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.)

Lancôme French Ballerine Spring 2014 Collection - Highlighter Blush in Rose Ballerine

I used to do ballet. I never made it to pointe and I was much too tall - even as a child - to pursue it seriously, but I remember those classes with a profound fondness. I still get a flutter of excitement when a dance movie comes on...and let's not even speak of the wondrous perfection that was the too-awesome-for-its-network Bunheads.

In short, I love ballet, and when I saw the original promo image for the Lancôme French Ballerine Spring 2014 collection, I may have actually gasped. 

photo credit: Lancôme

Lily Collins - invoking the essence of Audrey Hepburn - is sheer perfection as a modern-day yet hazily romantic ballerina. I'm not generally given to super-soft pinks and pastels, but all of a sudden I needed to have a piece of this collection.  

And then this beauty landed on my doorstep: the Highlighter Blush in Rose Ballerine.

There's no denying this is completely gorgeous. Lancôme does "feminine" and pretty" like George Clooney does "debonair". In other words, perfectly.

The mirrored compact, the lovely heft, the sweet bow, the classic rose bas-relief - it hits all the right notes.

The powder is silky and finely-milled, smooth to the touch but not so soft that it kicks up powder. It blends well and doesn't look remotely evident on the skin.

The shade is a light, seashell pink with no perceptible shimmer when applied to the skin, despite the way it reflects the light in the pan. It has more of a satin finish that still imparts the impression of a low-level glow.

The pigmentation is true-to-pan but not intense, so while it shows up as a delicate pink flush on my light skin tone, it may need to be built up a bit on medium or olive skin tones. (The light, fine texture allows a good level of build-up without textural issues, but because of the pastel hue, I suspect it will read ashy on deeper skin.)

Despite the name, it's not a highlighter per se, but more like a blush that has a skin-brightening undertone, and creates a subtle illumination as a result of the finish.

This is the kind of shade that obviously works well as part of a daintier makeup look, but it also begs to be paired with a more dramatic eye. Here I teamed it with the new spring eye palette from YSL (review coming soon!).

In short, it's almost as awesome as Bunheads. Which is high praise, indeed.

Availability: At The Bay, Holt Renfrew and select Pharmaprix/SDM locations. Price is 52$ CAD.

(This item was provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. This post is not sponsored or compensated and all opinions are my own.)

Pantone Color of the Year "Radiant Orchid" - Selections from Lancome, YSL, Clarisonic and Giorgio Armani

If you're tracking the Sephora site as obsessively as I am, you know that the Pantone Color of the Year is "Radiant Orchid". While Sephora has an exclusive relationship with Pantone to create a cosmetics line-up featuring said colour, it's a trend that several beauty brands have taken to heart, pulling suggestions from their current line-up as well as planning new releases.

From the L'Oréal luxury brands, the following items have been chosen as representative of the trend.

From Lancome: 

• Color Design Eye Shadow Palette - Lavender Grace (54$ CAD)
• Vernis in Love - Violette Coquette  (16$ CAD) 
• Artliner 24H - Amethyst (37$ CAD)

All currently available at Lancome counters at Hudson's Bay, Murale, Pharmaprix/SDM and www.lancome.ca.

From YSL:

• Glossy Stain Rebel Nudes - Violine Out of Control (36$ CAD)

Available at YSL counters at Holt Renfrew, and select Hudson's Bay and Murale locations.

From Giorgio Armani:

• Rouge Ecstasy - Orchid (38$ CAD)

Available at GA counters at Holt Renfrew, and select Hudson's Bay and Sephora locations.

From Clarisonic, all new:

• Mia2 Hollywood Lights - Purple (175$ CAD)

Limited Edition. Available exclusively at Sephora and www.sephora.ca as of March 2014.

I looooooooove this shade. Orchid is such a gorgeous alternative to the usual pinks and pastels that usually dominate the Spring collections. It can be a challenging shade to wear, especially with skin tones that tend to the sallow, but when it's the right balance of pink and blue, it can be exquisite. Folks with green or hazel eyes in particular are going to do really well with this kind of colour.

