Drugstore Deals - Revlon Super Lustrous

Just a quick FYI that Revlon Super Lustrous lipglosses and lipsticks are on sale this week: 5.99$ at Shopper's Drug Mart/Pharmaprix. (They're normally priced around the 10-12$ range.)

Emily Eddington (emilynoel83 on youtube) recently named the Super Lustrous lipgloss formula as one of her absolute favorites, and I have to agree. It's shiny, nicely pigmented, not too tacky. And I think the tubes themselves are quite chic, and remind me of Chanel packaging.

Lise Watier Smokey Brown Eye Shine (+ smoky green FOTD)

Perilously Pale tweeted yesterday about the upcoming Lise Watier collection, and I tweeted in turn what an underrated brand LW is. One that, as a Montrealer, I really should look at in more depth. So here's a start!

Lise Watier currently does two waterproof pencil liners in their permanent collection: the Waterproof Eyeliner and the Eye Shine. The latter have a decidedly more metallic, almost ducochrome, finish.

I recently purchased the Smokey Brown Eye Shine (17$ CAD), intrigued by the way it swatched in the store.

It's not quite brown, not quite taupe, and gleams with bronze and almost plum undertones. It's a stunning and complex alternative to the basic brown eyeliner. It is also incredibly creamy and pigmented.

In natural daylight.

The claim for these is that they are waterproof, and indeed they are. This picture was taken after I tried to wash it off with water, then soap and water, then soap and water and a lot of industrious scrubbing. Stinker was NOT going to move.

That said, the very creamy texture means that these are not entirely smudgeproof, and compared to other waterproof eyeliners, this one retains a faint sort of tackiness after application. But this actually works well if you want to use it as a base. Which is what I did here:

Eyes: Lise Watier Smokey Brown Eye Shine, MAC Sumptuous Olive eyeshadow, Lancome Hypnose mascara

Face: Chanel Pro Lumiere foundation (shade 20), MAC Secret Blush PB blush

Lips: L'Oréal Color Riche Rich Pink gloss

I applied Smoky Brown all over the lid, and used a MAC 217 brush to buff it out, barely reaching into my natural crease. I then applied MAC Sumptuous Olive all over the lid and up into the crease.

Over the Smokey Brown, the Sumptuous Olive became deeper and more metallic, gradually lightening up above the crease line into a golden-green on my bare skin. The effect was a very natural, smoky olive eye. (SO has a faint sort of copper duochrome to it that shows up when it is really buffed out. You can sort of see a bit of that reddish tinge in the crease of my left eye.)

(I also lined my lower lashes with the SB, and lightly applied the SO there as well.)

This look held up perfectly for about 8 hours, with some fading in the crease and inner corner at about the 10 hour mark. Not quite UDPP, but pretty darn good.

For reference, some swatches of Sumptuous Olive by itself.

And Sumptuous Olive patted over Smokey Brown Eye Shine in various lighting.

Direct sunlight, indirect daylight, artifical light.

*************

Availability: In Canada, it's at Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix, Jean Coutu, The Bay, and the Lise Watier website. (In the US, Naimie's carries the brand.) Price is 17$.

Pros: Unique color, ultra-creamy and blendable, long-lasting and waterproof. Home-grown brand! *fist-bump*

Cons: So creamy it can smear a bit if you rub your eyes, though once you set it with powder, it's solid. Needs elbow grease or, well, just plain grease to get off (as in, an oil-based remover).

(I purchased these items from Pharmaprix and MAC.)

Drugstore Deals - Revlon Colorburst, l'Oreal Infallible

Jean Coutu drugstores aren't going to win a lot of love from me. A Quebec-based chain, they're like Shopper Drug Mart's sad, awkward cousin - they tried to implement a watered-down version of the Beauty Boutique concept, yet remained an over-stuffed, poorly lit, poky little drugstore at heart.

Also, their promotions and markdowns are executed by people who appear to have an overdeveloped sense of whimsy, at least at the two locations near me. They are so random. One day something is one sale, the next it's not. One item in a line appears to be on liquidation, but it turns out that actually ALL of the colors are, except some scan in at 5.99$, some at 6.99$.

The Jean Coutu, she makes no sense.

That said, they do tend to have better prices that SDM, and even more so when they have sales, so they are definitely worth a look if you're on the hunt for a good deal.

For example, this week:

Revlon Colorburst glosses are 6.99$, all shades. (Regular 10-12$)

All Revlon Colorburst lipsticks are 5.99$ to 6.99$. (Regular 10-11$)

The supposed Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill dupes - l'Oréal Infallible eyeshadows - are 5.24$ to 6.99$
(see? random!), including the limited edition set. (Regular 10.49$)

This Just In - Faux Lash

These gorgeous lashes from Faux Lash just arrived - the Alexia and Sasha models from the "Luxe" collection. The Sashas in particular look incredibly lush. I can't wait to try these out for NYE!

