Sephora VIB Rouge In-Store Event

It's no secret that the Sephora VIB Rouge program has had some hiccups. (My faves are the inconsistent treatment and non-existent or irrelevant perks - really, does anyone jump at the chance for free makeovers with germ-laden testers?) Whether you think people had overly high expectations or Sephora just under-delivered on its promises, the grumblings on the interwebs made it clear - this is a program that needs to be revamped, ASAP, or risk alienating those high spenders they were courting.

I've generally been pleased with what is the biggest (and arguably, only) perk for me - the unlimited free shipping. When few US companies and even fewer Canadian companies offer free shipping to Canada, being able to make a 20$ order on a whim is deliriously freeing. (I had no trouble making the 75$ minimum before, but it's SO nice not to have to - especially in conjunction with those 25$ minimum purchase promo codes. As a side benefit, orders under 20$ also ship duty and tax free! Win on all sides.)

That said, there's always room for improvement. If this weekend's Spring Social Rouge events are anything to go by, it might be a case of one step forward, one step back. Early access to chic week and an exclusive event is nice, but there's still a fair bit of dismay on chat forums about the discount amount (same as what BIs and VIBs will presumably get during Chic Week) and the stinginess of foil samples in the free bag.

I'm a cheap wily shopper, so when it comes to Sephora I tend to shop online, where I can combine the free shipping, promo codes and Ebates cash backs to the best advantage. Knowing the discount would barely account for the taxes and having heard about the minimal samples in the goodie bag, I went to this event with a small list and low expectations.

I was pleasantly surprised.

I should mention that I had to drive 30 minutes through a snowstorm, so being greeted personally by the Store Director was nice (she knew my name without asking) and I very much enjoyed the good coffee, chocolate croissants and the deluxe sample bar (3 samples per Rouge, from a great selection).

The service was spot-on - all the SAs were friendly and cheerful, and they had a nice selection of reps across makeup and skincare. I wandered idly by Caudalie, where the fabulous rep took me in hand and somehow convinced me to buy that 100$ eye cream that I had been contemplating not at all. Seriously, she used sorcery of some kind. She then placed some amazing GWPs into my bag, which amounted to a 70$ value!

I also got two sets that are not available on-line (the Fresh Skin Superstars), or at least not on Canadian orders (the Sephora X system), as well as a staple I didn't want to wait for (Josie Maran Cleansing Oil) and the lone Hourglass Ambiant blush missing from my collection and out of stock online (Dim Infusion). No worries about sacrificing my Ebates cash back, and then I still received my deluxe samples and the Rouge bag o' samples.

Overall, I was very happy with this event and felt like it was well-organized and fun, and a good value for the amount of money I dropped.

But it appears like that experience was uneven across the stores in the Montreal area, and that is perhaps the biggest issue with Rouge at the moment - the lack of consistency. Some people get to experience awesome events because they're in NYC or SF (I would have enjoyed meeting Marc Jacobs and receiving a free MJ palette as well, not gonna lie). Others get full-sized products included in orders. (Only a handful of people, it seems, but this one has fostered whale-sized resentment.)

What do you guys think about the program and/or this event in particular? If you're Rouge, are you feeling it? If you're not Rouge, are you enticed to try to qualify?

Pantone Color of the Year "Radiant Orchid" - featuring Lancome, YSL, Tarte and Elizabeth Arden

Oh, the Pantone Color. I feel like by the year's end we are all well and done with whatever the shade is. (I'm looking at you, Emerald. Not even Once Upon A Time will make me love you again.)

With the freshness and bright promise of spring lurking (possibly hiding) around the corner, though, I am MASSIVELY feeling the Radiant Orchid. I love pink, and I adore purple, so this not-quite-pastel lovechild of the two is right up my alley, trend or no.

Makeup brands are obviously feeling it as well, and have pulled out several offerings from their permanent lineups to cater to the demand. I was sent a few different ones to try out, and I shopped my stash for another item to cover all aspects of my face. (In retrospect, the Benefit Lollitint would have been perfectly appropriate as a cheek option.)

From Lancôme, we have the Artliner 24H in Amethyst, the Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Eyeshadow in Golden Orchid, the YSL Vernis à Lèvres Rebel Nudes in #108 Violine Out of Control, and the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Fantastic (limited edition from a past holiday set).

