his best selling products. One of my personal favorites of his line is his powder bronzer. 

I personally prefer the look of liquid bronzers given the heat and overall effect, but of course makeup junkies like us like to have all the options. 

Packaging: Nothing special to say, signature red and black plastic packaging, it's pretty sturdy and it has a sturdier latch than Edward Bess' original Daydream bronzer. It comes with a nice mirror too. Pretty straightfoward, it doesn't come with a brush or applicator (for those who were wondering). Not that I really care, but just something to mention since his highlighter and sculpting powder does come with an applicator.

Texture and Formula: It's a nice powder formula, finely milled, but it's not a creamy type of powder (for those who were wondering). It's definitely not powdery and it just glides on your skin with a soft sheen. This soft sheen is a definite win for me, and the color isn't orange at all. If anything the color when swatched is more of a reddish brown in undertone, but it just looks so much better when applied. The effect is more of a natural bronze look. 

If you were in the store and just went by the swatch alone, you would probably think "oh it's too weird in undertone as a bronzer". Trust me, when applied, it's so much nicer and it gives a real sunkissed look. It has a small sparkle (silver and gold), but it's not as sparkly as Armanis powder bronzer. I've tried Armanis bronzer and it's definitely luminous, but I felt like it was a smidge too dark for what I was looking for. Even with a light hand it looked nice, but for one reason or another I never purchased it. I'm glad I didn't, since this one is what I've been looking for. The sheen effect is not from the sparkle, although it helps with the overall luminosity. 

Price and Size: $45 for 9 grams or 0.32 oz

Ingredients:

L to R: KA sculpting powder, Tropical Nights, LMdB Romeo & Juliet duet, EB Daydream (original)

tropical nights by itself

L to R: KA sculpting powder, Tropical Nights, EB Daydream, LMdB Romeo & Juliet duet (with strong flash)

L to R: KA sculpting powder, Tropical Nights, EB Daydream, LMdB Romeo & Juliet duet (natural lighting)

Summer Favorites:

Summer is definitely here in NYC to some extent...warmer weather is approaching, but at times it's a bit cooler than normal. Humidity hasn't been in full force (yet). I'm loving the nicer weather. 

When comes nice weather, I do like to experiment playing with warmer colors. You normally wouldn't catch me dead in warm pinks...but I'm always trying to venture outside the box. :)

As of late, these are the items I've been reaching for lately:

Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight Celestial Powder: a gorgeous, finely milled highlighter. As much as I do love my liquid highlighters, I've been reaching for this since it's so subtle, yet it has the perfect sheen and nuances when the sun hits your face. It's not in your face sheen, the sheen only shows up when your face hits a certain angle in the light, as how a highlighter should be. Perfect year round if you ask me.

Ellis Faas Skin Veil: I love this foundation, but I only wear it when I'm out at night when I want more coverage. I'm shade 103.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Milk Aquarelle (Chestnut): it's a light weight foundation that I've been wearing almost everyday. It's a satin finish, that looks like your skin but better. This is going to replace my Chantecaille Future Skin. As much as I love Future Skin, the lasting power is a bit short, plus they don't have the right shade for me. I'm thrilled to find a foundation that literally looks like your skin but better, and that it's an awesome match. Of course nothing beats RBRs luxe packaging.

Skinceuticals Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50: With the sun being out in full force, plus using glycolic acid in my skincare regimen, I need something to protect my face from the UV rays. I like the high SPF and it's a very thin liquid formula, but the downside is that it takes a while to make the white cast to go away. When I'm more oily, the white cast disappears instantly though. Their SPF 45 is a heavy cream formula, but the upside is that the white cast goes away instantly. When I run out of this, I'll be going back to the SPF 45 formula (plus it's water and sweat resistant).

By Terry Bronze Expert Sheer Cream Blush in #1 -- Copper Sand: It's a really warm terracotta pink, but it looks terracotta in color when just used alone. When used in conjunction with liquid or cream bronzer, the pink really stands out and is a soft warm pink. It's really a unique shade that I own, and it just screams summer. Sadly, this item is discontinued, which is why I never got around to reviewing it.

Le Metier de Beaute Cebu Lip Creme: This was a Neimans Exclusive at Tysons Galleria in Virginia. I was in town when Pink Sith reviewed this little gem. I drove on over and picked it up. Gorgeous warm pink shade with gold sparkle. This is what NARS Orgasm lipgloss wishes she was. For those of you who missed out on this shade, you can mix Fraise lipcreme with Vanilla Rose and they look extremely similar.

