Pretty Springy Things

- Something Cheeky

(YSL Creme de Blush 9)

-Something (from) Lush 

[Mumkin]

- Something Glossy 

[Le Metier de Beaute Sheer Brilliance Cannes]

Cannes looks really sparkly in spring-sunlight, but it's quite subtle on lips: 

- Something Mask-y 

Etos (Dutch Brand)

I guess it's more of a no [stop] buy for me lately....

Last week's 'Meh'-product

L'oreal Professionel Serie Nature Masque Au Huile (to smooth flyaways)...

• smelled like weird herbal tea
• smoothing flyaways? Nope, still flying around (and the hair is still fluffy too)
• After finishing it up: messy hair and dryer than with my other masks

 Ok, my readers know I am often more elaborate on my category 'craptastic'. I have felt postive or neutral about any L'oreal Professionel Serie I've tried so far (reviews here) but this one was that craptastic that don't want to spend too much words on it.

Stupidly enough (or that I really wanted a miracle to happen) I finished it up.

Barefoot Botanical Rosa Fina Eyecream

Eyes are the classic "mirror's of the soul". The skin around the eyes are often this first to show "our mortality", or in the cosmetic termology "ageing".

But my "soul" is not that old yet, so I prefer to reflect the same "mirror" around my eyes as my eyes do...

To keep the skin around my eyes on the youthful side,  I use my dose of serums and eyecreams. My blog often discusses organic and natural brands, because my sensitive skin often tolerates them well. But even better, nature is crammed with goodies that are truly effective on the dermis. So why not use her 'ingredients' for beauty's sake?

My personal signs of ageing of the eyes are not (yet) fine wrinkes and laughter lines. My sign is that I can see my eyelids looking heavier (esp. in the morning) and looking somewhat like "Asian eyes" (sorry to generalize the word Asian but a more slanted look). I am from a Caucasian family but somehow the 'hanging eyelids' has been a genetical element.

So I was talking about ingredients?? Well, brace yourself because the Rosa Fina Eyecream is crammed with it. 

I  have been interested in these ingredients: Argan oil, Macademia, vitamin B5, Vitamin E, Witch Hazel, Sandalwood, Alpha-lipoic acid, Calendula, Horsetail, vitamin C & arnica. Particularly in the ones with the bold lettering: these are the ones effective in tightening the skin and 'draining' the excess liquid (that can cause 'hanging') around the eyes.

plenty information on the box

The creators of the cream list their Rosa Mosqueta from Chilean Roses as their most *wonder ingredient*. Logically, I figure that a plant growing at a higher altitude (on Chilean mountains) has to absorb more light in its flower. Similar as the Edelweiss from the Alp mountains (also a flower with specific anti-ageing properties) the oil from the rose will have a better photosynthesis than it's lower situated rose-family. But that is not too scientifically reasoned, just my logical interpretation. Or, a rose is not a rose, sorry Shakespeare...Perhaps to talk in Orwelian terms: not all roses are created equal.

Though it is listed as serum, it has a cream consistency. Still, a thin cream that absorbs quickly:

Does it live up to its claims?

The package has a ton of claims, actually, sounding like a miracle product. I personally listed the "easing puffiness" as my main goal. And yes, it eased my puffiness and my "morning hang-[over]-lids".

I featured that sample size of La Mer Eyebalm Intense on the photo above to compare. I basically loved them both, however, the difference in price is absolutely valid. Also, the ingredient-list of La Mer is not that fantastic, as they feature some questionable elements too (see here on cosnda), like Polyethylene.

Mentioned before, it is creamier than the average serum, but the thickness has been perfect to alleviate dryness/dehydration. It absorbed fast enough for the morning hurries (eyecream...run to makeup-mirror, etc).
The scent is really light: still, with a hint of a natural rose if you really put your nose close to it. The price is mid-range for appr. €32.50 for 15 ml (feelunique)

CONCLUSION:

I really like this eyecream for spring, summer when I do not need superhydratation. For cold winters & staying in heated rooms too  much I would go for my Pai Echium I discussed a while ago (here).

"How about Brow?": Kanebo Kate vs Laura Mercier eyebrow pot

Must be Clara Devingue...but brows are a hot topic lately.

I have been using them a bit more to draw the attention upwards. Not that I have an ample busum, au contraire. Women who do often notice that few men stare into their eyes at first glance:

"how ya like my eyebrows?"

Dolly Parton always has the funniest and most self-ironic quotes about beauty:  1. “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap” | 2. “I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb - and I'm not blonde either.” | 3. “I was the first woman to burn my bra - it took the fire department four days to put it out.” (more quotes here) 

Ok, enough about the rack and lets go to the frame for eyes instead.

I bought the Kanebo Kate Gel Eyebrow in 2011 (review here) and the Laura Mercier about 3 months ago. The 3rd one is a Inglot Brow Wax that I have since 2011. It's not a real colour but a coloured gloss to make brows look shinier.