This was my first time trying out an Elizabeth Arden eyeshadow, though I've been lemming them for a while now. From what I recall from my obsessive swatching, they seem to vary a bit - some are dense, creamy and more opaque, some are softer in texture and payoff. Golden Orchid is one of the latter, and works very nicely as a wash over the eye. The shade itself is a warmer, more neutral play on the Orchid theme. It's not a faithful interpretation, but probably a more wearable one for a lot of people.

Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Eyeshadow Golden Orchid

This was also my first experience with the Artliner, and I loved both the formula and the application. This has the same kind of applicator as the Stila and Make Up For Ever waterproof liquid liners, and the same kind of shellac-like finish. Intensely liquid, setting to a vinyl shine and holding on for dear life in the face of oil, sweat and tears (and most makeup removers). It did crackle a bit in the folds of my eyelid after several hours, but that's the norm for me when it comes to this kind of formula.

Application was super smooth and easy to control, with really great pigmentation on one pass. The colour is a blue-toned, almost eggplant purple, with a bit of shimmer. It's lovely with brown eyes, and should be stunning with green eyes.

Lancome Artliner in Amethyst

I'm already a fan of the YSL Vernis à Lèvres, and this had the expected feel and performance. Long-wearing and glossy (though it did not make it through a meal), it also seemed to plump my lips slightly, which was an unexpected bonus. (The copy claims a Euphoric Pearl technology that creates a 3-D luminous effect, so perhaps that's it?)

Probably the truest interpretation of Radiant Orchid, this is a lilac tone with subtle shimmer. I don't think this pulls the yellow in my teeth nearly as much as others in this colour family do, but it's not brightening either. If you have concerns, layering it over a trusted lipstick might also be a (subtle) option for getting a bit of that orchid tone.

YSL Vernis à Lèvres in Violine out of Control

The mini Tarte blush was one I pulled out on a whim. I wanted a fairly cool, bright pink to keep in tune with the rest of the face, but one that would be a supporting player. As with all the other Amazonian Clay blushes, it's ultra-smooth, long-lasting and pigmented, so I used a light hand to add just the faintest hint of colour.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Fantastic

And, of course, the comparison swatches:

Left to right: Elizabeth Arden Golden Orchid eyeshadow, Lancome Artliner in Amethyst,
YSL Vernis à Lèvres in Violine out of Control, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Fantastic

This is the look I put together, which is what I actually wore to my birthday supper. (The big 3-6. I'm not traumatized or anything.)

I used Golden Orchid all over my lid, with some added definition in the crease and lightly in the lower lash line with some brown and taupe shades from the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette. Then I did a simple wing with the Artliner, keeping the flick fairly straight. (Eyebrows au naturel, because I'm lazy.) I used the new Benefit BB Cream as my foundation and concealer (no powder), and a veeeeeery light dab of the Tarte blush. The finishing touch was a single coat of the Violine Out of Control.

All in all, I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out. I generally love purple tones, and the various incarnations of Radiant Orchid seem to work nicely for me. 

Are you guys feeling the Pantone colour this year, or is it a miss for you?

(Some of the items featured were provided by the brands/PR. This post is not sponsored or compensated, all opinions are my own.)

Cover Girl TruMagic The Perfector, TruMagic The Sunkisser and TruMagic The Luminizer

One of the more interesting recent launches from Cover Girl is their set of three products in the TruMagic line-up (which debuted alongside their re-formulated and expanded TruBlend base range). This line features a "skin perfector", a bronzer and a luminizer, all in silicone-cream formulation.

I'm always pleased to see drugstore lines getting more experimental with their products and formulations. The concept for the skin perfector is not unique or original to Cover Girl, of course, (Mally has had something similar out for a while, and Stila came out with their own version this past year) but it's refreshing to see a brand branch out.

The question is - were they a worthy addition?

TruMagic The Perfector 

This is the one I was most intrigued by, since I had been lemming the Mally version for over a year. Essentially a silicone product in balm form, it can apparently be used alone as a mattifier, under foundation as a primer, over foundation as a finishing step, or throughout the day to refresh the look.

I was really eager to receive this, and imagined I would have a few days of testing and get a review up shortly. In reality, I found myself testing and using this over a few weeks, loving it and being bemused by it in equal measures.

