Makeup Mavens for this week +

Makeup Mavens present makeup you might have missed. This week we posted about Tarte Cosmetics, the allure of false eyelashes, and posed a valid question about SPF in our makeup - are we really getting enough?  

Now that we are in the full swing of summer, 12 top summer essentials were toted by Jenn of HopelesslyDevoted to Makeup. See if your "must haves" for battling crippling heat and unbearable humidity made the cut? 

Jennifer of Lipstick Luvvies did some treasure hunting and uncovered some "hidden gems" found at Zuneta! This post will tempt you into placing a Zuneta order for sure. 

Tarte Cosmetics managed to catch the "eye" of Christina from Lovesong for My Lipgloss and she was kind enough to swatch them al for us! Do any of these calls call your name? 

In this captive post, Mookie On The Bench, raises a great question about relying on SPF in our makeup. 

Product Doctor finally got to sample Burberry Beauty and she was not disappointed! Take a peek at what she ended up walking away with plus a gift with purchase too - Score!   

RaspberryRouge shows us the Becca bronzer that has been logging the miles since the beginning of summer for her.  Doesn't she have the most gorgeous complexion?  

The Black Panties shows us her go-to eye lashes when she wants to be the spotlight of attention. Are you a fan of false eyelashes yourself? After seeing her wearing these lashes, I'm a fan *swoon*. 

By Terry VIP Touch Expert Advanced Concealer +

As of late my skin has been red due to the summer heat...and with the temperatures rising over 100 degrees, anything on my face feels gross as of late. Basically my face gets reddish when it's over 70 degrees. 

moving along...

The one thing I have been using for spot areas is my handy dandy By Terry VIP Touch Expert Advanced Concealer. So onto the review...

Packaging: it comes in a purple tube, very slender and easy to carry around with a brush applicator. I never really use the brush, i just put some on the back of my hand, and use my fingers to apply.

Formula and Texture: the formula is definitely a medium-full coverage concealer, and it's pretty thin formula. Given my skintype, anything creamy gets cakey and overall a thicker formula just looks unnatural on my face. What's so cool about the formula is that it contains hyaluronic acid, which is great for moisture so it's not drying at all. When it's first applied it looks luminous, but when blended and dried down it's a satin finish. David introduced this to me when he used Ellis Faas foundation (Skin Veil). Let's just say I looked pretty awesome LOL. It's pure radiance and flawless on my face.

To those who are wondering how this compared to Touchee Veloutee (TV): TV is a brightening and definitely more illuminating concealer that looks amazing for your undereyes. A main difference is that TV is lighter coverage. Granted I can get away using TV for spot areas, it is a luminous finish and it's not as peachy in terms of the color compared to Touch Expert.

Price and Size: $40 for 0.085 fluid oz. 

Cons: The limited shade range. Shade #1 is if you're approx NW10-15, Shade #2: NC15-20, Shade #3: NC25-30. I'm shade 3 of course...but, really? is that the darkest a line can do? It makes me a little sad.

Onto the photos ! :D 

Left to right (with flash):

By Terry VIP touch expert #3

By Terry Touchee Veloutee #3

You can see the undertone difference, as TV is for undereye (lightening and brightening), Touch Expert is more for your face. Both are an awesome match on me.

Left to right (no flash):

By Terry VIP touch expert #3

By Terry Touchee Veloutee #3

Makeup Mavens :D

For all of my taupe homies, look no further than u-taupe-ia aka Hopelessly Devoted to Makeup's review on the epic purple taupe that is Delicate Hummingbird eyeshadow. 

I know we are always on the hunt for that perfect luxurious, vibrant pink lipstick. Look no further because Lipstick Luvvies is in love with By Terry's Cherry Cherry lipstick. Talk about stopping traffic *wink*

Lovesong for My Lipgloss is really adoring her new travel companion, which is Hourglass Illume Cream to Powder Bronzer Duo. I must say, the stuff looks pretty awesome :D

Bridal makeup is definitely always something we want to perfect since we all want to look awesome on our wedding day. It's no surprise that  Mookie On The Bench has some great ideas on what items to use and it's a bonus to see her skills in action.  

Looking for an amazing concealer and treatment in one? Product Doctor is smitten with Le Metier de Beaute's Peau Vierge Corrector and see what a difference it has made for her skin.

It's July and it's always nice to find pretty, very luminous bronzy highlighter that gives a soft warmth to your cheeks. If you're in the market for one, check out to see if it really is Raspberry Rouge's alternative to Dior Amber Diamond. 

Since The Black Panties always afraid of warm palettes, she has decided to step outside her comfort zone and take the plunge on my first Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow in #5 Sakurakaba.

Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow #5 Sakurakaba +

So I finally got my hands on a Suqqu quad...and a fellow blogger An Aura, Chic, Beauty has convinced me to get a Suqqu quad. We all know how we feel about warm colors, so I decided to make my first quad one I normally wouldn't wear (a warm one). Thankfully I have insanely hot lady (who loves red lipstick as much, if not more than myself) who did me the favor of getting this eyeshadow quad for me. So let's discuss ...

Packaging: sleek shiny black packaging. The latch snaps shut...I normally don't do palettes so I can only compare to what I have. You're supposed to push this button for the palette to open. Ok that's fine. So the latch when kept shut, it's not difficult to open the quad by just lifting the lid on its own (you're not supposed to open it by just lifting the lid on its own). It's not a big deal, but just something to be noted.

What's inside? Ok this is a big win for me: it comes with this CUTE and FUNCTIONAL double ended eyeshadow brush and a double ended sponge brush. The eyeshadow brushes are so soft and a very nice quality. My biggest pet peeve when I see eyeshadow quads/quints: the stupid sponge applicator because for the most part it's useless, whereas the brush and this sponge applicator you can actually use them. I know small brushes aren't a replacement for your full sized ones, but for someone on the go like me, these brushes will be great when you're in a pinch/bind. 

Colors: Ok this is the fun part -- at first I didn't quite understand the appeal. But when applied the colors are so glorious on your lids. It's definitely a soft glow of color on your eyes. I wouldn't consider these bold, vibrant colors. I know the soft look isn't for everyone and I'm slowly appreciating the beauty of a subtle look. The colors consist of a shimmery pinky champagne (which has got to be my favorite one, but the hardest to photograph *sad*), a medium warmer gold, the pale white shade acts as a primer (it really only evens out my lids), and a pretty chocolate brown.The colors themselves aren't unique per se, but what makes them stand out are their ... (read on)

Texture(s): they are so buttery soft and refined, so soft that it almost feels like a cream in your hands. It's magical, insanely magical. I will say the medium brown shade is pretty, but I was expecting a bit more from the matte because even though it's soft, and the application is easier than most mattes, but it's a bit subpar in comparison to Shu Uemura mattes since they apply on easier. Overall a win for me.

Price and size: 45 GBP (around $73), 0.22 oz or 6.5 grams

Where it's sold: At Selfridges in the UK, Thailand and of course Japan :)

Is it worth having?: #5 is not a crazy warm palette so I can get away with the colors, so I think it's worth it. :) Plus there's nothing more rewarding than a luxury eyeshadow palette that's so well thought out (color wise and brushes).

colors clockwise from upper left hand corner.

(with flash)

you can see the pinky-champagne highlight shade. It's magical.

no flash

isn't this brush CUTE !?!?!

The sponge applicator

Backside of the palette. 

Back of the box -- ingredients

Back of the box -- I can't read this but I hope this makes sense to someone.

Makeup Mavens for this week +

The Makeup Mavens present makeup you may have missed. This week there are delectable delights from the likes of Chanel, Shiseido, Le Metier De Beaute, Chantecaille and Becca. One Maven shares an interesting post on the link between beauty blogs and spending habits and another offers you the chance to win yourself a gorgeous cream blush.

Want to win yourself some Le Metier De Beaute? Hop on over to Hopelessly Devoted to Makeup for a chance to win a beautiful Poppy Creme Fresh Tint.

Are beauty blogs bad for the wallet? Lipstick Luvvies shares her thoughts on the subject this week, so pop on over to her blog to find out if they are friend or foe to the bank balance. 

Lovesong for My Lipgloss introduced us to the newest additions in the Chantecaille range, Poudre de Perle and a new Compact Soleil shade. Check out her gorgeous swatches of Biwa and St. Barth's. 

Are shimmery, coppery shadows your thing? If so, you need to visit Mookie On The Bench for a brilliant review on Shiseido's Hydro Powder Eye Shadow in Tiger eye.

Product Doctor fell in love with Chanel's limited edition Topkapi palette. Check out her swatches of the silvery taupe, gold and rich browns and you'll see why.  

Raspberry Rouge discovered Becca's long lasting Eye tint's and shared a review and swatches of Baroque, a foolproof soft brown shade.

The black panties got to play with Le Metier De Beaute's Silk Road Eye Kaleidoscope. Head on over to see some beautiful swatches of gorgeous plums, purples and chocolate-y shades.

Shu Uemura ME 856 +

As some of you may know, Shu Uemura revamped their eyeshadow and blushes…and one is to ask "how different are these colors from before"?

I freaked out because Shu Uemura has the softest, pigmented eyeshadows out there. They're perfection in every sense of the word in terms of colors, their payoff, the sheen and luminosity. Most reformulations usually take a turn for the worse so I was worried that it would be a grim revamping.

So what's different?

