Despite having quite oily skin, powder foundations (along with matte foundations, as I will get to in another foundation review coming up) have always been something I’ve shied away from. Just the thought of an obviously powdery, caked-on complexion strikes fear into my liquid foundation-loving heart. But then a while ago, I finally gave into my skin’s craving for a drier formula and bought the ever popular bareMinerals Matte Mineral Foundation. After a few uses, I was left not so afraid of powder foundations but also not very impressed. I tried to give up the idea that a powder foundation could ever hold up to a liquid foundation but kept hearing so many good things about them. So I decided to give it one more shot with the Gorgeous Cosmetics’ Powder Perfect Powder Foundation.

Gorgeous Cosmetics, as you know, is fairly new to the U.S (see my reviews for their Colour Pro Blush and iINK Liquid Eye Pencil). The brand describes this product as a “triple milled foundation powder [that] feels as soft as silk. Illuminative properties correct and even the appearance of skin tone, providing a naturally healthy finish.” You can use this powder alone as a light base that subtly corrects and perfects the skin while still allowing the skin’s natural beauty to shine through. You can also use it to set liquid foundations for more added coverage and shine-control.

–click image to enlarge–

The foundation comes packaged in Gorgeous Cosmetics’ signature rubberized black compact, similar to Nars’ packaging. There are 2 tiers inside: the top tier holds the powder foundation while the bottom is a small compartment that holds the accompanying sponge applicator. The powder itself is embossed with the Gorgeous Cosmetics “g” logo.

I received the shade PP-03 to review. I would call it a light-medium yellow beige. Now I have to say first of all that the powder looks a lot lighter in the pan than it does on the skin. When I first received this, I thought there was absolutely no way this shade would suit my NC25-ish skin–it just looked so pale! But I gave it a try and was amazed that it blended beautifully on my skin. This is in part, however, due to the powder oxidizing just a bit. Within about a minute of application, it darkens slightly to become my perfect shade. I personally don’t mind since in this case, it works to my advantage, but I know this will bother some people.

Now the texture of the powder itself is very nice. It’s incredibly finely milled and silky to the touch–dense but smooth. It definitely applies that way, too. Because of the fine texture, it does have a tendency to kick up dust if I use a harder brush but with a sponge or very soft, dense kabuki, I have no problems.

When applied with a brush, I get a sheer-light overall coverage. It’s quick, it evens out my skin tone, diffuses some of the redness around my nose area, and it doesn’t sink into my pores (a huge problem I had with the BM foundation). It doesn’t cover all the dark redness on and around my nose, though, and it definitely doesn’t cover any of my discoloration or scars around my face like the BM foundation does. For this reason, I have taken to either just using the BM foundation or, if I have more time, applying some concealer around my problem areas and then doing a quick sweep all over with the Powder Perfect Powder Foundation.

When applied with the accompanying sponge, I get a solidly light coverage. I do prefer application with a brush, though. I found that when I applied it with a sponge, it did look pretty powdery and dry. It doesn’t stay that way, though–after a couple minutes on the skin, it has lost its powdery look and melds into the skin. Still, applying with a dense kabuki brush avoids that problem entirely and creates a softer, more natural and diffused look.

The Powder Perfect foundation lasted about 3-4 hours (depending on the weather) on my skin before I needed to blot. Overall, the foundation lasted almost 8 hours on my skin before I felt I needed to reapply.

–PP-03 swatches heavily on left and blended on right. I know it’s really hard to see the product but I thought I’d include swatches anyway. Click the image to enlarge–

I’d say this is a good powder but it’s definitely not for those looking for a true powder foundation and definitely doesn’t take the place of a liquid base, for me. I think this one’s best suited for those with nearly perfect skin who just need a light powder for evening out the skin tone and taking care of shine. Since I don’t even have close to perfect skin, I can’t say I fell in love with this. Still, it is quite nice and I like that it comes in 12 shades. I’ve been super impressed with everything else I’ve tried from the brand though so definitely do check them out if you get the chance!

»»Pricing: $46/0.5 oz. (12 g.)

»»Availability: Nordstrom.com and GorgeousCosmetics.com

»»Recommended for: those with normal to oily skin who don’t need much coverage at all

»»Overall Rating: B

Disclaimer: the product(s) featured in this post were provided to The Beauty Sample free of charge by the manufacturer/PR for review purposes only. Regardless of how the product was obtained, my priority is to you, my readers, and I will always give you my honest opinion.

Have I ever told you guys that I have a serious weakness for beauty products with names that pertain to food? Example: Lid Smoothie. Skin Food. Lip Butter. Soufflé Blush. This may or may not also be about 90% of the reason I am dying to try the new Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelées. But I digress–when I was at the Dior counter a few weeks ago to purchase the new Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo Iridescent Blush & Bronzing Powder, these new Jelly Lip Pens caught my eye immediately. Doesn’t it just sound so squishy and delicious?? Who could resist a name so cute?!!

The Jelly Lip Pen is a brand new, limited-edition product from Dior’s Bird of Paradise Collection. They describe it as “a true beauty multitasker” that features “an exclusive jelly-like formula [that] is available in richly saturated hues offering an all-in-one treatment to deliver the hydration of a balm, high shine of a gloss and pigment of a lipstick.” The Jelly Lip Pens are available in 3 shades: Copacabana, Carioca, and Gaïa.

–click image to enlarge–

Gaïa is a light-medium, brightened watermelon-pink with silver micro-shimmer. It’s a gorgeous shade for spring and summer! I actually meant to pick up Carioca because, as you know, I just can’t resist a warm, pinky-peach/apricot ever, but I accidentally went home with Gaïa instead. Still, when I came home and pulled off the cap, I was instantly smitten. I don’t have a shade quite like it in my lip collection–it’s beautiful!

Unfortunately, it is quite sheer–sheerer than I was hoping for it to be (and I love sheer lip color) and definitely not the “richly saturated hues” that Dior promised. The bright, juicy pink comes through just a bit better in my swatches than on my lips. It’s not quite as bright and the kick of watermelon is toned down but still, it lends a really pretty, happy pink flush to the lips.

