Chikuhodo Z-2 Highlighter Brush

I've been wanting to discuss this brush for some time...it's a bit ironic because the designated purpose of this brush is to use it for highlighting. I own a lot of highlighters, but I generally use liquid ones. I do have a couple of powder ones, but it's an area of my makeup stash that I'd like to expand on. 

If you're new to my blog, Chikuhodo are the manafacturers of Suqqu brushes and they create their own brushes, which are only available in Japan. I've reviewed the Z-5 and the Z-8 (if you're interested in reading about the Z series).

So a little more about the Z-2:

Hair: it's made from 100% grey squirrel hair. Of course it's soft and the bristles feel so divine against your face.

Density: It's pretty dense, but the shape of the actual head, it's very tapered, so the effect of applying the powder is very light, but it can pack on the color. The shape of the brush is definitely unique in terms of what I have in my stash, the only other face brush that's pointed is the Becca 53, which is synthetic and used for liquid foundation.

Ferrule and handle: it's black, long and it's very sturdy. It's in line with the other Chikuhodo brushes I own such as the Z-5 and the Z-8.

Why is this so amazing?: I think the best way to describe it is to apply highlighter, whether it's on your cheeks, bridge of your nose, or wherever, it's important to have a precise application. I've felt in the past with cheek/blush brushes I tended to overapply or the placement of the highlighter was more spread out, in part due to the shape of the brush I've used in the past. I can either use the tip of the brush for narrow areas, or use it on its side for slightly larger areas. Due to the softness of the hair, it's pretty difficult to over-apply, but u can definitely easily get the perfect application if you ask me.   

Total price: $105. (price which is approx: $85 + tax + shipping + fees). 

Is it necessary?: Probably not if you have a pointed brush, or own a slanted face brush for bronzing, but I like it since it makes it pretty easy to apply powder highlighter. In my case, this brush is motivating me to buy a couple more powder highlighters. 

 

a closeup of the brush head

Becca 53, Chikuhodo Z-2

L to R: Becca 53, Shu Goat 18, Chikuhodo Z-2, Shu 20H, and Chikuhodo Z-8

By Terry Gloss Terrybly Shine -- Spring 2012:

So I finally got to see some pretties last night...those pretties being the By Terry Spring 2012 collection. Spring collections in general don't strike my fancy because I'm not one for light, or warm colors.

Of course I go to SpaceNK and I see the prettiness that is By Terry Spring:

From left to right:

#1: Diamond Dream: This is the most interesting out of the batch. When I see opalescent/light pinks, they tend to look like chalk on my lips or it looks like some white random funk that just sits there on my lips. This one even on my pigmented lips gives a gorgeous opalescence. My MA who is a NC35-40 it just makes her lips glow. It's not a color that you need lipliner for at all. When I saw it on her I literally snatched it.

#2: Honeymoon Kiss: This is a pretty peachy pink. I'm sure most people don't find it interesting since I'm sure many people probably have a similar color in their stashes...but I like it since the awesome wet shine effect it has on my lips. People literally stopped and stared and asked what I was wearing. I wore this one last night, and definitely a color I see myself wearing more often in the summer due to the effect it has on my lips.

#3: Gold Digger: I find the name almost offensive, but this one is a mid-tone rose with gold shimmer. It's probably the safest color to wear out of the entire line, and it enhances my lip color with the wet shine look. I think I'll be getting a backup of this one. I tried it in store and loved it at first sight.

#4: Pink Lover: This one is not as bright/vibrant as I had hoped it to be. On my lips, it just makes my lips a cooler pink. It's slightly milkier in texture than #1-3 and the shimmer isn't as apparent. Again, you may have a similar color in your stash, but I don't have a similar color myself (oddly enough).

#5: Wine Lust: This one is the one I'd probably wear the least since it's such a cool-based purple. It's not as red based as I had hoped, but it is a neat shade of purple. This is a color I'd be mixing with quite a bit to darken a color, but is it a color I'd wear alone? Not really. It's slightly too cool based in undertone for me to wear it alone. It's milky and less shimmery like #4.

