YSL Kiss & Blush Lips & Cheeks - #5 Rouge Effrontée and #7 Corail Affranchi

Is there any makeup-loving woman out there that doesn't appreciate the idea of a dual-use lip and cheek product? I think for most of us, the experience doesn't always live up to the claims. What feels lovely on the lips tends to slide off the face, and what sets to a beautiful, seamless stain on the cheek has us reaching for lip balm every 17 minutes.

Kudos to YSL for creating a product that strikes the perfect balance between the two, with their Baby Doll Kiss & Blush Lips & Cheeks.

Promotional background photo courtesy of YSL/L'Oréal

Packaged in a bottle that doesn't quite convey either blush or lipstick, it looks almost like some bizarrely elegant offspring of a swanky nail polish bottle, the Clarins Instant Light Liquid Blush, and YSL's own Glossy Stain packaging. It's cool and feminine and vanity-table appropriate.

I like it.

I like what's in it even more.

Left to right: YSL Kiss & Blush Lips & Cheeks #7 Corail Affranchi and #5 Rouge Effrontée

Left to right: YSL Kiss & Blush Lips & Cheeks #7 Corail Affranchi and #5 Rouge Effrontée

The applicator is a slightly chubbier, more oval version of the Glossy Stain one, albeit with a perforation in the middle for catching and holding a bead of product. This helps in picking up the amount required when withdrawing it from the bottle. (One downside I foresee with the packaging is getting the last bits out.)

The shades featured here are #5 Rouge Effrontée, a candied, pink-toned red that applies lighter and softer than it appears in the bottle, and #7 Corail Affranchi, which is a muted apricot that plays almost like a nude with my particular colouring. I thought it would be too orange-toned for me, but it actually looked amazingly natural. 

Left to right: YSL Kiss & Blush Lips & Cheeks #5 Rouge Effrontée and #7 Corail Affranchi

The texture of the Kiss & Blush is unusual. If the Benefit Tints could be whipped up, this is sort of the result you'd expect - liquid yet mousse-y, dense but instantly spreadable.

As a blush, it has a lovely translucency that looks soft and sheer on the skin. My preferred method for applying cream or liquid blushes is with a duo-fibre brush, and with this formulation, the result is especially natural. Very much the kind of water-colour flush you see in paintings of frolicking milkmaids. The finish is a soft matte, meaning no shimmer, but very gently light enhancing. (If you're curious, I dab the brush directly over the applicator to pick up the product needed.)

This can be built up as well, but I would recommend some care at first, as it does dry fairly quickly. That would be the main drawback to this formulation - if you don't work quickly or carefully, you can wind up with some splotchy-looking cheeks.

(You can also apply and blend out with your fingers, as you prefer.)

Left to right: YSL Kiss & Blush Lips & Cheeks #5 Rouge Effrontée and #7 Corail Affranchi

It applies to the lips in much the same manner as a liquid lipstick, but with a smoother feel. It "pushes" across the lips easily, with none of the goopy drag of a lipgloss. It can be dabbed on lightly with a finger for a minimal stain, but applied straight it has medium to full opacity.

The "soft matte" finish here is especially cool. It initially looks more satin, and then matte as it dries - yet this is one of the plushest matte you're likely to find. If a matte finish could be pillowy, that's what it would be. My lips actually looked fuller and plumper, almost more hydrated. (A note here that the formula is not actually hydrating, just the look it creates.) It's sort of in between sitting on top of the lips and absorbing, and I suspect there's some silicone in there creating that feeling. Whether you like the sensation or not is a matter of preference, but I believe that's what gives it that cushy finish.

The formula stands up for a solid work day on the cheeks, and for several hours (though not a meal) on the lips. It has a faintly floral, sweet scent, which is less strong than the Glossy Stain fragrance.

YSL Kiss & Blush Lips & Cheeks #7 Corail Affranchi

YSL Kiss & Blush Lips & Cheeks #5 Rouge Effrontée

Availability - YSL counters at select Hudson's Bay and Holt Renfrew stores, as well as certain Murale and Sephora locations. Price is 40$ USD and 45$ CAD for 10 ml/0.33 oz. (For comparison, the Glossy Stains are 38$ CAD for 6 ml/0.2 oz.)

Have you tried this new-fangled formula yet? Are you a fan of the duo-function, or are you sticking to separates?

Personally, I have to say that while I really enjoy using this product as a blush, I am especially a fan of how it functions as a lipstick.

(Items were provided by the brand/PR. All opinions are my own, this post is not sponsored or compensated.)

