YSL Rouge Volupté Shines - Review and Swatches

Hi everyone, I thought I would share with you my small collection of YSL Rouge Volupté Shines. 

I must admit that these are some of my favorite lipstick formulas out there. They feel on the lips are so smooth and lightweight. On top of that, they are long lasting.

These YSL Rouge Volupté Shines were purchased at either Sephora or Nordstrom (or if you are interested in these, check out anywhere that sells YSL makeup products). 

They retail for $35 and there are approximately 18 shades in the range.

The packaging is timeless and so luxe. I love how expensive and kind of heavy it feels in the hand. If you are going to be spending more than drugstore prices, I would expect nice quality and durable packaging that fits the price tag.

In the middle of the casing, you can see a "swatch" or a color indicator of the lipstick which is great because it does not look cheap and somewhat accurate.

As you can see from the picture above and below that I have used these lipsticks. Some more than others haha.

I absolutely love #12 in the summer months because it brings so much life to your face and look. It's so effortless to slap it on and go. When I wear #12, it will last me a solid 4-5 hours with a nice gradual fading/staining effect.

#9 is my go-to, ultimate favorite nude in my entire lipstick collection. It might be too dark for some but it's perfect for me. I have pigmented lipstick and this helps tone that down but has a little shine and some color. LOVE this one.

I would go for #5 and #17 during the fall or the transition from summer to fall. I think they are a touch too dark for the spring and summer. But the pigmentation is on point and apply beautifully.

Here are the swatches:

I LOVE this formula from YSL. They make a lipstick that stays on the lips and provides a slight staining effect. I think they are well worth the investment because: the packaging is gorgeous, the formula is perfection and provides a nice glossy finish to your lips, it stains your lips a little, and the color selection is great!

That's it for me. Do you have any favorites from YSL, whether they are Rouge Volupté Shines or anything else from the line? I would love to know them in the comments!!

I hope you enjoyed the post. And I will talk to you all soon :)

Bianca

TooFaced Chocolate Bar Palette - Swatches and Review

Well... I gave into the hype.

I held off from buying this palette for a few months but I had store credit to Sephora and thought I would give it a whirl. 

I won't lie to you... I didn't know what to expect with the quality of TooFaced shadows. I have heard good things but I have never ever own any TooFaced palettes. I don't know why haha but I think I preferred the Urban Decay Naked palettes over the TooFaced ones. 

I'm glad I waited though. This is a great palette to get introduced to TooFaced Cosmetics eyeshadows.

Just like everyone else, the packaging box and the palette itself is stickin' cute! TooFaced sure knows how to do cute packaging.

I was lucky to pick up the Chocolate Bar palette with the slimmer packaging. I think TooFaced heard about everyone's complaints about the thickness of the palette's casing. I never saw it so I can't say from experience how significant the reduction in thinness is but I'm glad I waited haha.

When I first saw the palette, I thought that the arrangement of the shadows was odd. I would assume that the larger highlight shades would be on top and the little pans of shadows would be under it. But that is me being nit-picky haha.

When I see this palette, the right side is warmer and the left side is slightly cooler. Just a smidge. I never noticed it during the months of blogs and videos I saw featuring the palette haha.

I wish the names were engraved into the palette like all the other palettes from TooFaced. I truly hate the flimsy little sheet with the names on it. But it is what it is, can' change it.

You can see how cute the names of each of the shadows are though. I definitely win points for creative and cute names for the eyeshadows.

I swatched the eyeshadows by row on my arm without any primer.

 Row 1

 Row 2

Row 3

Thoughts on eyeshadow quality:
- The matte shades are a little powdery and slightly less pigmented. You have to layer the heck out of the shadows to get this to show up but on the bright side, they layer nicely and evenly.
- The shimmery shades are WHOA. They are amazingly pigmented and so incredibly smooth. They can be powdery if you pick up product with a brush but if you tap off the excess, there is no fall out :).
- The microglitter shades are my favorites I think. The little glittery specks don't disappear when you apply them and they are really smooth as well. It adds that extra pop to your look without it being overboard or in your face glittery.

Overall, I think this is a great palette, especially for starters. This palette has some great mattes, shimmers, neutral every day shades. Or a nice palette to compliment other neutral eyeshadow palettes. {Because a makeup addict can never have too many neutral palettes;)}

Hope you enjoyed the review,
Bianca :)

Makeup Forever Pink Lab Shine Lip Duo - Swatches

How about that fancy packaging? haha. This is how it comes...in a ziploc type bag haha. 

I ordered this online at Sephora.com because I have not really experimented with any MUFE lip products. This is one heck of a deal, both glosses for $16. 

They are described as: shimmering indian pink and shimmering baby pink.

These are the kinds of glosses that really have that micro glitter that shifts as the light hits it. I tried to capture it as best I could on my camera. Like pink in one angle and then gold in a different light (as shown in the top glosses).

It comes with a brush applicator. It is easy to use and not too flimsy.

