NARS Eyeshadow Duo Giveaway! *CLOSED*

Photo from narscosmetics.com

Hello Lovelies! Today I wanted to take a moment to say a HUGE thank you to all of the wonderful people who read, follow & support my blog. I have had such an amazing time the last 2 1/2 months writing here & interacting with all of you lovely people. Thank you for allowing me to share my love of makeup & all things girly with you! 

Sun Protection for Combo to Oily Skin Types: Shiseido Urban Environment Oil- Free UV Protector

Hello Lovelies! If you are like me & have searched high & low for a sunscreen that doesn't make your combo/ oily skin more oily, I just might have the solution to your problems! Meet your new best friend, Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector SPF 42 PA +++.

After having tried many different sunscreens from drugstore to high-end, this is without a doubt the sunscreen best suited to my skin type. Sephora describes this product as "an oil-free daily formulation that protects against three major causes of skin cell damage: UV rays, oxidation, and overproduction of sebum." Sephora.com

The formula of this sunscreen is very interesting, and unlike any other sunscreen I have personally tried. It is actually a very lightweight liquid. In order to use this product, you must first shake up the bottle (similar to when you use foundations such as Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua) to mix all the ingredients. Because of the liquid texture, this sunscreen glides effortlessly on the face. I simply squeeze a little bit into the palm of my hand & then use fingertips to apply all over.

I have to say the biggest selling point of this sunscreen for me is the finish. Shiseido's Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector contains mineral pigments that help to create a velvet-like finish on the skin & control the production of oil throughout the day. This sunscreen is so lightweight it is almost imperceptible on the skin. It also wears beautifully under my foundation.  I was honestly amazed how great my foundation looked throughout the day, when compared to more traditional cream/ lotion sunscreens. Before this sunscreen my foundation would tend to go patchy a bit throughout the day, especially during hot weather like we have been having in California the past week. This ingenious little product is a double wammy- primer & sun care in one! Amazing!

So far, my sensitive skin has had no issues with this sunscreen at all - no break outs or allergic reactions in sight! 

The Shiseido Urban Environment UV Protector is pricey at $30 for 1.0 oz, however I think it is completely worth it. You need the teeniest amount to cover your entire face, so I expect this little bottle will last a long time. Also, I would much rather pay $30 for a high quality sunscreen than thousands later in life to repair any subsequent sun damage from not wearing sunscreen.

I can't recommend this sunscreen enough to those of you struggling with oily skin in the Summer time! As always, thank you for reading!

Lots of Love,

Louise

Thoughts & Comparisons: My Cream Eye Shadow Collection

Hello Lovelies! I hope you all are enjoying your weekend! As some of you might know, one of the makeup products I've been particularly obsessing over lately are cream eye shadows. I love how they can be used to create an easy everyday eye look, or layered underneath powder shadows to give them a little extra oomph.  So, I wanted to share with you my collection & quickly review a few of the brands available.

MAC Paint Pots

I think MAC Paint Pots work great as a base under powder shadows to either bump up the color or the shimmer of the powder on top. I do not however generally wear paint pots on their own because in my opinion they are too sheer/ not opaque enough to be worn on their own. Lately, I have been particularly loving Rubenesque, a gorgeous golden-peach which looks amazing under bronze or golden toned shadows. 

Left to Right: Let's Skate, Bare Study, Rubenesque

Swatches Left to Right: Let's Skate, Bare Study, Rubenesque

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows

As is most likely evident by how many I own, I would have to say that Benefit makes my favorite range of cream shadows. Unlike the MAC Paint Pots, I generally wear these cream shadows on their own, without powder on top. I find these to be more opaque & buildable in finish than the MAC Paint Pots. I feel though that these do not make great bases under powder shadows because powder seems to clump a tiny bit on top. Also, I wouldn't say these are entirely creaseless. These last approximately 5 hours on me without any creasing or fading. The wear time really doesn't bother me though as I can easily dab a little more product on my lids in the evening if I want to.

Top Row Left to Right: samba-dy loves me, tattle tale  Bottom Row Left to Right: busy signal, flatter me, birthday suit

I absolutely love the color range of Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows. A few of my all-time favorites have to be Birthday Suit, a gorgeous beige pewter color, and Tattle Tale, the best inner corner highlight product I have ever found. 

Swatches Left to Right: busy signal, flatter me, birthday suit, samba-dy loves me, tattle tale

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadows

 I have to say I find the Bobbi Brown range of cream shadows to be mediocre.  In general, the formula is a bit on the dry side, which makes it hard to blend. These cream shadows are very sheer (at least the colors I own) but reasonably buildable. On the positive side, they do last well on my eye lids.