The formula is really nice though, but not quite as “jelly-like” as I was expecting. The finish, however, is quite luscious and shiny–very jelly-like, indeed. The Jelly Lip Pen is pretty firm and retains it’s shape/tip nicely despite me pressing on it quite firmly and swatching on my arm back and forth several times. It applies smoothly and evenly and is really moisturizing, as well. I didn’t have any problems with flakiness or dryness when wearing this and once it has worn off, it leaves my lips feeling conditioned and smooth.

Gaïa does have a very, very slight sweet, fruity scent to it–it’s hardly noticeable at all in the tube and I didn’t even catch a whiff of it on my lips.

Gaïa wore for a little over 2 hours on my lips without eating or drinking. It’s not the best I’ve tried but not bad for a moisturizing, sheer formula. I definitely don’t think you necessarily “need” this one though. It really is nice–I like everything about it, from the beautiful color to the moisturizing formula to the shiny finish to the sleek, convenient packaging. But you definitely are paying the price for a Dior lip product when you could get pretty much the same product for much cheaper.

However, if you love Dior and love a good tinted balm in chubby lip pencil format, you will love this one! It’s beautiful–there’s no doubt about that!

»»Pricing: $26/0.097 oz. (2.75 g.)

»»Availability: Nordstrom, Macys, Bloomingdale’s, Dior.com, and all Dior counters

»»Recommended for: everyone!

»»Overall Rating: B+

I used to be of the mindset that lip balm was lip balm, and paying anything over $20 for a lip balm would be tantamount to highway robbery, especially when you go through as much of it as I do (I once went through a stick of Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in a week flat. True story!)! But over time, I found it increasingly difficult to resist the sweet siren call of such pricey lip treatments. I mean, there had to be something special about them to warrant the hefty price tag, right?! Well as luck would have it, Hourglass offered to send me their newly released N°28 Lip Treatment Oil. Of course I jumped at the chance to see what all the fuss was about and whether or not these pricey lip treatments were worth the inflated price.

You might recall Hourglass’ very popular N°28 Primer Serum that was released last year–this lip treatment is the follow-up to the Primer Serum. The product is described as “an advanced anti-aging treatment for lips that combines botanicals, vitamins and three powerful ingredients in a supremely luxurious oil blend.” The treatment is meant to hydrate, rejuvenate, and regenerate the lips. Like the Primer Serum, it contains a blend of 14 essential oils as well as vitamins A, B5, C and E.

–click image to enlarge–

This product comes packaged in a unique, stand-up pump-style applicator tube. Under the removable cap is a 24-karat gold-plated palladium tip. Pretty as it is, it’s not just for show: the tip is actually antibacterial and is cooling and soothing, as well. As you can see from the photo, the pump is situated right under the applicator tip. You just press down on the grooved plastic back and product comes out of the gold tip. The finger-pump is very precise and allows for easy control of the amount of product you disperse.

Now I don’t know about you guys but when it comes to lip balm that is packaged in any type of tube with applicator, I always dispense the product onto my (clean) finger and then apply, rather than use the applicator tips. I just don’t like how messy/grimy the tips look and I feel like I can control the application better with my finger. But with this particular lip treatment, I highly recommend using the included gold-plated applicator. I feel like it really spreads the thick product across the lips much easier than my finger does (so I end up using a lot less) and besides, it just feels really, really nice!

The texture is really quite dense and does take some getting used to. Compared to the N°28 Primer Serum, which I would call more syrupy, the Lip Treatment Oil is thicker–more like a glaze. I wouldn’t necessarily call it sticky per se but it definitely does retain a certain tackiness. This tackiness really helps the product stay put for hours on the lips–I’m talking almost 5 hours. Very impressive, for a lip treatment! This is what makes the Lip Treatment Oil a phenomenal overnight lip treatment.

Surprisingly, despite the thicker consistency, it doesn’t feel heavy or thick on the lips at all, especially once it’s been on the lips for about 10-15 minutes. By then, some of it has sunk in but there is still some product remaining on the lips to protect and add some lovely shine! It goes on completely clear and also provides a really nice base for your other lipsticks/lip products. Seriously try it–I tried applying my Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy over it, as it’s not as moisturizing as some of my other favorite sheer lippies. Boy applied super evenly and smoothly. The Lip Treatment Oil really seemed to grab onto the pigment and intensified the shine; it transformed Boy into the lipstick that I had originally expected/hoped for when I first bought it!

Like the Primer Serum, however, this lip treatment is scented. The smell is nice–very interesting. It’s just very herbal and ever so slightly bitter. The scent is almost exactly the same as the Primer Serum except stronger and the clove and bitter orange stand out a bit more, to me. It lingers on the lips for about 10-15 minutes, after which I don’t notice it anymore.

I’ve noticed a great improvement in the condition of my lips since I’ve started using this product. When I first started testing it, my lips were going through a weird dry phase. Now my lips are already dry–I am constantly reaching for my lip balms because without it, my lips are just feel parched and unbearably tight (I think they are seriously addicted to lip balm. I can never be without product on my lips ever!). But they were especially dry for some reason and were flaking and peeling constantly, no matter what I did. After a week of using the Lip Treatment Oil twice daily–morning and night–my lips felt so smooth and plump and were no longer flaking at all.

It’s certainly pricey, there’s no getting around that. But to be fair, it’s not just another lip balm, it’s a lip treatment–and not just any lip treatment, it’s a lip treatment oil. But really, this is a unique product–I’ve never used a lip treatment quite like this before. The texture and consistency are one-of-a-kind, as is the fabulous formulation and luxe packaging. And it actually works too! Despite only having been released a few weeks ago, Hourglass already has another hit on their hands–I’ve read nothing but rave reviews from other bloggers!

So is it a must-have? Probably not for everyone, but it’s definitely worth the money if you have chronically dry lips and money to spare on a lip treatment that may or may not have to be replenished every month or so, if you go through lip treatments like I do. I personally love it and will definitely be repurchasing once this tube has run out!