Swatches: daylight, no sun.

Visuals: 

• Kanebo Kate has the most pigmentation (after 1 1/2 year!)
• Laura Mercier is not so pigmented
• Laura Mercier Fair is slightly cooler & ashier 
• So Kate is warmer in colour
• The Inglot eyebrow wax is transparent with a hint of ashy brown

I feel meh about the pigmentation of Laura Mercier. I have been storing it with the lid closed and it is already so underpigmented after 3 months.

The next test: After rinsing the arm with lukewarm water:

Laura Mercier dissapeared into a sad shadow, whereas Kanebo Kate is still there!

Conclusion:
 Kanebo Kate is almost the best in every aspect: price ($10 vs $24), pigmentation, durability, waterproof-ness and the smoother way it disperses on my eyebrow brush. The only thing Laura Mercier is better at is the colour match: the slightly cooler hue suits me better.

Using, Used, Gonna Use...

A week of current favourites, used up product & something to try out for the next week:

Using 1:
My current winter complexion loves the colour of my Koh Gen Do Maifanshi moisture foundation in 123. I love it's unscented texture and the totally light way it feels on my skin. It covers most of the 'tokens of sensitivity' and still looks like 'good natural skin'. 
Funny is that last summer I questioned myself: "I wonder how it will perform when my skin needs more help" when I my skin actually was pretty good:

Answer: Quite good! The eternal winter of 2013 and stress took is toll on my complexion. After Maishanshi, I just need a bit of concealer to fake healthy skin, ok, and blush...duh. (review here)

Using 2:
 I got a hold of Edward Bess Illuminating Eyeshadow base in Suede. Actually, Suede is a tad too dark for my eyelids but it works wonders in keeping eyeshadow put. I never liked eyeshadow bases like Urban Decay because they looked like cement and kept that unnatural (matt-ish) look after putting eyeshadow over it. This one is different by keeping the eyeshadows lustrous and alive.

Used:
It's time to bin my Dejavu Lash Knockout. I discussed it here and like it, but mascaras have a limited date of use and I have it since November (see here)...so, bye bye. 

Gonna Use:
Pixi Tinted Brilliance Balm in Rosy Red
This lipster came in a set when I was curious for a Pixi Endless eye pencil (overview here)I found a set on Asos.com (gone now, sorry). Some girls are wearing it here, and it looks different on each complexion sooo...

"Black is the new black": eyepencils ft Pixi Endless EyePen

Black eyepencils have a simpler reputation than they actually deserve. They are the working-horses of eyepencil-dom: most people can get away with it, and 'people' implies the rocker dude as well.

But I will refer again to my Orwelian "all black eyepencils are created equal, but some are more equal than others". Also, some are better for tightligning, others between the upper lashes (need some waterproof-ness) and others are the perfect alternative to the liquid eyeliner.

I bought another not so standard black after Drivellerkates claim that they are the closest thing to perfection, only brand Three to be a tad better. Also, there was this amazing Pixi set on Asos.com for €13:

Normally, the Endless eyeliner pencil is €13 alone, so I got a bargain with the Pixi Nailpolish and Tinted brilliance pencil in Rosy Red. (not available anymore)

So Drivellerkate adores her Pixi Endless collection: how would I like mine compared to my black faves?

I talked about purpose of the eyepencil. I use my pure blacks predominantly for tightlining between the upper lashes. That means I need something close to waterproof to keep put.

Swatches: (I have to work on my *symmetry* when doing these)

1. Topshop Waterproof Liner in Ebony
A real kohl formula looking slightly like that charcoal matte formula. I love this for tightlining as it is truly waterproof. Compared to Pixi, next to it, it looks slightly brown.
2. Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen in BlackNoir
True black colour that has incredible pigmentation over the skin. Velvety exterior. I consider it bleeding a bit when applying as a tightliner along upper eyelashes.
3. Majolica Majorca Sugary Trap (LE)- Cream Pencil Liner in BK999 Bitter Black
*mine dried up a little*. The most powdery formula: it stays put as a tightliner
4. Mac Kohl Power eye pencil in Feline
Wow, look how glossy it looks? I got this from my *unexplored stash* lately and it looks really glossy and black. As a tightliner it bleeds slightly as well, but it never claims it is waterproof in the first place.
5. Pupa True Eyes eyepencil in 01 Extrablack
Marketed as "extra soft for eyes". Similar texture and colour as Majolica Majorca, this slightly powdery. Does an excellent job in staying put as an eyeliner.

Distance swatch photo:

 

I think the difference in my stash is between colour (true blackness or slightly brownish) and finish (powdery or glazed/glossy). The 'wetter' formulas are often less waterproof and I skip them for tightlining: instead, they function as eyeliner/undereye colour. The dryer formulas feel better in the tightline.

