theNotice: a beauty blog

The product: Ellis Faas Spring 2012 Set

   ↳ Milky Lips L207, Creamy Eyes E106, and Light E304

Every now and again, I tell myself that I’m done publishing on Ellis Faas. The packaging’s so finicky, after all, and my click-pens are constantly breaking.

Giving up Ellis products is kind of like giving up chocolate cupcakes, though. You know they’re bad for you, and you really shouldn’t, but… well, maybe just one more. 

Ellis Faas E304, E106, L207 swatches

This year’s Spring set contains two eye products and one lip product, which I really like – it’s always nice to have at least two textures and shades to create an eye look, and I’d much rather be getting another eyeshadow than a mascara or blush. (I’m extremely loyal to tubing mascaras, which Ellis’ isn’t, and I worry about the silicone content of these blushes with my sensitivities.)

And oh my god, these shades. You know how, usually, there’s a product in a set that you just know you won’t wear? For the first time in a very long time, I’m finding this isn’t the case. Not only are all three shades gorgeous on their own; together, they’re absolutely perfect for the season.

Ellis Faas Light E304

Ellis Faas Creamy Eyes E106

Ellis Faas Milky Lips L207

This year’s Spring set contains Light E304, a gorgeous, shimmery lilac; Creamy Eyes E206, a complex, creamy taupey-brown; and Milky Lips L207, a warm nude-pink.

And honestly, I don’t think the shades could have been better picked. I actually owned L207 before this, and it’s my most-worn Ellis product; comfortable, lightweight, and with a really natural-looking finish and shade. It’s bit warm for me (I tend to mix it en masse with a tiny bit of lavender pigment in a sample jar), but it would be a great MLBB “natural nude” for neutral and warm skintones. (Lip swatch here, though the post is old and the comments have been lost.)

As for the eye products – well, I think the swathes speak for themselves. I love how longwearing Ellis Faas eye products are, (they hold up to my oily lids like nothing else), and both the shades and textures of E304 and E206 work well together. The sophisticated taupe of the Creamy Eyes shadow seems very “grounding” to the shimmer & sheen of the Lights formula, making the bright lilac more demure than daring.

Ellis Faas E304, E106, L207 swatches (Lights, Creamy Eyes, and Milky Lips, respectively.)

The verdict?

Maybe it’s not that I shouldn’t feature Ellis Faas at all; maybe it’s just that I shouldn’t give strict yes-or-no answers to them. As always: I think these products are absolutely gorgeous, and I love how long-wearing Ellis’ eye products are, but the packaging drives me up a wall.

The Spring set is $85 USD (€65/£55), which, while pricey, is $28 cheaper than buying the products separately. (Lights are $42, Creamy Eyes are $36, and Milky Lips are $35.) And as I mentioned before, I do actually really love all three shades and products in the set, so if you’re an Ellis fan… I think I’d actually have to recommend it, despite all of my problems with the packaging.

Because, seriously, you guys, these shades make me want to run around doing happy flails until the cows come home.

(What can I say; I live in Alberta. I don’t actually have any cows, but that’s more or less negligible, right?)

Keep reading! »

(Before you get started: don’t miss part one of this series, here!)

Food that’s just gluten-free, without any recipe-tweaking

The easiest foods to pass over while you’re gluten-free? Probably the ones that never contained gluten to begin with. These foods didn’t need any alteration or tweaking, so it’s pretty easy to forget that they are gluten-free.

Think sushi, Chinese fried rice, Greek rice with feta and lemon (which I am a total sucker for, oh my god), nachos (depends on who makes the chips, mind you), chips (crisps and fries; potato, sweet potato, and rice), popcorn, most meat and vegetable dishes… the list goes on. Japanese, Chinese, and Korean restaurants will almost always have something you can eat while gluten-free, and there’s usually at least one appetizer on a basic menu that you’ll be able to have – fries, or (if you’re nightshade-free) sweet potato fries, for instance.

At home, try eating more things like meatloaf with rice, shepherd’s pie (aka pâté chinois or cottage pie, depending on where you live), potato-free shepherd’s pie (boil a head of cauliflower until soft, then strain and blend through a food processor; makes a flawless impostor mashed potato) – basically, any “normally” gluten-free dish.

A number of breakfast cereals are gluten-free, too – it might just take some time to sort through the ingredients lists, if your supermarket hasn’t already separated them out. I’ve been head over heels for Honey Nut Chex recently, and I was hooked on Barbara’s Puffins line before that. (The Peanut Butter ones are super tasty on their own, and the Cinnamon cereal is delicious with a banana cut in.)

