L'Oréal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream: Anti-Fatigue and Anti-Redness

I don't want to begrudge the cosmetic scientists who no doubt work long hours over at l'Oréal RnD their due. I'm sure they had a lot to do with the awesomeness of the brand-new Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream.

But let's be honest about what really made the difference here.

SORCERY.

Like many of you, I tend to greet the release of yet another BB cream with a jaw-cracking yawn. Skin-smoothing, tone-enhancing, wrinkle-blurring - you and I have heard it all. Do we really need to hear it again and again with every new season?

In the case of the Magic Skin Beautifier, YES. Also, HELL YES.

This formula comes in two versions, one claiming to work against signs of fatigue to awaken the complexion, and the other to reduce the look of redness. Both of them come out of the tube distinctly coloured  - one a sherbert orange, the other pale mint green - and transform to a peach tone when rubbed in. (In the swatches below I applied the Anti-Fatigue one a little more thickly, so it's showing darker and more opaque.)

I have to say that I wasn't particularly overwhelmed with the Anti-Fatigue version - on my skin it gives my skin a subtle bronzed glow, which is certainly welcome, but not game changing. If you have deeper skin in need of perking up, or skin with a washed-out, grey cast, it might be right up your alley.

The Anti-Redness one though, is purely amazing. Here are some before and after pictures to give you a better idea...

The first picture is bare skin, with just some moisturizer.

The second picture is with a thin layer of the Anti-Redness Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream. You can see that through some strange alchemy, it's easily taken care of the redness I had in my cheeks, around the top corner of my eyebrow, and on my chin. It even muted some of the darkness below my eyes, cancelling out the red in the violet shadows. Where I applied it more heavily by mistake (just under my eye) it shows up a bit more yellow than the rest of my skin, but otherwise I don't feel like this looked visibly peachier or darker than my skin tone, despite what it looked like when swatched on my arm. (And unlike tinted green primers, it does't leave my face looking strange and ghostly.)

I suspect that if you're very pale, or you have a lot of redness to cover and thus need to apply the product more heavily, it might look more obvious. If you're using it purely as a BB cream, chances are you probably don't need a ton of coverage. If you do, then I suggest using it as a primer instead. It feels comparable to a mix of the Hourglass Mineral Veil and those new-fangled second-skin foundations, with a very liquid, silicone texture and a quick-dry, natural matte finish. Like both those products, it can look powdery and cake up over dry areas if you apply a lot, so I would suggest going with a thin layer, and using foundation, concealer and/or powder, if needed, overtop. That said, I think you'll be surprised at the amount of coverage this has, and how little of the other products you'll need to use afterward.

The third picture is with my full makeup applied on top, to test whether it would wear as a regular primer would. And it did. I applied my Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation with a moist sponge (which would normally give me negligible coverage), misted down my face with a floral water, then dabbed some Maybelline Dream Lumi Highlighting Concealer under my eyes, a bit of Nars Light Reflecting Powder, and that was it for the face.

I am incredibly impressed with this product, even though I really don't understand how it works. So in the long tradition of humans before me, I'm going to ascribe its wondrous properties to the dark arts, and call it a day.

Availability: Should be showing up very soon (possibly now) at your local drugstore, with a suggested retail price of 16.99$, though of course that can vary with vendor and promotion.

(Item was sent by the brand/PR to be considered for review. Opinions are my own, and I am not compensated.)

Shu Uemura Tint in Gelato Lip and Cheek Color - Spiced Orange (CR 04), Blood Orange (CR 01), Berry Berry (PK 01)

I do believe this dual lip/cheek thing is a trend. YSL did it, and Shu Uemura is in the game as well with the Tint in Gelato Lip and Cheek Color.

Tint in Gelato, top to bottom: Spiced Orange (CR 04), Blood Orange (CR 01), Berry Berry (PK 01)

Like its sister brand, Shu Uemura has created a dual-purpose product that actually works well on both the lips and the cheeks. 

Both products share a similarly perforated doe-foot applicator that captures a bead of product, making for a smooth application to both lips and cheeks - though Shu opted for the more classic lipgloss tube packaging rather than the nail polish bottle shape of the YSL variant.

