Chanel Joue Contraste Espiègle: review, swatches and comparisons.

One of the products I was really looking forward to get this Spring is the Chanel Joue Contraste blush in Espiègle.

Espiègle is a lovely light peach: no pink, no orange, just peach.

I was afraid it would look too similar to Nars Sex Appeal, which is a very light and subtle color. But Espiègle is actually more pigmented and more peachy.

This, in fact, does show in the pan already, and even more so on swatches: those 2 are quite different. However, I found 2 dupe candidates in my collection (so much for being obsessed by peach blushes): Mac Nuance and Illamasqua Lover.

Swatches on bare skin, natural light - NC15

See? Espiègle is definitely more pigmented than Sex Appeal, and definitely more peach too. 

Illamasqua Lover does appear more orange in comparison although I've always thought about is as a true peach. It actually looks like Mac Nuance is the closest dupe.

Since my Chanel came from the US, it's not baked like the JC we have in Europe. Mac Nuance, on the other hand, is a mineralize blush which means it is baked. I'm wondering if that makes a difference because the light gold particles in Nuance show up more than the ones in Espiègle.

In conclusion, if you love peach blush, Espiègle is definitely something to look into. However it's an expensive treat at $43 and Mac Nuance can still be found  in some Mac stands/stores for half this price, so that might be something to look into.

I love liner

Browsing through the inspiration pictures I store on my Tumblr, I realized at least half of them were showing winged eyeliner, often with a bright lip.


Two years ago I was still unable to apply liner properly, and I still do struggle sometimes, but I'm glad I didn't give up and kept practicing because the winged liner look is something I never stay away from for very long.

I think that it makes a face look polished, and paired with a bright lip it can look more formal or dressed-up without much effort. It's a classic look so it's never inappropriate and I do wear this for work as well as for evenings out or week-end shopping.


I guess you could call this my go-to look. I really heart liner.


Eyeliner reviews will be posted in the coming weeks, since I do own quite a lot of them obviously, so I can compare them for you.

Vichy Aqualia Antiox: the 3 weeks are over.

Yes ladies, it's been 3 weeks already, so now is the time for the global review on the Antiox serum and moisturizer. Products description and first impressions can still be found in my previous posts.

First of all, the detailed routine I have followed for the past 3 weeks:

- evening: Antiox serum topped with Louis Widmer Emulsion Hydro-Active (which is a basic moisturizer with no particular ingredients or properties)

- morning: Antiox moisturizer under my makeup. However, I stopped using this one mid-course, I'll explain why in details below.

I have not been using any other serum or treatment during the 3 weeks, have just exfoliated twice and have used Avene Diacneal on a couple of zits during the last few days.

 

1. The Serum

PROS:

• did improve skin texture and made it smoother
• did improve skin evenness and helped a bit reducing some small scars
• overall, made my skin look glowy and radiant

CONS:

• the smell: I can't think of any better description than "rotten oranges", definitely not very sexy even if I can understand where that comes from
• it looks weird, kind of milky and a bit sticky, and it tends to make the neck of the bottle gooey. You also need to shake very well because the Vit C tends to form a deposit on the bottom of the bottle.
• has to be kept in the fridge: when some of us hardly have the courage to remove their makeup at night, going to the kitchen to grab this stuff can seem too much of a burden on some nights
• it can only be kept for 21 days, because it has no preservatives and Vit C isn't really stable - that's the downside of the product's efficiency I guess but you are going to throw away some part of the bottle. On the other hand that should motivate you to go grab the stuff in your fridge every day (see previous point) since time is counted
• it's expensive

OVERALL RATING:

Despite the con's, this product keeps its promise (a new skin in 21 days), which makes it worth the splurge.

What it doesn't do, though is help with pores and blackheads, so don't expect it to help with those issues.