Packaging: it comes in a silver top with the signature By Terry Terrybly diamond shape etching of her name. It has a standard doe foot applicator. 

Scent: There is a definite scent powdery/rose scent. Shade #1 smells more baby powder like in comparison to the rest. My nose is a bit stuffed so I can't really tell any major differences between the gloss scents, aside from shade 1.

Texture: Shades #1-3 are a bit thicker in texture than the Lacque de Rose, but not as thick as the Gloss Delectation. They're slightly thicker in texture than the discontinued Armani lip shimmers, but not as thick as Mac lipglasses. Shades 4 and 5 are more like the discontinued Armani lip shimmers when it comes to thickness. 

Longetivity: What's really cool about these is that they really are long lasting. So I wore #2 last night with no lipliner to see how it would fare. My biggest concern is that thicker lipgloss formulas tend to leave a white ring on my lips in a short amount of time. So I wore it from 7pm to around midnight and no reapplying. The color faded slightly, but there was definitely color, shine, and shimmer on my lips. Definitely impressed since during that time I did have a meal, and talked during the entire time from 7p-midnight. No white ring either. 

In terms of it's overall purpose: It's supposed to be an "anti-aging, firming and volumizing gloss, enriched with the exclusive Lumilip® Technology, to rejuvenate and sculpt the lips in ultra-shiny colors". (quoted from the By Terry website seen here). I can't speak for what it does since these aren't really areas I need assistance with (yet), but I can say that the gloss definitely gave my lips the apprearance of fuller, glossier pout. 

Price and Size: $44, 0.23 fl. oz.

L to R: Shade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

L to R: Shade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Burberry No. 22 Pale Barley Sheer Eyeshadow

Let me start off as to why it took me this long to review Burberry Cosmetics...because my thoughts can help explain my review on the product:

As some of you know, Burberry was only sold at a very few Nordstroms, and my closest one was in Paramus New Jersey (not near me at all). I refused to buy anything online sight unseen. Then it became available at my local Saks this past fall and when they first arrived there, I wasn't in a rush to see the counter. Plus the biggest deterrent was the packaging. I seriously dislike Burberrys packaging...so much that it took me this long to buy something from them.

And when I finally went to the Burberry counter back in October, I was a bit ... let down. I saw the colors and they're all muted, flat colors (in the pans). Nothing stood out at a first glance to me. I've realized then that I like makeup lines that have some color variation (mixture of neturals and color eyeshadow...and so on...)  

I then realized I needed to take Burberry cosmetics for what it's worth -- makeup that's pretty much fail proof in terms of a soft, everyday, work appropriate look. You can pack on the eyeshadows and it will still be a soft eye, that will never be too dark like a dark smokey eye. A fellow makeup girl I speak to, described it best: it's what Bobbi Brown cosmetics COULD have been. Soft colors with nice textures that are staples in your everyday work bag.

Ok, so I went back to the Burberry counter and saw their Spring/Summer collection. For the few moments that I stood at the display, an associate came up to me and asked me if I needed anything...and then I decided to really sit down and really experiment, since it wasn't busy.

And so then I left with a few products...including Pale Barley Eyeshadow :)

---

Color: its this beautiful beige leaning taupe shade, with this subtle sheen. I want to say it's neutral, but ever so slightly warm in undertone. I can see myself wearing it on the lid every day. I couldn't help but stare at it in the pan, and even when swatched it's just a beauty on it's own. The sheen isn't over the top, either. I'm definitely smitten with this shade.

Packaging: Yes I dislike the Burberry pattern, and the packaging is on the bulkier side. It has a little mirror, which is convenient. The Burberry pattern is embossed on the eyeshadow too (gag). I do like the magnetic open/close and it's pretty sturdy overall. 

Texture and Formula: The texture is definitely soft and creamy. It reminds me of a Dior eyeshadow in terms of how creamy it feels against your finger. The downside is that the eyeshadow by itself (no primer) is that the eyeshadow doesn't last long at all on your eyelids. On me it lasts like 2 hours with visible fading (and keep in mind its winter so my skin is drier). With primer, the lasting power is much better. I know most people only wear eyeshadow with primer. I work long hours and I have my makeup on for over 18 hours at times, and I do like my eyeshadows to perform well on its own. I'll get over the subpar lasting power on its own, but it is something to keep in mind.