The biggest win for me is using it as a mattifier. I love, love, LOVE how quickly and easily this provides a shine-free finish to my skin, without adding an ounce of weight or any added texture or cakiness. The key is to not use too much, just dabbing the provided sponge into the product and lightly dab/rolling it over the skin. This is especially important when applied overtop foundation or powder, as using too much product or a rubbing motion will only succeed in eroding the makeup. I made that mistake several times, with rather disastrous results.  Applied with a light hand, it is absolutely fantastic. (And is a great option if you don't love the look or feel of powder.)

Another great benefit is the way this blurs minor imperfections, like dilated pores and fine lines. It's not going to fill in wrinkles or make major dents vanish, but it does wonders for making the skin look fresher and smoother.

Below is a before and after of my forehead (that is the area with the most noticeable shine at the end of the day). In the before shot I am wearing a BB cream and powder, applied 15 hours earlier.

Pretty good!

It does fumble for me as a primer, however. It has an instantly smooth, silk-like finish, which would seem ideal as a base. In practice, I just couldn't get my foundations to blend over it without some patchiness and flaking. I tried applying more or less, and it just didn't seem to work too well. I think because of its mattifying function, it just exacerbates my dry areas, which become amplified once foundation is applied overtop. If you have no dryness at all, this might work a lot better for you.

Another thing to note - after using it almost daily for two weeks and intermittently for a couple more (so let's say about 20 uses), I've already hit pan! That is really, really unusual for me. I don't think I'm being especially heavy-handed when applying it, so I have to assume there just isn't a ton of product in here, at least not for the kind of application that would be the norm.

TruMagic The Sunkisser

I honestly had no expectations for this, and was very pleasantly surprised. It has the same silcicone/balm formulation and silky, seamless texture as The Perfector, and applies beautifully over bare skin or foundation. It's not a cream, so there's no dewiness or drag, and it's not a powder, so you don't have to worry about blending out edges.

The shade is a little too warm for me to use as a contour, but it's awesome for adding a layer of warmth and a true tan finish. It can be applied with the sponge provided, but I actually preferred using a synthetic buffing brush to hit the perimeter of my face and a bit over my cheeks for a really natural, bronzed effect. It blends out so easily, making it virtually goof-proof. Although it's not in any way a dupe for the Soleil Tan de Chanel, it's a nice, budget friendly way of trying out that kind of product. I found it lasted well throughout the day as well.

Really, really like this one. My surprise favourite out of the three.

TruMagic The Luminzer

I'll say right off that this guy probably isn't for me, at least not used conventionally. Same formulation and feel as the previous two, though this one is a slightly gold-toned clear base loaded with a ton of gold micro-glitter. And I do mean glitter, not shimmer. This is not a subtle highlight by any means. For clubbing, or a stronger look, however, it might be just right, and it does share the convenience of application with The Sunkisser - it can be dabbed on over makeup without adding weight or disrupting the finish underneath. For the right look, and especially over deeper skin tones, it can be fun. On fair to medium skin, the gold tone can come across a little yellow, however.

Alternatively, I do like dabbing it on the eyelid as a finishing touch for an extra bit of sparkle. A nice advantage is that the glitter stays put.

Left to right: TruMagic The Luminizer, TruMagic The Sunkisser swatches heavily and blended in.

Have you guys given these a try yet? What do you think?

Availability: At all major drugstores and select grocery stores, as well as Wal-Mart and Target. Also at well.ca. Prices vary, but 9$ to 12$ CAD is about average.

(These items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group, I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.)

Shu Uemura The Lightbulb Foundation and Sponge - 764 Medium Light Beige and 774 Light Beige

I'm always on the hunt for the perfect foundation, as are, I think, most people who wear makeup. And my requirements are extensive: it needs to look like my skin, cover all my redness, smooth over fine lines and pores, and provide a naturally radiant finish. So basically...magic.

The Lightbulb Foundation from Shu Uemura was the latest to be put to the test.

