Blush -Laura Mercier - Cheek Colour in Rose Bloom
belletrist9 10/24/2009 10:02:00 AM
Rose Bloom is a medium-deep rose with brown. On my ~NC30-NC35 skin, it is a very pretty natural, neutral rose. It is less yellow and slightly darker than MAC Dainty. Rose Bloom is matte, but gives a pretty, glowy look on my skin that is not at all flat. The texture on Laura Mercier's second skin blushes is amazing. They are soft, silky, and easy to blend. I don't swipe my brush on Rose Bloom. I just tap gently. It is pigmented, but not so pigmented you have to worry about being careful since it's hard to overdo (but certainly possible). Lasting power on this one is excellent. I use EcoTools f/s blush brush to apply and blend out the edges with the f/s powder brush. I bought this blush. At $24 I think it's on the expensive side, but not *terribly* expensive compared to other similar brands. I would buy this again if I ever ran out.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Laura Mercier - Orange Blossom
belletrist9 10/24/2009 9:56:00 AM
Orange Blossom is a lighter pinky-peach blush. Like Karla says, most every line has one like this, NARS Orgasm is just the most famous one. Orange Blossom is a shimmer, but it has more a very subtle, pearlized glow than a SHIMMER. I think it's quite beautiful. On my ~NC30-35 skintone, it shows up nicely, and is hard to overdo. It is decidedly lighter and a bit pinker than Nectar and MAC Nuance. It really lights up my face without giving a "come in from the cold" look. I just look happy. I actually like it more than MAC Nuance as it gives me the same kind of effect without me having to worry that it looks too dark or too orange. The texture on Orange Blossom is lovely, just like the rest of Laura Mercier's blushes. I find Orange Blossom easy to layer and blend with a silky, glowy finish. It is hard to overdo (though it is definitely possible on me). I use the EcoTools f/s blush brush with this blush. Wear time is excellent (I use my sunscreen, DDF Organic Sun Protection, as a primer). I received this blush as a tester in swap, but I would definitely buy again if I ever ran out.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Christian Dior - Addict Lipstick
belletrist9 10/24/2009 9:45:00 AM
I have this lipstick in Gallant Bronze. It is a warm bronzey-pink with very fine microshimmer. It is marvelously shiny and glossy, like all Dior Addict lipsticks are. I find that it is not particularly pigmented and photographs a rather garish bronze/red with flash which is not that flattering. The formula on these lipsticks is ok. I find them to be much more drying than the Addict High Shines, where I feel the edges of my lips starting to flake slightly even though the lipstick has not dried down all the way, but they don't actually cause my lips to flake all the way off. I do always wear balm underneath with this one. Wear time is average, at about 3-4 hours (no drinking/eating). This one doesn't wear down as much to a stain for me, but I think it might be because the color is lighter. I did kind of want to buy another lipstick in this formula, but I find Dior's color range to be rather limited to sheer and light shades, so I never did. I probably would not repurchase this lipstick because I don't find the color or the formula to be THAT amazing to justify the high price tag. The packaging is beautiful though.
