theNotice: a beauty blog

I’ve been doing about a look a week the last little while, but most of them have been for the purpose of, well, the look. Which is to say, the concept of the makeup came first, and was then followed by the selection of products — which is how things usually go, if I’m not mistaken.

This week, though, I set out with only two things in mind: one, create something that would more or less realize the idea of a staple Spring makeup look, and two, feature a number of the products I’ve reviewed recently, so that you lot can see what they look like in an actual look, instead of just on my arms.

You can read the She Said Beauty post here, but just keep on scrolling if it’s the product babbling (and not the tutorial) you’re here for.

(Note: all the product links in this post go to reviews on theNotice!)

The cheeks

Ah, Senna. Quite a few comments were left asking to see these on my cheeks, and I’ve been using them in various FOTD photo sets since they came across my desk. This look happens to include the Senna Sheer Face Color Powder Blush in Clarity and Face and Eye Color in Enlighten, as blush and highlight, respectively.

I’ve been using the two Senna blushers (not including, of course, the hilighter) for a good few weeks now, and I have to say — not loving them any less, even after all this time. I thought some of their appeal might wear off, as it does, but Senna products tend to stick around for me. What can I say? The colours are just that good!

(Or my frontal lobe is just that fixated; really, it’s a toss-up between the two.)

The eyes

To start, I used Vasanti Mount Rushmore through the whole lid – just the shimmery taupe, though, mind. For a touch more definition, I added a few of the Sephora Moonshadow In the Light shadows; lighter in the inner corner and a hint darker on the outer third.

Then, to finish things up, I added two pencils to the look. First, the black eyeliner from Physician’s Formula Shimmer Strips in Nude Eyes along the upper lashline — I’ve yet to review this eyeliner trio, but I keep reaching for the black. It’s got a bit of shimmer in it, which makes it a bit more interesting than a solid black).

And, finally, a whisper of Marcelle Accent Brow Pencil in Granite through the brows. I’m not crazy about Granite, but it’ll do, you know? I tend to fill my brows sort of (okay, extremely) lightly, so it doesn’t really matter what I use as long as it’s sheer and grey(ish).

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but: grey eyebrow products really do work wonders for cool skintones + black hair! It’s a makeup secret ;)

The lips

Last but not least, two products from a little farther back: L’Occitane Lipstick in Pivoine Délicate and L’Occitane Lipgloss in Rose Frémissant. I photographed this look with both lips; though it’s a small change, I couldn’t decide if I preferred the bare look of the lipstick or the light, playful edge that the gloss gives.

Anyhow; the photo above is the only one with the gloss layered on top. Feel free to decide which version you prefer on your own, because I haven’t any help to give!

The product: L’Occitane Pivoine Délicate Lip Shine in 02 Rose Frémissant

Okay, so I’m maybe having a bit of a Pivoine Délicate “moment” right now. As with the lipstick, I just can’t get over the packaging of these glosses – it’s just so delicate and cute! The entire aesthetic of the line makes me think Paul & Joe Beauté, minus the cat heads and parabens. All in all, it’s pretty damn endearing.

The formula of L’Occitane’s Lip Shines is heavy and thick, but not terribly sticky. The scent is stronger than that of the lipsticks in the line; it’s more strongly floral, though this does fade quickly. There is no added flavour to the gloss (at least, no intentional added flavour, I think), but I can taste the peony if I lick my lips. Which, for the record, is gross and you shouldn’t try it at home.

(It’s the gloss that’s gross, though – not the peony. You’d be surprised just how many fragrance molecules are actually quite tasty without the presence of denatured alcohol.)

L’Occitane Rose Frémissant Lip Shine lip swatch

L’Occitane Rose Frémissant Lip Shine swatch (at right)

Rose Frémissant, the shade of this Pivoine Délicate (the collection) Lip Shine, pairs well with Pivoine Délicate (the lipstick; I know, it’s confusing). On its own, it’s a light pink with plenty of silver shimmer, plus a small amount of gold and fuchsia shimmer. The particle size of the silver shimmer is larger, making it quite obvious both when applied and in the tube.

Like with Pivoine Délicate, I’m not generally a huge fan of colours like this one, but I do think it was executed well. I’d have liked to see less shimmer in the formula, or at the very least less gritty shimmer, but I didn’t find the colour settled into my lip lines or built up in places it shouldn’t be — when worn in moderation, of course. (Put on enough of any light gloss and it’ll go where it shouldn’t, but you should know that by now!)

The verdict?

While I didn’t think this to be a bad product, by any means, I didn’t love it. The Lip Shine doesn’t exude the same kind of elegance as the Pivoine Délicate Lipstick, but I think it can stand alright on its own merits.

If you’re just buying for the gorgeous packaging, I’d recommend the lipsticks in a heartbeat; however, if you’re on the market for a sheer, sparkly, high-shine gloss, this one’s a keeper. The finish & shimmer of Rose Frémissant, as I said, isn’t my cup of tea – but if that’s what you look for in a gloss, then it should probably be noted that L’Occitane does it very well.

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The product: L’Occitane Pivoine Délicate Lipstick in 02 Pivoine Délicate

Pivoine Délicate, one of three lipstick shades in the eponymous collection, is a soft pink with silver reflects. It’s fairly sheer, for a lipstick, and I think I’d group it alongside something like the Rouge Coco Shines – perfect for a really natural, refined lip, but the colour can’t really be built up.

I’m on the fence about the shimmer, though; I almost always prefer creme finishes or (if I must,) micro-shimmer in the same shade as the base colour. Which means that I should hate this one, seeing as the shimmer almost jumps out at you in the bullet – but I don’t. The silver shimmer adds just enough interest to keep the shade interesting, making it something more than just another indiscriminate pink shade.

