Thursday, March 28, 2013

Laura Mercier Folklore Summer 2013 Collection - Preview

Rich, earthy and tribal colours inspired by cultures of South and Central America in the Summer 2013 Colour Story: Folklore. Laura’s inspiration: Laura Mercier’s inspiration for this collection stems from Aztec influences and fantastical rituals, colours in this collection are reminiscent of ancient symbols and artifacts, textiles and jewelry. When conceptualizing the collection, Laura envisioned the spirit of earth and fire infused into an illuminating new mosaic of color. The products create a naturally bronzed look, with fiery shades that are perfect for day and night.







Baked Blush Bronze in Ritual ($36) - Unique formula is a melange of five colours that are hand mixed and then baked on a tile. It provides a hint of natural bronze colour that works very well on all skin tones.




Illuminating Eye Colours in Sun Glow, Fire Glow and Earth Glow ($24) - These products contain the same great formulation as found in the recent Art Deco Muse colour story. However, these feature a new design chosen by Laura, which is evocative of the tribal influence of the collection.






Lip Crayons in Folklore, Mayan Sun, Burnt Clay ($22) - New formula that applies like a lipstick and delivers hydrating and rich colour. The twist-up component means there is never a need to sharpen the crayon.






Faux Lash Mascara in Sierra Brown ($24) - New, gorgeous earth-toned shade to complement the native-inspired look.




Long Lash Mascara in Bleu ($24)Extends and precisely separates the thinnest, shortest lashes by expertly scooping up and lengthening each lash while delivering the right amount of product. The exciting blue colour makes the whites of the eyes pop.




Body Bronzing Makeup ( $38, Existing, Re-promote) - Instantly reveals healthy, radiant and bronzed skin. No commitment is necessary as the makeup washes off with soap and water.




Creme Eye Liner in Cobalt and Canard ($24, Existing, Re-promote) As a prefect compliment to achieve this look,Laura Mercier recommends lining the eyes in shades of teal and blue. The formula is non-drying, smudge, water and transfer resistant.





Angled Eye Liner Brush ($20 Existing, Re-promote) - The key to the prefect application to the Crème Eye Liner (above) is this angled brush. The special design enables users to reach over the lashes to for easy application along the lash line. Additionally, the shorter handle makes it easy to stand closer to the mirror or a more precise application.

Available at all Laura Mercier Counters in April! See anything you like?

L'Occitane Women's Day Soap

L'Occitane launched this fund-raising, fair trade soap, to celebrate women's day, earlier this month. The soap is still available in stores and online, so I wanted to quickly review it to say how awesome it is and to mention the great cause it is part of! "The Women’s Day Soaps are produced in Burkina as part of a development partnership with a local factory. The factory has been run entirely by women and supports their economic emancipation. 100% of the proceeds will help to build literacy centers for women in Burkina FasoAfrica. Since 2006 over 1,900 women have learned to read and write and over 5,000 women have been able to develop or enhance".







Its a no nonsense soap, with a 52% Shea Butter content. From the description of it, I understand its meant to be used as a hand soap, but I used it for my body - it has a nice Shea content, so why not? It does have sulfate to help with cleansing and there's quite a bit of lather. Not so much as you'd get from regular soaps though. The smell is clean and it leaves me feeling squeaky clean without stripping skin too much. I just followed up with a light lotion and my skin wasn't crying for moisture even after a few hours. It is quite creamy, and tends to get used up really fast though. I will absolutely get another one or two for myself, especially since its to support a great cause and is well worth the price for what it does!






L’Occitane’s Woman’s Day Soap retails for $8.00 & is available at usa.loccitane.com and at L'Occitane Boutiques while supplies last.

Will you be trying out the L'Occitane Women's Day Soap?

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Colours - Belize, Hollywood & Girly for Spring/Summer.

Laura Mercier adds 14 new colours to their existing line of Creme Smooth Lip Colours ($26, Press Samples) as part of the Spring/Summer launch. These creamy, pigmented lipsticks are perfect for someone like me with dry lips. The new shades for have everything ranging from light, girly pinks to bright reds and corals!

Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Colors new for Spring 2013 - Review, Photos & Swatches



The packaging  like everything else from Laura Mercier is simple, elegant and sturdy. Three shades featured here are Belize - shimmery coral, Girly - light pink creme and Hollywood - bright red. Belize is a perfect spring/summer shade - it isn't too bright, but not too sheer and the color works really well on most medium/dark skin tones  There's a small amount of shimmer in there, nothing too crazy or chunky. Girly is a soft peachy pink, perfect to be paired with a bold, smokey eye. There's no shimmer or glitter and the finish is super creamy and ultra smooth . Hollywood is a classic red - there's a little bit of shimmer scattered through, but it doesn't translate onto the lips.

Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Color in Belize

Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Color in Girly

Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Color in Hollywood

Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Colors in Belize, Hollywood and Girly Swatches
L-R : Belize, Girly, Hollywood





The finish on these is a soft satin finish, the formula is very hydrating and the lipstick itself lasts just a little over a couple of hours on me. I have a feeling these can feel a little too creamy when the weather warms up and the color could migrate a little, but nothing a good lip liner can't fix. There's absolutely no scent/taste in any of these and with the addition of these shades to the existing line of 18 shades, I'm sure there's one for everyone. Overall, if you like rich, pigmented lip colors in a whole array of awesome shades, the Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Colours are definitely worth checking out!

Available online at lauramercier.com and at Laura Mercier counters and soon at Sephora.

Have you tried anything from the Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Colour Range?

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy

Monday, March 25, 2013

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Stick - Blamed Blue & Bad Girl Bronze

The Rimmel ScandalEyes Shadow Sticks ($4.49, Press Samples) are chubby, easy to use eye shadow sticks in a travel friendly crayon form. They are long-wearing, waterproof and multitask as a shadow and a liner!

Rimmel ScandalEyes Eye Shadow Sticks Blamed Blue and Bad Girl Bronze




Two shades featured here are Bad Girl Bronze - shimmer, dark bronze and Blamed Blue - Bright, Metallic Blue. These aren't twist up and the formula, while not perfect, is very long wearing and stays put. Both colors go on very well pigmented and smooth. There's no tugging or pulling and you certainly don't need a primer underneath. Bad Girl Bronze went on a little more smoother than Blamed Blue, but both colors set really, really fast. I quite like them as shadow bases since the quick setting time gives me blendability issues. I also noticed that if I don't blend them out soon enough, the color gets concentrated where it was first applied. I prefer using my fingers to blend these out, as the warmth helps blend the colors better. I get incredibly good wear time out of these shadows, especially when used as a base - almost 8 hours before I see any kind of fading or creasing.

Rimmel ScandalEyes Eye Shadow Sticks Reviews



                                        L-R : Blamed Blue, Bad Girl Bronze

Overall, a very good budget buy, but the formula isn't very forgiving to mistakes - just be sure to be really quick to blend the color out and there's no budging afterwards. If you are looking for a pigmented, creamy, long stay shadow/liner that won't break the bank, you'll love these. 

Have you tried the Rimmel ScandalEyes Shadow Sticks? What are your favorite shades?

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien

The Satin Lip Pencils ($25) are NARS' newest launch that come in 12 shades of nudes, pinks and plums. The formula claims to deliver high impact color with a rich, satin finish for all day wear. I picked up Rikugien, a wearable, everyday pink.

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien



The packaging is typically NARS and the pencil needs to be sharpened with use which is a big gripe for me - I can never sharpen slightly bigger pencils like these without losing quite a lot of product every time! Rikugien is one of the more lighter shades that has a teeny tiny bit of frost, but the color itself is a lovely wash of pink. The texture is exactly what NARS describes it to be - smooth, satin like, with rich color. Rikugien is also much less pigmented than the other colors in the range, which isn't a problem for me. I cannot work with extremely pigmented colors most of the time and this to me, has the perfect amount of pigment for a very natural wash of color. The color is quite buildable, but Rikugien starts to look a little too frosty with too much on, so be sure to keep the color as natural looking as possible with just a swipe or so. There's a little bit of slip that gives it the satin like quality, so I wouldn't recommend a lip balm underneath.

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien





As for the staying power, I get about 3 hours after which most of it is gone. On the plus side, it doesn't dry out my lips and the formula feels super comfortable and light. Overall, I wish they had a little more of everyday colors thrown into the mix, but the formula is amazing and Rikugien especially is a perfect, work-safe everyday shade!

Have you tried the NARS Satin Lip Pencils yet?

Friday, March 22, 2013

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector - New Shades For Spring!

As part of the spring lineup, Clarins has added three new shades to the Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector ($22) range. These lip perfectors claim to moisturize with extracts of Shea and Mango Butter, have a delicious caramel scent and a very subtle amount of shimmer that translates to a glossy sheen on the lips.

Clarins Instat Light Natural Lip Perfector - Review, Photos, Swatches

Clarins Instat Light Natural Lip Perfector - Review, Photos, Swatches




I have two of three shades here - Rosewood Shimmer, a natural, nude brown a and Candy Shimmer, light, neutral pink. I love the sponge tip and the overall packaging of these - they are so very easy to use and there's absolutely no need for a mirror when hard pressed for time. These have a very glossy finish that adds natural fullness to lips and the subtle radiance pigments make lips appear smoother and even toned. Like most sheer glosses, these last about 2-3 hours on me and keep lips well hydrated without the need for a lip balm underneath.