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Blush -Laura Mercier - Apricot Face Tint
belletrist9 10/24/2009 9:37:00 AM
Apricot Face Tint is a loose powder blush. It's not exactly apricot... it's more a coral color (it's decidedly pinker than MAC Nuance, which I consider apricot). It is a gorgeously natural looking neutral-to-warm blush on my ~NC30-35 skintone. It gives me that just-come-in-from-the-cold look. The texture of this blush is very nice though I can see some people having trouble with it. The blush itself is pigmented, but since it is loose, it is a little hard to work with. I use the Ecotools small blush (or powder) brush which comes in the mineral set for this, since it's much floofier and softer than the full size. I can definitely see someone having trouble getting this blush to work if they used a denser/harder brush. I blend out with the f/s powder brush. Wear time is great for me (I use DDF Organic Sun Protection as a primer), though I do think it fades slightly more than my pressed blushes (easily lasts 8+ hours on me though). The jar that it comes in is pretty messy. I had to tape over 2/3 of the holes and am seriously consider taping over all but one (especially since I store the blush on its side to save space rather than on it's bottom). You get a HUGE amount of product in the jar though, and I quite honestly expect that it'll last me forever. I did say that I would buy again since I am quite happy with the blush, but if I could find something of the same color pressed... I would probably be more likely to buy that in the future. I would give this a 4.5 if I could.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Laura Mercier - StickGloss in Poppy
belletrist9 10/24/2009 9:25:00 AM
Poppy is a bright warm red. On my pigmented lips, it shows up sheerly as a pretty strawberry pink, but it can certainly be layered for a more coral/orange red look (much like Dior Addict HS Gipsy Red). It is a shimmer (looks like red/gold shimmer) finish and is beatifully glossy like all the other stickglosses. I adore it because it is my HG MLBB lipstick. The texture of the Laura Mercier stickglosses is just TDF. They are the most comfortable lipsticks I own, and a pleausre to wear. They are nicely glide-y and very, very light-feeling on the lips, but don't migrate/feather or sink into the liplines. On top of all this, they are not in the least bit drying - in fact I think they are actually quite conditioning. I have really, really dry lips. Even the best lipstick formulas touted to be good for dry lips (MAC Cremesheens - the original colors, MAC lustres, Dior Addict HS) leave my lips dryer at the end of the day. Only Laura Mercier stickglosses leave them better off. These are the only lipsticks I don't have to wear balm under (though the wear time is extended slightly by balm). Stickglosses are quite long-lasting too. With all my other lipsticks, I distinctly notice when they fade away because my lips start drying out then. I don't so much notice that with stickglosses and I would say they easily last 5-6 hours on my lips (less when eating/drinking) and fade to a nice stain (though this is definitely time-dependent with shade). The shinyness does significantly fade over time, but I find that the conditioning properties of the lipstick do not fade as quickly like my other lipsticks. While they are on the expensive side at $20, they are seriously the best lipstick formula I have tried to date, and I adore them. This is probably the only lipstick I don't have to wear balm underneath. The packaging is nothing special, but serviceable. I received Poppy in swap, but I am definitely planning on rebuying *when* (not if) I run out.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Laura Mercier - StickGloss in Rosewater
belletrist9 10/24/2009 9:20:00 AM
Rosewater is a gorgeous lighter-than-medium neutral-to-warm pink with goldish undertones. It has a frost/metallic finish, but is certainly not over the top. It's actually very subtle and very, very pretty. I definitely wouldn't call it strawberry pink like the other reviewers have... but I obviously have a very different idea of what strawberry pink looks like (I think actual strawberry fruit). I would call this a light rose. It is very pretty on my ~NC30-35 (I wear EDM sandy medium) skin though I do have to wear blush with it lest I look sallow and I definitely think it is neutral enough for cooler-skinned ladies to wear. I feel like it's the warmer cousin of Sugar Plum. It is truly beautiful and is easily becoming my favorite everday lippie. The texture of the Laura Mercier stickglosses is just TDF. They are the most comfortable lipsticks I own, and a pleausre to wear. They are nicely glide-y and very, very light-feeling on the lips, but don't migrate/feather or sink into the liplines. On top of all this, they are not in the least bit drying - in fact I think they are actually quite conditioning. I have really, really dry lips. Even the best lipstick formulas touted to be good for dry lips (MAC Cremesheens - the original colors, MAC lustres, Dior Addict HS) leave my lips dryer at the end of the day. Only Laura Mercier stickglosses leave them better off. They are also the only lipstick I don't have to wear balm under. Stickglosses are quite long-lasting too. With all my other lipsticks, I distinctly notice when they fade away because my lips start drying out then. I don't so much notice that with stickglosses and I would say they easily last 5-6 hours on my lips (less when eating/drinking) and fade to a nice stain (though this is definitely time-dependent with shade). The shinyness does significantly fade over time, but I find that the conditioning properties of the lipstick do not fade as quickly like my other lipsticks. While they are on the expensive side at $20, they are seriously the best lipstick formula I have tried to date, and I adore them. The packaging is nothing special, but serviceable. I would certainly buy Rosewater again if I ever ran out and I am in the process of collecting more stickglosses (I now have 4 total).
