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Annabelle Smokey Nudes Eyeshadow Palette review, swatches, photos

October 6, 2015

10 Comments

The product: Annabelle Cosmetics Smokey Nudes Dark Lights Eyeshadow Palette

Okay, so here’s the thing. This palette? Pretty great. But that name? It is KILLING me! Your palettes can be smokey or they can be natural, makeup world, but they CANNOT BE BOTH.

Except. Except maybe not this one! Sure, the name is an oxymoron, but the shades… somehow, they make it work. The left side is all nudes; the right side, all smoke. It’s the perfect drugstore neutrals palette, with lots of options for both night and day looks and no bright pops of colour.

The formula: If you’re a fan of Annabelle eyeshadows already, the Smokey Nudes Dark Lights palette definitely won’t disappoint. The eyeshadows are on the drier side, like the rest of the brand’s eyeshadows, with not a dud in sight.

The lightest shades are a touch chalky, but all ten shades (even the two mattes on the end) blend well and layer up to medium opacity. For drugstore eyeshadows, I really like Annabelle’s — they’re not as pigmented as something really buttery or crumbly may be, but they have very little fallout and lend themselves well to a shimmery, effortless makeup look.

The shades: The Smokey Nudes eyeshadow palette was designed with versatility in mind, and Annabelle did a great job achieving that! It contains both warm and cool tones (cool tones in the top row; warm tones in the bottom row), and none of the shades contain too much red — something that I find that a lot of “versatile” palettes mistakenly do.

As usual, I’m completely smitten with the taupe in the top row, but I’m pretty keen on the last two brown shades, too. (Especially that gold-flecked one!)

Annabelle Smokey Nudes Eyeshadow Palette swatched over primer (top row/cool tones)

Annabelle Smokey Nudes Eyeshadow Palette swatched over primer (bottom row/warm tones)

The verdict?

For less than the cost of one MAC eyeshadow (and we all know how hit and miss those can be), Smokey Nudes is a steal. It’s an excellent naked/smokey/beginner’s palette, with five cool-toned and five warm-toned eyeshadows that mix and match like a champ and a soft shimmer finish that’ll work well for an expert artist or one that’s just starting out.

Annabelle just put out a Natural Nudes palette as well, but this one seems a lot more wearable to me. I recommend snapping it up before it’s gone, and maybe buying a backup for the holiday season!

Availability: $12.95 CAD at Annabelle.com and in drugstores across Canada.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Annabelle, Canadian beauty, Eyes, Fall/Winter 2015, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches

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September Birchbox (CA) review & unboxing! | Davines Sea Salt Spray, Japonesque Eye Shadow, 100% Pure Eye Cream, and more

October 3, 2015

Rae Chen

6 Comments

The product: Birchbox (Canada), September 2015 box

I’ve always been wary of monthly subscription boxes. I mean, I’ve tried one or two in the past, but subscription boxes tend to be full of silicone-y products that I can’t try and creamy eyeliners that just wouldn’t work for me.

But when I was asked to try the September Birchbox, I had to say yes. It’s the company’s five-year anniversary, and I’m on the site all the time — it’s chock-full of reviews, funny product descriptions, and (most importantly) ingredients lists! I figured I was probably long overdue to try an actual box.

The overall box: September is customer appreciation month at Birchbox, so my box came with the usual five products (actually, it came with six by mistake; there was a double of the Japonesque eyeshadow) plus a 20% off code for the Birchbox.ca store.

For $14.95 including shipping, the contents of this year’s September box really impressed me. The box itself was just gorgeous (I’m using it to store stuff now!) and it contained a sheet mask, a full-sized eyeshadow, a VERY generous haircare sample, and two “regular” samples. I did the math for comparison’s sake, and compared to the full-sizes based on ounces, the samples in this box are valued at $44.20.

The products: Honestly, the most important factor in all of this was luck. I happened upon a box that was perfect for me, so I got to use all five of the silicone-free, paraben-free goodies — and two of them, again, just so happened to be products that I’ve been meaning to try for a while anyways.

(My mom always tells me that I’ve got horseshoes up my butt, which I can assure you, I absolutely do NOT. That sounds dangerous and also horrifically painful.)