Clarins Instat Light Natural Lip Perfector Ingredients

Clarins Instat Light Natural Lip Perfector in Candy Shimmer and Rosewood Shimmer Swatches
L-R : Candy Shimmer, Rosewood Shimmer

Wearing Candy Shimmer

Both Candy Shimmer and Rosewood Shimmer have a lovely hint of color, perfect for anyone who loves the no makeup look and glosses like these that work alone or over a lipstick. The yummy caramel scent is amazing and the slim packaging is super convenient to just throw into your purse while traveling! Definitely recommend these if sheer, natural looking, easy to wear glosses are something you'd go for.

Have you tried the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector?

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

The Body Shop Absinthe Purifying Hand Care

I have a couple of products here from The Body Shop's new Absinthe Purifying Hand Care line for Spring -  Purifying Hand Butter and Hand Wash. The range also features a hand cream and a hand sanitizer! The packaging is simple & clean, and the fragrance is fresh and crisp, not one bit overwhelming, perfect for day and night. *Press Samples.

The Body Shop Absinthe Purifying Hand Butter and Hand Wash TBS Absinthe Range Reviews





Absinthe Purifying Hand Wash ($10)- I was expecting the handwash to be a tad drying since it is part of a purifying range. A teeny tiny bit  is what you need and it lathers up to a soft foam that washes off super clean without leaving hands dry and tight - no soapy, slippery film either. I have this on my kitchen sink and it is pretty amazing when it comes to neutralizing odors. There's a subtle scent that is left behind, unlike many hand washes that claim to cut through odors and instead leave an extremely strong fragrance behind to mask it.
The Body Shop Absinthe Purifying Hand Wash
Ingredients : Aqua/Water (Solvent/Diluent), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (Surfactant), Lauryl Betaine (Surfactant), Glycerin (Humectant), Sodium Chloride (Viscosity Modifier), Parfum/Fragrance (Fragrance), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Salicylic Acid (Preservative/Hair Conditioner), Linalool (Fragrance Ingredient), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (Skin Conditioning Agent), Disodium EDTA (Chelating Agent), Butylene Glycol (Humectant), Artemisia Absinthium Extract (Skin Conditioning Agent), Limonene (Fragrance Ingredient), Citric Acid (pH Adjuster), Sodium Hydroxide (pH Adjuster), CI 19140/Yellow 5 (Colour), CI 42090/Blue 1 (Colour).


Absinthe Purifying Hand Butter ($20) - The hand butter is more of a thick hand cream, infused with natural Absinthe extract and community fair trade Shea Butter, that I cannot rave enough about. I have no idea as to how to judge if it does purify, but I have been using it quite a lot, especially during the day as it tends to absorb extremely fast for a hand butter. There's no greasiness or tackiness and the clean, refreshing scent is probably the best part of the product. It tends to hold in moisture pretty well too, but doesn't do so much for nails or cuticles. I've used it on my elbows and knees as well and definitely recommend the hand butter as must-have item from the Absinthe Hand Care line!

The Body Shop Absinthe Purifying Hand Butter
Ingredients : Aqua/Water (Solvent/Diluent), Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter/Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter (Emollient), Butyrospermum Parkii/Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) (Skin-Conditioning Agent/Emollient), Glycerin (Humectant), Cetearyl Alcohol (Emulsifier), Glyceryl Stearate (Emulsifier), PEG-100 Stearate (Surfactant), C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate (Emollient), Ethylhexyl Palmitate (Skin Conditioning Agent), Cera Alba/Beeswax (Emulsifier/Emollient), Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil/Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil (Emollient), Dimethicone (Skin Conditioning Agent), Parfum/Fragrance (Fragrance), Caprylyl Glycol (Skin Conditioning Agent), Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), Xanthan Gum (Viscosity Modifier), Butylene Glycol (Humectant), Artemisia Absinthium Extract (Skin Conditioning Agent), Linalool (Fragrance Ingredient), Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane (Ultraviolet Light Absorber), Disodium EDTA (Chelating Agent), Tocopherol (Antioxidant), Sodium Hydroxide (pH Adjuster), Limonene (Fragrance Ingredient), Citronellol (Fragrance Ingredient), Citric Acid (pH Adjuster), CI 19140/Yellow 5 (Colour), CI 42090/Blue 1 (Colour).
Have you tried anything from The Body Shop's Absinthe Purifying Range?

