I'm not a big fan of lipgloss. I hate how my hair sticks to it and when you pull the hair off your face, it just leaves some product on the side of your face too. I do own several lipglosses but I only wear it on occasion for certain looks and I definitely don't use one everyday. Overall, I'm just not into the super shiny gloss appeal to lipglosses. I heard rave reviews about the Clarins Natural Lip Perfector last year and it wasn't a product I was dying to try but I did keep it in the back of my head. I was at Bloomingdales this weekend and I was right next to the Clarins counter so I decided to give it a try. I've mostly seen people talk about color #01 which is called Rose Shimmer and it was mentioned as a milky pink so of course that's the one I wanted to try. Turns out it is more of a medium pink than a light milky pink and on my lips it is not pigmented enough to cover my natural lip color so it just makes my natural lip color even brighter. All three of the colors don't have much pigment to them really but I did end up getting #03 Beige Shimmer and the color is just enough to tone down my natural lip color which is exactly what I want. It's more of a nude peach color than a beige as the name implies. The texture of these is what makes these so popular. It's basically a glossier balm and feels really comfortable on the lips. It is not sticky at all and doesn't cause my lips to flake when it dries which most lip glosses tend to do.
The ingredients contain Shea Butter, wild Mango and Plant extracts which hydrate the lips. It has a sugary smell to it, maybe creme brulee? It also doesn't leave a taste in your mouth which I appreciate. I really like the sponge applicator instead of a wand which is easier to apply and you do not need a mirror with this. I use this as I would a lipbalm during the day and the nude color goes with all my makeup looks. It makes my lips look plump and fuller so I definitely recommend if you are a day time balm wearer like me. Ohh and it's $21. :)
Dior Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Hydrating Makeup- 021 Linen
-Long lasting, luminous finish. Medium to full coverage. Consistency is a bit thicker and heavier than I like but the finish is nice.
YSL Teint Resist- 05 Peach
-Long lasting, quite powdery finish when you first apply but after an hour or so it gives a satin finish. Color selection could be better. If you can find the perfect color match then this would be the perfect foundation.
Bourjois Healthy Mix- 52 Vanilla
-Long lasting, but heavily scented which could aggitate sensitive skins. Gives a satin finish to the skin. Color is a bit too light and yellow for me.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation- 5.5 beige
-Color is good for me when I self tan. Gives a luminous glowy finish and feels really light on the skin. Medium coverage. Probably best for people with dry skin.
Chanel Perfection Lumiere- 30 Beige
-Semi-matte finish, medium to full coverage. Long lasting but you have to work really quickly with application cause it dries fast. Good for photos.
Chanel Teint Innocence Cream Compact- 2.5 Soft Bisque
-Dewy luminous finish with medium coverage that's buildable. Heavier feel since its a cream compact but good for on the go.
Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation- 3.25 Cool Beige
-Natural Finish. Coverage is light but buildable. This one looks better throughout the day.
Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free- Light Tint
-sheer to light coverage with Semi matte finish.
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer- Nude
-sheer coverage
I saw a picture of Keira Knightly at the premiere of "A Dangerous Method" at MayFair Hotel in London and I thought she looked gorgeous. I tried to re-create that look but the products she used were all Chanel. I tried to match colors I had to the Chanel Eclosion Eyeshadow Quad which was used on her eyes. I do not have her eye shape so I couldn't bring the eyeliner along the outside of my inner tear duct, mine hoods over that area. She also has full bottom lashes which mine are pretty much undetectible but I used the same color scheme. Here's what I used.
Face: Chanel perfection lumiere 30 Beige, Estee Lauder double wear concealer in light Eyes: Chanel illusion de Ombre Ebloui as a base, Inglot eyeshadow #423 on the lash line, lower lashline and outer v, Shu Uemura eyeshadow M Brown 810 crease, Lorac Cocoa eyeshadow inner crease bone, MAC Nylon eyeshadow inner corner highlight, Clinique gel eyeliner in True Black, Urban Decay 24hr eyeliner in Zero Cheeks: NARS Laguna Bronzer, Urban Decay Score blush Lips: Chanel Coco Rouge in Chintz
These water solution makeup removers are gentle on the skin and effective in removing all traces of makeup. I have tried Neutrogena makeup removing wipes, Neutrogena oil-free eye-makeup remover, and Almay's eye makeup remover pads and none of these work as well as the water makeup removers. I find the Neutrogena makeup removing wipes break me out and does not leave my skin feeling clean. The eye makeup removers always leave a film of grease even though it says oil-free and stings my eye if I get any inside. This was especially true with Almay's eye makeup remover pads.