»»Pricing: $42/0.25 fl. oz. (7.5 ml.)

»»Availability: Barneys, Space NK, Sephora, Hourglass.com and all Hourglass counters

»»Recommended for: those with dry lips in need of an intensive lip treatment

»»Overall Rating: A

Disclaimer: the product(s) featured in this post were provided to The Beauty Sample free of charge by the manufacturer/PR for review purposes only. Regardless of how the product was obtained, my priority is to you, my readers, and I will always give you my honest opinion.

As I’m sure many of you are well aware, I am and always have been more attracted to a very sheer, subtle lip. Tinted balms and sheer, balmy lipsticks are my go-to’s when I want to look a bit more polished and put-together. It seems that sheer lip color is also becoming more and more popular, especially now that spring is here and summer is right around the corner! So, I’ve decided that I should put together a post highlighting some of my favorites as of late for you! I think every single product would be great for a light, no-fuss pop of color during the warmer months. So here it is: a lipstick-phobe’s guide to lip color!

–Field Rose on left, Copper (adorable mini-size) on right–

1. Burberry Lip Mist

You must have heard me mention this product at least once before, whether it be in a post, on twitter, commenting on someone else’s blog, etc. I absolutely adore this formula! It’s so balmy and nice, every single shade in the line is fabulous, and it stays put for a decent amount of time for such a balmy formula. I fully intend on collecting the entire shade lineup one day so watch out for that!

–Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy–

2. Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine

I don’t love the Rouge Coco Shine formula as much as I do the Lip Mist but it’s still a very nice option. Plus, Boy is such a beautiful, easy-to-wear color that I still happily put up with the much shorter (compared to the Lip Mist) wear time.

–left to right: Sugar Rosé, Sugar Plum, Sugar Honey–

3. Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatments SPF15

*the above link takes you to my review for Sugar Coral, which also has swatches of Sugar Rosé and Sugar Honey. This link will take you to my review of Sugar Plum

Love these–absolutely love them. They are supremely moisturizing, have just the perfect amount of pigment and shine, and all the shades are beautiful and immensely flattering. I am almost out of my favorite–the Sugar Honey shade (the tube on its side above. The writing has worn off the tube)–so I definitely need to repurchase. For me, this is the ultimate “nude” lip. Anything lighter and the result is usually me being mistaken for a cadaver. But Sugar Honey is a light-medium neutral-pink and suits my skin tone beautifully. I will never be without this shade again!

Sugar Plum looks like it’d be more suited for fall or winter but honestly, it’s so sheer that it works year-round. Sugar Coral (not pictured) is a beautiful, vibrant shade–much more pigmented than the others. It will be beautiful come summertime! And Sugar Rosé is just a lovely, soft, feminine wash of pink. It’s really nice anytime but I am especially loving it now for spring.

–new Revlon Lip Butter shades for Spring 2013. Clockwise from top left: Juicy Papaya, Pink Lemonade, Wild Watermelon, Sorbet (at very bottom)–

5. Revlon Lip Butters

I don’t own too many of these but I definitely plan to continue expanding my collection and trying some of the other shades that I’ve heard so many good things about. I do have all the newly released Spring shades though and I absolutely love them–Juicy Papaya has been my go-to as of late. It’s not as moisturizing and balmy as Peach Parfait (one of the original shades and the only other shade I had tried previous to these new releases) but it’s still really nice. The pop of color these add is perfect–not too dark,  not too light. I never have to worry about applying these without a mirror!

–left to right: Hibiscus, Pink Blossom, Tiger Lily–

4. Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm

They’re cheap, they’re easy to apply, they’re easily accessible, and they keep my super-dry lips soft and moisturized while adding a pretty tint. They remind me of Laura Mercier’s Hydratints, which I used to use before discovering these. These are pretty much exactly the same, even down to the very similar packaging, at just a fraction of the price. You can’t beat that!

–there are 2 Tinted Lip Enhancers and 2 Pearl Lip Enhancers pictured. While I do love all of them, the Pearl version is more just a shimmery gloss. I’m talking about the 2 tinted ones in this post, which are Bellini (coral shade) and Shiraz (deep wine shade)–

6. Jouer Tinted Lip Enhancers

New for spring 2013, these tinted balm/gloss hybrids are a real treat for the lips. Super moisturizing, just a hint of color, glossy shine…the only thing these don’t have is SPF. But I can live with that because they’re just so darn pretty! I carry Bellini with me in my purse at all times now. It goes with everything so it’s a good one to have for touch-up emergencies–especially when I need to treat dry or flaky lips but I still want a pretty pop of glossy color.  

–Sunset Angora on left, Sheer Linen on right–

7. L’Oréal Colour Riche Colour Caresse Lipsticks

I reviewed these a while ago and my thoughts on them have not changed–I think this is a really great drugstore lipstick! They’re balmy, smooth, shiny, moisturizing, and come in 16 beautiful shades! Plus you gotta love that drugstore price! Sheer Linen and Sunset Angora are my favorite shades. Especially Sunset Angora–it’s so pretty and warms my face right up!

Swatches of the Revlon Lip Butters and Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balms (click on the links above to see swatches for the other products):

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So that’s it! How about you? Do you depend more on opaque, full-coverage lipsticks or sheer lip products? What’s your favorite sheer lip product?

I usually don’t have a problem writing out an intro to my posts but in this case, I’m struck a bit dumb. Just look at that palette! I’m not entirely sure that words are really necessary here. So let’s all just take a collective step back for a moment and just gawk at the beauty that is Giorgio Armani’s Summer 2013 Face & Palette!

This palette is the gem of Giorgio Armani’s Summer 2013 Collection.  The collection includes this limited-edition palette and the new (and permanent) Flash Lacquers, available in 36 stunning shades (only 18 are currently available on Giorgio Armani’s site. The rest will be released sometime this month).

