Suqqu Face Color Palette (EX-01) +

Part of Suqqu Fall 2011's collection also consisted of a face palette, which is a combination of a face and cheek colors. 

Packaging: It comes in a sleek black rectangular box. Inside if you open it, there's the palette with the blush/highlighter with a mirror. What's cool is that behind the mirror, there's 2 brushes. Most palettes from other brands, their applicators are indeed useless. You know what I mean, the scratchy blush brush, the sponge eyeshadow applicator. Anyway, the Suqqu brushes are so soft and they are useable. The downside is that the brush isn't stiff enough to pick up as much color as I'd like personally. I'd use a brush like this for more pigmented colors so that the color won't be so intense on my face.

Texture: the formula is the signature buttery goodness, that it feels like a cream when you touch it with your finger. It's nice to know that Suqqu is consistent with their powder formulas, that it's smooth and so blendable. Pretty straight forward. 

Colors: 

Face colors: Starting from the left, it's a very mid tone soft brown, alone it almost disappears into my skin. I'd use this color to warm up my eyelids as a base for my eyeshadow. Then you have a light beige which is a nice soft highlight, but it's barely there. I'd use this more for my browbone (matte browbone highlight) if I'm doing a strong eye. Then we have a light pink highlight which looks chalky in photos, but on my cheeks it's AWESOME. it's a soft baby pink with subtle sparkle, which is what I would use to highlight my cheekbones. The three colors mixed together it's like the color of my skintone with a subtle shimmer. Even if I'm doing a strong eye and (or) a strong lip, the face colors mixed together are still too subtle to show up on my cheeks. 

The face colors are underwhelming for someone of my skintone, since I have nicer cheek powder highlighters in my stash (Champagne Silk from Le Metier de Beaute and Oscar de la Renta). I feel like the Suqqu palette was designed for someone who is NC25 and lighter. Individually I can use the colors for specific things, but mixed together I am a bit disappointed at how it shows up on my skin.

Cheek colors: the narrow strip is a cute strawberry blush color with some sparkle, and the last (far right) slightly warmer and it has no sparkle. I adore the colors myself, and mixed together the colors are lovely. These colors are the definite winner out of the palette.

Price and Size:  I paid 49 GBP.  Size is 0.43 oz or 12.4 grams.

Is it worth the money?: I like the palette itself, but do I LOVE it? No. I do see myself using the colors, but it's not something I'm that crazy about to use all the time. As for someone who is around my skintone or darker? No. It's definitely a bit sheer. I do think it's worth the money if you're like NC15.

Photos below: 

Face Palette from Left to Right.

Suqqu EX-04 Toukaede Eyeshadow Palette +

So for this fall, Suqqu came out with some new pretties, and of course yours truly had to get her hands on a couple of items...

So with that being said, it so happened the items I wanted were limited edition. *sob*. I've waited since the end of August for my new pretty...

Formula: the eyeshadows are their signature buttery soft goodness. It feels like a cream when you touch it with your fingers. It's nice to have great eyeshadows that just go on evenly and smoothly. If you like Rouge Bunny Rouge eyeshadows in terms of the texture and consistency, then you'll definitely love Suqqus. 

Colors (clockwise): The top left corner is a nice warm champagne shade, definitely the most shimmery out of the bunch. The color itself required a bit more product than usual for it to show up properly. Definitely a good color for a strong brow highlight, but my fav use for this one is the inner corner of my eye. Then we have a golden-peach-apricot kind of color. I'm a bit surprised that Suqqu used warm, summery type of colors for the fall. Anyway, this shade is similar to Sakurakaba. The main difference is that the Toukaede is a bit more shimmer. 

On the bottom left, there's this pigmented cream white shade that's supposed to act like an eyeshadow primer. I have yet to use the white shade by itself (as a base) since I have my own primer. I use it as a base, then apply the shadow on top.The texture is divine, creamy, and definitely opaque. Moving along, then the last shade is a warm satin finish (as in semi-matte) brown. It has a bit of sheen.  

Price: 49 GBP (which is what I paid) and the size is the standard suqqu palette size (although i didn't check the back of my palette to confirm). 

The colors in of themselves may not be unique per se, but what makes them stand out is their texture and how it looks on your eyes. The effect is so lovely, especially because the shimmer isn't too over the top nor overwhelming.

Oscar de la Renta Ready to Wear Kaleidoscope Swatches +

I finally mustered the courage to swatch my kaleidoscope, and good lord it's so beautiful. That red is seriously going to be my go to shade for this fall.