2. The Moisturizer

PROS:

• contains Vit C and E, which is a nice complement for the serum
• does contain SPF and will protect your skin from sun damage (at least in Winter, not under extreme weather circumstances)
• makes a good base for makeup
• contains brightening ingredients that will give more glow to the face and slightly erases pores, however this instant effect is a visual illusion and not a permanent result
• is slightly tinted to even out skintone (if you don't have anything major to cover, at least)
• it smells good and looks like strawberry yoghurt
• price is average for a moisturizer

CONS:

• this is meant to be used for daytime but for me it was a too rich formulation and it made my forehead oily (I'm normal/combination skin for the record), which is why I stopped using it after 10 days
• the formulation is not really ideal to be used at night instead of day
• if you wear this on its own you will need to carefully remove it by cleansing your face and you will notice traces of pigments being removed

OVERALL RATING

A great product if you do use a moisturizer for daytime and are looking for something that gives an instant radiance boost. If you're oily, I'd say skip it and go for the serum.

My conclusion...

I'm sold to Vitamin C and will now be using another serum on a daily basis (review coming in a few weeks). I definitely recommend this range to anyone feeling their skin needs some boost and glow, especially post-Winter.

Review: Guerlain Serie Noire Blush G

I told you a couple of weeks ago which products I wanted from the new Spring collections coming out, well good news, Guerlain and Chanel have launched already, and I got some of the goodies I wanted! 

So this is the Guerlain Serie Noire Blush G, one of the items I was really excited about!

Packaging wise, this is a shiny black plastic compact. I must admit I was hoping for something more luxurious, like for their metal eyeshadow palettes, there's nothing wrong with this compact, but well, it's plastic. However there is a real mirror inside, and the blush part can be lifted to open a little case where you will find a brush. I never use the brush that comes with product but for blushes and powder, I admit it can be useful for touch ups outside of the house. The compact is protected by a little black velvety pouch.

The colors are very pretty on their own but I find the mix even prettier. Since I suck at taking swatch pictures, I'm borrowing these from Temptalia and encourage you to check out her website for more.

Guerlain Serie Noire Blush G stripes swatched

I think the bright orangey color is what attracted me immediately in this blush. And since it's the larger stripe in the compact, it will be easy to use it on its own (tan mandatory, though). Although it doesn't really show in the pictures, it's infused with gold - that shows better when you swirl your brush across the colors to mix mix them.

Guerlain Serie Noire Blush G - mixed

The pigmentation is really nice, it's not overly pigmented to the point you'd absolutely need a dual fiber brush to apply on a light skintone but it easily shows up on the skin. The slight shimmer makes your skin look really luminous. This is how it looks on me, applied with a light hand (sorry I don't have better pics, my camera battery was dead so I had to use my webcam).

I am pretty sure this is the most unique blush that will be coming out this Spring/Summer, and if you are a blush addict and can get only one item, I do think this is a very good choice.
At 55€/69$, this is a very pricy item, though, and I am not sure yet that a dupe can't be found for cheaper - although if you consider wearing the colors separately, the price makes more sense.

What do you guys think of this blush? Yay or nay?

EOTD - in the mood for blues

I woke up on Saturday with an irrepressible need for color. Probably because I am close to grey overdose, like I am every year at about this time. Not time for Spring yet, though.

I used Alice e/s from Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland book of shadows (aka. Painkiller in the regular range), and a bit of Goddess from Book of Shadows vol. 1

Liner is UD 24/7 Zero, and mascara is Estee Lauder Double Wear.

I say those who think that blue eyeshadow doesn't work for blue eyes really have no idea.

And on my face, well... not much. A bit of Estee Lauder DayWear tinted moisturiser in #1 Light and some Bobbi Brown creamy concealer in Ivory. A bit of  Mac MSFN in Light on the T Zone.

Now regarding the blush, you'll have to wait till my next post for me to review it.

Perfume review: Dior Hypnotic Poison eau de toilette

Hell must have frozen: it looks like I am liking a Dior perfume. I never like popular mainstream perfumes. And I never thought I'd like this one, based on the impression I get from the top notes. 