–click image to enlarge–

The palette, listed on their site as the “Bronze All-Over” Palette, features 2 levels: the insanely beautiful Amber bronzer with the dazzling, intricately embossed design on the top tier and 3 shadows on the bottom tier (with 2 double-sided sponge-tipped applicators included).

When I first saw the lovely embossing of the powder, it immediately brought to mind the image of delicate pleats rippling through metallic fabric. Upon reading the description on Armani’s site, I learned that that was indeed the look they were going for: pleated lamé. It certainly is beautiful, don’t you think? The bronzer just glimmers and winks in the sunlight–it’s truly a sight to behold.

–click image to enlarge–

–indoors with flash, click to enlarge–

The bronzer is a medium, warm tan hue with slight orange tones. I know some people are afraid of orange in their bronzers but it really looks incredibly natural when used correctly/sparingly. The bronzer is labeled as being sheer though, so you don’t have to worry about overdoing it with the color and looking like an oompa loompa. The color is nice and soft and easy to blend out, so it’s basically foolproof. The almost metallic-looking surface shine is mostly an overspray, though the bronzer underneath still does have a soft golden sheen. It’s very fine and does not accentuate my large pores in the slightest.

The 3 eyeshadow shades are unnamed. From left to right is a warm, frosted golden creamy white; a soft, pearly peach; a medium-dark, warm golden-brown with a slight golden sheen.

–indoors with flash, click to enlarge–

As one would imagine–or hope, anyway–all the powders in this palette were unbelievably soft, silky, and finely milled. These were truly some of the most delectably soft and creamy powders I have ever tried. There was no fallout or problems with pigmentation–just smooth, rich color and a sinfully buttery texture. Every single shade, including the bronzer, was an absolute breeze to work with. I honestly barely had to blend a thing–I just swept and patted everything across my face haphazardly and ended up looking like I had spent 30 mins. transforming myself into a bronzed goddess (or at least the closest I would ever come to looking like one. Haha!) for all my minimal effort!

The ease of use will make this palette especially nice to have during the summer when you really don’t have the time and/or motivation to put together a whole look but want to look pretty and bronzy before hitting the beach. You have all your products in one convenient and oh-so-chic palette! Just apply a wash of the peach shade all over the lid, smudge the brown onto the upper lashline  (or darken the crease/outer V with it, if you prefer) and outer third of the lower lashline, add a bit of the shimmering cream into the tear duct, and sweep the bronzer onto the cheekbones. Et voilà–perfect, effortless, beachy beauty in an instant! I also like to use the bronzer as a shadow too and apply it all over my lid, using the darker brown shadow to deepen the outer corners. It is beautiful on the eyes as well as the cheeks!

And as a plus, with the inclusion of the bronzer as an eyeshadow, you pretty much have the same shades as the new Eyes to Kill Shimmer palette in Mirage. I was going to buy that palette but decided on this one instead since they were so similar but this one had a bronzer. The 2 palettes’ peach and dark brown shades are almost exactly the same while the highlighter shade in this palette is just a touch more frosted and white than Mirage’s version. The Amber bronzer is very different compared to Mirage’s mid-tone warm, slightly coppery gold but the idea is sort of the same in that they are both quite warm, are both mid-tone, and both have golden highlights. Anyway the 2 were similar enough for me that I felt I could get away with just buying one.

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The shadows lasted all day (over a primer) easily. The bronzer held up for about 5 1/2 hours on my skin. Remember though, my skin is very oily and getting oilier by the day thanks to the rising temperatures here (yesterday and today have been in the mid to high 80′s). Those with dry, normal, and combo skin should have no problems getting this to wear for at least 8 hours, if not more.

Now trust me, I know this palette is seriously pricey and these probably aren’t the most unique shades ever made but if you’re a lover of warm neutrals, shimmering, summery color, and easy to use/wear palettes that take all the guesswork out of creating a complete, complimentary look, this one’s for you. I myself will never get tired of high-quality, perfectly done neutrals and couldn’t be happier with my purchase!

»»Pricing: $88/0.28 oz. (8 g.) of bronzer and 3 x 0.03 oz. (1 g.) of eyeshadow

»»Availability: Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, GiorgioArmaniBeauty.com, and all Giorgio Armani counters

»»Recommended for: anyone looking for an easy, effortless, truly luxurious summer palette!

»»Overall Rating: A+

Along with crayon-type eyeshadows that are becoming all the rage lately, you’ve probably noticed a new trend coming out of the woodwork as well: chubby lip pencils. Of course we know this is not really a new thing: Tarte’s super popular LipSurgence pencils have been around for a while. It seems, though, that Clinique really put the product on the map a few years ago with the ever-popular release of their Chubby Sticks. They’ve recently added a Chubby Stick Intense as well as their Chubby Stick Shadow Tints, but the original version will always hold a special place in many a heart (and makeup bag). Since then, there has been a slew of other brands jumping on the chubby stick trend: Revlon, Soap & Glory, Laura Mercier, Dior, Sally Hansen, and, of course, Neutrogena.

Neutrogena’s version stood out to me because, in my mind, no drugstore brand does sheer, moisturizing lip color quite like them. Their glosses and tinted balms have always been a favorite of mine so it was the natural choice for me to go with their rendition of the Chubby Stick in a sea of so many others.

According to the brand: “MoistureSmooth Color Sticks instantly moisturize lips, while continuously conditioning them so they are softer and smoother in just 3 days with nothing on them. Made with fruit extracts along with mango and shea butter, the balm-like formula glides on easily, providing a sheer wash of moisturizing color that lasts for hours.”

The MoistureSmooth Color Sticks are available in 8 shades: 10 Juicy Peach, 20 Fresh Papaya, 30 Sweet Watermelon, 40 Bright Berry, 50 Warm Caramel, 60 Soft Raspberry, 70 Plum Perfect, and 80 Rich Raisin. I have all the shades except Warm Caramel and Rich Raisin. Juicy Peach is a pale, soft fleshy-peach. Fresh Papaya is a light-medium pinky-peach. Sweet Watermelon is a cool, pearly petal-pink. Bright Berry is a brightened fuchsia berry-pink. Soft Raspberry is a medium plummy reddish-pink. Plum Perfect is a medium-dark muted mauvy-plum.

