Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Natural Lipsticks in N9 Copper Pink and N45 Red - Review and Swatches

I don't own many Make Up For Ever (MUFE) products. Maybe I should? Well I have two of their lipsticks in a mini format and that is what I am going to share with you today. I have two of the Rouge Artist Natural Lipsticks in N9 Copper Pink and N45 Red. One came from the Sephora birthday gift thing, and the other I think I got with some Sephora points awhile back.  I have to say that I was shocked with the formula of these. They are really creamy and moisturizing. They feel great on. I would totally recommend this formula for the winter months.

OMG I am such an idiot! I just realized that the one on the left I photographed upside down! That isn't 6N, it's N9 I swear! It took me 20 takes to get the shot as clear as I did so I apologize for the end result. Anyway, N9 is described as a Copper Pink. I would say that is fair and accurate. It's a beige pink basically. The colour is nice, very matte but a bit too neutral for my personal taste. Lots of people would love this colour though. If you like MAC's Twig or Milani's Pretty Natural, this will be right up your alley.

 

N45 Red is on the left and N9 Copper Pink is on the right.

As for N45 Red, this is like no red lipstick that I have ever owned. Most red lipsticks are either blue reds or orange reds. I like and look best in blue reds for the record. N45 is a pink red. It's loud but not crazy. It is also really sheer. I personally like my red lipsticks to be either matte or satin, not sheer. This one threw me for a loop. I have had a number of compliments on this colour though. I would recommend wearing this colour with a lip liner so that it appears less sheer and stays in place.

Here are the swatches: N45 Red is on the left and N9 Copper Pink is on the right.

I find these do stain the lips. For some people that is good thing, for others not so much. Although they are long lasting, I would recommend touch-ups throughout the day so that the "stain" doesn't look funny when your lipstick does eventually wear off. I don't find these to be goopey which is great. I would definitely consider picking up a full size version of a MUFE lipstick now that I have tried these. They are $23 Canadian and $20 U.S. For a lipstick in Sephora, that isn't such a bad price!

Packaging: 6/10

Pigmentation: 10/10 (N9) and 7/10 (N45)
Easy to Work With: 10/10
Longevity: 9/10
Texture: 10/10
Price: 8/10
Ingredients: 8/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 8.5/10
Would I buy this again? YES
Overall Rating: 8/10

theBalm Instain Blushes in Argyle and Toile - Review and Swatches

I bought these two blushes from Hautelook several weeks ago. They retail for $22 U.S. each. I think I paid around $10 or $11 U.S. for each of them. Sometimes I love Hautelook, minus their shipping and handling charges! I got the colours Toile and Argyle. I really wanted Lace and Houndstooth but those shades were already sold out. Typical! I had heard so many good things about these blushes that I thought I would take a chance on well.....all of them! Sadly, I only have 2 of the 6 so far. I normally love anything that theBalm puts out so I figured that this would be a no brainer.

These blushes are described as Long Wearing Staining Powder Blushes. They are potent so I beg of you to use a light hand when applying these, especially the first time so you can get a feel for them.

In both pictures above, Toile is on the left and Argyle is on the right. Toile is described as a strawberry colour and Argyle as a petal pink. Given how potent these are, I would imagine one of these would last you a ridiculously long period of time. Perhaps your lifetime. Each is 6.5g or 0.23 oz. which is value for your money. I have tried to wear Toile over the last few weeks but I am struggling because it is simply too dark for me at the moment. If you have dark skin, this blush would look phenomenal on you! I think I will have to wait until I have a tan this summer to attempt it again. The colour is lovely though.

Argyle is quite pretty and is light enough that I can wear it now at the tail end of winter. These blushes are not super creamy. They are a bit dry but that is not a big deal. They blend well if you blend right away. They are matte, so no shimmer here. The packing is super cute as per usual with theBalm stuff. These blushes are super slim and are ideal for travel in a purse or to take on a vacation. Here are the swatches with Toile on the left and Argyle on the right:

If you like matte blushes, these are a very good choice!

