8.16.2011

Le Metier de Beaute Splendid Frost Kaleidoscope Review, Photos, Swatches


Le Metier de Beaute has recently become one of my favorite brands and their signature Kaleidoscope kits are on my must-have eyeshadow palettes list. This particular Kaleidoscope was released during the Holiday 2010 but it's still available at a few Neiman Marcus counters and at Nordstrom.com for $95 - this is not an affiliated link. I'm just making it easier to enable you!

Let's start with the swivel-out compact. It's compact, lightweight, and durable so it's a joy to travel with. I've dropped mine twice now and there isn't a single dent! The only drawback is the weak glue but LMdB is reportedly improving the glue so that the eyeshadow pans will stay put more securely. Now let's talk about the shadows. I'm not an eyeshadow worshipper - rather on the ambivalent side, honestly - but more and more I am apt to reply "LMdB" when I'm asked what my favorite eyeshadow brand is. The shadows apply smoothly and there is very little fall out whether I use a brush or my fingertips.


In Bright Sunlight

Indoors [More True to Color]


Now we'll break down the colors, starting with the warm-toned taupe with a metallic finish. The base appears more intense depending on how much light the shimmers reflect. The next shade in the Kaleidoscope is a cool matte grey and the closest shade I have to it is Guerlain's 186 Eclat Mono. I prefer the LMdB grey because it's better pigmented but the Guerlain 186 is more flattering on me when worn alone, as it has less of a blue undertone. The next shade, the hot color, is a peachy-pink that doubles up as a blush! I was hesitant about using it but it actually adds dimension and brightness without overpowering any other colors on my lids. Finally, the last shade is the cold shadow, the most complex navy in my make-up collection. It's incredibly pigmented and even has coordinating violet and peachy-pink shimmers to compliment the hot shade above it, creating a striking duo that can be worn separately from the traditional LMdB couche de couleur method, which I will dedicate a spotlight post to. 


This was my first LMdB purchase and I am proud to say it was one of the best purchases I made in 2010. Make it yours this year before it's too late!

8.15.2011

Guerlain Garconne Rouge G - Review, Photos, Swatches


I am a lipstick lover. My collection is proof of that but it is not every day that I meet a red that I would consider wearing more than once a month. Garconne's vinyl [a sophisticated sheen, not glossy or shimmery] finish and opaque coverage remind me that the power of a red lipstick should never be underestimated. This lipstick truly enhances my pout in a way that lipsticks rarely do and I believe that it has something to do with the luxurious texture. It hugs my lips yet plumps them! I will recreate the Guerlain Fall 2011 ad campaign look - a classic black smoky eye with Garconne - later this month and I will update this post with the video so you can see the color in action against my tanned skin. This shade, however, is neutral and universally flattering so I am positive I will feel just as confident wearing it when I return to my fair self in the dead of winter.

I have only one other Rouge G in my collection, a pink from Spring this year, and as much as I love it, it is very unlike Garconne - sheer and glittery. The creaminess and intensity of Garconne is unsurpassed. My roommate even commented that it appeared as though I was wearing blood on my lips! Garconne also has a slight staining effect, as many reds tend to do, but it still manages to moisturize my lips while lasting a solid 6 hours. That's a long-lasting lipstick, as I tend to eat or drink at least every hour so 6 hours is top-notch. And my last note: the signature violent fragrance [which I adore] is incredibly subtle but as I have said before, my sense of smell is rather weak.

On my lips, Chanel's Dragon reads a tad darker with a little more shimmer and Chanel's Excessive is a touch warmer. YSL's Rouge Pur Couture 20 is also warmer but has too much slip to compare to Garconne's texture.

You don't have to panic and purchase it now because Garconne is a permanent addition to the Rouge G line but let's just I'm hooked. I can't wait to try more Rouge Gs. Let me know what your favorite shades are!

Bottom Line: I need it and you most likely will, too.








8.02.2011

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's StyleMint T Shirt Review Product List


Make-up Worn:
YSL Teint Resist Foundation in 6
Maybelline Eyestudio Color Explosion Eyeshadow in Caffeine Rush
Dior Nude Natural Glow Fresh Powder Makeup SPF 10 in 30
Maybelline The Falsies W/P Mascara in Black
E.L.F. Cream Eyeliner in Coffee Brown
Illamasqua Powder Blush in Katie
YSL Rouge Pur Couture Blond Ingenu
Dior Fresh Expert 002 Pink Gloss
False Lashes from www.circlelens.com.au/


Nails:
YSL Summer 2011's #137 Utopian Turquoise

Lenses:
Geo Tri-Color Grey from Pinky Paradise
*Use the code -- RAEVIEWONLINE --
for a free animal lens case & mystery gifts :)

Photos of the Shirt - Please excuse the hideous layout of the photos, I need a web designer STAT:





8.01.2011

July Favorites Product List


Products in Order of Appearance:
Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in 86 Desinvolte
Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in 87 Joyeuse
Guerlain Rouge Automatique in 140 Mitsouko
Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 in Grapefruit & Ginger
Lancome Genifique Repair Crème
Paul & Joe Creamy Cheek Powder in 03
Revlon Brow Fantasy in Dark Blonde [Excellent pencil and gel duo but the pencil isn't as long-lasting as I would like, only 5 hours]
Rimmel Brow Pencil in 002 Hazel [As reiterated in the video, too red and too waxy. A definite miss in my book, even at a mere $3]
Maybelline Define-A-Brow in Dark Brown [I want the Soft Black but it's sold out everywhere I look!! >:O]
Macademia Natural Oil Healing Oil Spray [Available here]

Nails:
LMdB Kontagious Koral - Neiman Marcus Exclusive
["Kollaboration" with Ken Downing, Fashion Director of Neiman Marcus]

Lenses:
Geo Tri-Color Grey from Pinky Paradise
*Use the code -- RAEVIEWONLINE --
for a free animal lens case & mystery gifts :)

On my face:
Le Metier de Beaute Splendid Frost [tutorial/demo is below - no eyeshadow primer used & pink used as blusher]
*LMdB/Marchesa Lip Gloss Duo from Neiman Marcus - Gift with Purchase [GWP] [No longer available]
Le Metier de Beaute Eyebrow Pencil in Fawn with Shiseido Brow Pencil in Natural Black
- I can't remember what foundation/powder combination I was wearing, sorry!
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