And then there’s the oatmeal.

I could write an entire post just on oatmeal; I’m a total sucker for it. I grew up hating oatmeal, actually, avoiding it at all costs and grudgingly swallowing it down if I had to, but it turns out… well, it turns out that my mom and I just like very, very different oatmeal. She likes hers soft and watered-down with milk; I like mine with more texture, a dash of cinnamon, and just a touch of honey. If oatmeal’s always been too soggy for you, try cooking it with a sprinkling of cinnamon and a smaller water-to-oats ration, then stir in a tiny bit of honey and just a drop of vanilla once it’s done.

I kid you not, good oatmeal is practically life-changing. 

If that gets boring, try it with apple chunks (cut up a quarter of an apple and throw it in as your oatmeal cooks), dried cranberries (add them in at the end), or –to make it totally unhealthy–toss in a few semi-sweet chocolate chips right before you eat it. Or, try it baked – a recipe like this one or this one should do it.

Snacks and desserts

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So, I’ve spent the last few weeks waiting (and waiting, and waiting, and waiting) for Sephora’s site to start routing in properly again through Shopstyle, only to find that… it may just be my computer.

See, I can get onto the site just fine through Safari, Firefox, and even Chrome Private Browsing, but my regular ‘ol Chrome browser? Gives me an angry ERROR 101 screen, and (if I somehow luck out and get through), falsely tells me that the Sephora site is down. And I ask you this, internet: what’s a beauty blogger supposed to do when they can’t get onto Sephora? Isn’t that, like, the entire purpose of the internet?

(That was a joke. Rae used sarcasm! It’s super-effective!)

Anyhow, here’s this month’s New at Sephora spread. It’s been some time since I last did one of these, so I’ll save the others (that is, the recent non-Sephora launches) for next week, yeah?

Sets

Keep reading: Sunday Riley, kittens, Tokyomilk, and more »

MAKE UP FOR EVER recently launched the Rouge Artist Natural Lipsticks. Treat yourself to a review of three of those at Adorable On Your Vanity!

Phyrra brings you Great Tips for Beauty Bloggers.

Check out The Beauty Spot in a Lord of the Rings Inspired Look.

This May, Rae’s been enchanted by a gorgeously packaged pink lipstick. Read all about Pivoine Délicate, the unexpected Spring hit from L’Occitane, at theNotice.

Gouldylox Reviews found a really pretty lip gloss that is actually made of evil at Sephora.

Beauty’s Bad Habit Blog joins the dark side with Sleek’s ‘Ultra Matte V2 – Darks’ palette review and swatches.

If Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed was as bright as her Essie Poppy-Razzi nails, the world would be a smarter place – well at least we still have her nails so come check them out!

The Pink Sith thinks that Birchbox might have confused this month’s Gossip Girl themed box with The Golden Girls, judging from the geriatric theme of the products she received.

Christina the Glitterholic checks out the new collection by M.A.C, Hey, Sailor! Check out her photos from the event and enter her giveaway to win a M.A.C lipstick from the new collection.

At Eyelining Obsessions things get a little philosophical as Claire contemplates what value for money really means.

At Lipstick Musings, Shannon’s fallen hard for the new YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernìs À Levrès Glossy Stain in Fuchsia Dore . Come see what all the fuss is about!

See why the Smashbox Shades Of Fame Palette has Beauty Reflections dreaming of Margaritaville!

—Are you a beauty sample junkie? Enter to win a Total Beauty Collection beauty sample box at Pammy Blogs Beauty!

Summer Sunset: Summer 2012 Collection

Lise Watier has captured the light and colours of that magical moment when the sun sets to create a collection of vibrant colours, the beauty trend of the summer.

In the collection…

Please note: the descriptions and pricing for the products listed below were taken from the press release; the opinions and comments are not my own! Reviews & thoughts will be on the blog in the upcoming weeks, so be on the lookout.

Colour cosmetics

Summer Sunset Eyeshadow Palettes in Tropical and Paradis

Two sets of five shades, Tropical and Paradis, to suit all tastes. This innovative formula provides exceptional long-lasting results. $38 each, limited edition.

Summer Sunset Bronzing Powder

Five shades that blend perfectly with a brush to illuminate the face and neckline with a soft, golden hue, recreating the perfect summer tan! $35, limited edition.

Crystal Drops Lipgloss in Dragon Fruit, Tangerine, and Smoothie

Available in three delicious shades, these translucent and non-sticky glosses offer extreme shine and unparalleled comfort. $18 each, limited edition.

Keep reading! »