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Laura Mercier - Stickgloss in Cranberry
belletrist9 10/24/2009 9:14:00 AM
Cranberry is a beautiful berryish red. It can be applied sheerly as a pretty medium neutral pink on my pigmented lips, or built up to be a true neutral red on my ~NC30-35 skintone. It is an amazingly wearable red for my skintone too - really lights up my face and brings out the pink in my cheeks even when I'm not wearing blush. Since it is so neutral, I also find that I can wear warm or cooler toned blush with it and it really goes with everything. I used to be terrified of wearing reds - now Cranberry is one of my everyday favorites for fall and winter. The texture of the Laura Mercier stickglosses is just TDF. They are the most comfortable lipsticks I own, and a pleausre to wear. They are nicely glide-y and very, very light-feeling on the lips, but don't migrate/feather or sink into the liplines. On top of all this, they are not in the least bit drying - in fact I think they are actually quite conditioning. I have really, really dry lips. Even the best lipstick formulas touted to be good for dry lips (MAC Cremesheens - the original colors, MAC lustres, Dior Addict HS) leave my lips dryer at the end of the day. Only Laura Mercier stickglosses leave them better off. They are the only lipsticks I don't have to wear balm under. Stickglosses are quite long-lasting too. With all my other lipsticks, I distinctly notice when they fade away because my lips start drying out then. I don't so much notice that with stickglosses and I would say they easily last 5-6 hours on my lips (less when eating/drinking) and fade to a nice stain (though this is definitely time-dependent with shade - Cranberry is one of the longest lasting ones though it does fade significantly more pink over time). The shinyness does significantly fade over time, but I find that the conditioning properties of the lipstick do not fade as quickly like my other lipsticks. While they are on the expensive side at $20, they are seriously the best lipstick formula I have tried to date, and I adore them. The packaging is nothing special, but serviceable. I would certainly buy Cranberry again if I ever ran out and I am in the process of collecting more stickglosses (I now have 4 total).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Laura Mercier - StickGloss in Sugar Plum
belletrist9 10/24/2009 9:10:00 AM
Sugar Plum is a medium pink leaning on the cool side, but not so cool that it looks purple on my lips. It looks like a beautiful rosy pink on my lips. It is a cream, with no apparent shimmer, but does have a glossy, shiny finish so it doesn't look flat at all and would be just fine worn by itself. Since I am warm toned, I do often wear Sugar Plum with a sheer corally gloss though. The texture of the Laura Mercier stickglosses is just TDF. They are the most comfortable lipsticks I own, and a pleausre to wear. They are nicely glide-y and very, very light-feeling on the lips, but don't migrate/feather or sink into the liplines. On top of all this, they are not in the least bit drying - in fact I think they are actually quite conditioning. I have really, really dry lips. Even the best lipstick formulas touted to be good for dry lips (MAC Cremesheens - the original colors, MAC lustres, Dior Addict HS) leave my lips dryer at the end of the day. Only Laura Mercier stickglosses leave them better off. They are the only lipsticks I don't have to wear balm under. Stickglosses are quite long-lasting too. With all my other lipsticks, I distinctly notice when they fade away because my lips start drying out then. I don't so much notice that with stickglosses and I would say they easily last 5-6 hours on my lips (less when eating/drinking) and fade to a nice stain (though this is definitely time-dependent with shade). The shinyness does significantly fade over time, but I find that the conditioning properties of the lipstick do not fade as quickly like my other lipsticks. While they are on the expensive side at $20, they are seriously the best lipstick formula I have tried to date, and I adore them. The packaging is nothing special, but serviceable. I would certainly buy Sugar Plum again if I ever ran out and I am in the process of collecting more stickglosses (I now have 4 total).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Laura Mercier - Nectar Cheek Colour
belletrist9 10/24/2009 9:00:00 AM
I received this as an RAOK, but I would definitely buy it again if I ever ran out. Nectar is a matte peach/nude blush on me (~NC30-35, Asian, EDM Sandy Medium). It is really perfect for those days when I don't want to look like I'm obviously wearing a colored blush, but I want to put some color to light up my otherwise sallow complexion. While it has a matte finish, it has enough dimension to look fabulously glowy on my skin, and not flat at all. I look happy and alive wearing this. The texture on this blush is fabulous. It is silky, easy to pick up with a brush and easy to blend. It is pigmented enough, but not sooo pigmented that you have to be careful with it. I use EcoTools f/s blush brush and blend out with the f/s powder brush. I love the packaging on Laura Mercier products. It is elegant, sturdy, practical and very compact. I also love the idea that I can pop it out of the compact and into her larger compacts to pair with other products.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Christian Dior - Dior Addict High Shine Lipstick
