Blush Collection - Hot Pink

top: Smashbox Blush in Radiance, MAC Mineralize Blush Duo in Band of Roses
middle: Nars Blush in Mata Hari, Bobbi Brown Blush in Pale Pink
bottom: Sleek Blush by 3 in Pink Sprint

There is something about a hot pink blush that I find irresistible. To many it may look a bit scary or intimidating, because of course no one wants to have bright clown cheeks. But a hot pink blush applied lightly and blended well gives such a pretty and healthy look to the cheeks. It is absolutely gorgeous in summer, but also works all year round. These are some of my favourites from my collection.

l to r: Radiance, pink side of Band of Roses, Mata Hari, Pale Pink, center shade from Pink Sprint

Smashbox Blush in Radiance - This was the first blush I purchased in my experimentation with the shade. I purchased this so long ago, and the packaging/formulation has since changed so I'm not exactly sure if the new version (called Blush Rush in Radiance) is exactly the same or not, but it looks similar on the website. Anyways, it is safe to say that this product started my fascination. It looks beautiful on the cheeks and easily blends into a soft rosy cheek. It gives a soft matte finish - no shine. I love it.

MAC Mineralize Blush Duo in Band of Roses - I believe this is from an old MAC collection, but I found it relatively recently on Beyond the Rack. The swatch above is just of the pink side on the left of this compact. This blush is a bit shimmery, but it gives a really pretty glow in the cheeks.

Nars Blush in Mata Hari - I actually wore this one on my wedding day! Of course I blended it in so it wasn't quite as vibrant on the cheek. I read in one of Bobbi Brown's makeup books to use a neutral blush, layered with a bright on the apple of the cheek for a flattering, natural blush look, so that is what I did, using Mata Hari as the bright. It is a bit deeper and more on the berry shade than the other pinks, but still vibrant and gorgeous.

Bobbi Brown Blush in Pale Pink - I think this is one of the more popular and well known blush shades in the Bobbi Brown collection. I only purchased it this year, but it is a great addition to my collection. The shade really livens up my face.

Sleek Blush by 3 in Pink Sprint - The swatch above is just the shade in the center which is called Pink Ice. This pink is super intense. Honestly, out of all of these, this is the one that is trickiest to apply. It is so pigmented. I actually don't reach for it that often because I'm afraid of accidentally over-applying when I'm in a rush in the morning. All three shades in the palette are really gorgeous though. If you want a high-pigmented blush, you should cheek out the Sleek palettes!

Do you have any favourite bright pink blushes to recommend?

Thanks for reading!

Ipsy Glam Bag - August 2013

I continue to be impressed with the items I receive each month in my Ipsy Glam Bag, August was definitely no exception! As usual, I received five items and a cute cosmetics pouch. The items are as follows:

• Michael Todd Pumpkin Nutrient Rich Facial Mask - I love Michael Todd products. I've found that my skin responds much better with natural skincare, and therefore, this line of all natural products has been my go-to for the past several months. However, I had not yet purchased this pumpkin mask (I love their Kaolin Clay Mask), so I'm really excited to try this one out. The size of the sample is so big! Very nice.

• Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick - I received the shade 69 which is a deep red (see swatch below). The lipstick is extremely creamy and feels quite luxurious. I have been wanting to pick up a couple of these, although this would not have been the colour I picked out, but it is still nice to give it a try.

• Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer - I think I first tried this primer over ten years ago when primers still seemed very new and exciting. Back then I thought they were a bit of a gimmick, but now, I am a believer and use one almost everyday. This is a very nice primer, and I'll take this mini with me when travelling for sure.

• Pixi Beauty Lash Booster Mascara - Who doesn't love a mascara sample? I can usually get several weeks out of a sample size mascara. Actually, I haven't purchased a mascara since last year because I'm trying to use up the massive collection in my drawer. Interested in giving this a try.

• Mica Beauty Eye Shadow in Bronze - This is a loose pigment eyeshadow. It is a gorgeous colour (see swatch below). I'm sure I have tons of similar shadows in my collection, but nonetheless, this is really pretty and I love it.

Swatches of Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in 69
and Mica Beauty Eye Shadow in Bronze

So, I repeat myself every month, but I loved my bag again!

Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend!