Quickie - MAC Plumful Lipstick

I kind of really, really love MAC Plumful. With my very pigmented lips, it's the perfect My Lips But Better shade, and the lustre finish makes it mistake-proof.

For an even more natural finish, I apply it over Fresh Sugar lip balm, and blot lightly.

Apologies for the blurry camera pic, with evening, bathroom lighting to boot.

Nubar Gold Leaf

I wish more brands did duochromes. Nubar has a good assortment, but it's not the easiest polish to track down, unless you're willing to order online. They also vary a lot in terms of opacity, with no indication of which is which, so that can make ordering a little chancy.

That said, I've been nothing but impressed with all the shades I've tried and owned, so I feel like the risk is small.

The shade I have for you today is called Gold Leaf.

It's one of the more opaque duochromes, so much so that it barely requires a second-coat. It's sort of a bronze-gold, with a deep mauve flash that looks very subtle on the nail. Despite not being the most obvious duochrome, it's beautiful, like molten metal.

It's hard to pick up the mauve flash in these pictures, but it's sort of suggested when you look at the polish close to the edge of the nail - there's sort of a pinkish tinge there.

Also at the curve of the nail in the close-up here, as the color deepens and becomes more burnished.

This is the kind of shade I can wear all through the fall, just so warm and luscious.

*************

Availability: On the Nubar website, from select salons and online boutiques. Price is 8.00$ or so.

Pros: Almost a one-coater. No problems with wear or chipping. Sexy curvy bottle, easy-to-hold. The best application brush ever for non-petite nails. (Better than the OPI pro-wide.)

Cons: Can't think of any, though I know some folks feel that Nubar has a longer drying time or can stay a bit dentable longer. I always use the Diamont top coat with these though, so I had perfectly hard, glossy nails in less than a minute.

(I purchased this item.)

I don't hate you, internet.

I've just been inundated with work. Most of my November has been lost to 12-15 hour days at my regular day job - I currently work as a visual merchandiser, which means I've given up on sleep until January 1st. (That is literally how I will be spending my NYE - dozing blissfully into 2012.)

I also run a small (micro, really) business on the side, which also tends to ramp up pre-holidays.

So yes. I had many wonderful posts planned, and got a bunch of stuff to review for y'all. Instead I spent my evenings starting at the wall, and buying more stuff. The latter works out well for this blog though, and I promise I will be updating (with words! and pictures!) very soon.

Part 1:

Blurry pic with my older phone.

Part 2 (added a week later):

Better pic with my new phone.

See? These crappy phone pics are just the begining. ;)

Rouge Bunny Rouge promo code

Everyone and their mother probably knows this by now, but I am so excited I need to post it too: 20% off all Rouge Bunny Rouge products on the Zuneta site with code ROUGEXMAS .

There's a also a free shipping code (FREESHIPXMAS), but unfortunately they don't stack together. On the other hand, you do get free international shipping with orders over 65GBP (about 103$).

I am RIDICULOUSLY excited about this, as I've been lemming this brand for several months.

Misa No Shrinking Violetta

Misa is one of those nail polish brands that seems to fly under the radar a bit. I fell in love with them after trying their Poisoned Passion collection, but haven't been wowed by them since. They recently put out a new collection based on sci-fi themes (LOVE), which I am very much lusting after.

In the meantime, some swatches and a review of one of their older polishes, No Shrinking Violetta.

This is in the same family as Nars Orgasm, a sort of pinky-peach with golden shimmer.

It's absolutely beautiful in the bottle, but goes on very sheer. I did my standard two coats, and you can easily see my nail line.

In the shade, it's pretty, but nothing spectacular. And on my medium-toned skin, it actually looks almost a little sickly. (It's prettier in this picture than it was in real life, trust.)

I do think it would be lovely on a fairer complexion.

 


But in the sun, this baby is golden.

Look at that gorgeous shimmer! I literally got distracted taking these pictures, as I stood there, mesmerized by the shiny.

I wish it looked like that all the time.

**********

Availability: The Misa website, some online retailers, and now it's available at at least some Trade Secrets locations. Price online is 7.50$, a bit more at Trade Secrets I believe.

Pros: Ridiculously beautiful in the sun. Reasonably priced. The bottle are nice and swank. The brush is a trifle thin, but applied easily regardless. No unusual issues with chipping or drying time. Vegan, if that's your preference.

Cons: Sheer and might be a difficult color for some skin tones, but those are a matter of taste.

(I purchased this item online, can't recall where.)

Update

I haven't posted anything new in the last few weeks. Part of that has been due to a Chest Cold From Hell (3 weeks and counting) - makeup has been low on the priority list, unfortunately.