Size and packaging: The eyeshadows are now just sold in pans if you choose, which I'm guessing is Loreal's attempt to make it more accessible price point wise. The old formula were in clear lucite casing, which I actually like a lot since it's functional. I hate having to fumble around which color is inside the case. The actual dimensions of the eyeshadows are the same width, but the new eyeshadows are like a millimeter or 2 shorter than their old pans. 

Texture: they seem the same in terms of the soft buttery texture and color payoff. Thank the makeup heavens !! *bows*. They're soft, buttery and on the eyes they just look simply…awesome.

To all of you taupe lovers…PinkSith *cough* we all know the most coveted taupe is without a doubt is Shu ME 945. Why ? Because Shu knows beautiful colors, especially taupes. It's the unicorn pee of taupes…It's that taupe that brings you to your knees every time you see it. It's that love that makes your heart skip a beat each time you see it. Sadly I don't own this shade anymore as I gave it away many moons ago. so how is ME856?

Color: it's a slightly purple taupe. it's supposed to be the replacement for Shu ME850. I'm sorry, but ME856 not as silvery, nor does it have the high shine. ME856 is definitely a bit more purple than ME850. Similar, I guess, but definitely not the same. AT ALL. It's lighter and a bit more of a frost and warmer then P860. For all of you purple taupe lovers, ME856 is a must. definitely. It's brilliant color, but it's no replacement for ME850.

Size and Price: 1.4 grams or 0.049 oz, $15 for the refill ($8 more for a single eyeshadow holder)

Is it worth having?: yes, i think so…and i'm not really a taupe ho'.

picture time ;D 

left to right:

Shu P860 (d/c)

Shu ME856

Shu ME850

left to right:

Shu P860 (d/c)

Shu ME856

Shu ME850

bottom row (third from left) is Shu ME856 in the old school Shu eyeshadow palette

left to right:

Shu P860 (d/c)

Shu ME856

Shu ME850

left to right:

Shu P860 (d/c)

Shu ME856

Shu ME850

Le Metier de Beaute Fall 2011 Nails and Lips +

East Meets West Nail Lacquer Collection: 

promo photo

So to compliment the beautiful Silk Road collection, the colors are a representation of the rich colors of reminiscent of the jewels spices and luxurious fabrics that traveled this ancient path.

Dynasty -- a deep shimmering Fuschia

Anatolia -- a rich plum illuminated with bronzy, golden shimmer

Silk Road -- a metallic bronzed copper

Urban Dweller -- a rich chocolate plum with golden effervescence

---

Empress Kaleidoscope Lip Kit:

 

Imperial Silk: a pale pink for a nude base

Plum Satin: a creamy plum

Empress: a delicate mauve mixed with soft champagne

Silk Road: a shimmering red for a sheer highlight

Le Metier de Beaute Silk Road Eye Kaleidoscope

So I got to play with the new Silk Road Eye Kaleidoscope coming out this fall...and needless to say, it's nice to see rich, warm burgundy, purples, and golds. Not exactly my cup of tea in terms of colors because I hate how I look in purples. But, it's awesome to see what neat colors that are going to be the trend this upcoming season. I'll have to play with it some more when I have the time to really sit down and play. If this wins me over, then well...call me smitten :)

*Tapestry is this gorgeous, soft shimmery warm purple. definitely a color that most people will like. 

*Damask is a super warm gold, I totally need to go back to compare it to nutmeg. (will update with this info later).
*Ikat is a rich burgundy. I'm tempted to see how this looks with some magic lustre creme to use it as a lipcolor. I want a lipcolor in this family...so rich and pretty. This one may be a learning curve color for me for my eyes.

*Brocade: is a dark chocolate with burgundy mixed in. This one is so sultry because of the dark sparkles.

ONTO THE SWATCHES !!

 

Tapestry

Damask

Ikat

Brocade

Left to right are the shades from top to bottom.

Makeup Mavens for this week +

The Makeup Mavens present makeup you might have missed. Once again we give you a range of products by Chanel, Clinique, Becca, Chantecaille, Nars and By Terry. There's bound to be something to delight your senses!  We even got a look inside one Maven's storage space!


Neutrals boring? Not with Chanel's Fall Prelude Eye Shadow Quad! Hopelessly Devoted to Makeup gives us a complete look at the palette including EOTD!


Who says cake stands are just for cakes? Lipstick Luvvies gets creative with a unique makeup storage solution!


Clinique's Black Honey Brush On Cream Liner is a beautiful shimmering brown. Check it out on Lovesong for My Lipgloss!


Mookie on the Bench is loving her Becca Beach Tints. With choices from Guava to Watermelon, they're perfect for summer!