Verdict:

I can really see why DrivellerKate likes these pencils. However, I think they are not superwaterproof as a tightliner. So, the finish is gorgeous and I imagine them even more stunning in the coloured versions as the visible part of eyepencil, eg the traced above the upper lashes or framing the bottom lashes (pure black is a tad too stark for my paler complexion/hair/etc for doing that).

Availability:

Pixibeauty.co.uk has all gorgeous shades, but shipping is a bit steep. Asos.com only has 3 colours, but with free shipping.

Omorovicza, going for Gold and thát GWP

I think I spend the most  € on a serum ever...!

Don't get me wrong: I am highly into skincare and the lack of eyeshadows swatched have gone happily to showing off serums, liquidy textures, creams and other dermis-philia/obsessivia!

Only, I tend to stick under a certain price-range that I hesitately crossed over recently.

The MOTIVE:

YES, that is some juicy GWP that gave me the extra push to finally let me buy that Gold serum from Omorovicza. They contained these beeeeaaauuuties:

But I am not that shallow and was also tempted by a 20% off for Dutch shoppers (NL20) and an excellent review on the serum on HolisticGreenBeauty (here).The more famous Cafémakeup reviewed it too, but I only noticed that review when I googled it for this blogpost.

love the fresh packaging of Omorovicza

And there was curiosity again. I've dabbed into silver recently with Argentum Apothecary La Lotion Infinie (here) and I found it time to go for gold.

I have been testing it for almost 3 weeks and I love the soft rose fragance that is barely noticable and perfect for my sensitive skin. A couple of weeks I had to quit using my Casanera Immortelle serum because of sensitivity issues and I believe this serum  has desensitised my skin into a more peaceful state.

Ingredients:

I cannot tell anything about the anti-ageing effects: it has just been two weeks but the luminicent quality and miniscule golden flecks inside of the serum already softens the beginning maturity of my skin.

So an expensive serum? Yes, with the 20% discount it set me back €135 instead of their more scaringly  €165 and the Gift with Purchase helped to take that plunge as it has their cultstatus Queen of Hungary toner, thát Copper peel that promises eternal smoothness (ok, exaggerating intensely), a Plumping cream and a mudmask...not that I already have any mudmasks yet but I wonder if this one really lives up to the raves.

Find it on the omorovicza site over here and I believe they have frequent discounts and a signing up discount. Also available on lookfantastic.com and cultbeauty.com, and various other etailers.

Palette Swatching Project: Maquillage Alexander Wang BR365

In the category "so many new collections, but what about some of the past?" I'll continue to swatch my precious limited editions for you.

*So I am not going to discuss colours in depth, but more the useful-ness of the palette*

as 'palette-ness' has certain standards of *compatible colours* travel-friendly *nice exterior for showing in public* not-too-messy* etc

Alexander Wang was an upcoming designer when he collaborated with Shiseido Maquillage in 2009. Fastforward to 2013:  Everybody who frequently wants to buy something fashionable knows who this Mr Wang is, as his name has become quite the household name in fashion. Or, that bag with the studs at the bottom.

small letters top-left says "a collaboration with a new talent".

The line consisted of their gorgeous eyeshadow palettes and some lipsticks too. In the line of Maquillage the colours are neutrals and this particular Br365 consists of a beautiful collection of taupes, mushroom beige and the red-flecked black eyeliner.

I bought this palette in 2009 more as being incredibly into everything that Maquillage released. Somehow, I forgot to swatch it for the blog, so I am truly late :

In Maquillage's mode, the instructions are in Japanese on the rear of the palette:

Swatches: warm light: 

• the three on the left are powders of the top row in same order (no 2,3,4)
• the two on the right (1 & 5) are cream formulas placed in the bottom of the palette
• the consistency of all powder e/s are buttery and smooth (no dud texture/shade)
• the creams can be used as either an eyeliner as an eyeliner base
• The black on the right has reddish flecks in it, quite beautiful (best seen in upper swatch)
• the cream swatches are good and pigmented.

Swatches in cold daylight:

The palette is really on the go perfect. When I look at Alexander Wang's contemporary designs, they still match his aesthetic of neutral colours with a dash of daring.

All textures are high quality: even that weird white colour that is frequently featured with Japanese e/s palettes. Not that the colour white is weird but often the featured white comes with too much glitter, chalky or hardly any colour-payoff: this is a useful whitish base with a tinge of silver/mushroom beige inside.

As the aesthetics: it's a minimalistic, matte black exterior with a matte & glossy look enhancing the sleek monochomatic M. This totally fits Alexander Wang's fashion aesthetic combined with Maquillage mature feel. Or, perfect for showing off when topping up your eyemakup during the day (not that you would really need it, as the pigmentation and hold of the eyeshadows is really good).