Ingredients: hydrogenated  polyisobutene, phenyl trimethicone, polybutene, petrolatum, hydrogenated lanolin, pentaerythrityl tetraethylhexanoate, ozokerite, cetyl lactate, myristyl myristate, polyethylene, bisbehenyl/isostearyl/phytosteryl dimer dilinoleyl dimer dilinoleate, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, euphorbia cerifera (candelilla) wax, silica, copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, _avor, stearoxymethicone/dimethicone copolymer, ethylhexyl palmitate, mangifera indica (mango) seed butter, silica, silylate, pentaerythrityl tetra-di-t-butyl hydroxyhydrocinnamate, tribehenin, maltodextrin, sorbitan isostearate, lactic acid, punica granatum pericarp extract, palmitoyl oligopeptide. May contain: mica, synthetic wax, titanium dioxide, calcium sodium borosilicate, iron oxides, red 7 lake, yellow 5 lake, red 6, red 33 lake, isopropyl titanium triisostearate, blue 1 lake, tin oxide, yellow 6 lake, carmine

The twist-up plastic crayon-type packaging makes this product super easy to use and very convenient for toting around. To use, you simply grab a hold of the silver base at the bottom of the pencil and twist. The product swivels up and down very smoothly–piece of cake.The shades are all obviously pretty sheer, so even the darkest plum shade is rendered quite easily wearable. That’s the beauty of sheer lip color and why I prefer my lip products that way: no matter how dark or scary looking a shade is, when it’s sheer, just about anyone can pull it off! All 6 shades contain a fine micro-shimmer and have the same sweet, peachy scent. It doesn’t smell bad, per se, but it is really quite sweet and artificial-smelling and it does linger on the lips for quite a while. I definitely could have done without that.

These Color Sticks have a very creamy balm texture. They’re super smooth and glide on the lips easily, distributing opaque color with one pass. I did notice a big discrepancy in the quality between the different shades, however. 3 were a bit of a mess and 3 performed nicely–the 3 lightest shades (Juicy Peach, Fresh Papaya, and Sweet Watermelon) were under-performing while the 3 darkest (Bright Berry, Soft Raspberry, and Plum Perfect) were quite decent.

–click image to enlarge–

With the lighter 3, the color did not apply evenly at all and had a tendency to streak horribly and bunch up on itself. It looked a lot better once I’d kinda smoothed the product out with my fingers a bit. They also accentuated dryness horribly. My lips have been a bit drier than usual lately for some reason and the first time I applied it, I literally cringed. They find every little miniscule amount of dryness or uneven texture and just cling and cling. I even wiped the product off, exfoliated my lips thoroughly, then tried reapplying. No cigar–better yes, but still. Even I couldn’t see any flakes on my lips but apparently they were there because the Color Sticks rooted them them out and then hung on for dear life.

The 3 darker shades weren’t as soft or creamy as the lighter ones and therefore didn’t melt and clump as much product onto the lips. They were much more pigmented and had more of a waxy texture. The color applied smoothly and evenly. There was just a hint of dry texture showing through but not much at all, really. The difference between these shades and the lighter 3 was like night and day.

Swatches L to R: Juicy Peach, Fresh Papaya, Sweet Watermelon, Bright Berry, Soft Raspberry, Plum Perfect

–Direct sunlight (click image to enlarge)–

–Shade with flash (click image to enlarge)–

Thankfully, all 6 shades were nicely moisturizing. As I said, my lips have been quite dry lately and the Color Sticks left them feeling comfortable and moisturized for a little over 3 1/2 hours before wearing off–not bad for such an emollient formula. Maybe if I continued to use them every day I’d see some improvement in the condition of my lips but I just don’t want to walk around with…messy looking lips until then :/

I don’t know how the other 2 shades that I didn’t purchase will perform but I think it’s a safe bet, considering the quality of these 6 shades, that the darker the shade in this collection, the better it will perform. All in all, I’m a bit disappointed and really should have just gone with those damn Clinique Chubby Sticks like I’ve been wanting to for a long time. I’ve spent way more money trying to find suitable drugstore alternatives than just buying the originals. *sigh* Don’t you just hate that? I would recommend the darker shades; no way would I recommend the lighter ones.

»»Pricing: $6.49 MSRP*/0.11 oz. (3.1 g.)

*product retails for $8.99 at all the locations listed below except Neutrogena’s site

»»Availability: Ulta, Drugstore.com, Neutrogena.com, CVS and other drugstores that carry Neutrogena

»»Recommended for: those with perfectly flake-less lips

»»Overall Rating: C for 3 lightest shades/B+ for 3 darker shades

What about you? Has anyone else tried these Neutrogena Color Sticks yet? Did you experience similar results?

Currently testing:

See a trend? There are 2 different brands’ (Dior and Neutrogena) chubby lip pencils and 2 really expensive lip treatments (Hourglass and La Mer) in there.

I’m really excited about the lip balm/lipstick pencils/sticks/whatever you want to call them. The only experience I have with this type of product is with the Revlon Balm Stains and they weren’t exactly a huge hit for me (though I’ve been finding myself reaching for Rendezvous a lot more lately. I like to really slather the product on then leave it on my lips long enough for it to stain. Then, I wipe it off and top with a clear lip balm). I feel like these 2 brands’ offerings will be much more up my alley!

To be honest, I am dreading testing the N°28 Lip Treatment Oil and the La Mer “The Lip Balm”. I’m kinda sorta hoping that they’ll both be duds so I won’t fall in love and have to splash out $42 or $50, respectively, to repurchase either one (or *gasp* both?! ).