100% Pure Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream ($26 CAD full-sized) – I had a hell of a time opening this one (it still had that little bud-thingy that needed to be cut off), but it smells JUST like sugary breakfast cereal! It’s smooth and rich, and definitely best for vanilla-lovers.
BioRepublic Skincare Aloe Rescue Revitalizing Sheet Mask ($21 CAD for 3) – I’m not really a sheet mask girl, but if I was, this would have been the perfect mask for me! It’s a fiber mask (so it’s all ready to go), and it’s perfect for dry, sensitive skin like mine.

Davines This is a Sea Salt Spray ($30 CAD full-sized) – Okay, so I maybe actually squealed a little bit when I saw this in my box. The sample itself is practically full-sized, and I’ve been meaning to buy a salt spray for months. Now, I won’t have to: the This is a Sea Salt Spray, which smells deliciously like vanilla and coconut, gives my hair lots of texture and body and makes it feel lush and full.
Japonesque Velvet Touch Eye Shadow in Shade 02 ($12 CAD; this is full-size) – This was the other product that I really wanted to try! It’s a light green/gold with a soft metallic finish, but honestly, I’m glad I didn’t spend $12 on it alone — it’s smooth and blendable, but definitely on the sheer side.
TOCCA Esfoliante da Corpo in Giulietta ($38 CAD full-sized) – Am I going to get heckled if I admit to not really “getting” the TOCCA line? All of the scents seem so watered-down and dated to me, and while I love the packaging… I need a little more punch. Giulietta smells, to my nose, kind of like generic green apple hand soap in a mid-range restaurant, but I do really like the scrub itself — it’s a lovely, gritty sugar scrub that leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized.

The verdict?

With a box whose contents change on a monthly basis, there’s no way that I can tell you that you’re going to love the Birchbox every month. What I can tell you is this: I was really happy with my box, and it contained only full-sized products and deluxe samples — nothing that you could just pick up a sample of at Sephora.

I found two products that I loved, two products that I’m glad I got to try (so that I could learn that they’re not really for me), and one product that I’m still looking forward to trying, which… I mean, isn’t that kind of the whole point of a sampling subscription? To get to try a bunch of stuff that you’re interested in without spending a lot of money, and find some loves and losses along the way?

Availability: $14.95 CAD shipping/month. I would love if you used my friend referral (I’d get “Birchbox points,” but no actual $$), but it’s up to you!

Tags: /Eyes, Fall/Winter 2015, Grouped reviews, Hair, Other, Paraben-free, Product Review, Product snapshots, Silicone-free, Skincare

6 Comments

Hylamide SubQ Serum, Hand Chemistry Hyaluronic Concentrate & Body Mist review | 3 high-tech ways to get your daily dose of hyaluronic acid

October 1, 2015

Rae Chen

13 Comments

The products: Deciem Hylamide SubQ Anti-Age Advanced Serum; Hand Chemistry Hyaluronic Concentrate and Hyaluronic Body Mist

Every brand has a Thing. You know: that one big company identifier; that product that really puts a brand on the map. A first-on-the-scene eye primer, a founder with a knack for creating Hollywood-worthy brows, a line of high-pigment products with explicit names–you get my gist. (How many of those did you get right?)

For Deciem, that thing is creating super-sciencey products and, when applicable, loading them up with top-of-the-line hyaluronic acid. Here are three of their best hyaluronic products to check out!

Hylamide SubQ Anti-Age Advanced Serum ($38 CAD)

The science: The Hylamide line focuses on “controlled depth of penetration” via varying molecular sizes/multiple weights of hyaluronic acid, which then settle to hydrate different layers of the skin: larger molecules for topical hydration and smaller molecules to sneak into your dermis and hydrate deep down.

The SubQ Anti-Age is also meant to minimize lines, wrinkles, and textural damage, so it’s loaded with stuff like:

Copper Lysinate/Prolinate (to stimulate collagen production),
Nonapeptide-3 Retino-Complex (to deliver anti-ageing results without the irritation typically seen with retinol products),
Saccharideisomerate (to improve skin texture and barrier function)

…Along with five forms of hyaluronic acid.

The results: Surprisingly enough, I really like the Hylamide SubQ Anti-Age–despite the fact that I’m not showing signs of ageing just yet. It’s fantastically priced (at $38 CAD, it’s by far the most affordable serum that I own), and it’s very much a “nothing” product: it feels like heavy water, and it disappears on the skin.