Spraying on Hypnotic Poison, feels like entering a thick cloud of girliness: it's sugary and mellow like cotton candy, it's powdery like icing sugar, it's an explosion of pink candy (I was almost surprised the bottle wasn't pink as well!). And so, I immediately feared it would be too much. Coconut, plum, apricot and almond - how could I survive all that sugar?


But Hypnotic Poison isn't in fact a gourmand fragrance, it's an oriental. That means it has some notes that  will tone down this overdose of sweets: the heart notes are Sambac Jasmine mixed with Rose and Lily of the Valley. I must say that I hardly noticed those heart notes on my skin, but I don't really mind since I'm not that much into florals. I was rather nicely surprised to discover the spicy and woodsy base notes: sandalwood, Jacaranda wood and Vanilla.


Ah, Vanilla, how I love thee... Yes people, against all odds, this sugary perfume works for me because it contains all the ingredients that I usually love in fragrances: almond, vanilla and some kind of wood. So in the end, I do enjoy it. What's very nice is that on me, even though the top notes disappear very quickly, they kind of come back in a rounder way after a while, when the vanilla appears. So it's still sweet, but not overly.


Now even though this clearly evokes a giant pink marshmallow in my mind, I definitely think it is a a grown-up perfume. This would really be too much, too complex on a young girl. 
There's some kind of "eat me" vibe to all that sugar, don't forget that when you're wearing it, ladies.

Review: LipFusion InFatuation lipglosses

I received this Objects Of Desire gift set as a late Christmas gift. I have to say that I had never given much thought to Fusion lipglosses because in general, I hate lip plumping stuff. Well I don't mind having plumped lips, obviously, but the deal with most lip plumping products is that they sting and even burn like crazy and I hate that feeling.

However, having received these and having heard raves about them and how different they are from the usual stingy glosses, I had to give them a try - and I'm glad I did.

The lipglosses smell like grapefruit, and taste a bit like it too. It's actually a smell I like a lot in lipglosses, it reminds me of a particular gloss I had years ago and of which I used up 2 tubes (it was a limited edition). I don't remember the brand, but I do remember the smell!

After a couple of minutes, you will start feeling the tingling sensation that creates the plumping effect. Surprisingly, I didn't find it was that bad. It feels as if you have been eating a strong mint, it tingles a bit but it's very refreshing.

I also found these lipglosses to be very moisturizing, which is great because my lips are always so dry.

Now the product claims to give a permanent plumping effect on the long term and I can't judge that already. I don't really care about that, anyway, but I'll gladly use these glosses and recommend them for those of you who want the effect but hate stingy products like I do.

For those of you who want more information, here's the ingredient list as well as the product description that are given on the Fusion website. I can't say I really understand it all, but well...

Key Ingredients Amplifat™: concentrate (derived from a perennial sea fern) works with the skin’s own triggers to help naturally increase two key proteins that occur naturally in the skin (ADFP and FABP5). These two key proteins help induce diffusion and storage of fatty acids. Lip Vantage: is a dual-encapsulated plumping and highly hydrating ingredient that delivers incredible moisture and promotes lip renewal for more youthful looking lips Peptides: enhance collagen synthesis for naturally enhanced, lush, youthful, healthy lips. 

Other Ingredients: Polybutene, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer, Octyldodecanol, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Ethyl Methane Carboximide, Menthyl Lactate, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Tribehenin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Lauryl Laurate, Zea Mais(Corn) Starch, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Gamma Aminobutyric Acid, Sodium Chonodroitin Sulfate, Atelocollagen, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dictyopteris Membranacea Extract, Flavor (Aroma), Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Menthol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Saccharin, Tocopherol, Limonene, Linalool, Citral.

Have you tried plumping lipglosses? Like them or hate them?

Nars at the Golden Globes

I know there are Golden Globes posts all over the web today, but you know how I love Nars, so these two looks really caught my attention since they were created by Nars with their Spring 2011 products.

Christina Hendrickx.