belletrist9 10/24/2009 8:48:00 AM
I have this lipstick in Gipsy Red. I specifically bought one of these lipsticks because the Addict High Shine formula is supposed to be moisturizing and non-drying for those with very, very dry lips. Unfortunately, I found it very difficult to find a color that showed up well on my pigmented lips. Most of these shades are quite sheer, and even Gipsy Red looks like a strawberry pink on me unless I really layer it and it never really achieves a true red. Some on the makeup board have actually commented that this is a beautiful MLBB shade on me (which I think is funny, seeing as it's named Gipsy RED). The formula is pretty nice as far as lipsticks go. It is definitely kinder to my lips than MAC lustres or Cremesheens. I would not say that this lipstick is conditioning, but it is mostly non-drying. I also wear balm under all my lipsticks. The Addict High Shines are indeed extremely, extremely shiny and have a beautiful glossy finish. The lipstick does not migrate into my liplines, even after hours of wear, but rather fades to a pretty even stain (the shininess does definitely go away). The lasting time with Gipsy Red is pretty average. I would give it 3-4 hours with no drinking/eating. It does come off on coffee cups, but not completely. I imagine the lighter colors would last significantly shorter time periods though. The packaging on this lipstick is AMAZING, and one of the main reasons that I keep it even though I've found a better lipstick formula for me (Laura Mercier Stickglosses). It is very beautiful and lux looking, and I just love it. If I ever ran out, I would probably indulge in this lipstick again, because it is a pretty good product - wearable, pretty, non-drying. However, I would not buy this in a different color because I haven't found one that is different enough on my lips (except Flamenco Red which I didn't find flattering to my skintone) to justify the price. Thus, it gets a 4/5 from me, 1/2 a point off for wear time/conditioning properties, and 1/2 a point off for high price point.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Jane Iredale - PureMoist LipColour SPF 18
belletrist9 10/24/2009 8:34:00 AM
This is my second favorite lipstick, right after Laura Mercier stickglosses. I LOVE the texture of this lipstick. It feels like a waxy balm (which I prefer). It does taste a little more like lipstick (in that, it's not flavored, it just tastes like veggie oils and whatever pigments are in it) and smells softly of sugar. I try not to lick my lips when I'm wearing anything on them and the smell disappears quickly so this doesn't bother me much. The lasting power is EXCELLENT. I can eat lunch through this lipstick and still have pigment, and a tiny bit of balmish feeling on my lips afterwards. On me, I'd say if I'm not talking/eating, this could easily stay on my lips for 5 hours, but I think that's still pretty fabulous and it also leaves my lips nicely conditioned, with a nice stain of color rather than having them just dry out. I do still wear balm under all my lipsticks though. I have Lily (pale pink/peach frost) and Catherine (muted brick red that sheers to a nice strawberry pink on my pigmented lips). The pigment concentration in these lipsticks is impressive to me. I find them just as pigmented as MAC's Cremesheen formula but easier to wear sheerly. The SPF18 is a HUGE plus to me. I wish she made a clear version of this so I could use it as a base everyday instead of the Lip Drink SPF15 which I find to be too slippery and not nearly as long-lasting. The packaging is also nice and has a good weight to it. It is expensive, as far as lipsticks go, but it's not off the charts (more than MAC, less than Dior or Guerlain). I would give this a 4.5 if I could, docking just for not lasting longer and not conditioning as well as the Laura Mercier stickglosses.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Jane Iredale - Lip Drink
belletrist9 10/24/2009 8:28:00 AM
After spending what seemed ages looking for a moisturizing lip balm with zinc oxide SPF, I ordered Jane Iredale's Lip Drink SPF15. The balm itself is clear and very soft, with great glide. I think it's very similar in texture to the Yes to Carrots lip balms. I'm not a HUGE fan of this texture as I prefer slightly harder, waxier balms that feel *cushier,* but it's certainly not bad. The Lip Drink tastes like nothing (really inoffensive mild veggie oil if anything) and smells actually incredibly similar to the lemonade concentrate I bought from Williams-Sonoma. The smell dissipates quickly though, and I don't notice it any more after ~3 minutes on my lips. Since the balm is less waxy than I prefer, it doesn't stay on my lips quite as well either. I would say the Lip Drink lasts ~2-3 hours on average, and much less if you're talking/eating/drinking. It also doesn't