Product Review - Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipsticks

So I've been looking around at new (to me) lipsticks to update my collection, and I found these gorgeous lipsticks from Make Up For Ever. The Rouge Artist Intense lipsticks are said to be 50% more pigmented than other lipsticks, and are supposed to be very long-lasting.

I picked up two shades: 29 and 38. I don't love numbered colour names, but Sephora's website describes 29 as Satin Rosewood and 38 as Satin Coral, which I think gives you a much better idea of what the colour actually looks like. I ended up choosing two satins, but the line also carries matte and pearl finishes. I would say the majority of the time, I prefer a satin finish. 

left: 29, right: 38

And the swatches:

top: 29, bottom: 38

As you can see, these are gorgeous colours! So rich and pretty, but not dry looking at all. I see these two colours as being able to take you from spring, right into winter. 

38 is such a pretty spring/summer coral with just the right amount of brightness, without being overwhelming on the lips. Actually, coral is quite a departure for me because I'm naturally drawn to the berry shades. You should note that the true colour of this lipstick is more similar to the swatch above, than to the photo of my lips below. For some reason, the lighting didn't capture the colour looking as coral as it really is in real life.

38 on my lips

29 is more of a typical "me" shade. I will definitely be pulling this one out a ton once it starts to feel like fall (well, probably sooner because I cannot resist). I just love this muted berry shade with the perfect amount of rosiness in it. It's so pretty on the lips. 

29 on my lips

So let's talk staying power. Worn alone, these do last longer than your typical lipstick that is not considered long-lasting. I do have matte lipsticks (from Nars, MAC, etc) that may last as long or longer, but that may be because I ended up selecting the satin finish. The Rouge Artist Intense matte shades may last longer than the satins. However, these do last longer than many of my other lipsticks that are not actually intended to be long-lasting, so that is nice. I would say they perform as expected. The great thing is that I do not find them drying at all, which is a pet peeve of anything intended to be long-lasting.

One last note - I believe these are sold exclusively at Sephora, so if you are interested, check out their website.

Have you tried any of the Rouge Artist Intense lipsticks?

Thanks for reading!

Product Review - Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer

With all of the online buzz, I gave in and picked up one of the new Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquers. There were a lot of really pretty colours and I swatched a bunch before selecting the shade Celestial. Celestial is a rosey-berry shade that is not too dark, but definitely not a nude. It is a typical colour that I would select, and that's fine with me, because I love it!

I've worn this a few times since purchasing, so I can provide you with my pros and cons:

Pros:

- feels amazing on the lips - smooth and not sticky at all

- great pigmentation - one swipe across the lips and the colour shows up beautifully

- quite glossy - no need for layering a lip gloss over top

- easy to use applicator - there is a little dip in the doe foot applicator that makes it easy to get enough of the product onto your lips the first time. It is also easy to create a precise lip line due to the applicator

Cons:

- a bit of a strange smell - kind of like melons, although I only can smell it during application, and I don't notice any taste

- doesn't last particularly long - this is not a stain, nor does it dry down. It is more like a liquid lipstick

- not that cheap considering it is a drugstore product - I paid $9.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart. Rimmel. I suppose this isn't abnormal pricing for Canada, but if you want to pick up on a few shades, it will get pricey

So overall, I'm really loving this product! I might pick up a couple more shades if I see these on sale.

Have you tried this shade or any others of the Rimmel Apocalips?

Thanks for reading!

Another One From theBalm! Balm Jovi Rockstar Palette

So you have seen me post about theBalm several time before, but this palette deserves a mention because it is simply fantastic. It is Balm Jovi from theBalm! This is a full face palette - my other palettes from theBalm are all just eyeshadow, so this is a little different.

The palette has a rock magazine / album theme and it is just super clever and cute. Inside you get twelve eyeshadows, a highlight and blush, and two lip products. The packaging is extra-great in that the lip products (which are cream), have their own cover and so they are completely away from the powder products. This is perfect because it is terrible when powder gets into creamy products. 

In case you are overwhelmed by all of the colours and options, there is even a little chart to give you ideas on how to create four looks. This is a great starting point, and from there, you can get creative!

On to the swatches:

And here is a shot of the quick eye I did this morning - Alice Copper in the crease, Blink 1982 on the lid and blended out with Third Eye Blinded. 

Thanks for reading!