I've also been doing a lot of research into animal testing, which has resulted in disheartening and confusing information. As soon as I have all the facts (such as they are) together, I'll be making a post, and possibly a separate page. As of now, I'm removing the 'cruelty-free' on some previous entries, as many of the companies I thought were not testing on animals, are, in fact, doing so. (EL is one of those.)

Tom Ford lipstick.

I was in NYC this weekend, and tried to squeeze in all the shopping I could stand. I barely had time to make it to Bergdorf's, but when I did, I beelined straight for the Tom Ford counter. Aside from scoring a nice sample of Amber Absolute perfume, I took the opportunity to try out the new lipsticks.


So. Are they worth the 48$ price tag?

Well, the packaging is sublime.

And it has all kinds of wonderfully emollient properties and exotic ingredients (like murumuru butter), as the saleslady assured me. It definitely felt soft, creamy and plush going on.

The color I tried on is the one in the picture here, called Crimson Noir. It's a universally flattering deep red, rendered almost neutral by a hint of brown. The pigments, I was told, are not comparable to anything out there. And the lipstick was indeed very pigmented and opaque, without sacrificing smoothness of application.

So if I were inclined to spend about 50$ on a lipstick, this would be a strong contender. But...I just can't see myself doing that. My apologies for not having a 'live' picture of the item as a result. I just couldn't make myself spend that kind of cash. It is without a doubt a great lipstick - just not noticeably better than what is offered by Chanel, Guerlain and other luxe lines for a (somewhat) more reasonable price.

**********

Availability: Bergdorf Goodman, and I assume other higher-end department stores that carry Tom Ford counters. (In Canada, probably Holt Renfrew.) Price is 48$ in the US, no doubt more in Canada. (!!)

Pros: Beautiful, scrupulously edited range of colors. Plush, creamy texture. Stunning packaging. Status symbol. 

Cons: Price is insane.

(I did not purchase this item, and it was only tested in the store.)

Estée Lauder Fuchsia Fever Lipstick.

As I mentioned in the previous post, this lipstick practically grabbed me by the collar and demanded to be bought. I don't know what possessed me as 1) I rarely wear this kind of shade and 2) it was thirty-two freakin' dollars. I'm willing to spend money on things that I think are worth the price (Guerlain, I'm looking at you), but Estée Lauder is not a brand I normally put into the luxury column.

So is it worth it?

It's very, very pretty. The packaging is a little amped up from the usual thing I associate with EL, and is juuuuust this side of gaudy. (Or maybe that side, depending on your tolerance for faux-gold.)

I like that you can see the color in the bottom encasement, and though it doesn't quite have the heft of some other high-end brands, the tube still feels substantial and elegant.

No flash on the left, flash on the right.

Natural daylight.

Bathroom lighting.

These pictures don't quite capture how vivid this is. It's also a wee bit deeper in real life.

It's a domineering color, but like that other power-player - red - it's a shade that actually looks beautiful when worn alone.

This is me wearing it with absolutely no other makeup - not foundation, not mascara. And somehow it seems to bring life to my face, as opposed to throwing into stark relief how utterly naked it is.

It feels clean, polished, feminine. Dare I say...French?


Overall, I really like this lipstick. It's described as a 'lasting creme' finish, and that's pretty accurate. It goes on very creamy, cushiony, and feels nice on the lips, though it does become more matte as it wears. It's much more comfortable compared with a true matte, so it's an option for those who don't tolerate the drier textures very well, but who still want something that will last for hours. (This WILL stain.) But while I do think it's worthy of the US price, I don't think it's quite unique or luxe enough to merit the Canadian price tag. But what the hell.

************

Availability: Estée Lauder locations, as well as the website. It's part of the Modern Mercury collection, so I'm going to assume it's a limited shade. The price is 24$ in the US, 32$ here in Canada. 

Pros: Gorgeous color. Feels comfy on the lips. Great lasting power. Looks swank. 

Cons: Color can be hard to pull off, and will definitely emphasize any yellow in the teeth. Price.

(I purchased this from The Bay.)

Estee Lauder loot.

Yeah, I know. Estee Lauder? I think the last time I bought EL was 3 Christmases ago, when I got my mom a fragrance set and the slightly gaudy GWP that came with it.

I can only blame Dusty Hunter for this, as his last blog entry was all about the wonder of Estee, and the pretty things they just put out. So I stopped by the counter this afternoon, intending to swatch a few things and see if anything looked as intriguing in person as it did in his post.

And I walked away with this:

The packaging is weighty and classy, in a faintly overdone way that somehow appeals to my magpie Pisces sensibilities. (Though it shows fingerprints like crazy. But whatever. It's shiny!)