Are you guys anticipating all the Radiant Orchid you can stand?

Lancôme Holiday 2013 - Rose Étincelle Highlighter and Étincelle de Neige Vernis in Love nail polish

Lancôme's Holiday 2013 collection is a small one, but it sure as heck doesn't lack for impact. "Inspired by twinkling lights and wintery whites", the sparkle of the season is the defining feature for all the items.

The stand-out piece is, of course, the Rose Étincelle Highlighter.

It is, without a doubt, a stunner. A shimmery silver-pink stunner, with the classic Lancôme rose design. Looking at it from the side, it makes me think of freshly fallen snow. You know, the kind that sparkles like diamonds, when the air is super-crisp and the sun is shining.

The top layer is extra-frosty with silver micro-glitter, which can be brushed away to reveal the pink-hued shade beneath. (Note: The glitter will be EVERYWHERE for a little while. It's the most tenacious fairy dust ever. You can see in the picture below that I wan't able to get rid of it all and it kept sprinkling the casing.)

The exterior packaging looks like the basic black Lancôme casing, but at the right angle, it actually reveals the iconic Lancôme rose. It's a small detail, one that might escape notice, but it's that kind of special touch that elevates a beauty product. At least in my eyes.

(Apologies for the slight fuzziness of the picture, it was really difficult to capture the rose design otherwise.)

The texture is lovely - soft and dense, it can be applied quite opaquely if you wish, or as a soft silvery pink haze with a soft brush. It works well for highlighting anything, be it the inner corner of the eye, on the cheekbone, the collarbones.

Without the sparkly top layer, it's still quite heavy on the shimmer and so something I would reserve for evening looks (though if I could get away with looking like a fairy princess for work, I would wear this like spackle, I kid you not). Worn at night, though, it is exquisite and would work well for both holiday and New Year's Eve looks.

The other item in the collection that I was sent to try is the Vernis in Love in Étincelle de Neige.

This is so intensely pretty! It picks up again on that sparkly, fresh snow effect. Like crushed diamonds coating my nails. A ton of off-white shimmer that flashes teeny blue and pink and yellow glimmers at certain angles (which was absolutely impossible to capture in a picture).

It's beautiful as is, but if you don't like the textured feel, several layers of top coat can be added (which will only increase the insane sparkle factor). Personally I like the 'bare' look. It's also quite opaque, so while you can layer it over another polish, I think it works best on its own. Here I did two coats.

The application was smooth and easy, and the flat but curved brush is perfect for my nail bed. It took a little bit of elbow grease to get off, but worth it because...

...I was very pleasantly surprised by how long this lasted on my nails - a full WEEK. For me, that's unheard of. When I got some wear at the tip, I even tried chipping it off and couldn't get much. I only wish it came in a larger size, as the bottle is only 6ml. I think I'm going to need a back-up bottle (or twelve), and I'm going to have to track down the Étincelle d'Argent, which appears to be sold out on the website.

Availability: At www.lancome.ca, as well as The Bay, and select Pharmaprix/SDM and Murale locations. Price is  52$ CAD for the highlighter, 16$ for the nail polish.

Pros: Great texture and pigmentation, variable with application method, on the highlighter. Gorgeous packaging and design. Nail polish is opaque and very resistant to chipping. Both are insanely pretty and perfectly suit the inspiration of "twinkling lights and merry whites".

Cons: The glitter on the highlighter is a bit messy initially. The nail polish takes a bit of work to remove, and is smaller than the average nail polish bottle.

Have you guys tried any of these? I was really stunned by how much I loved the nail polish.

(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.)

Lancôme Teint Visionnaire Skin Correcting Makeup Duo - #100 Ivoire (Review and Swatches)

Foundation textures have improved so much in the last few years that it seems like it's not enough for them to simply provide coverage and a skin-like finish. A foundation that merits the term "outstanding" now needs to encompass some sort of significant skincare benefit.