What I noticed when I pulled out the wand was that it seemed like there was not a lot of product. You can see it in the picture above. None of my other glosses do that, I thought that was weird.

The shimmering indian pink shade (right) has the most pigmentation. Though I think these are more of a top coat kind of gloss. I know you can wear these on their own but due to the lack of pigmentation...I'm assuming they are top-coaters.

I love how they shift in the light and you can imagine that on the lips that they would make them look "juicy" and slick.

These are sticky. That's my only con. They aren't SO sticky that they are unwearable, it's just annoying.

Overall, these are cool glosses and I love to top off my lipsticks with these glosses for that wet and slick look. I love that especially when I'm wearing a matte eye look.

Since these are online exclusives, you can't check them out in person to feel and see for yourself. I hope these pictures and my thoughts were helpful to you! :)

Talk to you all soon!
Bianca

Smashbox Liquid Halo HD Foundation in #6

Hello everyone, how are you all doing? TGIF right?! (Even though when I publish to my blog it will already be Saturday haha).

I'm here to talk to you about a new foundation I purchased today. I did not buy this on a whim or without testing it out for a little bit. I actually picked up a sample of the Smashbox Liquid Halo foundation when I was in Sephora about a week or so ago and it was amazing! It is very natural looking on the skin (I will post a FOTD post on my Instagram and later update this post when I take the picture). I made a little sample pot last me about a week which is awesome. Depends on the coverage you want, it goes from a sheer/medium to a solid medium, which is what I prefer.

So lets get into the deets :)

*I wear shade 6 which is a warm medium beige for medium complexions.

*Provides a fresh, luminous finish (agree with this! but looks so natural)

*SPF 15 (woohoo!)

*Oil Free

*$42 for 1 fl. oz.

*Link to Sephora's website: Smashbox Liquid Halo foundation

When I opened the box, a little sample packet of their most popular face primer was packed into the box with the foundation. It was a cute little surprise :)

It is a glass bottle so it will be prone to breaking if you drop it. It is heavy so I'm going to assume that a fall from any height could break it :o. When you hold it in your hand though, it feels nice and luxurious.

Close up of the bottle from the bottom plus my shade number.

It comes with a pump! I forgot to take off the cap haha but it does come with a pump which is like 50 bonus points for them. I feel like EVERY foundation should have a pump but for some reason...some brands don't have pumps, don't sell pumps, or make it so you have to buy a pump if you want it >:| .

I did a little swatch for you on the underside of my arm so that's why it looks darker than my actual skin tone. I think this shade in particular, due to it's sheerness, can be used to bronze up the face without it making you look like Snooki or an oompa loompa :P / :). You can see that there is no red or too much yellow; it could give you a nice natural tan look.

Here is the back of the box in case you were interested. 

Alright folks, I'll update you soon on this foundation with a pic on my Instagram (link to that on the homepage of my blog) and I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on this foundation. 

If you are curious about this foundation, get color matched and ask for a sample. There are 10 shades in this particular line of Smashbox foundations :). 

Talk to you soon,

Bianca

UPDATE: http://instagram.com/p/llEOKqn1qQ/ <- head on over to my instagram and see my face improve with this foundation. :)

NARS Matte Multiple in Exumas - Review and Swatch

Hello hello,

Hope you are all having a great weekend. It's been rainy and gloomy here in Seattle but what else is new haha.

Recently, I picked up one of the matte multiples from the new and permanent line from NARS. They retail for $39 and can be found at Sephora, Nordstrom, NARS.com, and other retailers of NARS products.

To be honest, I want all of them haha. But not all would suit me and my skin tone. So I picked up the one that would be the most universally flattering for many; which in my opinion is Exumas.

If you have been keeping up with my blog recently, you will see that I posted a blog post on some tips and advice on these matte multiples given to me by one of the national makeup artists for NARS. Which I suggest you check that out ;). Link to post: HERE

So here is Exumas:

 It is described as: a pink apricot shade.

 Seriously...this is a beauty :)

 It looks like a super big tube of lipstick haha.

Here are swatches in two different kinds of lighting.

The feel of this is very velvety and smooth. I think this is one of those products that makes getting into using cream products a breeze. It blends out effortlessly, but keep in mind if you blend too much it will just melt into the skin. Which is what I experienced once. I'm a blending freak so it just kept blending and then it was gone haha.

Though, if you think about it...if you apply too much, you can blend it away to your desired opacity on your cheeks.

These are easy to use...this is a major plus because I've always been turned off my products that require me to use my fingers (I don't know why haha but I prefer using a brush for every part of my makeup application). This is a product that works well with finger and brush application :) * insert thumbs up emoji*

Another point: Bare in mind that these matte multiples and regular multiples differ in quantity with the same price tag. So if you aren't a huge fan of the matte color range, check out the regular multiple line for more bang for your buck. Matte multiples have half the amount that the regular ones do. :(

It depends on what you are looking for, whether you want it in stick form or in a pot like the new MakeUp ForEver or Chanel cream blushes.