I recently found out that Shu Uemura has a particular expertise when it comes to oils. They have a huge reference catalogue of pretty much every oil in existence, complete with the most up-to-date information about their various properties and benefits. When they formulate anything involving oils, they have this vast resource to pull from, and do so with very specific aims in mind. When they formulated the Lightbulb foundation, they did so knowing they wanted to create an oil-based foundation that would have high coverage, yet retain an illuminated appearance no matter the actual level of light. They achieved this with a mixture of fast and slow-evaporating oils, including macadamia nut oil - which is more reflective than other oils, and remains on the skin longer, with a longer-lasting glow.

In practice, what does this mean for the look and feel of the foundation?

Shu Uemura The Lightbulb Foundation in764 Medium Light Beige and 774 Light Beige

Top to bottom: 774 Light Beige and 764 Medium Light Beige.

I actually had a bit of a learning curve when it came to application. For one, I needed less foundation than I would otherwise, due to the high pigmentation. I made the mistake of over applying at first. I also used my hands, which is how I usually test foundation the first time I use it, to get a solid impression of consistency and feel. Again, I felt like it went on too heavy this way. This foundation really does best when applied with a sponge - and luckily, a unique, specially designed sponge is actually included with the Lightbulb foundation. (And can be purchased separately if you need a replacement.)

Shu Uemura The Lightbulb Sponge

The idea behind the sponge is that it can be used to enhance glow by using the bigger side in a tapping motion, or to diminish it by using the pointed side in a stroking motion. I didn't see a huge difference in terms of glow, but I do think the tapping application results in the smoothest finish. (The sponge is much denser and smoother than the Beautyblender, by the way.)

(Side note: I noticed that the kind of moisturizer I used made a big difference in how the foundation turned out on my skin. I was testing a water-based cream with alcohol content at the same time as I started testing this foundation, and they did NOT like each other. It just looked like a hot, flaky mess. When I switched over to my trusty Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentré, no such issues. If you have dry skin, I would recommend using a rich, oil based moisturizer as well.)

Overall, I think the Lightbulb foundation has great coverage - solidly medium to full. It's very buildable, as the oil-based texture keeps the product pliable and layerable for quite a while.
It covers pores nicely, too. What's amazing is that for such a full coverage foundation, it does indeed have this perpetual glow. I happened to pass by a mirror in my house during a dimly lit evening, and I was taken aback by how much radiance my skin managed to bounce back. Despite this, it doesn't look shiny in the daylight, and it photographs beautifully.

One thing to keep in mind is that the very ingredients that create that glow and pliability, also keep it moist and movable. This is by no means a transfer-resistant foundation, and it can collect in lines created by movement (such as crows feet). Setting with powder was a must for me. (For what it's worth, the Nars Light Reflecting Powder is my favourite, because it doesn't interfere with the luminous finish. The Hourglass Ambient powders might be a good pairing as well.)

To give you an idea of the finish and coverage, this is a before and after of me wearing just the Lightbulb foundation, no powder or concealer. I used a mix of both the Medium Light Beige (which has a neutral undertone) and Light Beige (which is marginally lighter, with a yellow undertone). Both of them look quite yellow when compared to my skin in the swatches above, but as you can see they blend out perfectly with my skin tone.

I'm really impressed by how alive it makes my skin look, considering a) the coverage level and b) the fact that I was just getting over the flu, and looked like a wet rag.

Have you guys tried this foundation yet?

Availability: Can be purchased from www.shuuemura.ca and www.shuuemura-usa.com, as well as from select Holt Renfrew and Sephora locations in Canada. The Lightbulb foundation comes with the sponge, and retails for 66$ CAD , and the sponge by itself is 26$ CAD.

(These items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. This post is not sponsored or compensated, all opinions are my own.)

Cover Girl LipPerfection Lipcolor - Review and Swatches

I may be dating myself writing this, but I remember a time when shopping for makeup at the drugstore was an exercise in futility and frustration. Eyeshadows were chalky and sheer, lipsticks were twelve shades of uninteresting, and you could forget about getting any kind of colour match with foundation if your skin wasn't some bizarre shade of pink-toned ecru.

I've always loved a bargain, but shopping for drugstore makeup these days is an actual pleasure in and of itself. Prices may have gone up, but so has the quality and selection.

And so I was very hopeful when it came time to test the stash of Cover Girl LipPerfection lipsticks I acquired via the Beauty United blogger program.