Tint in Gelato, top to bottom: Spiced Orange (CR 04), Blood Orange (CR 01), Berry Berry (PK 01)

The formula for these two products is markedly similar, with the first 14 ingredients being identical. (Not surprising, since YSL and Shu are siblings in the vast l'Oréal luxury family.) I didn't find there to be a difference in terms of how the product applied or wore, but I did find the Tint in Gelato formula to be less...translucent? It's thicker and more opaque in texture, and more matte on both cheeks and lips, even when freshly applied. Where the Kiss & Blush dances the line between lipgloss and lipstick when worn on the lips, these are more clearly in the liquid lipstick family. (You can, of course, vary the pigmentation by applying it more lightly and blending with a finger.)

The Gelatos have that creamy, whipped texture that makes them a dream to blend out on the cheeks. Seriously no-fuss, and easily polished in less than three seconds. (They also work just fine over both foundation or powder.) You can apply with a brush if you prefer, but I like just dotting the product on and blending out with my fingers.

The formula also shares that quality of sitting slightly on the lips, due to the particular nature of the silicone polymers used. I find this is what keeps the formula feeling cushy, even as it dries down, but the sensation can feel odd. (See Tracy's review here, if that's the case for you.)

Because it has a thicker and more matte texture, as well as the slip of the silicone, it's best to apply in light layers to the lips - it's easy to underestimate how much you're putting on, and wind up with goopy lips. I don't find these drying or line-emphasizing, but they don't leave my lips looking quite as full as the YSL Kiss & Blush, probably because they reflect a less light due to the matte finish and opaque pigment.

Below are swatches - thicker and blended out - and you can see that they can go on quite punchy when applied straight on (the way you might prefer on your lips) but also sheer out and blend nicely for a faintly glowing but still relatively matte blush.

Tint in Gelato: Spiced Orange (CR 04), Blood Orange (CR 01), Berry Berry (PK 01)

I received a few shades to try out, included two from the "orange" portion of the twelve shade range. I admit to being a little wary of that word included in my lipstick/lipgloss names, but these were anything but tangerine on my lips. (I'm really curious who does the shade naming over at Shu, because I suspect they need to have a little convo with Inigo Montoya.)

This is Spiced Orange, which is more of a light, peachy nude. It's a completely wearable nude sorbet shade on me, and looks even lovelier as a blush - just healthy and faintly sunny.

Tint in Gelato in Spiced Orange (CR 04)

Tint in Gelato in Spiced Orange (CR 04)

This is Blood Orange, which is a bright pastel version of the classic coral that generally looks amazing on anyone with olive or tanned skin (and with the pastel quality will also look awesome on paler skin). This shade is ALL about the Summer.

Tint in Gelato in Blood Orange (CR 01)

Tint in Gelato in Blood Orange (CR 01)

And finally this is Berry Berry, which...ok, this one sort of makes sense. If your berries are GMO'd like whoa, that is. This is a HOT berry shade, just this side of pink to be considered fuchsia. And obviously, I love it.

Tint in Gelato in Berry Berry (PK 01)

Tint in Gelato in Berry Berry (PK 01)

Though you can see the blended out swatches above, here is a picture of what the Spiced Orange looks like worn as blush (also on the lips).

Availability: At Holt Renfrew and select Sephora locations, as well as at www.shuuemura.ca. Price is 28$ CAD.

What are you guys feeling for these? Are you liking the dual function, or do you want your lipstick to be lipstick and your blush to be blush, dammit?

(Items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. All opinions are my own, I am not compensated. This post contains an affiliate link.)

Marc Jacobs 1000 Point VIB Rouge Perk - Love and Lust Lip Set

It seems like Sephora is trying to step up their VIB Rouge program. They recently had an open discussion on the Beauty Talk forums, which gave members the opportunity to lay out all the ways in which they felt the program was lacking. While the initial response from Sephora officials wasn't altogether promising, it appears that they are making some changes, slowly.

I've personally noticed that they are offering more frequent and better quality promo codes for Rouges, both online and in store. (The latter is actually a big bonus for me, since as much as I enjoy my local Sephora, I rarely shop there because the perks were always better online.) It's annoying that the minimum spend for these perks is arbitrarily higher (35$ to 50$), but it is a step in the right direction.