I do prefer her Mad Men looks, I guess, but I have to admit she looks really stunning here too!

Christina is wearing the new Calanque eyeshadow trio and Copacabana illuminator.

Olivia Wide.

Isn't the dress she's wearing absolutely beautiful?

Olivia is wearing  Fantasia Lipliner Pencil with the new Madere Pure Matte lipstick, and Copacabana Illuminator as well.

Nars Sheer Glow was used as a base on both of them.

Nars Spring does have some great novelties coming even if, for once, there's no new blush with this collection.

Share the love: beauty and stylish bloggers award.

 

 

The lovely Jen W from My Funny Valentine awarded me the Beautiful and Stylish Blogger award - thanks a lot Jen!! Since I haven't done a "share the love" post in a while, this is a perfect occasion to tell you about 10 great bloggers I follow!

Some of them aren't exactly makeup related and some are written in foreign languages but there's always Google Translate to help you with that!

1. Glossy's Wardrobe is the new fashion and style blog from Tali aka The Gloss Goss. The perfect place for handbags, accessories and shoe lovers!
2. Not the marrying kind was originally a wedding planning blog but turned into describing a married's girl  life. I enjoy the wedding photoshoots she posts there and I read her insights on marriage with a lot of curiosity (in the hope it will make me smarter in case marriage ever happens to me).
3. My friend Chloe, talented hair stylist (and my personal hair coach) just started her own blog about hair and there's a lot to be said! She tells it all at The Green Fringe.
4. Back to beauty now: somewhere in South America, my friend Cé blogs about her favorite makeup products at Caprichos Esenciales. This is in Spanish only.
5. Also in Spanish, the lovely Catanya blogs over at Catanya's Things, but most of her posts are also translated to English. She has great taste in makeup and books!
6. The beautiful Jennie at Sailboat takes fantastic pictures, always wears beautiful makeup and has a thing for pretty dresses.
7. My friend Saila aka the Adventurous Purple Koala knows a lot about indie companies and mineral makeup, and she's as pretty as lovely.
8. Ashley from HollywoodNoirMakeup is a very talented makeup artist from Canada and I love her particular style. Fantastic pictures of her creations are to be found on her blog.
9. Café Bellini is the place for all pretty things, not only beauty related but also stylish things and designer bags.
10. Last but not least, E and M at Face Goop have crazy funny conversations on all things beauty and well, laugh is a beauty product as well.

 Hopefully you'll have fun discovering these blogs that I love!

Foundation review #24 : Face Atelier Ultra Foundation

I haven't reviewed a foundation in 2 months, can you believe that? Anyways, I don't think I'll be reviewing as many in 2011 as in the past year (12 of them, that's how addicted I am).

I actually was very reasonable when I decided I wanted to try this one: I ordered samples and not a full bottle. 

The shade #1, Porcelain, being pink toned, I ordered #2 Ivory and #3 Wheat.

Turns out that none of them is a true match, as Wheat is definitely too dark and Ivory, while being the right intensity, is actually too golden for my liking. But well, I decided to try it anyway as I know Face Atelier also sells a white foundation to mix and custom make your own color, and had this been the most perfect foundation ever, I could have used it that way.

Well, that's not gonna happen.

I would describe this product as something in-between Mac Face&Body (which is very sheer) and Nars Sheer Glow (which leans more towards medium coverage). It gives more coverage than F&B but still lets skin show through. The finish is extremely dewy, I found powder was a must, at least on the T-zone or you'd really look too shiny.

The feeling isn't completely lightweight, you do feel it's there when you touch your face, but as a plus I can say it doesn't transfer.

I was feeling this was not perfect but nice, maybe along the lines of Giorgio Armani Luminous. Unfortunately, I didn't find the product was very stable on my skin. Even though I had powdered, 6 hours after application I looked like a grease mess and like the foundation was sitting on top of my skin and was about to slide off. Not natural and not pretty at all. I found I looked as if I had applied a cheap version of Chanel Pro Lumiere and worn it for 12 hours straight.