Left to Right: Beach Honey, Sand Dollar, Stone

As far as colors go, I love the shade Sand Dollar, a lovely lilac-toned grey (really hard to describe). This shade is fantastic if you have green eyes. On the other hand, I was thoroughly unimpressed with Beach Honey, which looks a bit like MAC's Bare Study in the pot. On the skin though it comes across as nothing more than a bit of nude shimmer.

Swatches Left to Right: Stone, Sand Dollar, Beach Honey

Smashbox Limitless 15-Hour Cream Shadow

I am really impressed by the quality & formula of the new Smashbox cream shadows. They are very pigmented, smooth, easy to blend, and come in many beautiful jewel-tone options. I look forward to collecting a few more of these. Gemstone, a shimmering mauve color is great for for an easy subtle smokey eye look.

Maybelline Color Tattoo Eye Shadow

This cream shadow lives up to all the hype it has created. The Bad to the Bronze shade is surprisingly one of my all-time favorite swipe on & go cream shadows. I have to say it even beats out many of the high end options I have. The color is just so rich & multi-dimensional, and looks great on almost anyone I have seen wearing it. This shadow lasts all day on me with hardly any fading or creasing. Love!

Stila Smudge Pots

Although I have only used this product as a liner, it can technically also be used all over the lid as a cream shadow. This is one of my favorite bronze shades to use as a liner. It is incredibly pigmented, rich & long-lasting. Because of how inky & slightly dry the formula is, I can imagine you might have to work with it a bit to apply it all over the lid. 

MUFE Aqua Creams

Unfortunately, I was not at all impressed with this cream shadow.  The shade I purchased is incredibly clumpy & dries very quickly, making it hard to blend out on the lid. Although the line has many lovely colors, I do not plan on purchasing any more unless MUFE changes the formula.

Laura Mercier Metallic Cream Color

I LOVE this product when I am feeling like a metallic eye look. It applies easily with fingers or brushes & can be worn as either a sheer wash of color, or built up to a very metallic finish. The color Alloy is a beautiful mixture of pewter & mauve. I would love to add the Gold or Rose Gold shades to my collection some day. This product wears very well on my lids with hardly any creasing.

Top Row Left to Right: Stila Smudge Pot- Bronze, MUFE Aqua Cream- #13 Bottom Row Left to Right: Smashbox Limitless Cream Shadow- Gemstone, Maybelline Color Tattoo- Bad to the Bronze, Laura Mercier Metallic Cream Shadow- Alloy

Swatches Left to Right: Laura Mercier Alloy, MUFE #13, Maybelline Bad to the Bronze, Stila Bronze, Smashbox Gemstone

I am always on the hunt for new cream shadows & would love to hear what some of your favorites are!

Lots of Love,

Louise

Today I'm Wearing #9: NARS Ramatuelle

Hello Lovelies! Happy Hump Day (Wednesday)! Today I wanted to share with you a makeup look that I have been wearing the last few days. It's a naturally pretty combination, consisting of shades of peach & apricot on the eyes, paired with peachy pinks on the cheeks & lips.  The star of this look is a new addition to my collection, the NARS Eye Shadow Trio in Ramatuelle.

April Favorites

Hello Lovelies! Here is my monthly roundup of products I have been loving recently! 

The eye look I reached for almost every day in April was my Rose Gold Eye Look. It included NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Silk Road layered over MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque  as a base. 

For mascara, in April I fell in love with this sample of Chanel Inimitable Intense. I don't think I have ever found a mascara that works better with my lashes. I love how deep black the formula is and how it lengthens, curls, separates, and volumizes. With this mascara on, my lashes look fluttery and great all day with zero smudging or flaking. Although this mascara is $30 a tube, I honestly will probably run out and buy one once this sample is done because it is just that good. 

I can't complete this list of April Favorites without mentioning my NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Via Appia. This eyeliner serves a specific purpose for me in my daily makeup routine. In general, I apply MAC's Fluidline in Blacktrack to my upper lash line. However, I have found that applying black eyeliner on my lower lashline can look too harsh on me.  Enter NARS Via Appia. Smudged into my lower lashline, this shimmering copper brown is the perfect accent of subtle definition. An added bonus is this eyeliner does NOT budge once applied. I really can't say enough good things about this product!

For lips, I reached for my tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Stain in Charmed almost daily. I layered either Chanel Glossimer in Bagatelle, or tarte Maracuja Divine Shine Lip Gloss in Charmed over the top. I absolutely love the wearable bright- pink combos these products gave my lips. 