After testing the Lancôme Teint Visionnaire Skin Correcting Makeup Duo this past week, I think it's safe to say that it falls into that "outstanding" category.

Teint Visionnaire incorporates some of the ingredients used in the Visionnaire line of skincare, including LR 2412, a molecule that apparently works to reduce the appearance of discolouration, fine lines, pores and other textural irregularities. The specific skincare claims for this foundation are:

In 4 weeks
- Size of dark spots are reduced by 17%
- Fine lines are reduced by 12%
- Size of pores are reduced by 11%

 In 8 weeks
- Size of dark spots are reduced by 22%
- Fine lines are reduced by 20%
- Size of pores are reduced by 17%

I don't know how they calculate the percentages so precisely, and since I don't possess a Data-esque capacity for measuring volume and depth through the sheer power of my eyeballs, my impressions are a bit more vague. I will say that I observed a definite difference in my skin as I wore this foundation. Not only did my skin appear particularly smooth, luminous and virtually pore-less upon application, but it actually looked better at the end of the day, when I took my makeup off. A touch softer and more refined. It's a rare foundation that accomplishes that!

The texture is lightweight and quite liquid, almost watery, and needs to be shaken up prior to application. If you've used Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua or Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation, you have an idea of the kind of texture I mean. It looks superbly natural on the skin, and has light-to-medium coverage depending on your application method. It applies well with fingers, foundation brushes and a Beauty Blender, though my favourite is the Beauty Blender for the most natural finish. A traditional foundation brush will provide the most coverage. I had no issues with it picking up over dry spots.

My skin really looked perfected, but not like a blank canvas. Problem-free, subtly illuminated, naturally healthy. In other words - my dream skin. This has easily hit the top of the list for my everyday foundation, though the lighter coverage means that I'll likely be reaching for something else on those days my skin needs more help.

My favourite part, though, is how it wears. I've been applying it at 4am every day for the past week, finishing off with a dusting of MUFE Super Matte Powder. At 8pm, my skin did not look substantially different. A bit faded and shiny through the t-zone, but otherwise intact. No caking or creasing, no dilated pores. A small amount of beading on some pores. After wearing it for 16 hours, it was only a little worse for wear. For a foundation that isn't marketed as long-wearing, that's pretty darn incredible. I do, however, recommend powdering and/or using a primer if you have oilier skin, as the finish can look shiny on this type of skin. (EDIT: I don't generally use a face primer, but I am currently using the Philosophy Time in a Bottle, which has properties similar to primers.)

My only issue is the shade range. I had a hard time finding a match, with most of the lighter shades actually looking too dark or too warm. The best shade for me was the #100 Ivoire, which is the lightest shade. It's not perfect, as it is a tiny bit too light and too pink-toned, but the foundation is forgiving enough that it doesn't seem so apparent. I'm not all that fair, though, so paler complexions might not find a good match. On the plus side, the shade range extends farther into the deeper tones than many high-end foundation, so that is awesome!

Since this is a Duo, it also comes with a matching cream concealer packaged in the lid, which is a clever feature. It boasts the same skincare benefits as the foundation.

In terms of texture, it's a firm-packed cream concealer - finer, smoother, and less waxy than the MAC Studio Finish Concealer. It's neither emollient nor particularly dry, and the texture works well under the eyes (warmed up and applied with fingers, or swept on with a fluffy brush for a more diffused effect) or elsewhere on the face.

It's close to full coverage, but I think the particular shade is not the best for my skin coverage needs, as I need something a bit deeper and more peach-leaning to knock out the darkness under my eyes.

Concealer in top swatch, foundation in bottom swatch.

In the arm swatch above, the match looks pretty good, but in the pictures below you can see that my face is ever so slightly lighter and less yellow than my neck and chest. Not a big deal, and I'm happy to add a drop of another foundation to get the exact right match if it means I get to have this awesome finish.