False eyelashes:

I’m sure all of you know Teri from the amazing blog, BellaChique. Teri is gorgeous and always posts stunning face shots. She has shared that she likes to use accent lashes to frame her lovely eyes and since then, I’ve been trying desperately to replicate the look. You see, my lashes are quite sad–pathetic really. Incredibly short, sparse (even more so lately after all my lashes fell out after using RapidLash :/), and downward growing. She stated that she likes to use the Katy Perry for Eyelure lashes called Oh Honey! I have experimented with other lashes but finally decided to go and get the exact ones she says she uses (along with a few others, just in case ). Fingers crossed it’ll turn out nicely!

Serums/treatments:

these are just some of the treatments I’ve been loving/testing lately. The Caudalie SOS serum is obviously a favorite–I am always raving about it on twitter or to other beauty bloggers

The Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair is my 2nd bottle. I didn’t immediately repurchase after the first one because I didn’t really see any visible improvements to my skin but I found that after a certain amount of time had passed, I started to get really curious about it again. You see, I just really want to like it since it contains so many beneficial ingredients. And I guess if it’s not doing anything negative to my skin, I can always just use it as a “filler” treatment (which is what I call the treatments in my possession that contain a lot of great ingredients but that I don’t get any visible results from. I usually slather these on with wild abandon when I’m just at home or on days I don’t feel I need to look my best).

The Nude Skincare ProGenius Oil is new and I’m in the middle of testing it. I love it for the backs of my hands but I’m not sure my face can tolerate too much of it, unfortunately :/

…and speaking of skincare:

this happened.

I’ve obviously acquired waaay too much this past month/month and a half. I don’t even know how it happened! To be fair, I found some of the stuff (Caudalie Vinopure Matte Finish Fluid and Radiance Day Fluid [both of which have since been re-formulated, which is why they were on sale] and DDF items) on sale. Still, it’s a little embarrassing at how much I’ve been hoarding skincare–all these new acquisitions are on top of what I already own (products I’ve purchased and still have yet to try, products I’ve been sent, products I’m using, products I’m currently testing…). My beauty closet is full to bursting with skincare! I’ve decided NO MORE NEW SKINCARE for…a while. Haha!

I don’t want to put down any concrete stipulations like “until I finish half of what I own” or “until the year 2015″ (which is, let’s face it, entirely plausible at this point) or anything like that because I know myself and I honestly don’t do well with those types of restrictions. However, let’s just say that I’m good on skincare for a long while and will definitely be stricter on myself going forward!

Kombucha:

Love kombucha and this is my favorite brand and flavor. Funnily enough, I originally thought kombucha was disgusting–like drinking straight vinegar. But after drinking it a few times, I’ve come to honestly love the stuff. And especially with the fresh ginger flavor, it’s so invigorating and refreshing! I’ve been looking into how to make my own so that should be fun!

Giorgio Armani:

As many of you know (because I couldn’t stop raving about it on my twitter), I finally bought the Maestro foundation, along with the Summer 2013 Face & Eye Palette. But the foundation…it’s everything I wanted it to be and more! How on earth did they create such a light, silky, heavenly formula? I swear, this stuff will change. your. life! It is the foundation that all other foundations can’t even fathom of aspiring to be like–it’s incredible! Review of both products is definitely on its way!

Essie polishes:

–L to R: Come Here!, First Timer, In the Cab-ana, Under Where?–

I got my hands on Essie’s Resort 2013 collection and I’m loving the colors. The formula isn’t the best I’ve seen from Essie but it’s still decent and the end result is definitely worth it!

and a parting shot of Lady:

I swear, nothing melts my heart like when I see her sleeping with her tiny little pink tongue stick out. Soooooo precious!!

Hope you all are having a great week so far!! ♥

Summer always sees the release of the best makeup collections, in my opinion. There are some who dig the darker tips and nails of fall or the bright, pastel shades of spring but I am a summer collection-lover through and through. Maybe it’s that all the warm, bronzy summery shades just seem to flatter my skin best or maybe it’s that I’m a true Cali-girl, born and raised, and a just beachy girl at heart. Whatever the reason, nothing makes my heart go pitter-patter like the summer collections do. This year, there’s been some extraordinary releases from a multitude of brands but one brand’s collection that particularly caught my eye is Dior’s Bird of Paradise Collection for Summer 2013.

This 13-piece collection includes a Nude Tan BB Cream (swatched it and loved the color, the texture, coverage, hydration, everything! It was all spot on but it had too dewy of a finish for my extremely oily skin :/ I suggest those with dry, normal, and combo skin give this one a try!), 3 Jelly Lip Pens (Copacabana, Carioca, and Gaia), Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo Iridescent Blush & Bronzing Powder in 001 Pink Glow and 002 Coral Glow, Dior Addict Lipsticks in 751 and 771, a Diorshow Waterproof Eyeliner in Aqua Green (this is stunning guys. I am kicking myself hard for not buying it–definitely will be going back for this one!), Vernis Nail Duos in Samba and Bahia, the Paradise Summer Blush Brush (eh…wasn’t all that. I would pass), and two 5-Couleurs Eyeshadows in Blue Lagoon and Peacock (someone was getting a makeover with Peacock so I just played with Blue Lagoon. Loved it. I don’t own any shades like this in my collection really, so this would be a good excuse for me to splurge ).

–click image to enlarge–

As you might gather from the title of this post, I walked away with the Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo in Coral Glow (anyone really surprised that I chose the coral instead of pink?! ). It  is a blusher/bronzer product that features 4 color quadrants. In each quadrant, there is a single letter–4 letters spelling out “NUDE”. In the “N” quadrant is a light creamy golden tan. “U” is a light coral-pink. “D” is a soft, mid-tone brown. And “E” is the pretty much the same shade as “U”, only darker and with a hair more pink.

The powder has a soft, incredibly delicate sheen to it that just glows and glows. Dior calls it an Iridescent Blush & Bronzing Powder but I wouldn’t call the powder iridescent at all–glowy as all get out,  maybe but not iridescent.