More recently, they came out with a 1000 point perk that is currently limited to Rouges: the Marc Jacobs Love and Lust Lip Set. This set contains two full-sized lip products in limited edition shades, not currently available for purchase.

The items come packaged in a nice little box to make you feel all fancy (though cardboard only goes so far), with a little booklet included. The latter is essentially an advertisement for the Marc Jacobs brand, and the first page congratulates you (yes YOU!) for being part of an exclusive inner circle of awesome people to get these two special shades that Marc designed just for you.

The Lovemarc Lip Gel is in the shade Cabaret, which is described as "deepest cranberry", and the Lust for Lacquer Lip Vinyl is in the shade Shooting Stars, described as "raisin berry".

Love and Lust Lip Set

Lip Gel in Cabaret

Lip Vinyl in Shooting Stars

 As far as the actual product goes, I have absolutely no complaints. These are GORGEOUS.

I don't own of the Marc Jacobs lipsticks, and I have to say I will be investigating them after trying out Cabaret. The texture is wonderfully smooth, and feels rich while still having a light texture. Wear time is about average, and the finish is a creamy satin that retains a bit of sheen as it dries down. It's also vanilla scented, which is always a plus for me. The colour is fantastic for me - a rich wine with a strong violet/grape undertone, almost plummy in certain lighting. It wears down to a plum stain.

I have tried the Lip Vinyl formula before, but Shooting Stars goes on more opaque than I was expecting from previous experience. It's not a liquid lipstick type formula, but it definitely packs a ton of pigment. It feels very comfortable on the lips, cushy and nourishing and not tacky. Lasting power is, again, average, and the scent is faintly sweet/floral, and it has a minty tingle. The colour is a very muted red, with a mauve undertone, (if they want to call this raisin, sure, but I don't see the berry at all) and pretty shimmer throughout.

Both these colours actually feel very autumnal to me, so I wonder if they are going to be released eventually and this set is a sneak peak for those "very special beauty insiders".

Lip Gel in Cabaret

Lip Vinyl in Shooting Stars

So am I happy that I spend 1000 points for this duo? Yes, in the sense that I love them, and I'm glad to own them. I didn't spend any money, and the points would otherwise be sitting in my Sephora account, to be spent haphazardly on random 100 point samples. I'd rather get two amazing full sized items rather than 10 deluxe samples, you know?

That said, I think the actual value system attached to the points is a little nuts. Compared to something like the Optimum Points system, it's laughable and almost insulting that spending 1000$ nets you 70$ worth of free product. I get that companies are under no obligation to give away freebies, but once they make a tiered customer loyalty program, they have to take into account that it also goes up against the loyalty systems offered by their competitors.

I guess I have mixed feelings overall.

What about you? If you're Rouge, are you thinking of picking this set up? If you're not, are you satisfying with Sephora's loyalty program as it stands?

Lorac Summer 2014 Collection - SummerGLO Palette, Alter Ego Lipsticks, 3D Lustre/Liners

When you love a brand, you really want to give every one of their products a fair shake. Lorac is one of those brands for me. Their palettes have consistently hit the top tier of favoured products, and I've collected them since I started getting into makeup. Their eyeshadow formula is consistently terrific.

Which is why I was sad that the items I picked up from their Summer releases didn't wow me like I had expected.

First out, the SummerGLO Eyeshadow Palette (24$ USD).

From the packaging to the shade selection, this looks like a great little summertime palette. It's sleek, small enough to be portable, but with a nice range of neutral and vibrant pastel colours.

The Good:

In terms of performance, the neutral shades are the best of the bunch. They have a smooth, silky texture that applies smoothly and blends out well. They also have a faint sheen that puts them somewhere between a matte and a satin - they read matte, but not flat. The coral peach shade is slightly sheerer, but has a similarly good performance.

The Meh:

The shimmery golden beige in the middle of the palette has a bit of a thicker texture, so it's not as smooth to apply or blend. The light brown with micro glitter really doesn't adhere well to the brush, and the glitters tends to go everywhere. The purple is beautiful, with a slight duochrome finish, but is much sheerer and needs to be packed on. The teal has tiny glitters that don't really transfer, and a more powdery texture.