Lancome Teint Visionnaire in Ivoire, MUFE Super Matte Powder, Shu Uemura Duocolor Blush in Sweet Pink,
Buxom Amplified Lash Mascara, Kat Von D Spellbinding Eye Shadow Book in Galore and Hexagram,
Buxom Full-On Lip Stick in Sydney. 

So what do you think? Have you tried this foundation already? Do you like the idea of foundation doing double-duty as skincare, or do you prefer to keep the two things separate?

Availability: At Lancôme counters at The Bay, Pharmaprix/SDM, Murale and Sephora. Price is 60$ CAD and USD. (Parity, yes!)

Pros: Lightweight texture, very natural, slightly luminous finish, excellent wear. Skin looks softer and more refined after wearing it. Concealer has a good texture to be used both under the eyes and over spots, with good, almost full, coverage.

Cons: Colour matching may be difficult, especially for fairer complexions. This particular shade of concealer is not adequate for blue undereye circles.

(This item was provided by the brand/PR, to be considered for review. This post is not sponsored or compensated. Opinions are my own.)

Melt-Proofing Summer Makeup - Skin Basics - Video

As someone on Twitter recently mentioned the trouble they were having with their makeup sliding off their face (thank you, Montreal heatwave), I thought this might be useful.




And if you like dogs, you'll enjoy the outtake clip at the end of the video. =)

Makeup used:

Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier
Lancome Teint Idole Buff 210 and Teint Miracle foundations Bisque 1N
MAC Mineralize Concealer NC20 (*squinty stare of death*)
MUFE HD Microfinish Blush #6
Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder
Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder
MUFE Matte Loose Powder
MAC Beauty Powder Blush in Joyous
MAC Structural Brown Paint
Lorac Cocoa and Capuccino eyeshadow
Smashbox Waterproof Pencil in Luminous Fig
Buxom Lash Mascara
Fresh Honey Lip Treatment
NYX Pinky Lipliner

Lancome Teint Miracle - Video Review and Application

I was on a roll yesterday. =)

Lancome GWP at Pharmaprix

Please excuse the lighting in the following picture, I'm testing a new  photography set-up, and it's not quite right. I just wanted to post this quickly, as it is time-limited (expires May 13th I believe).

Lancome is offering a GWP at Pharmaprix/SDM stores - this set comes with any purchase of 35$ or more, and now is a good time to take advantage as there is also a 20x the Optimum points event that ends this Friday, AND the majority of locations that sell Lancome should have received a) the Summer collection, b) Teint Idole Ultra and c) the new Color Design eyeshadow palettes.

Plus, how often to those little GWP palettes come in a shade range like that? Definitely not nice, safe neutrals.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H Foundation

I'm pretty faithless when it comes to foundation. My current foundation may be perfectly adequate, but I'm always looking for something better, brighter and more exciting around the next corner. After trying out two of the more recent foundations from Lancôme I have to say that any newcomers will have a lot to live up to.

The first one I want to review is the reformulated version of Teint Idole, which claims an "all-day flawless complexion" and "ensures a shine-free and retouch-free complexion".

Like most of Lancôme's products, this foundation has beautiful, elegant packaging, with a nicely weighted frosted glass bottle, a tight-fitting cap and a controlled pump dispenser.

They also have a substantial range of shades, though still nothing for very deep skin tones. (My match is the 210 Buff N.)

Having never tried the original version, I can't compare the two, but I suspect that aside from the claims of increased durability, the reformulation likely has an improved texture. Certainly I found it to be nice and creamy, yet very easy to apply and sheer out. Like most modern matte-finish foundations, this has a relatively short working period, as it dries down quickly and lastingly.

One squirt applied to bare skin, rubbed in with my fingers.
Indirect natural daylight.

The coverage is a solid medium, and can be sheered out or built up. This is the kind of foundation that can make you look airbrushed and perfect, with very little effort.