Price and Size: $29 for 2.5g, or .088 oz

L to R: By Terry Misty Grey, LMdB Jojo, Burberry Pale Barley, RBR Gracious Asari, Solstice Halycon, Embrace of Cashmere

L to R: By Terry Misty Grey, LMdB Jojo, Burberry Pale Barley, RBR Gracious Asari, Solstice Halycon, Embrace of Cashmere

By Terry Gingembre Sable | Ginger Biscuit (#3) Powder Eye Shadow +

Happy New Year and I hope everyone is having a great 2012 so far ! I'm not one to discuss my personal life, but December and January have been awesome in terms of an amazing romance of sorts. I've met someone who I've been spending a lot of time with and he makes me so happy. Ok enough sappiness talk, but I'm now back to my normal schedule. Christmas and New Years are over, and getting back to the swing of things has been difficult, but now I'm ok.

So as for my first review for 2012: I've decided to talk about By Terry. I love her line, but one area I've completely ignored are her eyeshadows. I'm not really an eyeshadow person, as most of you can tell, I'm a lipstick/gloss kinda girl :)

Moving along ...

Packaging: It comes in a gold screw top single. I have no idea how to depot these eyeshadows and I'm afraid of doing so because of damaging the shadow and who knows what else. The eye shadow packaging is a bit on the bulkier side, so it's not too space friendly in your stash. They're slightly less bulky than Rock and Republic shadows, to give you an idea. Otherwise, it's pretty straight forward, screw top packaging.

Texture/Formula: Now, these shadows are not the most buttery/creamy in feel (like say Dior, RBR, Suqqu), but they're definitely not gritty, at all. The sheen is subtle, yet present...definitely no micro shimmer in this particular shade. I've grown to like Ginger Biscuit each time I use it. The biggest stand out in terms of these shadows is that they have insane lasting power by themselves, even in heat. I know it's winter time, but trust me, I've been in really hot situations, to the point of sweating bullets. These eyeshadows when layered on top of cream eyeshadows, the effect is quite magical. mmm.

Color: Ginger Biscuit is an interesting soft yellow gold kind of shade. Not a normal color for me to purchase since I prefer how I look in cooler neutrals. It's a warm shade that's safe enough for me to wear as a lid color and not look sick. The color is something I need to get more comfortable wearing since I always tend to grab a taupe eyeshadow instead. 

Price and Size: $40 for 1.5 g, 0.05 oz. They're slightly bigger than Becca's, slightly smaller than Rouge Bunny Rouge eyeshadows. 

Are they worth the purchase? I think if you find a unique shade or two, then yes, but otherwise I don't really see the need to buy the entire line of eyeshadows, just because for the price point you can get a slightly larger eyeshadow that works just as well.

top clockwise: Becca Tussah, Le Metier de Beaute Jojo, By Terry Ginger Biscuit, By Terry Pearly Rye, RBR Solstice Halycon

L to R: Becca Tussah, Le Metier de Beaute Jojo, By Terry Ginger Biscuit, By Terry Pearly Rye, RBR Solstice Halycon (flash)

Becca Tussah, Le Metier de Beaute Jojo, By Terry Ginger Biscuit, By Terry Pearly Rye, RBR Solstice Halycon (no flash)

bottom row, 2nd from left is Shu IR 800 (2nd gen), below is By Terry Ginger Biscuit

L to R: Shu IR 800 (2nd gen), By Terry Ginger Biscuit (no flash)

L to R: Shu IR 800 (2nd gen), By Terry Ginger Biscuit (flash)

FYI and the Holidays :)

As the year is rapidly coming to a close, I'll be away for a month, which means I won't be blogging during this time. Some priorities have risen and with that said, just a few things:

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season, whether it's with friends/family/loved ones. I'll be with my family during some of this time. 

I made a little Christmas wishlist (feel free to post your wishlist too i'd like to see what pretties you'd like to have ! :D)

Le Metier de Beaute Antiquité Poupée
makeup brushes (this is always my wishlist year round lol)

Guerlain Le Fumes 

By Terry eye serum

By Terry Black Pearl cream eyeshadow

I also wanted to share my By Terry story...