It’s kind of nice, which is something I didn’t expect to be saying about silver shimmer anytime soon. L’Occitane got the particle size and dispersion amount just right, and it adds a bit of a playful edge to the shade.

L’Occitane Pivoine Délicate Lipstick – lip swatch

L’Occitane Pivoine Délicate Lipstick swatch (left) and Rose Frémissant Lip Shine swatch (right)

This isn’t the kind of lipstick to reach for if you’re looking for something bright and punchy, but I find myself quite fond of it. The formula, despite the sheer colour and rather agressive scent in the tube, feels comfortable on my dry lips and (surprisingly enough), the scent doesn’t give me a headache when I wear it.

Unlike most lipsticks, Pivoine Délicate actually leaves my lips feeling more hydrated when I take it off – quite a feat for a lip balm, much less a lipstick!

The verdict?

At $16 USD/$22 CAD, I would absolutely recommend this. I have to admit, L’Occitane had me at the packaging – the entire Pivoine Délicate collection is just gorgeous; perhaps even moreso than last year’s lovely Pivoine Flora collection. (I don’t know, though. It’s a pretty close call.)

Skip this if you’re looking for a bold, scent-free summer lippie, but give it a try if you want a sheer-but-polished shade. The packaging may have grabbed my attention to begin with, but it’s the comfortable, hydrating formula that really sells the Pivoine Délicate lipsticks.

Keep reading! »

This Spring, L’Occitane introduces the limited-edition Pivoine Délicate fragrance & make-up collections. A tribute to the peony flower, the fragrance collection features top notes of citrus and white peach, heart notes of peony (from the Drôme region of France), rose, and lily of the valley, and base notes of white musks and light woods.

The fragrance collection

The fragrance side of Pivoine Délicate features an Eau de Toilette ($48/75ml), a Hand Cream enriched with shea butter, vitamin E, and peony extract ($23/75ml), a peachy Lip Gloss/Eau de Toilette Duo ($24/10ml), and a Shimmering Powder for the hair and body ($38 CAD/8ml).

Listed also in the release that I received is a 50ml Brume Tendre, but I’ve been unable to locate it online – my advice would be to check in with your local L’Occitane shop if you’re interested; it may vary by location. (The English name for the product should be the Pivoine Flora Fresh Mist.)

The makeup collection

On the makeup side of things, the Pivoine Délicate collection features two round-tin Lip Balms in Rose Pivoine and Pourpre Émouvant ($16/9ml), three Lip Glosses in Rose Pastel, Rose Fémissant, and Beige Gracieux ($18/8ml), and three Lipsticks in Brun Discret, Pivoine Délicate, and Charmant Corail ($22/4g).

Listed also in the release (but not on the English Canadian L’Occitane site) is a third Lip Balm – Pêche Subtile. We’ll just be covering two products from this launch on theNotice, though; keep an eye out for reviews of the Rose Fémissant Lip Gloss and Pivoine Délicate Lipstick (the two shades in the photographs here.)

And yes, before you ask: they really are just as pretty (if not even more lovely) in person! ;)

Keep reading! »

5. L’Occitane Cherry Blossom

New this February to mark the fifth anniversary of their Cherry Blossom range, L’Occitane has released a limited-edition Cherry Princesscollection. The super-cute fruity-floral collection is available in a number of separates (here), but they have a few sets on for a great deal as well – their five-piece Cherry Princess Romantic Escape kit looks particularly lovely, despite its cheesy name.

4. Ellis Faas

My relationship with Ellis is rather hot-and-cold, which I think could be said for many beauty bloggers (not just me). Their products are always absolutely breathtaking, both in formula and shade, but the packaging is a thorn in my side. Skip their eyeliners and anything with a showerhead applicator (these clog more easily), but do try their other products – anything with a brush tip, and keep a sample jar on-hand in case of overflow.

Ellis is running a surprise at the moment for all lip products, so if you’ve been thinking about ordering, now’s your chance.

Love is in the air and Saint Valentine is on his way. So until Valentine’s Day, we have a lovely deal: for each Ellis Lips you buy from our webshop, you will get a surprise that will double the pleasure of your Ellis Lips order! Why? Because you have two lips? Not really – we simply believe in “the lippier the better”.

So start browsing now: Creamy Lips, Milky Lips and Glazed Lips, order and get yourself our Valentine’s present(s).

Check out Ellis Faas’ lip products here.

3. LUSH

It wouldn’t be Valentine’s without some cheeky products from LUSH, now, would it? ;) There’s the little blue Ex-Factor bath bomb, the tongue-in-cheek Leap Frog (described as an–and I quote–”amorous amphibian for the tub”), and (for the lip balm junkies out there) the scarlet A Million Kisses lip tint.

2. Pink, pink, pink

It’s Valentine’s Day. Enough said.

(Translation, from a beauty junkie’s mind to the real world: an excuse to buy pink products! And you may as well get something you’ve had your eye on for a while, right? After all, this only happens once a year, and a pink lipstick is so very much better for you than an entire pint of ice cream. Or an entire bottle of wine.)

1. The Classic

I’m kind of crazy about fragrance minis at the moment, whether they’re adorable samples, petite sizes, or travel sprays. While not released specifically for Valentine’s, the Love, Chloé purse spray is just too cute to miss.

Canadians should be able to find this set (one container with three 10ml refills) at Holt Renfew and select Bay stores, while Americans will see this on shelves at Saks (this month) and Sephora (in March).