The blush is housed in a luxe silver compact that features Dior’s iconic Cannage print and all the heft that a high-end compact should have. It’s a real beauty. Another plus is that the compact comes with a small kabuki brush that is–surprise, surprise–not only usable but actually quite perfect for application. Seriously, it’s soft and dense and buffs the color perfectly into the skin! I did experience a tiny bit of shedding the first 2 times I used the brush but after that, it was totally fine. Both the compact and the kabuki come enveloped in the usual velveteen pouch.

The texture of the powder is silky smooth and finely milled. It’s not quite soft–more medium than anything. Pigmentation wise, it’s on the soft side as you can see from the swatch photos below (I tried to build up the color of each individual shade and even used a sponge-tipped applicator but that’s about as opaque as I got the color to be). It does appear much more pigmented on my cheeks than on my arm, however, so I wouldn’t worry about not being able to get the color to show up.

I do find it easy to tailor the color to my personal preference. Only yesterday, I was talking to my dearest twitter wifey, Liz from Beauty Reductionista, about how I wished there were a tiny bit more bronziness to Coral Glow. Well, silly me–I later realized that if I wanted a bit more of a bronzy glow to the shade, I could very easily just grab more pigment from the left side of the compact with the darling little kabuki that, might I add, fits perfectly into each color quadrant. That is the beauty of this blusher/bronzer: a gorgeous, glowy shade that you can easily customize.

Or, if you prefer, you can use each color separately as well: just the left side as you would any bronzer and then add a touch of the coral to the apples of your cheeks. The shades pair so well together (and are so soft and easy-to-wear) that hardly any blending is needed at all.

–click image to enlarge–

–click image to enlarge–

Coral Glow lasted about 6 1/2 on my oily skin–as usual, there shouldn’t be any problems with wear for those of you with dry/normal/combo skin.

At $56, sure this product is a bit pricey but it’s well worth it to me, as someone who loves soft, subtle, foolproof blusher/bronzers and wearing anything even remotely coral-hued on my cheeks. As if the gorgeously sunny shade of the product alone wasn’t worth it already, the gorgeous compact and soft kabuki offer more bang for your buck. All in all, I am very pleased with my purchase. To me, it pretty much embodies the whole laid-back, effortless feel of summer and I know it will be getting a lot of use out of me this coming season.

»»Pricing: $56/0.33 oz. (9.5 g.)

»»Availability: Nordstrom and all Dior counters

»»Recommended for: everyone!

»»Overall Rating: A

 Remember how I told you guys a little while back that one of my first makeup items–the product that started it all–was a stack of loose pigments from my mom? Well just because loose pigments will always hold a special place in my heart does not mean that I still enjoy using them to this day. I have a few and sometimes will bring them out just to look at and swatch (anyone else do this with items in their collection?), but I can’t even remember the last time I deliberately chose to use a loose pigment over a pressed shadow in the last several years. Any loose pigments I do own have been slowly, steadily collecting dust in my collection for quite some time. Still, when I received some samples of Rouge Bunny Rouge’s Fire Drops Loose Glitter Pigments to test out, I was excited. I mean come on, it’s Rouge Bunny Rouge–they could send me acid green lipstick or neon purple blush and I would still be over the moon! But I had heard some really good things about RBR’s loose pigments in particular, so I eagerly started testing them right away.

The Fire Drops Loose Glitter Pigments–or what RBR refers to as “fiery lava dust” (so charming, no?!)–is said to contain a “super high percentage of pearl” for dazzling shine and luminosity. It also has added Sodium PCA (a natural moisturizer) to give the pigments a moisturizing, creamy feel.

Like many people, I love the intense shimmer and pigmentation that a loose pigment offers but the consistency is a bit inconvenient to use. Well, RBR has solved this problem with their smart packaging. The pigments come housed in a clear plastic vial with a removable sponge applicator wand. The wand’s bunny ear-like handle is covered by the black removable cap with the RBR logo emblazoned across the top.

At first, I was worried that the pigments wouldn’t be secure inside the vial as the applicator wand does not screw on or off–you simply pull it and it comes out. But it stays put surprisingly well–the wand fits snugly inside the tube and clicks shut. There is also a rubber stopper fitted around the mouth of the vial that prevents any spillage, even if you place it on its side. Both the packaging and the applicator make for a very convenient, mess-free application of these loose pigments. As you can imagine, this was very good news for me, being someone who didn’t want to mess with loose pigments because of the inconvenience and potential mess factor.

I received a full-sized sample of Sleeping Under the Mandarin Tree as well as sample pots of all the other shades: Caress of Mink, Eaten all the Cherries, Embrace of Cashmere, Night Wind Sailing, Spun from Sunny Seawater, and Wishing for Wings. Sleeping Under the Mandarin Tree is a sunny golden hue tinged with peach–both shades mix together to create a lovely, iridescent mandarin shade. Caress of Mink is a mid-tone browned-taupe with “pewter-plum highlights”. Eaten all the Cherries is an iridescent rosy-pink with golden highlights. Embrace of Cashmere is a soft, shimmering champagne brown. I’ll stick with RBR’s lovely description for the next 2 shades: Night Wind Sailing is “a iridescent metallic pewter with a hint of pink pearl for a stormy sky effect.” Spun From Sunny Seawater is an “iridescent blue peacock feather with a hint of tropical emerald and scintillating gold accents.” Wishing for Wings is a medium, iridescent silvery, mauvish-taupe–my favorite shade of eyeshadow, as most of you well know.

The texture of these pigments is supremely soft and deliciously creamy. They are so, so easy to apply and easy to blend. They also stick to the lids really, really well; there’s no fallout whatsoever, especially when you use the sponge-tipped applicator wand (which is just brilliant. It applies the shadows so smoothly and evenly!). Imagine, zero fallout from a loose pigment–that’s much better than most pressed shadows I’ve tried!

–Caress of Mink–

–Eaten all the Cherries–

–Embrace of Cashmere–

–Night Wind Sailing–

–Sleeping Under the Mandarin Tree–

–Spun From Sunny Seawater–

–Wishing for Wings–

I’d like to point out that despite being called “Loose Glitter Pigments”, these pigments are anything but; they have a glorious dimensional shimmer and shine. It doesn’t look cheap or tacky but manages to somehow look elegant and expensive.