I had the opportunity to meet Terry de Gunzberg herself a week ago at her event hosted by SpaceNK. I didn't take pictures since I couldn't be there the entire time. Anyway, I had an artist who did my makeup (which by the way, was amazing). Terry was customizing everyone's skincare and what makeup for the person to have applied. Of course I'm in the far corner of the room having a fan girl moment seeing her. Out of nowhere she shows up and asked to do my lipstick. I don't know what kind of face I made, but I'm sure I lit up like a Christmas tree. 

She picked out 204 (Narcotic Sienna). She said I had a beautiful face and amazing lips and other awesome compliments. She changed the blush color since she used a red lipstick and applied #2 loose powder. Some of the guest artists were watching Terry work her magic on me, and needless to say I was so star struck. She can seriously work a lipbrush. She didn't spend much time on the other clients, just basically walking around just looking at the makeovers, but not really applying anyones makeup. She probably knew how much I loved her makeup line and how excited I was to see her.

I had to leave and I thanked her for her time. I also said I was so flattered...(which wasn't what I meant to say, because I was that star struck -- ha ha). Anyway, she said it was a pleasure doing my makeup. I just hope somewhere she knows that she made me SO happy. I have a whole new love for Terry as she's pleasant, humble, and just overall awesome. I'll discuss the contents of the seminar in a future review.

But this is what I was sitting next to during my makeover. I just wanted to take all of it and walk home ahahaha

And for fun times, what I've gotten to celebrate my birthday so far: 

Suqqu Holiday quads EX-05 and EX-06 (thank you to my Saint/Angel/Santa/Makeup Fairy for making this possible)

By Terry Glowing Rose (#2) Voile Poudre Eclat

By Terry Pearly Rye (#2) eyeshadow

By Terry Narcotic Sienna (#204) lipstick

By Terry Cover Expert foundation (Lumiere Veloutee's replacement)

Le Metier de Beaute Peau Vierge Concealer.

 

Thank you for your understanding (me being missing in action).

-theblackpanties

Antiquité Poupée Part II:

photo courtesy of Dustin Lujan. Model is wearing Antiquité Poupée over Noir e/l as a base.

With the reviews out there on Dustin's Antiquité Poupée kaleidoscope, there are some people who are wondering how it will look like on certain skintones. I was at Bergdorf Goodman wondering with Dustin who would be my model for his kaleidoscope. 

And then a gorgeous blonde magically appeared...out of nowhere. I was like "oooo". Dustin asked her to be my model. I was too scared to ask her since she's so pretty. I ogled at her gorgeous blue eyes and blonde hair. And so it happened...Dustin was working his magic. It can be applied as a soft daytime look for the office or a first date...

model is wearing champagne base under the kaleidoscope

and then it happened: I was looking at the escalator and she descended like the angel from the heavens that's known as magical bunny land. She has beautiful long, curly jet black hair, with super soft perfect skin, pouty lips, her expressive eyes and gorgeous smile arrived...yes, I'm sure you're all thinking of the perfect woman, and that woman is my bunny. Our schedules were aligned with the stars yesterday (which is literally once in a few centuries).

the bunny hopped around for a few minutes with glee as she saw the kaleidoscope, rubbed it against her bunny hands all over the taupe shade. . . and then . . .

she floated to the chair and sat down. I had to disappear to feed the angel some Diet Pepsi...when I came back she was all done up :D. As we all know, Bunny is one who loves all colors.

bunny is wearing the kaleidoscope over Noir e/l.

look at that sheen !! she's wearing Bali l/s & Kona l/s in the center, topped with clear gloss

sultry bunny :)

 

 and then the bunny magically appears on 58th Street. :) 

 

and these were taken with my phone :D  

and there you have it :D I hope this helps seeing how it looks in person.

To pre-order your kaleidoscope, you can contact the Le Metier de Beaute counter at 212-872-8612.