The biggest problem for me with this palette was the way the eyeshadows blended, in that they did so really, really easily. Lorac eyeshadows are known for being easy to blend out, but they generally also have a fairly buttery texture that allows them to still adhere well to the lid. The texture with these is less buttery, more silky smooth, and it seems like they have less grip. I had to be careful to not over blend, or risk them disappearing altogether. The matte(ish) neutrals generally held up better, while the shimmer shades needed to be packed on to a sticky base on order to show up vibrantly, and they tended to fade out really easily. The teal shade was the worst, possibly because of that more powdery texture. As soon as my crease brush touched it, it blew away, and it wandered above my crease throughout the day as my eyelid moved, doing its usual eyelid-y things.

Overall, I think it's a decent, workable palette with some good shades, but it's one that requires some careful  application and help from a primer or cream base. It's just not what I expected based on previous experience.

Lorac also debuted their new range of reformulated lipsticks - Alter Ego (16$ USD) - and all I can say is....why?

These are a total misfire. I can't fathom how a brand that's been in the game for this long - with an MUA at the helm, no less - thought that this formula was a good idea. I can understand when a brand like MAC slips up something in RnD, since they release eleven billion collections a month, but if you're specifically revamping your signature lipsticks, why would you engineer them to be this unflattering? I suspect they were so focused on getting intense pigment (which these can definitely claim), that they didn't balance it adequately with comfort of wear and texture.

Alter Ego lipstick: Goddess, Nymph, Girl Next Door

Alter Ego lipstick: Goddess, Nymph, Girl Next Door

The Alter Ego lipsticks have a silicone-heavy matte finish. These are not only not hydrating, they give me troll mouth - desiccated, wrinkly, flaky. If you're determined to wear them, arm yourself with an exfoliating scrub and a ton of lip balm, then dab the product on and blend in as best you can. Maybe light a candle and offer up a prayer. (Ok, not that bad, but still. With all the fabulous products out there, why spend good money on a product that requires significant effort?)

I think the pale ones are especially problematic, as their chalky finish exacerbates the textural issues. The deeper shade I tried, Goddess, was better overall, so potentially the deeper shades in the line are worth investigating. The way my lips felt dried out after wearing these, however, doesn't incline me to trying more of them out.

On the plus side, the colours I've tried are really pretty.

Alter Ego lipstick: Goddess, Nymph, Girl Next Door

They look nice swatched, right?

LIES. HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE LIES.

Not so Nymph-y.

Goddess is the better one. And yet my lips still look like I've been sucking on the bitterness of life.

And onto a product that is merely a little problematic as opposed to cringe-inducing - the 3D Lustre/Liners (19$ USD).

These are a two-in-one liquid liner, with one side featuring a near-black shade, the other a metallic shimmer shade in a light, complimentary colour.

3D Lustre/Liners: Copper Lustre/Black Cherry Liner and Amethyst Lustre/Black Berry Liner

3D Lustre/Liners: Amethyst Lustre/Black Berry Liner and Copper Lustre/Black Cherry Liner

The Liner portion is great! The brush applicator is thin, flexible but firm enough for excellent control and the ability to create a fine point. The formula is lovely as well, long-wearing and smudge-proof, yet not a pain to remove at the end of the day. The finish is somewhat glossy, and a little shimmery. I also like the different undertones (purple and burgundy here) which are a nice option to pure black.

The Lustre ends are less of a hit, as the texture is thicker, which makes getting a precise line more difficult. They tended to going patchy upon application, requiring a few passes and then sometimes balling up upon further application. (You can see in the swatch above of the Amethyst Lustre.) They work better dabbed over the eyelid with a finger than used strictly as a liner. Applied like that, they are beautifully sparkly and iridescent, and I do like them used this way. As a measure of how they are packaged and meant to be applied, though, I think they fall short of the liner end.

So.

Overall, a little disappointed, but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that the Pro Palette 2 will be return to the fine form of previous Lorac releases.

If you're curious, I also have a video review here:



Have you guys tried any of these? What do you think? (They're hard to get here in Canada, though www.naimies.com will ship to us.)

(I purchased these items.)

Maybelline Bleached Neons Collection - Summer 2014

I'm going through a bit of a busy period at work, and trying to work on some blog posts when I can. In the meantime, I just wanted to get some pictures and swatches out for some of the items from the new Maybelline Bleached Neons Summer Collection, which is in drugstores now.