By Terry Laque de Rose in #5 (Infernal Rose): This shade is my alpha and omega...this is the shade I've been looking for...for many years. I was convinced that me and corals would never coexist. I thought that corals hated me since my skintone was odd...and then she came...it was love at first sight. It's electric in the tube, and a miracle on the lips. Of course the downside for some people is the strong By Terry rose scent. The formula is divine since it hydrates my lips, but the lasting power is a bit short. Not surprised, but I don't mind reapplying the color. It's a beautiful mid tone coral, but pack on the gloss and it's definitely vibrant. sigh. It's a recent acquistion, but a staple now given that it's summer time.

By Terry Gold Digger Gloss Terrybly Shine

Le Metier de Beaute Bella Bronze liquid bronzer: this is my favorite liquid bronzer. Beautiful golden sheen on my arms, neck, face. I can see this not being liked by some people since it has peanut oil (I know it's a common allergy). The bottle on the left is the original formula, the new bottle on the right (silver and clear), is the one that is with a GWP at Neimans and Bergdorfs recently. I'm a bit upset that the new formula isn't the exact same as the original. The new one is a bit darker and brown, whereas the original is more golden. For those who missed out, check out Rouge Bunny Rouge Bronzing Liquid

Becca Beach Tint in Guava: gorgeous warm peachy pink that lasts all day on your face as a blush, or a nice stain on your lips. This is the item that inspired me to wear warmer colors. I'm looking foward to Becca's upcoming beach tints.

Le Metier de Beaute Creme Fresh Tint in Tenne: a cool based pink-brown cream blush, for those days when I want to be a bit more netural and not have all warm colors on my face...I can see this being a soft blush shade or a slight contour.

Photos: !

Cebu, Infernal Rose #5, Gold Digger, Guava, Copper Sand, Tenne, Bella Bronze original, Bella Bronze current

in the photo below u can see the difference between the 2 Bella Bronze a bit better.

Cebu, Infernal Rose #5, Gold Digger, Guava, Copper Sand, Tenne, Bella Bronze original, Bella Bronze current

Becca Turkish Rose Cream Blush

Hi all! 

I've been away for a bit, seeing family, trying to handle stress and being sick for a bit. Still no excuse for a small hiatus, but that has been my life as of late.

I hope all is well with everyone though :) During my small hiatus, I got to see my MA David at the Becca counter (it had been a while since I last saw him).

P.S. whoever out there who is reading my blog, David told me that he had a customer who mentioned me and wanted to see him. I'm kinda curious who it was, since I'm flattered to know that someone wanted to meet him. 

For those of you who don't know who David is, he's my go to person for makeovers and random recommendations for makeup. He's also the one responsible for introducing me to By Terry. :D He's a very talented artist who makes me feel like a sexpot when he does my face. I can't speak enough praises about him. Seriously.

Moving along. . . 

David did my makeup since it had been a long time since I last saw him, and he used Turkish Rose on my cheeks. I wasn't too thrilled with the idea of a nude blush since after all, I have Fig Beach Tint already. After seeing it on my face, I fell in love, of course.

So back to Turkish Rose:

Color: It's definitely a nude cream blush, a soft pink nude...it's not brown based, and it's not really beige-based either, so i can find this flattering on a lot of skintones. I don't think it would show up that well on darker skintones, which isn't cool. Fig is definitely more beige, which for super fair people can look a bit more brown once applied on the skin. My small issue with Fig is that I have to really layer it for a hint of color to show up. With Turkish Rose, there's no need to pack on the color, and it just shows up like a soft nude sheen. The pink undertones in Turkish Rose is ever so slightly less apparent on my cheeks than on my arm.

Formula and consistency: Is there really an explanation for Becca's cream blushes? They're definitely luminous. What I love the most is the radiant effect it has on the skin, because people always say I look well rested. The texture is so beautiful. It's not a thick formula, and it just glides onto the skin effortlessly. You can pack on the color without looking overdone, but the shades are definitely pigmented so you don't need a lot for the shade to show up. They're definitely a gold standard when it comes to cream blushes. I can't help but stare at the shades at a counter.

Price and Size: $30 for 3 grams or 0.1 oz

Onto the swatches. I do apologize for the Fig one, it sets faster than I had remembered. oops.

L to R: Becca Fig, Becca Turkish Rose, LMdB Ginger Lily, LMdB Tenne

L to R: Becca Fig, Becca Turkish Rose, LMdB Ginger Lily, LMdB Tenne (no flash)

L to R: Becca Fig, Becca Turkish Rose, LMdB Ginger Lily, LMdB Tenne (flash)