The first water solution remover I've tried was Bioderma Crealine (Sensibio) H20 and I've been using this for about a year now but it's not readily available in the US. You can buy it online for about $22-$25 for a 250ml bottle. (picture is the 100ml bottle)
NARS Makeup Removing Water just came to US counters last month and it retails for $28 for a 200ml bottle. The cost of NARS is a bit higher and it comes with less product than BIODERMA.
They both are gentle on my face and do not cause any breakouts. Both products contain water and cucumber. It leaves my skin feeling clean and soft. I've used them both as eye makeup removers and they take off all my gel eye liner, mascara, and eyeshadow without stinging my eyes. I just soak the cotton pad and rest it on my eyelids for a few seconds and wipe off the residual. I've used both to take off my face make-up on days I do not use my Clarisonic and I follow up with a cleanser.
There are slight differences between the two products. First is of course the price. Let's say I take the higher price spectrum for BIODERMA of $25 for 250ml. It cost .10 per ml vs. NARS .112 per ml. BIODERMA also comes in 3 sizes that I know of. They have a small travel size of 100ml, a regular size of 250ml and a bigger size which has 500ml of solution. NARS only comes in one size for now, so it's not convenient for travelling. However, NARS is available in the US and you can only purchase BIODERMA online if you live in the US so you probably have to factor in shipping cost (unless you get free shipping :)). Second is the packaging. NARS removing water is more luxurious and sleeker but has a twist on cap whereas BIODERMA has an attached flip-up cap. Not a deal breaker but I like the flip cap of BIODERMA since I don't have to use two hands to open it. Lastly, I do find NARS makeup removing water has a slight scent to it whereas BIODERMA does not. It's almost like an alcohol scent which it does not contain but that's the best way I can describe it.
Based on price for amount of prodcut and they both do pretty much the same thing, I would probably go back to BIODERMA when I run out of the NARS makeup removing water. I do however feel NARS is a bit more gentle to the skin which leaves it slightly softer and less red after cleansing, it might be because it contains Chamomilla. That being said, BIODERMA removes makeup a bit cleaner the first time around. I guess it just depends on your preference. Hope this helps!
I've been busy with the holidays and haven't had a chance to post anything in awhile. The cold weather makes me want to stay in and not put any effort into getting dressed in the morning. Most days I simply throw on a sweater, leggings, and a knee high boots to keep me warm. I still want to look like I made a bit of an effort and to keep me from looking polished, bright red nails is the perfect solution. The one I have on is from Essie called Rose Bowl and it's a bright tomato reddish pink. It's one of their sheer gel like formulas that apply so easy and smooth. It's hard to mess this one up. Two coats and it is opaque with no streaks.
Face: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk in 5.5 and Bourjois Healthy Mix in 52 vanilla (favorite foundation combo at the moment)
Cheeks: Nars Deep Throat blush, Nars Laguna bronzer
Eyes: Urban Decay Naked Palette- Naked (lids), Buck (crease), Sin and Virgin mixed (inner corner), Smog (lower lash), Clinique Cream liner in Black
I've recently been getting so many compliments on these boots everytime I wear them out. Someone had asked me the other day if they were Alberto Fermani boots which retail for $625. Of course I would not shell out that kinda money for a pair of boots but it's great to have ones that look like they are more luxurious than they are. I got these Aldo knee high boots at an outlet in the summer for a steal. They were originally $170 but the store had an everything must go clearance sale so I got them for 75% off. Both are real leather and the Aldo boots are really comfortable.
The top pair is Aldo Rechtzigel and bottom is Alberto Fermani Over the Knee Boots. They look pretty much the same except the Alberto Fermani one has a full elastic seam on the back so it's entirely a pull-up style whereas the Aldo ones have a half side zip. Try looking at your Aldo Outlet store if you like this style or you can get the real deal.