Product Doctor has your prescription for easy, beautiful summer skin with Chantecaille's new Ultra Sun Protection SPF 50 PA+++ Anti-Glycation Primer!


Is Rasberry Rouge happy about her Nars Happy Days Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil? Read her post to find out!


Can't decide which luxurious By Terry product to try first?  Black Panties is over the moon about By Terry Ombre Blackstar Color Fix Cream Eye Shadow in Bronze Moon!

Chantecaille Hydra Chic in Aster +

So today I'll be discussing more fun lip stuff...don't worry I'll get to eyeshadows in the near future...

So I bought this little gem called Aster and according to the Chantecaille website, here are its claims:

*Modern full-impact formula delivers 6 hours of great color.

*Releases a sophisticated saturated color with a natural satin finish.

*Natural extracts of papaya and orchid help to soften lips and provide anti-oxidant, anti-aging protection.

*Raist, a natural sugar derivative, provides superior hydration.

*Packed in a slim stylo for precise application.

Packaging: It's a very slender, silver lipstick. I like slender because it just looks sleek, but at the same time I tend to lose things easily. The cap doesn't come off easily, which is the main thing I'm looking for when it comes to packaging. It's a bit hard to mess up a lipsticks packaging. (at least for me)

Texture and formula: This stuff is definitely creamy in texture, although not as creamy as YSL Rouge Voluptes, but they are creamier than Armani Rouge d'Armani. Although it's creamy, it's not a thick formula at all. I like the formula because it doesn't slide off my lips, even though it has some slip, which I like. I will say it's the creamiest formula I can personally handle. Too creamy just looks like a hot mess on me. period. As for the opaqueness, this stuff is so full on opaque and it's definitely a satin finish. I wouldn't necessarily consider it a hydrating formula, but it's not drying at all. No feathering or uneven distribution of color *score*. I'm also a bit surprised that there's minimal transfer on a straw or a fork. I was like "hmmm interesting". The downside to the formula is that I can see this easily melting in a hot car, or something of that nature.

Color: It's a nice deep, vibrant cool rose. I can see it pulling a bit pink on some people, but I like the color. It's a less plummy version of GA 513.

Lasting power: Ok so it claims it's six hours of great color. I see some fading after 4 hours. Not bad at all, considering I had a couple of beverages and a snack during this time. Not as lasting as my Rouge d'Armanis, but this lasts longer than most other lipsticks. I'm actually pretty impressed considering how creamy the formula is, yet it doesn't slide off that easily.

Learning curve: This is something to be noted, only because it's important when it comes to application. Not a lot is required for application. Like i swipe my bottom lip 3/4th of the way, and then i blot and move my lips a bit and that's all that's needed. I've seen other people like apply the lipstick straight from the tube on both top and bottom lip and it looks a bit too cakey/goopy and it may slide off. Yes, the tube is small, but seriously, I don't use as much product with Aster than most lipsticks.

Size and Price: .06 oz, or 1.7 grams, $30.

Is it worth the purchase?: For a full on opaque color, yep ! I love this shade. It's so full on. It makes my Armanis look semi opaque in comparison. The downside is that there are few colors to choose from.

Photo time :)

Left to right: 

GA Rouge d'Armani in 513

Chantecaille Hydra Chic in Aster

The color in the tube.

Left to right: 

GA 513

Chante Hydra Chic in Aster 

*look at that shine and opaqueness* *gasp*

(no flash)

Left to right: 

GA 513

Chante Hydra Chic in Aster 

(with flash)

Makeup Mavens +

Makeup Mavens present makeup you might have missed. This week we posted about the beauty of online shopping, Chanel polishes, luxury brushes, Becca eyeshadows, Dior bargains, favourite products of June and we looked deeply in the purse of one makeup maven. Hope you enjoy the posts!

Jenn of Hopelessly Devoted To Makeup was not all that impressed with the new Chanel nail polishes from their Fall collection. However, as you'll be able to see, sometimes it pays off to give the products a second chance.

Online shopping is definitely becoming more and more popular. Check out some of Lipstick Luvvie's favourite online shops and products that she found on the www shelves.

Christina of Lovesong for My Lipgloss shows us what's in her bag. And guess what product is one of her 3 must-haves (tip: it's all in the name).

The latest post from Mookie On The Bench might make you green with envy as she shows you what a great deal she got on two Dior products.

Product Doctor posted about her June favourites while travelling around Spain and Portugal (lucky girl). Some truly lovely products from Becca, Le Metier de Beaute and Chanel made it on her list.

Natalie from Raspberry Rouge showed us photos and a lovely look she did with the Becca eyeshadows from the Enigma palette which looks like a beautiful trio of everyday neutral colours.

The Black Panties tempted us with her review of the luxurious and very-hard-to-find cheek brush by a Japanese manufacturer Chikuhodo.