Benefit The Big Easy Liquid to Powder SPF 35 Foundation

Sometimes it feels like BB creams are the Lululemon yoga pants of the makeup world - they promise to lift and perfect everything you've been neglecting for the past 20 years, while making you look like you just sort of roll out of bed looking like this glowy, wheatgrass-shooting, got-it-together, piece of gorgeousness.

Sadly, makeup magic (and lycra) will only take you so far. On the other hand, I do appreciate an addition to the BB family that tries to do something a little different. Where most Western BB creams have focused on a dewy finish and light coverage (basically tinted moisturizer with some extra bells and whistles), Benefit has opted to bring something new to the table. Their answer to BB is The Big Easy, which promises to balance both moisture and oil-control, while concealing imperfections and self adjusting to your natural skin tone. With a liquid-to-powder formula, it also offers an alternative to the dewy or silicone-satin options currently on the market.

Benefit The Big Easy Liquid to Powder SPF 35 Foundation

Benefit The Big Easy Liquid to Powder SPF 35 Foundation

The formula for The Big Easy is thick, rich, luxuriously creamy. Whenever I squeeze it out, I'm tempted to smoosh a big dollop on my face, just because it feels so nice. But that would be counterproductive, because I really only need the smallest dot. Benefit recommends using your fingers to apply it, and I do agree that the finish achieved that way is probably the smoothest. (Liquid-to-powder formulas can look cakey and will start kicking up flakes if you're over-enthusiastic with a buffing brush.) I also like the finish when paired with a Beauty Blender, though it will sheer out the product slightly.

I've seen some reviews saying that this is a sheer or light coverage foundation, but I would disagree. To me it feels solidly in between light and medium. I think if you're used to applying two layers to achieve medium coverage, then that might be the problem, as I don't think the finish is given to building up. I find a second coat takes the finish from velvety powder to straight-up powdery.

One application, however, takes care of my general discolouration and redness, to the point where I can wear it interchangeably with my medium-coverage foundations. The reason for that is while the coverage might be technically less opaque, it benefits (ha! pun!) from that light diffusing magic that seems to be part and parcel of BB formulations.

That sheerer pigment + diffusing effect is probably why Benefit can claim that this is self-adjusting to your natural skin tone. That's true, to an extent. In the swatches below, you can see that the Light is somewhat too pale and yellow, while the Medium is a touch too pink and dark. In reality, I can wear either of them without looking absurd. I wouldn't stretch it more than a shade either way, but I do appreciate that this is that rare base product that doesn't seem to struggle with my skin's natural undertone. (Light but kinda olive = freaking annoying to match.)

Top to bottom: Deep Beige 06, Medium 04, Light 02

To give you an idea of the coverage level and finish, I actually wore this in the picture I featured in my Radiant Orchid post. (I didn't use any concealer or powder.) As you can see, it didn't cover the dark spot I have on my cheek (my personal measure for full coverage), or obliterate my under eye circles, but it faked the look of nicely uniform, matte-but-not-dry skin.

As a side note, both the extra amount (35 ml compared to the usual 30 ml) and the broad-spectrum spf 35 are a nice touch.

Overall, I was really happy with how this foundation/BB cream performed. I though the finish was polished enough to be perfect for those days when I wanted to be a little less casual, but still wanted the ease of a tinted moisturizer. It wore well for me, about 8 hours before I noticed some very slight shine around my nose, but no breakdown otherwise.

If you have normal to somewhat combination skin, with no major skin concealing required, this would make a great everyday base. If you have dry or mature skin, however, I suspect the velvet/powder finish would be unkind to flakes and lines.

Availability: At Pharmaprix/Shoppers Drug Mart and Murale locations, as well as Sephora stores and www.sephora.com. (And if you're a BI, VIB or VIBR, you can also redeem 100 points for a deluxe sample via this link.) Price is 38$ USD and 46$ CAD.

Have you tried The Big Easy yet? How do you feel it compares to other BB creams or foundations?

(This item was provided by the brand/PR. All opinions are my own, this post is not compensated or sponsored.)

Shu Uemura Bijoux Collection for Spring 2014 - Silk Cushion Eyeshadows and Blushes

I've decided that Shu Uemura is my go-to brand when it comes to creating subtle, ethereal looks. I don't think their range lacks in any products for creating stronger or more graphic makeup, but I do think they excel in particular when it comes to evoking a more delicate, fey sort of beauty. More than any other brand, I think of creatures of air and water and woodland when I look at their collections.