In April, I rediscovered an old favorite, Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer.  As is obvious by the huge pan mark in the box, I really did enjoy using this product. This bronzer is great for contouring the cheekbones & adding subtle color to the face. Also, Hoola thankfully didn't break me out or cause me to have an allergic reaction like so many other bronzers I've tried have done. 

For my nails it was all about the bright girly pinks & corals this month. My most reached for polishes had to be Essie Mod Square, a vibrant barbie pink, and Essie Cute As a Button, a bright coral. I love Essie polishes for their fantastic formula & beautiful color selection. 

P.S. I'm very sad to say that I had to discontinue use of my new bronzer, the Soleil Tan de Chanel Luminous Bronzing Powder because of an allergic reaction I developed to an ingredient in the product. After about 2 days of use, I started to notice strange red bumps on my cheeks & because I hadn't changed anything in my skin care routine or daily makeup, it had to be from the new bronzer. I want to mention though, I do still think it is a GORGEOUS product & was very sad I had to stop using it. I do not think there is anything wrong with the quality of the powder. In fact there seems to be something in most bronzers that irritates my skin. For reference, I had similar experiences with NARS Laguna, Laura Mercier & Clinique bronzers. Very frustrating, but nothing I can do! 

What products were you loving in April?

Thanks for reading!

Lots of Love,

Louise

Chanel Summer 2012 Soleil Tan de Chanel Luminous Bronzing Powder

Hello Lovelies! I wanted to show you a new bronzer that I recently picked up. For the past few months I have faithfully been using my Benefit Hoola bronzer to contour my face & add a bit of color to my otherwise lackluster skin. As my Hoola bronzer was nearly finished, I was in need of a new one and wanted to try out something different.  I have to mention that I generally steer clear of shimmery bronzers because I feel they can tend to look a little unnatural. However, I love Chanel face powders & thought the Soleil Tan de Chanel Luminous Bronzing Powders looked promising in photos. So, I decided to stop by my local Chanel counter & let's just say, I fell in love. 

My Everyday Skin Care Routine

Hello lovelies! Today I wanted to quickly take you through my every day skin care routine step by step. I have been using all of these products for the past few months, and in general am happy with the results I see in the appearance of my skin. I hope you enjoy!

Step 1: I wash my face with Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Cleanser. This cleanser is a holy- grail product for me. I have been using it & repurchasing it for the past year. It effectively, yet gently, cleans the skin & leaves it feeling comfortable (not at all stripped or tight).

Step 2: This step is optional for me. If my skin is feeling on the dry side, I will apply a thin layer of Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. If however, my skin feels comfortable or a bit oily that day, I will skip this step.

Step 3: Lastly, I try not to ever leave the house anymore without sunscreen. I am fair skinned, and have already begun to see the damage of previous sun exposure on my face. Currently, I am using Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-Touch Sunblock. This sunblock feels relatively light- weight and non-greasy on the face. Although I am pleased with this product, I am curious to try more high-end sunscreens and see if I prefer any others.  

Step 1: I use Target's Up & Up Brand Eye Makeup Remover to remove my eye makeup. This is a fantastic eye makeup remover. It is non-irritating & easily gets rid of even waterproof makeup. Also, it is super affordable!

Step 2: I remove the rest of my face makeup using my Yes to Cucumbers Facial Towelettes. I love these face wipes! They smell delicious, gently remove all my face makeup, and don't leave any sort of residue behind.

Step 1: I use my Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Cleanser again to fully cleanse my face.

Step 2: I apply Yon-Ka Phyto 58 Rejuvenation Treatment Cream.  This is an amazing night treatment cream (review here)! 

If I have any acne spots: I will apply Clinique Acne Solutions Clearing Moisturizer to any problem areas before my moisturizer. The benzoyl peroxide in this lightweight gel-cream helps to kill acne- causing bacteria. 

If my skin is feeling dry: I will apply Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Moisturizer over my Yon-Ka Treatment Cream. I tend to do this nightly in the Winter months. 

At least 2x a week I exfoliate using Origins Modern Friction Scrub. This is another holy-grail product for me. I love that this scrub feels grainy &  like it is really sloughing all the dead skin cells off my face. However, unlike other grainy face scrubs, it is not at all harsh or irritating to the skin.

On alternating days, I will often use my Origins Brighter by Nature High- Potency Brightening Peel Pads. These glycolic acid pads are convenient to use & seem to help exfoliate the skin. I haven't yet noticed any improvement in the brightness of my skin though as a result of using these. I will most likely use them up & see if I notice any difference but I am undecided as to whether or not I will repurchase these. 

What are some of your everyday skin care must-haves? 

Thanks for reading!

Lots of Love,

Louise