Thank you N. and Bunny for being my models for Dustin's kaleidoscope :) 

for other reviews, check out Messy Wands and Product Doctor

Hourglass Fresco Femme Rouge Velvet Crème Lipstick:

I have a love/hate relationship with Hourglass Cosmetics. For a long time I disliked their lipsticks...part of it is my fault...I tested rancid testers at a Sephora a year ago, not knowing they were rancid. But aside from lipsticks, I'm not a fan of their face products (cheek stain, foundation, tinted moisturizer). It's a small brand, and it has potential. I do like texture of their eyeshadows, but the downside is that there aren't many colors to choose from. Given that Gina Brooke is a part of the Hourglass family, I hope there will be more products the company will release in the future.

but I digress...

so back to the lipstick story, I finally got to test them again recently at Bergdorfs and tried out a few of the colors, and realized that the formula wasn't as horrid as my experience at Sephora. I then realized that the testers at Sephora were bad. Ok, so I left with Fresco and Nocturnal. ok maybe I left with a gloss too (typical lip junkie that I am).


One of the colors I left with was Fresco...a pretty soft cool pink, the "my lips but better" lipcolor. I left with Nocturnal (which I may review at a later date).


Packaging: One of the big pluses about the lipstick is the design. The lipsticks are refillable, which is pretty cool, so you're not constantly throwing out the entire tube, plus the refill prices are cheaper. *score* ! It's a dark brown casing with Hourglass written in gold along the side of the lid. The one thing I've noticed is that the lid doesn't "click" shut. Not a big deal, as long as the lid doesn't come off in my bag. A big win overall for the packaging because it is refillable.


Formula/texture: They're definitely creamy and give some moisture to the lips. Imagine Chantecaille lipchics but not so balmy feel. So for those of you who dislike the super balm sensation, but still want moisture, then these definitely fit the bill. They're definitely not as long lasting as I'd like, but at the same time moisturizing lipsticks aren't the longest lasting. For the fall/winter months I imagine a lot of people reaching for these lipsticks. They fade into a nice stain as well (awesome bonus). I will caution for those who rock a red lipstick, to be aware that these may be a bit too "runny", as in it might feather because it's too moisturizing. 


Color: It's a cool rose-pink (when swatched). (I can't think of a better description right now). It's a "my lips but better" color for some people. When applied on my lips, it's a warm pink. Weird, eh? Either way it's a nice soft "safe" lipcolor to wear. Is it a unique shade per se? Not really, but needless to say it's a lovely color for those days that you just want to enhance your natural lipcolor.


Price and size: $30 for the lipstick, $24 for the refills.

onto the photos: ;D

L to R: GA #99, Hourglass Fresco, Chantecaille Tea Rose (no flash)

L to R: GA #99, Hourglass Fresco, Chantecaille Tea Rose (flash)

GA 99 and Tea Rose are clearer rose-pinks, but the difference is minimal. edit: (when swatched), but when applied, GA 99 and Tea Rose are accurate in swatches when applied on the lips. Fresco on the other hand is definitely warmer in undertone on my lips.
 

Antiquité Poupée: Holiday 2011 Kaleidoscope +

So I'm sure most people have been wondering (myself included) what Dustin Lujan and Le Métier de Beauté have up their sleeves for this holiday. Luckily for me, I got to see what Dustin got to create for this years holiday kaleidoscope :D 

Packaging: This year's holiday kaleidoscope will come in a pretty golden box.

Dusty Rose: it's a light warm pink shade, which is used as an all over wash as a base. I actually like this one as a cheek highlighter as well. It's like a warm pink champagne shade. 

Burlap Sorrel: This one is a cool silvery, semi taupe color. It's pretty because it has this duochrome effect. In the pan it looks like a warm neutral, but when applied on your eyes/skin, it's definitely cooler in undertone than what you'd expect. I can't explain it, I'll let the photos speak for itself. 

Tarnished Russet: This color...well, when I saw it, I told Dustin myself "ewwww, what were you thinking!?!?" It looks so scary and ugly in the pan, and even swatched by itself it's not appealing. AT ALL. It's a deep red terracotta color, ugly on its own, but layered with the other shades, it definitely warms up the eye a bit. It's an interesting effect to say the least, and it makes sense as to why Dustin added the color in the kaleidoscope. 