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

What Are Your Favorite Deep Cleansing Masks?

I've been quite wary of most deep cleansing/detox masks in the winter as my skin gets terribly dry, but I started breaking out quite a bit along my chin recently, so I got around to trying a couple of them and absolutely love them both - The Origins Clear Improvement™ Active Charcoal Mask and Wei Golden Root Purifying Mud Mask.


Deep Cleansing Masks - Wei Golden Root Puryfying Mask and Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask



Wei Golden Root Purifying Mud Mask ($42, Press Sample)This one is more of a purifying mask that leaves skin smooth, clean and bright. The masks come packaged in eight small disposable containers, containing 8ml each. I get about two uses from each of them, so I seal it up tightly and store to prevent the mask from drying out. The brush that comes along is fantastic - I just scoop some with the brush, apply a thick layer and leave it on until it dries. There's a slight tingle that calms down after a couple of minutes and the mask washes off clean. It is a mud mask after all, so my skin feels a tad dry, surprisingly less drier than I expected it to. Following up with a good hydrating serum/moisturizer is recommended. Pricey, but a great, detox mask for all skin types that brightens & refreshes!


Wei Golden Root Purifying Mud Mask

Wei Golden Root Purifying Mud Mask Review


Origins Clear Improvement™ Active Charcoal Mask ($23)If you want something a little more stronger, something that cleans pore-deep and gets rid of every last bit of gunk, the Origins Clear Improvement™ Active Charcoal Mask is perfect. I was't planning on trying this until summer, but my skin was going through a bad phase with a lot of breakouts and my pores were more clogged than ever, so I picked this up recently. It is a tad drying, but nothing a good moisturizer can't fix. That aside, it is fabulous - my skin feels super clean and pores look slightly smaller. Every time I apply a serum after I cleanse this off, I can feel a slight tingle! I use this once a week or once in ten days and sometimes only on targeted/problematic areas.


Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask Review

Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask Ingredients


Have you tried any of these face masks? What are your favorite deep cleansing/detox masks?

Disclosure: Wei Beauty Mask provided by PR; Origins bought by me. 

Monday, March 18, 2013

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick - Review, Photos, Swatches & FOTD

The Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks ($8.99) are my favorite chubby sticks from the drugstore at the moment. As part of the Spring launch from Neutrogena, these are just perfect in terms of formula, pigmentation and price. *Press Samples.

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks Review, Photos & Swatches





The shade range features eight shades ranging from peachy pinks to dark plums and mauves. The lighter colors do have quite a bit of shimmer in them and don't make a huge difference in the way they look on my pigmented lips - there's only a very light wash of color. The darker colors on the other hand are amazing - great color payoff and very moisturizing. These twist up pencils are packaged really well and have a very slight, sweet smell. They feel just a tad waxy going on, but after a while the texture feels very balmy. There's no need for a lip balm as these go on smooth, don't enhance lip dryness and the tip is great to perfectly line and fill! f you have very pigmented lips, be sure to pick up one of the darker shades as they aren't shimmery and have the perfect amount of color. If you like the lighter ones though, keep in mind that they have quite a bit of shimmer and may look frosty, especially when the color gets built up a little bit. I get about 3-4 hours of wear time and there's no visible stain left behind, but lips don't feel dry or flaky when the color is gone, so I have no problems touching up.

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick in Sweet Watermelon, Juicy Peach, Warm Caramel, Fresh Papaya

Top to Bottom : Sweet Watermelon, Juicy Peach, Warm Caramel, Fresh Papaya

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick in Sweet Watermelon, Juicy Peach, Warm Caramel, Fresh Papaya Swatches
L-R : Sweet Watermelon, Juicy Peach, Warm Caramel, Fresh Papaya

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick in Berry Bright, Rich Raisin, Plum Perfect, Soft Raspberry
Top to Bottom :  Berry Bright, Rich Raisin, Plum Perfect, Soft Raspberry

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick in Berry Bright, Rich Raisin, Plum Perfect, Soft Raspberry Swatches
L-R : Berry Bright, Rich Raisin, Plum Perfect, Soft Raspberry


Wearing Soft Raspberry





Overall, I love these and think they are definitely worth a pick up. The pigmentation is in between that of Clinique's Chubby Stick and Chubby Stick Intense and the texture isn't as waxy as the Chubby Stick Intense range. The price is perfect too which makes them a fantastic drugstore pick!

Available nationwide at drug, mass & food merchandisers.

Have you tried any of the Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks?

Disclosure: The products in this article were provided by PR for consideration. All opinions are my own. For more information please refer to my Disclosure Policy.