As for the effects? With twice-daily use, I feel like my skin is a little more moisturized all ’round, but it did take a couple of weeks before I saw a difference. On my ~~other half~~ older half, however, I see an immediate difference. He applies five or six drops without any additional moisturizer (he has combination skin), and after just a couple of uses, there’s a slight but definite reduction of fine lines.

At under $40, honestly, you can’t lose. The Hylamide SubQ is an awesome hydration booster for my dry skin, an awesome serum/moisturizer for my partner’s fine lines, and an awesome anti-ageing serum for Edmonton’s friendliest beauty blogger over 45.

(Who is Edmonton’s friendliest beauty blogger under 45, you ask? That would be me. I will aggressively friend at you until you bleed.)

↳ Get it at: Deciem/Hylamide with FREE worldwide shipping!

The Hylamide SubQ Anti-Ageing Advanced Serum ingredients: Click to view

Aqua, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyacrylatecrosspolymer-6, Trisodiumethylenediamine Disuccinate, Lactobacillus/Eriodictyoncalifornicum Ferment Extract, Saccharideisomerate, Copperlysinate/Prolinate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3, Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Cetylhydroxyethylcellulose, Hydroxypropylcyclodextrin, Polyglucuronic Acid, Hexylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Lecithin, Phospholipids, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Citrate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate.

Hand Chemistry Hyaluronic Concentrate ($30 CAD)

Dry skin doesn’t stop at the neck, however–especially not in climates like mine. So, for those with dry skin on their bodies, Deciem has a couple cool (and affordable!) hyaluronic options in their Hand Chemistry line, too.

The science: The gel-format Hyaluronic Concentrate is formulated with three types/weights of ultra-pure hyaluronic acid, plus complexes derived from mushrooms, tamarind, and red marine algae that help promote epidermal water retention and increase skin elasticity.

But what makes the Hyaluronic Concentrate really cool isn’t the science–it’s the fact that it comes in a whopping 8 ounce pump bottle.

The results: I always used to wish that I could apply my Indeed Labs Hydraluron to my body, but at around $30 per ounce, it seemed like a pipe dream.

But no longer. The Hand Chemistry Hyaluronic Concentrate is eight times the size at the same price, and while it’s designed for use on the hands and body, it’s not all that different from Hydraluron. I mean, okay, so the formulas are totally different, but the textures? Eerily similar. The Indeed Labs version feels a little cushier compared to the Hand Chemistry’s barely-there stickiness, but I can (and have!) used both on my face with identical results.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Canadian beauty, Grouped reviews, Indie brands, Moisturizers, Other, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Silicone-free, Silicone-free moisturizers and serums, Skincare, The Ordinary

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Burberry Beauty at Nordstrom Vancouver, The Bay, & Sephora

September 29, 2015

Rae Chen

10 Comments

I remember when Burberry Beauty first stepped onto the scene. It wasn’t too long ago, but the brand was one of the first high fashion lines (other than Chanel, of course) to step outside of fragrance and start producing luxury cosmetics, too.

And, despite making up just a tiny morsel of the brand’s overall sales, the Burberry cosmetics line has done well for itself–well enough that other fashion brands, like Gucci and Michael Kors, have followed suit. Bloggers and consumers alike have been smitten with the products’ smooth formulas and chic packaging for the past half-decade, and the love just doesn’t seem to be waning.

Burberry Effortless Eyebrow Definer in Ash Brown ($36 CAD)

Burberry Nail Polish in Poppy Black ($23 CAD)

So, dear reader, it’s been particularly exciting to slowly watch Burberry cosmetics become available in person across Canada this year.

There are quite a few high-end makeup brands that are next to impossible to find in Canada, but you can now find Burberry Beauty at the brand-new Nordstrom in Vancouver. Or, if you’re outside of Vancouver, look for the brand at Nordstrom Ottawa, select Hudson’s Bay locations, and online at thebay.com and sephora.ca.

Happy shopping!

Burberry Nail Polish in Khaki Green ($23 CAD limited edition)

Burberry Lip & Cheek Bloom in Poppy ($33 CAD)

Photographed here: Burberry Cashmere Foundation in Porcelain ($60 CAD), Lip Velvet in Honeysuckle ($38 CAD), Lip & Cheek Bloom in Poppy ($33 CAD), Effortless Eyebrow Definer in Ash Brown ($36 CAD).