In short: no perfect match, not long wearing, not very flattering on me. I'm not going to spend 33£ on this. Too bad, I was hoping it would be a great pro product to own.

Your mileage may vary, though, and this was just me. If you fancy trying Face Atelier, samples are available from WhiteRabbit (as the product is certified cruelty free) in the US and from Coco Beau in the UK/EU.

A week into using Vichy Aqualia Antiox

I know I said I'd report back after my 21 days cure would be finished but I am actually to excited to wait that long to share some feed-back.

My current routine for the past week, outside of cleansing, consists in using the Vichy Aqualia Antiox moisturizer in the morning, under my makeup (no other skincare product involved) and using the Vitamin C serum at night with a neutral lightweight moisturizer (Louis Widmer Switzerland Emulsion Hydro Active). This way I can check how my skin reacts to the Vichy products alone.

First of all, even though the serum is highly concentrated, I didn't experience any skin reaction: no break out, no redness or irritation, no stinging feeling. That's what I feared the most so I'm happy I've had no problem.

Secondly: wow. Wow!! Maybe it's a coincidence and my skin is currently in a state of grace - and if that's the case that won't last 3 weeks, that never lasted 3 weeks inmy life, so we will know - but I'm amazed by the results.

My skin feels really smooth and the tiny bumps on my cheeks that I had been trying to get rid of for months with AHA have disappeared. So I can definitely say that the texture of my skin surface has already improved.

I have a few little scars, memories from cystic zits, and they're currently disappearing so I don't really need to conceal them anymore.

The visible pores on my cheeks are less visible - they are small though, I can't say the same for the bigger ones around my nose that still show, but it is an improvement. I also find my cheeks are less red and irritated than they were in the past weeks (that might be because the weather is less cold as well but still, I find the difference amazing)

The moisturizer I use in the morning does brighten the skin and doesn't make it greasy, plus it has SPF in it and I find it's a good makeup base that doesn't really affect how my makeup wears, so that's nice.

In conclusion: after 6 days of using these products, I started going to work with Mac Face&Body as my only base, and just a bit of concealer under my eyes, and that's it. My normal routine would involve using a medium coverage foundation and layering it on the cheeks for more coverage, plus using full cover concealer here and there so this is definitely an improvement. If it weren't for some discoloration and the pores on my nose, I could go out with no foundation on.

Definitely impressed, and looking forward to seeing the results after 3 weeks and posting some pics!

Looking forward to Spring - collections, that is.

I haven't told you about it yet, but one of my resolutions for 2011 is to buy less makeup and use what I have. I have realized in the past weeks that I haven't used some of my products in ages even though I used to really really love them, just because I got something new, then another thing, then something else again and I keep on moving forward and forgetting about what I have. 
More on what I have re-discovered later but for now, I have decided that I needed to:
1/ clean up my collection and get rid of everything I don't truly love (blog sales coming, I'm telling you) and 
2/ limit my monthly makeup spendings to a dedicated allowance instead of spending all of my "fun" money on makeup. 
That will allow me to save and start some other, more expensive, addictions like designer bags.


So while my fellow US beauty addict are spending the giftcards they got for Christmas in Spring makeup products, I'm doing intensive research on the new collections in order to decide what I'll get when they finally land here (mid-February, probably) - without exceeding my dedicated budget. I can tell you already that January is being a no-buy month so I can afford more in February :)


There are quite a few collections that caught my interest, but in each of them I only want a few products and think the rest is either not for me or dupable with what I have.


The first one is Givenchy.

From their Naïvement Couture collection, the one product I want is the stunning Candide Tangerine lipgloss. I've been loving orange lip products ever since I got Mac Morange last year, and I think I'd rock this one too.
They aren't coming with a special limited edition Prisme Visage powder this time, like they did twice last year, so that saves me some temptation.


Then there's Chanel.