Ember Ash: This one has to be my favorite, because it's a dark blue silver. It's dark, but not too dark for it to be overpowering, or too dark that you will go overboard packing on the color and looking bruised. Imagine a pewter color, with some blue thrown into it. Kinda cool if you ask me. :) 

Onto the photos ;D

Dusty Rose

Burlap Sorrel

Tarnished Russett

Ember Ash

how the colors look layered on my hand. I couldn't get a good photo :|

I like the colors since I'm a lover of silvery pinks, and this definitely fits the bill. 

When it will be released? Sometime in December and it will only be sold at Bergdorf Goodman. Yes, I'll be buying one for as a birthday & Xmas gift to myself <3 :D

Chikuhodo Z-5 Eyeshadow Brush

I'm sorry for not being able to blog as often, as I've been really busy as of late, and it's still busy, and will be busy until after Christmas this year.

So a little over a week or so, I got my much anticipated Chikuhodo Z-5 brush. For those who aren't familiar with Chikuhodo brushes, the few that I do own are from Z series, and here's my review on the Z-8 from earlier this year.

So back to the Z-5:

Initial thoughts: at first I was a bit, um...not happy at a first glance because it's wider and a bit larger than what i was accustomed to. When i felt the hairs against my fingers and did quick swiping motions with the brush against my arm, I thought the brush was a bit too soft for my liking, as I like stiffer eyeshadow brushes so the eyeshadow can stay on my lids. I was a bit let down when I first had it in my hands. Then I turned the brush for its profile, and I was like "hmmm".

Hair: 100% grey squirrel. Yes it's insanely soft, and as we know already from the Z-8, is that the hair comes to a very fine point. The brush itself is tapered and the hairs itself are tapered.  

Ferrule and handle: it's black, long and the brush is very light weight. When you pick up the brush itself, you think to yourself, "this is lighter than it looks". The ferrule is sturdy (as in the metal base isn't loose). The handle itself is black lacquered (wood). 

Application: So I tried it with eyeshadow and it just went on seamlessly. Usually I have to pat on the color so I don't experience fallout from the brush and from the eyeshadow falling off my lids (even with primer sometimes). You just place the color on the lid and the color stays on your lids. I was like "ooooooo". The brush picks up very little product and very few pats are needed to get the effect you want. 

When you apply eyeshadow on your lids, the color blends (like a gradient) a bit into the crease, like it's doing the job of blending for you by just patting on the color (reason being that the brush is tapered). Adding darker colors to your eyes is great, since it doesn't pack on the color a lot where you applied too much dark eyeshadow. Blending with this brush is just so easy, since the brush does some of the work for you. Color me smitten, because I thought I was going to hate this brush, when I adore it now. Soft brush and no fallout? amazing.

Of course if u have any eyeshadow left on your brush, it easily comes off on a napkin, which means maintaining the brush clean is so easy. Plus the brush is insanely soft. so.so.so.so.so soft. *drool* Definitely a brilliant brush that took me by surprise :) 

Price: 3900 Yen, which is approx $51. I paid a bit more due to fees and shipping, but you get the idea. 

onto the photos :D

L - R: MAC 224, Shu Natural 10, Shu 13G, Chikuhodo Z-5

L - R: MAC 224, Shu Natural 10, Shu 13G, Chikuhodo Z-5

side view of the Z-5. see how its tapered? :D

Makeup Mavens +

Lovesong For My Lipgloss shares with us one of the colours from the much-loved Eyes to Kill Shadow range by Giorgio Armani. Is it a must-have? Certainly!

Open the box of skincare goodies by Paula's Choice with Klara of Mookie On The Bench. Could these products be the ones to help her with her skincare troubles?

Product Doctor tempts us with another Le Metier de Beaute True Color eye shadow called Chameleon which definitely lives up to its name.

Nat of Raspberry Rouge shares with us her September favorites - vampy nails, softly defined eyes and gorgeous red lips made it to her list.

Becca makeup range is well known for their multi-purpose products and Black Panties gives a thumbs up to their colourful and long-lasting Beach Tints.