Being in New York, I see and sometimes meet famous people from time to time, but never have I been humbled by how grounded and down to earth someone is until I met Oscar himself. There's something to be said about how nice and relaxing someone sounds, plus him saying it's a pleasure to sign my kaleidoscope in Spanish. It was a little moment that made me smile.

and random aside: Anna Wintour showed up at the Le Metier de Beaute counter. Can we also say Dustin looked so hot !?!? :D Thanks Dustin for saying that I looked good. :) Wearing a skirt was definitely a bit awkward. lol.

ok onto the swatches:

L to R: Red Chiffon, Champagne Silk, Teal Weed, and Pink Suede (flash)

L to R: Red Chiffon, Champagne Silk, Teal Weed, and Pink Suede (no flash)

Oscar de la Renta The Face of Fashion Project +

Hi all ! So I'm here in the middle of festivities with a fellow friend...

So I got to see and get my Oscar de la Renta Kaleidoscope and I just wanted to show you the photos. I didn't get to have the time to swatch them, since I have to rush back to Bergdorf Goodman to partake in the fun stuff.

Part of the Press Release: 

NEW YORK, September 2011 – Fashion's Night Out is a global initiative created to celebrate fashion, restore consumer confidence, boost the industry's economy and put the fun back in shopping. This year Le Métier de Beauté is expanding on this mission by celebrating the intersection of beauty and fashion with “The Face of Fashion Project” and renowned designer and color authority Oscar de la Renta.

Oscar de la Renta has designed a limited edition “Ready to Wear” Kaleidoscope palette for Le Métier de Beauté, featuring a bold red gloss and three finely milled powders that can be used on the cheek and eye. The palette evokes the colors and textures of Oscar de la Renta’s fall collection, and will be housed in a custom package inspired by one of his patchwork-embroidered jacquards.

“Color has always been an extremely important part of who I am as a designer. It is wonderful to work with cosmetics because they are such an important part of a woman’s sense of femininity. The colors in my palette are meant to compliment a woman, and enhance her natural beauty. I have chosen shades that are indispensible, like a good red lip, and a neutral highlighter for the cheekbones,” said Oscar de la Renta.

...

The “Ready to Wear” Kaleidoscope features:

·         Red Chiffon Lip Crème Lip Gloss, a seductive scarlet with luxe shine

·         Pink Suede, a shimmering pink-neutral cheek/eye highlighter

·         Champagne Silk, an effervescent mauve-crème eye shadow

·         Teal Tweed, a deep, shimmering teal-navy eye shadow

 The Kaleidoscope comes in a teal suede bag with a little insert that states that quote from Oscar (stated above)

Red Chiffon

Champagne Silk

Teal Weed

Pink Suede

Enjoy everyone! I'll do swatches at a later time. :)

Le Metier de Beaute Empress Lip Kaleidoscope +

So as I am finally on one of my few days off...I get to present to you the Le Metier de Beaute Fall 2011 lip kaleidoscope. There wasn't much info out there, but as I got to see it, I took pictures :)

Colors: The top shade is Imperial Silk which a super soft pale warm pink. Then we have my favorite shade (surprise, surprise) is  Silk Road, which is an opaque vibrant red (finally, a pretty red for fall). Then we have Empress, which is a soft a delicate mauve mixed with some champagne. It's a soft delicate color on it's own and I actually like it by itself...oddly enough. Then we have Plum Satin, which is a deep cool plum. The shades mixed together is this beautiful rosy plum. It's sooooooooooo pretty. PRETTY. Even 3 random people on the street complimented on my lip color.

Texture/formula: So this is definitely more in line with the standard Lip Kaleidoscope, very full on pigmented shades of color. I'm sure there are people that are wondering how it compares to Écumes D'or: Écumes D'or shades were a lot softer in color, and the texture is definitely more jelly like in formula. This kaleidoscope is more like their previous ones such as Red Rapture. I like the formula because you can smack your lips together and it's not a dry formula that accentuates lip lines or makes your lips dry. The best I can compare this to are NARS lip lacquers, but even then they're not that similar.

Longevity: They adhere to the lips so well that I managed to get about 5 hours of wear, but uhm...let's just say it was removed from someone else (hee hee hee), so I couldn't get to find out if it lasted longer.

This item is definitely my winner from the fall collection :) <3 it's so delicious. 

ONTO THE PHOTOS !!

The shades mixed together, assuming all equal parts of the 4 shades. :) The color is a teeeeeny more rosy in real ife. The color is dead on accurate on my lips (of course a touch more rosy).

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.