The Spring collection, called Les Perles, is absolutely huge, with a new quad and a limited edition eyeshadow palette, but I have decided once and for all that I don't like Chanel eyeshadows enough to justify the price. I don't find they're particularly long lasting, even on top of an eyeshadow base, so I won't purchasing any more of them.
What I do enjoy from them are the Joue Contraste blushes and the lipstick (minus the smell that I hate but  the product itself works fantastic). So from this collection I'll be getting Espiegle Joue Contraste (I've been re-assured it's different enough from Nars Sex Appeal to justify having both) and the 2 new Rouge Allure lipsticks called Coquette and Flamboyante.
You can see all three products in action on Cafe Makeup.


Finally there's Guerlain.

Ah, Guerlain, I do have a love-hate relationship with you! Everything looks gorgeous, the packaging is stunning but I often end up being disappointed by the pigmentation and since the price tag is really high, I stay away from all their powder products. 
I do enjoy the Guerlain lipsticks, though, they even have HG status for me. So how could I resist a collection called Sur mes Lèvres (On my Lips).
So I'll be getting the Fushia Delice and Orange Euphorique lipsticks in their LE black packaging. What can I say, I'm a sucker for these two lip colors.
I'll be making an attempt to branch out with the Blush G Serie Noire this one time, because the one you see on the picture looks really stunning and online swatches did show some color. Since I'm very fair I don't need this to be extremely pigmented to show up on me, even though I prefer more pigment than not enough, but well, I think I'll be able to make this work and the colors were too pretty to pass on.


So that's what I plan to get this Spring. That means no Mac, obviously - no Peacocky (nope, not even the new Metal shadows, I have more eyeshadows than I'll ever use) only a khol pencil from ChamPale... I had to prioritize and so I did!


What are you ladies getting from the Spring collections?

Trying a new skincare routine: Vichy Aqualia Antiox

I know, I know, I should stick to what works, especially as I have rather good skin. But how could I resist the promise of a miracle, the perspective of an even better skin?

I'm sure you all heard how Vitamin C is supposed to improve skin brightness and texture and make you look youthful as if you were eating your 5 portions of fresh fruit and veggies every day all year long. So I decided this dull Winter was the perfect reason to give Vitamin C a try. This, and a new product by Vichy called Aqualia Antiox.

This new serum is a bit of a do-it-yourself. Pure Vitamin C powder is provided separately in a little bag, and you have to put it yourself in the serum bottle and shake well. You then obtain a serum containing 10% pure Vitamin C. (It's milky and doesn't smell very good, but that's ok as long as it works).

This serum will need to be kept in the fridge, as there are no preservatives in it and Vitamin C isn't the most stable ingredients on earth. And even kept refrigerated, the product will only be good to use for 21 days, which is the time you need to get a "new skin" in Vichy's words.

To be exact, the promise is:

Clinically proven: smoother skin in 21 days, reduced fine lines, skin regains a luminous, natural glow.

You need to use this serum only once a day and then follow with your normal skincare routine.

This little miracle in a bottle isn't cheap: 34€ - 45$, so that's definitely not something you'll do all year long.

One product you can, however, use all year long, is the moisturizer from the same range.

At 20€-29$ for 40ml/1.4 fl.oz. this is a much more reasonable expense.

This contains Vitamin C and E and offers sun protection with an SPF 12 and UVA+++, which makes it perfect for a daytime moisturizer.

What you should expect, according to Vichy: 

Clinically proven results after 2 weeks of use: Smoother skin, more luminous skin, more even complexion. 

I used both products for the first time yesterday night. Bad plan I must say: the moisturizer isn't rich enough for night time and wearing SPF during the night is kind of pointless. That's probably why Vichy say on their webiste that you should use it in the morning. So from now on I'll be using the serum at night and the moisturizer under my makeup.

I took "before" pictures and will be back in 21 days to tell you what I thought of these products and their effects.

