theNotice: a beauty blog

What it is: Hard Candy Hide & Glow Cheek duo cheek tint in Hot Date (317)

The formula: Hide & Glow Cheek features a solid gel formula, like Tarte’s cheek stains. However, I find these to be a lot (and I mean a lot) less sticky! It’s sort of like… applying a slightly tacky foundation, rather than slatering on a bit ‘o glue stick.

The formula glides on easily and blends well, allowing for a lot of time to move the product. Plus, the finish does a great job “waking up” my face – my cheeks are left looking well-hydrated but not shiny or oily, which works perfectly with my combination very dry/slightly oily skin. I do think it’s this finish that leads to the wear time – because it’s slightly moist-looking, it doesn’t last as long as a liquid stain or a powder blusher. (Like with most lipsticks, I get about four hours out of this before I start craving a touch-up; five hours before I actually need one.)

The shades: okay, so this product gets some major brownie points for the two shades. The darker end is your typical “berry cheek stain” colour, complimenting a wide variety of skintones summer through winter, but the brighter end has stolen my heart. It’s a bright, fresh coral - but unlike most coral blushers, it’s sheer enough to look perfectly natural. I’m waiting eagerly for summer to start, because while it’s awesome at brightening up my winter pallor, it’s going to look amazing in the summer.

The ingredients:

Caprylic/capric tryglyceride, trimethylopropane trisosterate, hydroxystearic acid, isostearyl isostearate, disostearyl malate, polybutene, isononyl isonanoate, ozokerite, 1,2-hezanediol, capryl gycol, castor seed oil.

May Contain: titanium dioxide, mica, iron oxides, carmine, silica

What we’d change: I’m not a huge fan of the bulky packaging – there’s only about 3cm of product in total, and yet the stick is 11cm long! I guess I understand where they were going with the tube (it does make it really easy to hold and apply), but I just hate how bulky it is. Perhaps if Hard Candy tried packaging similar to e.l.f.’s or Bobbi’s, and split the shades up?

The verdict? I do have one major problem with this blusher (which is that I’d like to reapply during the day, but can’t justify lugging the clunky packaging around to do so), but aside from that, I do quite like it. The finish is just right, and the shades are lovely! Plus, you can’t beat the

I thought I’d share some more photos of the Dior Spring 2011 show – after all, the makeup was just as stunning as the collection itself!

P.S. That gorgeous lipstick? It’s a Rouge Dior, in No. 999 Ara Red ;)

shade name + photos via style.com

I’m not usually a huge fan of Dior couture (always like it; rarely love it), but I must say – this year’s spring collection was breathtaking. The dresses were gorgeous and the makeup was divine; there really wasn’t anything not to adore!

Full shots via Vogue.com / Details via Style.com

Rachel finds out if a body lotion can be energizing with Liz Earle.

Makeup Morsels finally tries out those famous Urban Decay Liners.

Looking for a similar powder to the Magic Cool Powder from MAC? Look no further – Sleek Makeup have one for half the price!

Check out Audrey Dao’s review of Zoya’s Spring 2011 Intimate Collection along with photos and swatches!

Daily Polish shows off sneak pictures of China Glaze’s Holiday 2011 Collection Let It Snow!

Phyrra tells you about Shadow Transformation. She compares four products from Fyrinnae, Hi-Fi, Sobe Botanicals, and Medusa’s Makeup. See which one comes out on top!

Kelly of Gouldylox Reviews finds a new love at the drugstore. It’s quickly becoming a foundation favorite!

What do you do when your bosses go on leave? Why, wear crazy turquoise fishnet nails to work of course – Musicalhouses did it!

Retrodiva shares her five favorite tinted moisturizers that can be used even on oily skin.

One palette; how many looks can The Lip Print create? It’s a Palette Challenge!

Sarah from IHeartCosmetics bypasses Bella Bamba and goes straight for Benefit’s Prrrowl and Magic Ink.

Jo at Music and Makeup finally had a play with MAC Club eyeshadow and liked the results!

Are China Glaze Channelesque and China Glaze Below Deck dupes or not? Check out this post at Beauty addict’s blog to find out!

Big pores? You need this! Hellcandy shares her love for Benefit’s Porefessional.

Craving the new Make Up For Ever Lab Shine lip glosses? Well, you’re in luck because Krasey Beauty has swatches of the full collection!

Mz. More of The Glamorous Gleam tries out OPI Shatter Nail Polish. Is it all it’s “cracked” up to be?

Jenn over at Spiced beauty puts on her best glam face using BarryM Cosmetics!

theNotice chats about the new love in her life – that is, Clarins Rouge Hydra Nude lipsticks. Will you be picking up a tube before they’re sold out?

Amy Antoinette reviews ELF’s Studio Line blushes.

It’s all about glowing skin and pink hues this spring! Anita reviews (almost) the entire Guerlain spring collection over at Pleasureflush.

Beauty Crazed wants to solve your winter hair woes with $200 worth of Marc Anthony products! So enter the contest already!

Start the new year with a new you. Win a La Mav anti-age skin care pack and enjoy your new skin.

Help Cindy celebrate the one year anniversary of Prime Beauty. At this celebration the presents are for you!

Come by Jeweled Thumb to read a review of the Eyeko My Coral Crush Peachy Keen blush and also win one! Enter now to be one of the 2 lucky winners!

Socialite Dreams is hosting a giveaway of socialite approved goodies!

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t usually publish press releases, but I wanted to give the most Ellis Faas news a moment of our time – after all, they’re a terrific company, and it’s a terrific cause!

Ellis has paired with War Child for their new “Make Up Not War” campaign. The basic gist of things? When you’re done with your gorgeous silver pen of product, you can bring them back to a shop (or mail them in) for a 5% discount on your next order. It’s sort of like B2M, but… um, (very) different.

These pens will then go to an array of visual artists to be incorporated into a(nother) stunning piece of artwork, and the proceeds from the sale of these pieces will go directly to War Child, an organization whose goal is to – and this is a direct quote from their site – advance the cause of peace through investing hope in the lives of children caught up in the horrors of war.

Read more about Make Up Not War here, or feel free to read about War Child directly here.