I'll do a full review of these in a little while, but I will say that I was impressed by the texture of most of the eyeshadows I swatched, and the Metallic Sage nail polish is stunning. If you're a nail addict, consider it a collector's item. You will kick yourself if you miss out. 

My oh-my-god item is the Fuschia Fever lipstick. It was grossly expensive (32$ in Canada compared to 24$ in the US, another rant for another time) but I could not walk away from it. Just gorgeous.

(I purchased these items.)

Josie Maran Natural Wonder Palette.

I was browsing the Josie Maran site a while back, and noticed a couple of great things in the sale section. Josie Maran is one of those brands that I wish got more notice. They have some great products with lovely textures and colors, and they're a nice option if you're looking for eco-friendly cosmetics that don't look like health-food store rejects.

See? The Natural Wonder palette is just so pretty!

It's a nice little mix of colors, and I can't recall if it originally came out for summer, but it definitely feels appropriate for that season.

No primer. Flash.

No primer. No flash.

The eyeshadows are soft, a little on the sheer side, but layer easily for more intensity. The bronze and gold are, of course, the most pigmented, the aqua the least. The cornflower blue is really beautiful, and actually has a faint violet duochrome that I wasn't able to capture in any picture I took.

No primer. Flash.

The blushes are, for some reason, more pigmented than the eyeshadows. The blush colors are absolutely lovely and blend very easily for a subtle look. The bronzer is probably lighter than anything I would normally call a bronzer. (I'm about an NC25/Chanel Pro Lumiere 20/MUFE 118, if that helps.) It does layer nicely with the pinker blushes, to give them a more gilded, sunny tone. Could potentially work as a highlight for deeper skin tones.

************

Availability: Currently still available via the Josie Maran website, for 18$ (original price was 35$)

Pros: Mixed selection of fun colors that work well together. Soft, blendable textures. Very pretty, sleek packaging. Reasonable price, especially on sale. Eco-friendly.

Cons: Colors a little sheer, though that can be a preference for some. All of them have shimmer, which again can come down to preference.

(I purchased this from Sephora.)

Inexpensive eyeliner brush.

Finding the right eyeliner brush can be tricky, especially if you're looking for something with a really fine point for a precise application of cream or liquid liner.

The Louise Young brushes come highly recommended (and I do covet them, along with pretty much everything else from that brand), but they may not be in everyone's budget.

Your local artist supply store can provide some great alternatives, however. Take a look in their painting section, especially the synthetic brushes they have available. They literally have several dozen options in terms of thickness and slant. I've been using this one:

The best part? It was about 2$.

(I purchased this item.)

Oldies but goodies from Lorac.

I just ordered some new-to-me stuff from Lorac, so I thought now would be a good time to dig into the drawers and pull out a couple of things I haven't used in a while: the Snake Charmer and Croc palettes.

They are still freakin' amazing.

Snake Charmer palette.

Snake Charmer swatches, blush on the far right. No primer. Flash.

Croc palette.

Croc swatches, blush on the far right. No primer. Flash.

I remember when I first tried these, I was blown away by how buttery and dense the pigment was, how beautiful the colors were. They're perfect for everyday wear and can be oomphed (we'll pretend that's an actual word) up easily. I think the quality is good enough for these to migrate to a kit, but I haven't seen too many artist use Lorac. Which is weird to me, considering Carol Shaw (the creator) is an artist herself.

The Snake Charmer palette is probably my favorite out of the two, mostly because the colors are just so beautiful and flattering on a warm-toned complexion like mine. They all have some degree of shimmer, except for the dark brown, which is a matte with some sparkle, the latter of which does not show up strongly on the skin. (It reminds me a bit of the DS finish from Inglot.) The blush is in the same family as Nars Orgasm, though I think it's actually softer and more pigmented. I'll do a comparison post sometime soon. I think the only shade that isn't 100% perfect is the slightly greenish gold - it's not quite as smooth as the other three eyeshadows, and has some of the flakiness I associate with the lustre finish from MAC. Though not nearly as annoying.

The Croc palette is the ultimate day-to-night palette, and though it's warmer-than-neutral, it's still eminently wearable. Three of the eyeshadows have shimmer, with the deepest one being matte. The blush is matte as well. This one had no texture issues whatsoever, and it's a classic piece to have in your makeup arsenal. The palette version of the LBD.

Availability: Snake Charmer is no longer available, but you can find reasonably-priced ones on Evilbay. The Croc palette can still be purchased from Sephora and Lorac for 36$.

Pros: Well-coordinated. Great colors and textures. Reasonable price. Practical layout and fun packaging.

Cons: Snake Charmer has one shade that is a smidge (and I mean a smidge) flaky. That palette is also more difficult to obtain.

(I purchased these from the Lorac website.)