The only complaint about the palette is the messiness:

A palette who has both powder & cream units have the danger of transferring them into each other. This happened to my palette as well.

Still, I have it for 3 years now and it is not that messy yet, so the design and the borders between the separate units are quite good.

Overall, I really like this palette and am glad I found it in my stash again. Why did I forget about it in the first place?

Upcoming posts

• Blush-palettes are the latest thing?

Nope, I've seen it before by Shiseido Maquillage. I was remembered by Frontrowbeauty's FOTD how fantastic these are, and will compare them with the Le Metier de Beaute's one.

•  More on the Palette Swatching project:

I finally will swatch The Shiseido Maquillage Alexander Wang palette. It has been a couple of years old when Alexander Wang was an upcoming designer.

• Black is the new black

This amazing post made me buy a Pixi Endless eyeliner pencil. I will compare them with my other 5 fave black eyeliner pencils to see how they can be different in their eyepencil blackness.

Vintage Rose from YSL craftiness

In this spectrum of "she enabled me again"(not mentioning names but something frivol about it)

I swatched plenty of the Yves Saint Laurent 'Rouge Pur Couture - Vernis a Levres' Glossy Stain and most of them really had a wonderful effect on my not-too-poutilicious pucker. I adored this one for being vivid enough, but still quite muted for when my eyes want to take the limelight.

Drivel has better swatches of all at the time being (here), and weekendramblings too, but I will edit this post with my own cr*ptastic but romantic swatch and hopefully a good-enough swatch soon.

Actually, the colour of the swatch is quite accurate, only it hasn't been swatched on lips. My lips have a deeper-natural tone: That means this dusky rose will turn out a tad darker than on my ghostly arm. The texture is incredibly long-lasting for a lipgloss/stick hybrid, but I won't venture into reviewing something that has been quite overreviewed.

Besides the blogger-enabling, I also like the promotion picture of YSL Spring 2013 look:

I like the fact the model totally shields of a probably-really-handsome-because- she's-gorgeous-herself,-why-settle-for-anything-less? male model and is like: my hands and makeup/face is more important than his dribbling saliva in my neck...And I'm a makeup fan so I agree with her!

Also, I like when women who aren't that poutilicious promoting a lip-enhancing product. It gives the non-Angelina-Jolie ones a bit of hope it could actually work.

For example, this model is gorgeous too (they are faces for makeup-brands, right?) but she couldn't sell me anything lipplumping because I know she already is so poutilicious.

 
Weird psychological effect on me, perhaps, and it might work the other way on other women thinking "gosh, if I use that I will get her pout".

Ofcourse, I like Dior Addict gloss and am going to check out these colours because I like new makeup collections, but I will forget the notion that using Dior Addict gloss will bring me close to that type of pout.

But I love her defined yet natural-looking eyebrows so she could sell me a good eyebrow product for sure.

Candeling

Candles got me through this winter...

Ok, that statement is a bit bolder than I needed it to be but I certainly enjoyed some of the ones I have since December.

One of my favourites has been the Cire Trudon Mademoiselle de La Valliere (here in newstate)

And here she is going for the last bit:

This 'Mademoiselle' has been a soft &soothing bunch of flowers that were also 'boyfriend approved'. Not every man is keen on a constant waft of girly superflowers, and I'm not always into the so-called masculine scents of tabac or pinewoods. This was the perfect compromise.

It burned quite well and equally: Ofcourse, I listened to the instructions of the saleswoman to press the wax gently when it has cooled down enough (but not hard yet).

I already have a Cire Trudon follower up: a more zesty, greener and travel-fantasy enabling Abd el Kader, probably their most famous one. 

I have burned it a couple of times, and the keynotes embody that hopeful idea that is connected to the beginning of spring.

And I added a new brand, albeit slightly sensual or dermis-pampering: the Oskia Rose de Mai massage (oil) candle:

Placed in holder that has a teapot-esque spout it offers the opportunity to 'recycle' the warmed wax as a massage oil.

I honestly was not too charmed about the quality of the warm wax substance: It might be fun for 'sensual' moments, but as a skincare product it lacked good absorption and it felt wax-like on skin.

The scent was rather lovely, a purer and soft rose that lingers quietly in the house.

Cire Trudon is getting more popular, hence available at more (r)etailers. In Holland at Skin Cosmetics (in the store) and cloudninestore.nl. In the rest of the world at Farfetch.com,  Barneys.com, liberty.co.uk, Ausliebezumduft.com, L'eclaireur.com and others too and prices start at €60. That is expensive, but the candles are large and will last for a longer period. Moreover, afterwards you will have a beautiful handblown glass that will be gorgeous for storing smaller things in a decorative manner.

Oskia Rose de Mai Massage candle is available on their own site at oskiaskincare.com, but also on Zuneta.com (20% discount with code SPRING on everything!) & cultbeauty.com.