quite do it for my very easily dehydrated lips. Once it wears off, they go back to flaking slightly, especially if I'm in an air-conditioned building. I have ridiculously dry lips though... so I think most people will really like this balm. I have to say, the packaging is a little irritating. The cap part of the balm is really short, so you can't really push the balm up very much at all (think 1.5mm) if you don't want to squish the balm in the cap. Since the balm is very soft, I think this may have been a purposeful design to prevent people from nicking the balm with the cap (I know the balm tube has been redesigned at least once)? I was a little sad I squished my balm on the first or second capping though. Also, it doesn't close when you just put the cap on - you have to actually push it to "click" it into place. Overall I think it's a very solid choice so lip protection and I will continue to use it, but it's certainly not the all in one moisture+protection I was looking for. I actually find that it's much more useful OVER dryer lipsticks than it is under them because of it's slippery texture.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Physicians Formula - Plump Potion Clear
belletrist9 2/26/2009 1:39:00 AM
This is a total HG product for me. I have battled dry, chapped, peeling lips for YEARS and YEARS. I unfortunately also have a habit of picking at my lips when they're dry and flaking. This has left me with rather deep vertical lines in my lips and I didn't even really notice it until I was reading reviews for PTR Un-Wrinkle lip and noticed someone describing her own deep lines from years of chapping. I was a bit shocked to see how bad my own lips were. After that, in mid December I was looking through all the lip-plumping products in CVS and decided to pick this up on a whim. I tried it, but was a little put off by the smell and the stickiness and set it aside. My lips were doing ok then and I didn't really think more of it. Recently, my lips had started to get really chapped again, and none of my regular solutions (Dr. Hauschka lip care stick, Garden Botanika Vit. E lip treatment, Soapalaya Soaps Green Tea lip butter) were making any difference. I was really frustrated. One night, while reading reviews on MUA, I saw a review for this and remembered I had it. I pulled it out and tried it again. It is REALLY moisturizing!! My lips were hydrated within 1/2 an hour and I was able to rub off all the dry flaking crap that was on top of my lips without tearing my lips at all. This stuff is sticky, but it lasts a very, very long time and I actually like the feel that it gives. It doesn't burn at all, like some other lip plumpers do, but it gives just a little minty, cool feel. It does plump slightly, but I can't really speak to cumulative effects yet. HOWEVER - when I wore it to sleep that night, I woke up the next morning to soft, supple lips!! I just about started crying. I used to wake up every single morning with dry, chapped lips, no matter HOW hydrated I was when I went to bed. It was literally the first time in YEARS I didn't have chapped lips upon waking up in the morning. This product has been like a miracle to me. I don't even have to use it 24/7. Because it's so shiny, I usually just use it after the sun goes down, or at night and it lets me wear lipstick all day long. I am so incredibly happy with this product - seriously. Also, the bonus packs are a fabulous value, especially when the drugstore has Physician's Formula BOGO50%. I managed to pick up 2 bonus packs the other day (one for me, one for a friend who also has dry lips) making each gloss ~$3.75!
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Cute-ster [DISCONTINUED]
belletrist9 2/23/2009 1:55:00 AM
I really like this lipstick. Even though it's a lustre, I find it quite non-drying and it lasts longer than my other lustre lipstick Hug Me. It's a sheer peachy-pink with just a tad of shimmer. Great for everyday wear. The case is totally adorable, as is the little imprint of HK on the lipstick.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -MAC - Tahitian Sand Hello Kitty
belletrist9 2/23/2009 1:52:00 AM
I adore this compact! And I was very pleasantly surprised by the product inside. I totally admit, I bought this originally solely for the compact and the fact that I could switch out the product. I hadn't heard very good things about this beauty powder, but figured I could simply use the compact for the mirror, or perhaps for blot powder later when the weather got warmer. The compact itself is very nicely made, sturdy and super cute. The beauty powder has an adorable imprint of HK on it and I actually love it! The first time I applied it with the 187SE, I was a bit underwhelmed as I couldn't see it show up on me at all. However, I went to go get my chapstick from the living room and upon coming back to my vanity, I seriously did a double take at how amazingly smooth and airbrushed my skin looked! I use this as highlighter and an all-over face brightener. I am not sure that it works wonders for soaking up oil, but it's so pretty I don't really care. <3 it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No