If you are still iffy on these, have someone that is experienced with the NARS Matte Multiples help you out and give you tips and have them apply it on you. So you are 100% sure that you want to go ahead with the purchase :)

I hope this was helpful for you all :). If you have any questions on these, refer to my previous matte multiple blog post that I have already linked in this post or ask me in the comment section.

Talk to you all soon,
Bianca

Marc Jacobs Starlet Eyeshadow Palette - swatch and review

Hey there everyone,

I'm here to talk about the only and probably only thing I'll own from the Marc Jacobs line at Sephora. I got this back in November/early December when I got my VIB gift card and to be honest...I have only used that less than a hand full of times. 

There is nothing wrong with the palette, don't get me wrong, but it's not a palette I reach for as often as other palettes in my collection. 

 As you can see the box and packaging of Marc Jacobs products are black, sleek, and compact. Seems like all of his makeup products are not bulky whatsoever. So this is a positive note for MJ products.

 Here is the Starlet palette all opened up. You can see that there is an array of colors to choose from and they are beautiful. My only issue with this palette is...there are no mattes shades. At all.

They are all shimmery, bordering on metallic. Which is a good and a bad thing. I have to reach for another palette or shadow to use in the crease unless I'm going for a one shadow look (which isn't often haha). I'm all about having that definition in the crease with a matte shadow.

 The variety of shades are very much appreciated and they are all cool toned. On my warm skin tone, they really stand out and can sometimes clash if I only use this palette for my eye look.

Here are the swatches. You can see that they are all very pigmented and stand out against my arm. They apply and blend like a dream.

Final thoughts: this is a nice palette but it's not a stand alone, everything you need, palette. The shadows are beautiful and pigmented. I just hate that I do not reach for this palette as often as I should. It just gets overlooked. In my opinion, I think you can get a different palette for the retail price ($59 USD). But if you want to add shimmery/metallic shades to your collection, this could be a great addition. Just depends on what you are looking for. If you want a "go to" status palette from MJ, check out the MJ Lolita palette. I do not own it but I have heard many beauty bloggers rave about it :). 

What are your thoughts about this palette if you own it? What are your favorite items from Marc Jacobs? I'd love to know your thoughts down below.

Have a good day/night,

Bianca xo

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger - Review and Swatch

Hey everyone, how are ya doin'? I'm good myself. It's been weird adjusting to normal people life (#postgradproblems haha). But I'm here to share my thoughts on the much loved NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer.

I picked this up during the Sephora VIB sale early November and I've had a chance to try it out and I can say that I truly love this product. I used this all over my face as "foundation" and to spot conceal. It's not my favorite for under the eye, because I like a more highlighted effect for under the eyes, and this Ginger shade matches my face almost perfectly.  ~ I have picked up the lighter shades in Custard and Honey so I'll see which one I like more for under the eye. ~

I dot this concealer all over my face, more where I need it, and I spray my Real Techniques Expert Face brush with the Urban Decay All Nighter spray. Doing that really helps blend out and spread the product all over my face. I have to say, it's a nice every day kind of coverage "foundation".

Coverage: it's pretty full coverage (if applied for under the eyes; the coverage is more sheer as described above). It covers up imperfections really nicely and it blends out like buttah. It's medium but buildable to full coverage if you really need it.

Here are pictures of the product and a swatch straight from the wand and blended out :)

Swatch: Swiped from applicator // Blended out 

This packaging is just...gorgeous!

This product has a doe-foot applicator which is really nice for application under the eyes and all over the face

Close up of the bottom of the product

Overall, I'm really happy with this product. I might even like it more than my MAC Pro Longwear concealer (shhh, don't tell anyone ;) ).  Especially since this feels more creamy, as the name implies haha. :)

Have you used/tried this concealer? What are your thoughts?

Talk to you soon,
Bianca

Sephora Formula X - Love Chemistry

Hey everyone,
Sorry I have been absent for a while now. I have been caught up with my graduation ceremony that happened this past weekend (WOOHOO!) and my very last finals (booo -_-).

So I thought I might hop on and post about the much raved about Formula X nail polishes from Sephora. I recently ordered one of the glitter/"Sparklers" polishes that I simply could not pass up. It is described as a champagne and pink metallic base with gold micro glitters and pink glitter. It gives it the slight appearance of looking like a rose gold polish. It's stunning to simply look at.

Swatch courtesy of the Swatch Board on Sephora.com

My own pictures :)

You have to keep in mind that since this is glitter polish that it is a son of B to take off haha. But it's gorgeous! So worth it...? Probably :P

Have you purchased any of the Formula X polishes? If so, which are your faves? And if not, what's on your wishist? I'm definitely intrigued by this line and it's gorgeous to look at in person because the display is huuuuge. My wallet is not going to like this if I seriously fall in love with this line, especially with so many unique shades in the range. :D

xo,
Bianca