The Bijoux collection for Spring is no exception. Kakuyasu Uchiide, Shu Uemura's international artistic director, suggests that "the key for this look is natural freshness, through using light reflection effectively, and also by using soft colours to create soft contours".

The key words here are "soft" and "light reflection". The formula of the blushes and eyeshadows is a literal interpretation of those concepts: their texture is marshmallow-soft and springy, and they are infused with a shimmer that comes across as either a soft sheen, or as a sunlight-on-ocean-waves sparkle.

The Silk Cushion Blusher is offered in two shades: Rose Quartz, a rose pink, and Orange Quartz, a peachy orange.

Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Blush in Rose Quartz and Orange Quartz

Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Blush in Rose Quartz

Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Blush in Orange Quartz

If you've poked at the Maybelline Dream Bouncy blushes, you won't be taken aback by the texture of these. They have a similar sort of plush "give" when you press into them, leaving behind a dent that very slowly fluffs back up. I would say these have a slightly more mousse-like consistency, but with a similarly slippy feel. They're cream blushes, technically, but don't fall precisely into the dewy camp or the cream-to-powder finish. They don't feel tacky on the skin - or even perceptible, for that matter.

They are actually fairly pigmented, and can be layered up to the full-blown shade featured in the first swatches below, if so desired. I do think they are best applied with a soft touch - specifically a duo-fibre brush. They blend so easily, and look very natural. Even the orange, which I normally would give wide berth to, looks fabulous applied like that. The finish is a satiny sheen, which only underscores that enchanted wood nymph image I have going on in my head. They have this lovely luminosity that doesn't rely on any kind of obvious shimmer.

Wear time was not exceptional. They averaged about 6 hours before I saw fading. If you're prone to having makeup slide off your face, you're better off stashing it in your bag and touching up. The nice thing is that they don't get all weird and cakey if you do need to add a bit throughout the day, even over powder.

In the swatches below I've applied them straight on and then as a softer wash, which is truer to the way I would wear them. (Apologies for the flipped swatches, but I trust you can tell which is the Rose versus the Orange. :P)

The Silk Cushion Eyeshadows are offered in four shades: Amethyst Purple, a pale lilac, Morganite Pink (MORGANite??? Come on now, Shu has to be with me on the fey thing with that one), Peridot Green, a light apple green with a hint of gold, and Amber Brown, an almost minky shade of brown, not nearly as warm as I expected from the name. It actually looks barely darker than my lid shade when applied, despite how it swatches out.

From top left, clockwise: Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Eyeshadows in Amber Brown,
Amethyst Purple, Peridot Green, Morganite Pink

From top left, clockwise: Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Eyeshadows in Amber Brown,
Peridot Green, Morganite Pink, Amethyst Purple

From top left, clockwise: Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Eyeshadows in Morganite Pink,
Amethyst Purple, Peridot Green, Amber Brown

These have the same exact texture as the blushes, with the same potential for pigment payoff. My caveat to this is that they both look and perform better when applied lightly. Applied full on, the same way you would something like a Color Tattoo or a Paint Pot, can actually cause them to fade and crease within a few hours. It's like the slippery texture bunches up over itself as your lid moves naturally throughout the day. (Similar to the way the Flower Beauty and Lise Watier mousse-like cream shadows perform on me, actually.)

I had the best results applying a light wash, be it over a primer or as a finishing veil over another eyeshadow. The colour intensity is diminished, but the sparkle factor is enhanced. (Applied opaquely, they look more metallic/frosty.) The effect looks almost liquid, like the sun reflecting off water. It's a really beautiful look, but if you do prefer to have the colour intensity, you'll definitely need to use a fantastic primer and anticipate reduced wear time.

Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Eyeshadows in Morganite Pink, Amethyst Purple, Peridot Green, Amber Brown
Applied straight on for color intensity.

Shu Uemura Silk Cushion Eyeshadows in Morganite Pink, Amethyst Purple, Peridot Green, Amber Brown
Applied as a sheer wash.

Availability: This collection can be ordered from www.shuuemura.ca and www.shuuemura-usa.com. In Canada, they can also be purchased at Holt Renfrew and select Sephora and Hudson's Bay locations, if still in stock. Prices are 22$ USD/30$ CAD for the eyeshadows, and 25$ USD/35$ CAD for the blushes. (And yeah, the price difference for the blush is...not fun.)

Have you guys checked out anything from this collection yet? Or are you already onto the summer one?

(Items in this review were provided by the brand/pr. This post is not sponsored or compensated, all opinions are mine.)