Over a primer, these pigments lasted most of the day on me–about 6 1/2 hours before I noticed just a touch of creasing along the inner corner. Honestly, I don’t mind because I love the creamy formula so much that I’ll sacrifice just a little bit of wear time for it. Those with dry or normal lids should get all day wear with these over a primer, no problem.

Swatches L to R: Caress of Mink, Eaten all the Cherries, Embrace of Cashmere, Night Wind Sailing, Sleeping Under the Mandarin Tree, Spun From Sunny Seawater, Wishing for Wings

(click swatch photos to enlarge)

–direct sunlight, without primer–

–direct sunlight, over primer–

–shade, without primer–

–shade with flash, over primer–

–shade without flash, over primer–

Rouge Bunny Rouge hit yet another home run with these Fire Drops Loose Glitter Pigments. I really never thought that there could be too much of a difference between one brand’s loose pigments and another’s but RBR has proved me wrong. Their pigments really stand out and shine–both figuratively and literally. They are smooth, creamy, pigmented, and lend a dazzling shine without looking cheap or glittery. RBR has also outdone themselves with the ingenious packaging design. Now, you no longer have to be afraid of toting around your pigments to reapply throughout the day. Just toss these adorable little vials in your purse and you’re set–no separate brushes or applicators necessary!

So what about you guys: do you like using loose pigments or do you prefer pressed shadows? Have you ever tried RBR’s Loose Glitter Pigments? What brand makes your favorite loose pigments?

»»Pricing: $23/0.064 oz. (1.8 g.)

»»Availability: BeautyHabit.com, Zuneta.com, and RougeBunnyRouge.com

»»Recommended for: everyone!

»»Overall Rating: A+

PS: you guys have probably noticed that I’ve slowed waaay down with my posting. My sincerest apologies!! I’ve kinda been going through a weird transitional phase in my life and have taken a step back from blogging and tweeting and commenting on all my favorite blogs. But the good news is I feel great–really, really happy and healthy and have been reconnecting with a lot of old friends. I definitely am easing back into blogging though so don’t worry, I expect to start blogging more frequently starting next week!! Hope all is well with you guys–take care! ♥

Disclaimer: the product(s) featured in this post were provided to The Beauty Sample free of charge by the manufacturer/PR for review purposes only. Regardless of how the product was obtained, my priority is to you, my readers, and I will always give you my honest opinion.

For many of us, though it is now officially spring, we still have to deal with a multitude of problems coming straight out of winter. Dry, scaly skin, a pallid, lifeless complexion…it’s hard to get into the spirit of spring when looking in the mirror yields dull skin and wan, decidedly un-rosy and very un-spring-y (??) cheeks. That’s where Vapour Organic Beauty’s Aura Multi-Use Blush in Spark comes in.

Vapour Beauty has 3 different variations of their Multi-Use Blush available: Classic, Stain, and Radiant. Classic is available in 5 universally flattering shades. These shades contain no shimmer and are meant to provide a sheer wash of color to the cheeks. The Stain version provides more rich, saturated, long-lasting color. Radiant contains shimmer, acting as a 2-in-1 highlighter/blush. Spark is part of the Classic line.

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Spark is described as a “sheer pinky peach”. It’s a gorgeous, mid-tone peach with slight pink tones. Now, when I say matte I mean sans-shimmer. That does not mean that the finish is a flat matte! Because of the lovely balmy consistency and the natural oils, it leaves behind a beautiful, natural semi-matte finish–very pretty and oh-so-important during the winter when your skin is lacking its own natural dewiness.

The texture and consistency is very similar to Vapour’s Solar Translucent Bronzer, which I’ve reviewed–so be sure to check it out if you’re curious. I would say that the bronzer is a bit more balmy than the blush, which is a touch thicker and more creamy. It takes a pass or 2 to kind of warm up but once it does, it glides across the skin with ease. As creamy as it looks in the heavy swatch below, it blends out beautifully–really, really easily. I mean it seriously is like silk and dries down to a nice finish.

Like the bronzer, this blush stick has a lovely, slightly fruity smell to it–it’s beautiful but really natural and quite light. It dissipates quickly, so there’s no need to worry.

On the cheeks, Spark is incredibly natural looking. There is no way that anyone looking at your skin–no matter how seasoned of makeup-users they are or how close they are to your face–would ever be able to tell that you were wearing cheek color when you have this on. It just looks so natural and effortless! The blush really melts into your skin and blends seamlessly. What I also like about this product is that you can blend and blend but it never goes patchy on you (a common problem I experience when trying to blend out cream-to-powder blushes). Not that you even have to blend this out that much…only a few dabs here and there and I’m good to go–it’s so easy!

–click image to enlarge–

–click image to enlarge–

Spark lasted about 3 hours on my oily skin. Those with dry or normal skin will love this blush. I like it a lot but obviously, it won’t be my go-to as my oily skin just eats it right up! It also works well as a base for powder blushes, though. I like topping it with just a touch of Paul & Joe’s Cheek Color duo in Cinema.

Spark really puts a beautiful, lively pop of natural-looking color back into the cheeks that harsh, dry and/or chilled air has stripped away and creates the most sweet spring-flushed cheeks. This can also be handy on the go during the summer when you need multitasking products that can be applied with fingers and sans mirror. It’s a great product–worth every penny. There’s a reason why this blush won the Allure Best of Beauty award in 2010, you know–they don’t hand out those awards to just anybody!

»»Pricing: $34/0.34 oz. (9.63 g.)

»»Availability: SpiritBeautyLounge.com, Beauty.com, and VapourBeauty.com

»»Recommended for: dry and normal skin types will see the best results

»»Overall Rating: A-

Disclaimer: the product(s) featured in this post were provided to The Beauty Sample free of charge by the manufacturer/PR for review purposes only. Regardless of how the product was obtained, my priority is to you, my readers, and I will always give you my honest opinion.