In the meantime, for the science geeks among you, here are the ingredients lists for both products:

SERUM:

Powder phase:
• ASCORBIC ACID Vitamin C : 11% • SODIUM CITRATE • DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE

Serum phase:
• AQUA • DIMETHICONE• GLYCERIN • PROPANEDIOL• DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL • C12-15 ALKYL BENZOATE• ALCOHOL DENAT. • ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE• DIMETHICONE/VINYL DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER• PEG-100 STEARATE • GLYCERYL STEARATE• CETYL ALCOHOL • DIMETHICONOL• NEOHESPERIDIN DIHYDROCHALCONE (Citrus polyphenolTM) • METHYLSILANOL/SILICATE CROSSPOLYMER • TOCOPHEROL (Vitamin E) • AMMONIUM POLYACRYLDIMETHYLTAURAMIDE / AMMONIUM POLYACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE • DISODIUM EDTA • ISOPROPYL LAUROYL SARCOSINATE• CAPRYLOYL SALICYLIC ACID • XANTHAN GUM• ALLYL METHACRYLATES CROSSPOLYMER

MOISTURIZER:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS PURPOSE
AVOBENZONE 3% : SUNSCREEN
OCTISALATE 5% : SUNSCREEN
OCTOCRYLENE 5% : SUNSCREEN
INACTIVE INGREDIENTS
• WATER • GLYCERIN• DIMETHICONE• ALCOHOL DENAT.• PROPANEDIOL• BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII BUTTER (SHEA BUTTER)• HEXYLDECANOL• HEXYLDECYL LAURATE• SUCROSE STEARATE• SILICA• PROPYLENE GLYCOL• POLY C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE• RED 4, TITANIUM DIOXIDE• STEARIC ACID• MICA• GLYCOLIC ACID• TRIETHANOLAMINE• DIMETHICONE/VINYL DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER• DIMETHICONOL, TRIETHYL CITRATE• NEOHESPERIDIN DIHYDROCHALCONE• SODIUM POLYACRYLATE• PHENOXYETHANOL• IRON OXIDES• ASCORBYL GLUCOSIDE• TOCOPHEROL• DISODIUM EDTA• BORON NITRIDE• CAPRYLYL GLYCOL• SYNTHETIC WAX• XANTHAN GUM• ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER• ACRYLATES/AMMONIUM METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER• FRAGRANCE

Book Review: Makeup, The Ultimate Guide, by Rae Morris

In case you wouldn't know, Rae Morris is a worldwide known Australian makeup artist. She has worked with a lot of famous photographers, has done covers for all the beauty and fashion magazines you could name and since 2003, has been working as a Makeup Director for L'Oreal Paris. In short: someone who knows the job.


Now my opinion on this book could be summarized easily: if you are into makeup and can only get one book, then this is the one you must have.
This book is extremely didactical and well structured, no wonder it's used in makeup schools. 
Rae Morris does cover absolutely everything, including subjects that aren't always touched in most makeup books like prepping the skin, shaping the brows or picking the right eyeshadow color for your eye color (that part is really in-depth and very interesting). All explanations are very clear, the steps are well detailed, and Rae really takes your hand to show you the way she works.
Of course it may be a bit doctrinal, as Rae Morris explains things the way she does them and you might have different techniques but well, you can take what you like and leave the rest.


The pictures in this book are absolutely beautiful, and you can't tell Photoshop hasn't been used much if at all: you can still see the skin texture, the little "imperfections" like fine line, and you see how stunning Rae's work is. I love going through this book because everything is inspiring, I'm constantly like "Oh I need to try this look" then turn the page and want to try the next one as well!


I wouldn't say this is for you if you just want to learn how to do a quick or professional makeup on an everyday basis (I'd recommend the Bobbi Brown manual more in that case), but if you're even remotely interested in the beauty world, you're going to love this book.

2011

Wishing you good health (because it's the most important thing ever) and all you may wish for 2011, be it beauty-related or not.


*borrowing a pic from Dusty @ dustinhunter.com again