Overall, I was very pleased. I generally find them to be smooth to apply (no drag), nicely pigmented (medium on one swipe, opaque with two), and with a moderately creamy texture. They're not especially hydrating, but they are very comfortable to wear and don't dry my lips out in the slightest. (If you have very dry lips, however, you'll probably want to layer a balm underneath.) They have a satin finish - for the most part - and they lend themselves well to precise application.

The three lightest shades have a somewhat different texture, which a little more "slippy" and less opaque. They also somewhat emphasize the texture (cracks, lines, flaky areas) of my lips, and do best when applied over lip balm and patted on with a brush or finger, rather than applied straight from the tube.

The medium to deep shades have great lasting power, 4-6 hours with minor wear. Creme fades within a couple of hours, while Sweet and Yummy last somewhere in between, though Sweet has more of a staining effect. These lipsticks don't seem to contain a masking fragrance, which means they have a faintly waxy sort of scent. Not pleasant, but not noticeable after a few minutes - and I suppose a boon to those who are sensitive to added fragrance. (Personally, I'm always in for vanilla.)

I've roughly sorted the ones I have into a warm group and cool group, with both arm and lip swatches for comparison. 

Warm shades first:

Top to bottom: Seduce, Hot, Sweet, Creme

Left to right: Top to bottom: Seduce, Hot, Sweet, Creme

Seduce 307

Seduce is a gorgeous and classic apple red, ever so slightly on the warm side. It lasts beautifully, and has one of the nicest textures overall.

Hot 305

Hot is a warmer, tomato red , bright and vivid. This has one of the creamier textures, and is one I suggest wearing with a lip liner to avoid any bleeding, if you're prone to that. It's a great alternative to a true orange if you want to wear the bold lip Spring trend, but remain somewhat horrified by orange.

Sweet 297

Sweet is a deep peach with an orange sherbet undertone. Like most shades that lean pastel, this can emphasize texture in the lips, but is fine if worn over lip balm (or lip balm and a lip liner combo to maintain some depth and opacity). This is very much a trend colour (and is featured in the Cover Girl/Pantene Spring/Summer 2014 video series here.)

Creme 256

Creme is a warm-tone beige nude, with a texture that was the least generous to any dryness or lines in my lips. I would dab this lightly on the lips in order to take down the natural cool-toned pink, and use it as a base for a nude gloss. 

And the cooler shades:

Top to bottom: Tempt, Eternal, Ravish, Tantalize, Bombshell, Yummy 

Left to Right: Tempt, Eternal, Ravish, Tantalize, Bombshell, Yummy

Tempt 355

Tempt is a cool, cherry red with a strong pink undertone. Beautifully saturated and vivid, this is a great statement lip if you're torn between a classic red and a punchier fuchsia. 

Eternal 350

Eternal is a hot, raspberry-toned pink with a lovely creamy finish. As you can no doubt imagine by now, this is one of my favourites.

Ravish 308

Ravish is a plummy, dusky berry. This has one of the richer textures, and felt the most comfortable on. It had great lasting power and was very flattering on my skin tone. I can imagine this being a perfect work-friendly colour for a lot of people - classic, not trendy.

Tantalize 324

A cool, almost lilac-y mauve, I was surprised by how much I liked this colour on me. It actually has the same effect as a nude on other people - it looks natural, polished and subtly brightening, despite the strong cool cast.

Bombshell 327

Bombshell is a "soft" fuschia pink, bright but not jarring, and not so blue-toned as to be unkind to less than blindingly-white teeth. This also has the smoothest texture of them all.

Yummy 397

Yummy is a pastel pink, a little modish and 60s feeling. It can look chalky and a little unforgiving when applied straight on, but it's exactly the kind of shade that pairs well with a smoky eye (as per Rita Ora's look at the Grammys).

So overall? I'm really pleased with the the shade range and most of textures here, with some that I foresee being in heavy rotation this Spring and Summer. In terms of drugstore options, I'm glad to have the substantial selection of the full range at such an inexpensive price, especially when I'm craving a shot of something new, colour-wise.

Have you guys tried this line at all? What are your thoughts?

Availability: All major drugstores. Price varies, though I usually see them for between 8-11$ CAD. Well.ca has them for 9.99$ CAD.

(These items were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group, I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.)