Packaging: 10/10

Pigmentation: 10/10
Easy to Work With: 8/10 (it is a stain so blend quickly)
Longevity: 10/10 
Texture: 7/10 (a touch dry for my taste)
Price: 10/10 (both on sale and full price)
Ingredients: 8.5/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10
Would I buy this again? Hell Yes
Overall Rating: 8.5/10

Sephora Nano Eyeliner in 11 Silver Green - Review and Swatch

I think I got this eyeliner free from Sephora quite some time ago. Thank God it was free. It's really awful. As you can tell, I am going to get to the point quite quickly today. The colour, 11 Silver Green, may now be discontinued. I don't see it on Sephora's website. Anyway, the colour looks like dirt on your eye. It's very muddy. It does not transfer onto the eye easily either. I was a bit of a struggle trying to get a decent amount on. Within a few minutes of applying it, I noticed it started disappearing before my very eyes. It smudged, slid and absorbed into my skin on its own which is never good.

Just looking at the eyeliner, I thought that it was a pretty colour. I don't have anything like it in my collection. The colour does not transfer as silver green. This eyeliner is not very pigmented at all and has zero staying power. I just have a small travel size pencil. I really have nothing good to say about this eyeliner I am afraid except that the ingredients are surprisingly good. Based on the formula, I don't think that it is just this colour that is the problem. I would imagine all of the colours would be sub par. I had no idea how much this eyeliner cost until I looked it up just now. It's $8 Canadian. That explains a lot. Considering there are much better eyeliners at the drug store for the same or less money, just pass on this one please.

I don't own much Sephora brand makeup. What I do own, I haven't really tried. I hope the rest of what I have isn't as poor quality as this product is. Here is the swatch...ugly and blah isn't it?

 

 

Packaging: 8/10  

Pigmentation: 3/10
Easy to Work With: 2/10
Longevity: 0/10
Colour Stays True: 0/10
Texture: 4/10
Price: 10/10
Ingredients: 9/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 0/10
Would I buy this again? No Way 
Overall Rating: 2/10

Liebster Award Nomination

I got nominated for a Liebster Award today by Sue Miller from Healthy Skin Canada fame. I must say it was the highlight of my day. Thank you very much Sue!
 
I would like to nominate Jenn from Scarlet Beauty, Chelsey from My Beauty Full Adventure and Blush Overdone.
 
So how does this work? Here are the rules:
 

• Thank the blogger who nominated you through your blog and on social media
• Answer the questions given to you and post in your blog
• Nominate 3 bloggers you follow who have less than 500 followers
• Post 5-10 questions for your nominees to answer
• Tag your nominees & post a comment on their blog or via social media to let them know you nominated them

Here are the questions that I was asked:
 
  
1. What are your favorite skincare products?  

Overall, I have to say Origins has the best skincare line overall. In particular I love Dr, Hauschka  Rose Day Cream, Origins Plantscription, Origins Night-A-Mins, Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser, any body cream from L'Occitane and my recent find the GlamGlow Youthmud Tingleexfoliate Treatment.  

2. When did you start making skincare a regular part of your life?

I  would have to say in my mid-20's. My teenage blemishes were still paying me a visit even though I was no longer a teenager and I noticed in winter my face starting feeling dry after I washed it.

3. If you were stranded on a desert island what are the three beauty products you can't live without?

Toughie. Some kind of lip balm for sure. I'll say any of the Burt's Bees lip balms would do. Also, I think I would need some SPF and coverage (in case I got rescued) so Origins VitaZing. The third would likely be Origins Plantscription.

4. What got you interested in Beauty Blogging?

I got obsessed with You Tube beauty gurus and their makeup tutorials back in late 2009. After a while, I started to scout blogs for swatches. I started to think to myself that I am a makeup addict so why not channel my addiction in a constructive way and save people money by writing honest reviews.

5. If you had to choose - Manicure or pedicure?

No contest. Pedicure. Lasts a lot longer.

6. What is your favorite piece of jewelry and why?

I would have to say my engagement ring and wedding band. Sentimental obviously. Second would be a tie between two things. One is a gold bracelet that my parents gave me as a child with my name engraved on it. I don't wear it anymore because it is so delicate and I almost lost it once. The other item is my grandmother's engagement ring and wedding band. It's from the 1930's and has rubies and diamonds. I used to wear her engagement ring on my right hand but it currently needs some restoration.

7. You can have dinner with 3 people living or deceased - who would it be and why?

Okay the first would be my maternal grandmother. She died when I was 11. She had 3 strokes prior to her death and was very sick from the time I was 8. I was her favourite and the only granddaughter. I think about her all of time. While I don't have as many memories of her as I would like, I have always felt a huge attachment to her since she has been gone.