I have a feeling this will be one of those blink-and-you'll-curse-the-gods kind of collections. If you like something, I suggest getting it now, because with only a couple of each item on the displays...

I decided to skip the nail polishes (from what I've heard they have a tricky formula, which is not unusual for pastel-type shades), but they were quite pretty. I also passed on the Master Glaze bronzers - just not feeling shimmery bronzers at the moment.

The rest of the collection is right in my wheelhouse, however.

Maybelline Bleached Neons Summer 2014 Collection

I have a couple of these Master Glaze sticks, and while I'm not uniformly impressed by all of them, I think they're generally fun. A really easy, dab-and-go formula.

This one is in the shade Enchanting Apricot, which is a pink-toned peach with A LOT of shimmer. Really too much to wear during the day, and almost too much for a highlighter. On the plus side, it does apply more sheerly, so if you were inclined to wear it lightly over a less...rambunctious blush, you could.

Maybelline Bleached Neons Master Glaze in Enchanting Apricot

Maybelline Bleached Neons Master Glaze in Enchanting Apricot

The Color Elixir Lip Colors that are included in this line-up are gorgeous, bloom-evoking shades. If you've tried the formula, these are again no surprise: moderate pigment, a cushy, slightly thick, buttery texture that is nevertheless not tacky, and a particular vanilla-floral scent that is make-or-break for a lot of people. (I happen to like it.)

The three I chose were I'm Blushing, a milky baby pink that looks best layered over a nude lipstick, Radiant Raspberry, a medium, vibrant rose, and Glowing Garnet, which is nothing like the name implies; it's a neutral, muted pink.

Maybelline Bleached Neons Color Elixirs in I'm Blushing, Radiant Rasberry, Glowing Garnet 

Top to bottom: Maybelline Bleached Neons
Color Elixirs in I'm Blushing, Radiant Rasberry, Glowing Garnet

This collection also introduces the Master Drama Chromatics eye pencils. (Which I believe are remaining as part of the regular offerings.) I've never tried the original version, so I can't say how these compare performance wise. On my lower lash line, I got about 7 hours of wear before I noticed some fading and thinning, though it stayed put without smudging. 

From what I saw, there were four different colours, and I chose the one that felt the most summery - the vibrant, peacock-y Blast of Blue. They all have a strongly metallic finish, and an intensely creamy consistency that applies with great payoff and without a hint of drag. 

Maybelline Master Drama Chromatics Eye Liner in Blast of Blue

 Of course, I had to get the Color Tattoos. Maybelline really hit gold with their original formula for this range, and I'm glad they're continuing to bring out new and limited shades with each season (though these can be hit or miss).

Both Sunwashed Sky and Shimmering Sea are pure Pisces bait - intensely shimmery shades of blue with a beautiful duochrome effect.

Sunwashed Sky is a pale blue with an icy violet duochrome. It is the more shimmery and sheer of the two, and the one that loses most of the dual-toned effect once applied on the eye - looking more silvery blue than anything else. I also found this one creased a bit on me after a few hours.

Shimmering Sea, on the other hand, has a distinct aqua/gold duochrome that stays visible once applied. And it is FANTASTIC. This is the kind of shade that is perfect for lazy summer nights - slapped on quickly, with a bit of shimmer brown in the lash line, and out the door you go. It's also a great option for brown eyes like mine, that otherwise tend to look beady with overtly pastel shades.

Maybelline Bleached Neons Color Tattoos in Sunwashed Sky and Shimmering Sea

Maybelline Bleached Neons Color Tattoos in Sunwashed Sky and Shimmering Sea 

Maybelline Bleached Neons Color Tattoos in Sunwashed Sky and Shimmering Sea,
and Master Drama Chromatics in Blast of Blue (in sunlight)

Maybelline Bleached Neons Color Tattoos in Sunwashed Sky and Shimmering Sea,
and Master Drama Chromatics in Blast of Blue 

Availability: At SDM/Pharmaprix, Jean Coutu and Wal-Mart, prices vary by location and promotions.

Have you guys seen these displays yet? Are you getting anything, or are you waiting for the fall collections? (And I cannot believe I just said that.)

(I purchased all these items.)