The finish is absolutely matte, meaning that it will not easily forgive fine lines or texture, but it will control shine. Tenaciously so. I did not test the 24 hour claim, but it lasted from 5am until 10pm relatively unscathed. I found it started to look a little flaky on my cheeks toward 7-8pm, but otherwise it remained fresh. I did not set it with powder, so where I had applied heavier moisturizer it allowed a slight glow to come through, and remained matte otherwise. My skin is not terribly oily these days, however, so I can't vouch for how well it will hold up on very oily skin. On combo skin it's perfect.

The best application was with a damp sponge, as a buffing brush pickup up on the dry flakies, and a flat foundation brush gave me a bit more coverage than I needed (which obviously would not be a problem if you prefer that level of coverage). The damp sponge afforded to most natural look (and allowed some of the moisturizer glow to peek through), but I did not find it cakey otherwise. I did experience some mild pore-settling around my nose, which is something that can be resolved by buffing the foundation in. If that is a concern for you, be aware that this is something that I did experience.

Teint Idole and Clarins Ever Matte are the kind of foundations that make me love matte again - easy to apply, long-lasting, light-feeling. The fact that I don't need to powder them is a huge plus, especially since I would likely use this kind of finish in the summer and generally prefer having the least amount of product on my face during that season. Teint Idole edges out Ever Matte for me, though, and that's mostly because I prefer medium coverage foundations. A foundation I can sheer out is more versatile than one that needs to be built up.

Availability: At The Bay, lancome.ca, Murale and Pharmaprix locations that stock Lancôme. The price is 50$ CAD.

Pros: Perfect coverage - blots out imperfections without deadening the skin - and great durability. Excellent shade selection for light-to-medium skin. Feels light for something with that much coverage and very comfortable despite the matte finish. Looks polished and professional with minimum fuss.

Cons: Can settle into pores, will emphasize texture, so not my first pick for dry or mature skin, unless you're prepared to sacrifice the youthful, light-bouncing properties of dewier foundations for an impeccable finish.

(I purchased this item at Bon Ton in the US.)

Retail Therapy - Chantecaille, Jo Malone, Estée Lauder, Lancome and Clarins

I haven't quite mastered the art of the no-buy (or low-buy), though I am drawing inspiration from Liz over at Beauty Reductionista. Chances are I'm not likely to anytime soon - I'm a hoarder collector. Blame my magpie Pisces soul, and its inability to resist anything pretty and shiny.

So in the interest of being true to my nature, I'm indulging in a little retail therapy, both real and of the wishful thinking variety. (And hey, it is my birthday month, and 34 is the sort of age that calls for significant splurging, n'est-ce pas?)

I've resisted the draw of the Neiman Marcus beauty event, but by the skin of my teeth. These are my top two lemmings:

Picture courtesy of www.neimanmarcus.com

I'm not a big Jo Malone fan. I've found her fragrances to be a little tame, honestly. But I freakin' LOVE lilac. And isn't the botanical print on the bottle just precious? I am going to wait until I have a chance to sniff this in person when I'm in New York, because 110$ isn't exactly loose change.

Picture courtesy of www.neimanmarcus.com

The Coral Reefs palette from Chantecaille. Do I even need to explain this one? It's stunning. Absolutely stunning. And from the swatches I've seen, worthy of a splurge. I've convinced myself (barely) to wait for a promo code from www.beautyhabit.com. 

I did indulge this week, with the new summer collection from Estée Lauder, as well as a couple of fresh lip items from Clarins and Lancome. (Though the idea of summer collections already being out while the snow continues to flaunt its presence is perhaps a little obscene.)

Reviews coming as soon as I have a chance to test. =)

In the meantime, here is an incredibly imprecise lip swatch of one of the Lancome Rouge in Love lipsticks. 

Not the one I picked up, as I have an overabundance of fuchsia lipsticks, but a lovely one all the same. This one was swiped on really quickly and blotted down.

(Please excuse the unruly brows, I'm due for a threading appointment.)

So what are you guys currently lemming or hauling?