I hope this dinner doesn't have to be with all 3 people at the same time! That might be weird. The second is Paul Walker. I have had a crush on him since the late 1990's. My husband is aware. I thought he was the hottest thing since sliced bread. Would love to have met him once. I actually have a co-worker that did meet him in Italy very briefly many years ago and she has a picture of them together with some of her friends that she was with at the time. She said he was the nicest guy and happily posed for a picture. She says she has never washed the shirt that she wore that day. He had his arm around her in the pic.

The third would be my parental grandfather. He died when I was two. He was most handsome. I have always heard wonderful things about him. I would love to talk to him and have a personal memory of him.


Here are my questions for my nominees:

1. What is your favourite makeup brand and why?

2. What is your favourite MAC eyeshadow? If you don't like MAC, your favourite eye shadow would be fine.

3. What is the stupidest or craziest thing that you have ever done?

4. Who is your favourite You Tube beauty guru?

5. What colour are you planning to "rock" this spring?

6. What is your favourite eye shadow palette of all time?

7. If you could be anyone living for just one day who would it be?

8. What is the best book that you have ever read?


I hope that gives you a little more insight into me. Can't wait to hear your answers!

March 2014 Empties

As I have mentioned before, I hate empties piling up around the place. I am no neat freak, but I hate those empty containers lying around, crashing about etc. so I am doing this blog post before the end of March. So I might have two "Empties" posts in April. I am sure you won't mind. I am still fiddling with the settings on my camera, so I apologize for the "yellow" hue. I have 8 empties for you today. In no particular order:

1. Wen by Chaz Dean Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner - I love the way this detangles my hair and makes it shiny and soft. Since I signed up for a regular mail delivery, I have a ton of this stuff in my cupboard. I am not sure if this product is contributing to some nasty split ends that I have been plagued with over the past several months, but I seemed to have the problem more under control before I started using this all of the time.

2.  Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair - I have a million tiny bottles like this kicking around. I swear I get a free one whenever I buy something at the Estee Lauder counter. This was the first bottle that I finished. Can't say I noticed that it did anything for my skin. I got 30+ uses out of this little bottle. I mostly targeted specific areas of my face for it but sometimes I used it all over.

3. Tarte Clean Slate 360 Creaseless 12-hr Smoothing Eye Primer - I already did a review on my blog on this awhile ago. I have had the same tube for a year and a half and I use it pretty much every day. Crazy! Did I get my money's worth? Hell yes. Already repurchased.

4. Origins Plantscription - This previously made my blog list of the Top 10 products that I can not live without. I still feel the same way about this product. Will be repurchasing a.s.a.p.!

5. Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara - Another of my holy grails. The only mascara that I have ever found that does not smudge on me when I wear glasses. I have gone through at least 5 or 6 of these to date and I will be repurchasing another one stat!

6. Lush Rock Star Soap - I thought it would be weird to post this to my empties when I had nothing left to show you. Seeing as I maybe have another day or two left of this, I thought I would show it while I had some evidence of it's existence. I love the smell of this soap. It makes me happy. My husband doesn't like it so much. It smells of Edinburgh Rock Candy to me. I swear the smell used to be more powerful though in previous bars I had. After I used it, my bathroom would smell of the stuff for a day or two. No, you can barely tell it was used. My husband also doesn't complain anymore. It's because he can't smell it anymore! My Mom, however, told me I smelt very nice today when I went to visit her after my shower....

7. Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream - I didn't notice that this eye cream did anything for my dark circles. I have a full review on this elsewhere on my blog. It was refreshing though. I tried to use it religiously but never did for more than a few weeks at a time. Once the jar is opened, the product is only supposed to be good for 6 months. That is true! It got really gooey and not spreadable near the end . There is a little left at the bottom but it is no longer any good. I will not likely repurchase.

8. Boscia Thermal Black Cleanser - This makes my skin super soft. It neither lathers nor reduces my blemishes much. I don't think I will repurchase. Full review of this on my blog.

So that's it! I have some pan porn coming (oh that didn't sound good) and hopefully a Back to MAC soon to show you. Also, I am feverishly trying to use my Naked 3 palette so I can do a review soon.

Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara - Review and Pics

I got this in a Holiday Set of Too Faced goodies that I got back in November. I believe this is a travel size since it is 4.8g or 0.17 oz. The regular full size is 0.27 oz. The cost is $30 Canadian or $23 U.S. I didn't expect much from this mascara, but some reviews that I have read have been most favourable. I have to say that this mascara works pretty well. It lengthens and volumizes. It is one of the better mascaras out there. The wand is pretty nifty and has bristles on the top of the wand like Benefit's They're Real mascara. That is a great thing to have if you want to get in corners and get some product on tiny lashes.

Here is a picture of the wand. I am afraid that I do have a beef with this mascara though. It's the size of the wand. Too Faced, why do you do this to me???? Too Faced loves to use big wands. That's great if you have big eyes and long lashes to begin with, but if you are like me, and most people are, you don't have large eyes and you don't have long lashes! The brush is very hard to work with. The bristles are also extra scratchy so you have to be careful. I have gotten the hang of it, but it sure is trickier than it needs to be.

Now for your laugh of the day, since I am in a rush this evening, here is a picture of me, in my hot rollers, showing you how large the brush is. The base of the wand is resting on my nose. It was not easy to take this pic by myself, but here it is. I believe this mascara only comes in black. It is not the blackest black in the world, but it is black.

 

 

Packaging: 8/10

Pigmentation: 8.5/10

Easy to Work With: 5/10

Longevity: 7.5/10

Texture: 6.5/10

Price: 7/10

Ingredients: 8/10

Travel Worthy: 10/10

Smudge Proof: 9/10 (without glasses haven't tried it with)

Flake and Clump Proof: 8/10 (a bit clumpy but no flakes)

Attractiveness of Product: 8/10

Would I buy this again? I would consider it

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in 84 Epatant - Review and Swatch

Sorry I have been missing in action for a few days. I got a new camera and I am still getting the hang of it. I went to take some pictures yesterday, only to realize the camera needed a few hours of charging first. Bummer. Anyway, I am back in action. Please forgive my pictures as I am still playing with the settings. They look a tad yellow hued.

I was on a waiting list at the Chanel counter in The Bay in Toronto for a year and a half for this product. Technically, I am still on the list. Totally ridiculous. I told the salesperson at the counter that they shouldn't have a tester jar out for a product that they haven't stocked in months to over a year...Anyway, I went online one day a couple of months ago to The Bay's website and ordered this just like that! For some reason I didn't think they had Chanel products on their website. So I can get it on their website with the click of a mouse, shipped to me in 48 hours, but their flagship store doesn't have any, zippo for over a year. Crazy...cuckoo.....

Back to the product at hand. Epatant is a silver cream shadow with a green undertone. Very unique and very hot! I saw this ages ago on Nic from Pixiwoo and I had to have this! The cream shadow comes with a brush that I thought would be useless, but actually is really good. I would totally use this brush with other cream shadows and then I wouldn't have to get my fingers in there. The texture is weird. Reminds me of those damn Maybelline bouncy blushes. Soft and bouncy. Creepy. The product is very soft to the touch and blends super easily. It looks fantastic on with some black gel or liquid liner winged out. Love it!

I don't own anything else like it. I had to have this colour and nothing else would do! I wear a primer underneath it of course when I wear it. My only complaint is that the product fades and creases after a while. I would say the fading starts at the 6 hour mark. Creasing by about the 7th or 8th hour. Now I have oily lids, so if you have drier lids you might be fine. By the 13th hour the product has significantly faded (but it's still there) and creasing in now in full effect.

My recommendation: only wear this if you are going out for the evening or clubbing for a short period of time. If you are going to be out wearing this for 6+ hours you will see some meltdown. It looks fantastic for the first few hours though! Out of this world good!

Okay, here are the swatches. Sorry again for the yellow background! Ahhh! I will fix this. That wall is actually a grey purple! The swatch colour looks accurate though.

I can't say that I would run out and buy another of these Chanel cream shadows simply because they are not long lasting. However, this colour is the bomb. The product is $38 Canadian. The ingredients in this are a lot better than most other Chanel products.

Packaging: 10/10  

Pigmentation: 10/10
Easy to Work With: 10/10
Longevity: 4/10
Colour Stays True: 7/10 (it fades though)
Texture: 10/10
Price: 6/10
Ingredients: 7.5/10
Travel Worthy: 10/10
Attractiveness of Product: 10/10 (for the first 6 hours and 6.5/10 from then on)
Would I buy this again? Yes (just this colour)
Overall Rating: 8/10 (the gorgeous colour brings the score up despite everything)