Additional photos & more »

Tags: /Base, Burberry, Eyes, Lips, Product Photos, Product snapshots, Shopping

10 Comments

Perfumed objects & pretty lipsticks | New 27/09/15

September 27, 2015

Rae Chen

2 Comments

[show_shopthepost_widget id=”1051308″]

Objects of pleasure

And then there’s the Hermès Rêverie collection. I’ve been noticing more and more brands offering perfumed objects recently, from Lisa Hoffman’s Fragrance Earrings to the Frederic Malle Rubber Incense strips, and Hermès is the latest to jump on the trend.

This fall, the brand is offering ceramic pebbles & paper origami horses, pre-perfumed with scents inspired by perfumer Céline Ellena’s daydreams. (Yes, that Céline Ellena — as in perfume royalty; the Different Company; daughter of Hermès’ in-house perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena.) The origami horses, for all of you perfume nerds out there, are actually far more affordable than I had expected: $79 USD for a set of four.

[show_ms_widget id=”26315332″ image_id=”28304160″ width=”630″ height=”583″]

Tags: /New This Week (& etc)

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BISC Vol.16: Do you remove your facial hair?

September 27, 2015

Rae Chen

1 Comment

Do you remove your facial hair? If so, what’s your preferred method?

MELISSA | Switzerland | Kiss & Make-up

It’s pretty embarrassing to have visible facial hair as a woman – thanks for that, mom – so yes, I remove it. At first I only tweezed my unibrow and my upper lip hair with a pair of tweezers – the pain oh the pain – but last summer I went from just plucking the caterpillars and the stache to pretty much epilating my whole face with this little torture tool. Yes, it hurts, but it’s effective and keeps my face looking and feeling nice and smooth. That said, I’d love to go for a permanent solution eventually with one of those Philips Lumea-type at-home hair removal systems.

ERIN | USA | Clever Girl Reviews

I just tweeze. I try not to be a perfectionist either.

ANNE | Germany | Linda, Libra, Loca

Being blonde, I don’t really have issues with facial hair. Or, as I probably should say, HAD. Because with age I notice the soft peachy fuzz becoming more and more prominent, up to a point where I start to wonder if I should probably do something about it. So far I had my upper lip waxed once, which turned out to be a horrible experience. My face was red and swollen for days and I started breaking out when the hair grew back. I guess I´ll try sugaring next…

AGATA | USA | Her and Makeup

I guess I could say that I am really blessed because the only facial hair I need to remove is the hair in my eyebrows. I get them professionally waxed at the salon every 2-3 months and I pluck whatever hair is growing out in between appointments using my tweezers. As simple as that!

RAE | Canada | the Notice: a beauty blog

I do, but only occasionally! I tweeze stray brow hairs when I’m doing my makeup, but for the most part, the hair on my face just gets to stay on my face. I’ll tweeze, thread, or wax my upper lip if I have a bunch of lip swatches to do, but I take a very lazy approach to facial hair nowadays. If other people don’t like my face-hairs, they can suck it up and deal with it!

MATROMAO | Philippines | FoodWorldMe

So far, I’ve only ever done my eyebrows. I used to exclusively tweeze them myself back in high school, but I’ve since discovered that professional reshaping every now and then is the trick to keep my “eyebrow game” going. Then I’ll maintain that for a couple of months by cleaning up re-growths along the shape they’ve set. I’ve had people shave, tweeze, and wax my brows, and I prefer waxing. It’s quick, and the shape I get is so well-defined that mapping and filling the brows become a breeze.

JAA | Thailand | Hello Jaa

Upon reading everyone’s comments, I’m a little embarrassed to share that I’ve done very little to my facial hair. Every couple of weeks I’d groom my eyebrows with a tweezer and remove obvious facial hair with a basic Panasonic facial trimmer and that’s about it! I didn’t even know that people get their upper lip waxed! I probably should give it a try soon, along with getting my brows professionally shaped. I feel that my current brows don’t really flatter my face that much.

Tags: /BISC

1 Comment

Clinique #FaceForward: What advice would you give your future self?

September 24, 2015

Rae Chen

4 Comments

“If you could give your future-self any advice, what would it be?”

Right now, Clinique is challenging millenials to ask themselves a question: “If you could give your future-self any advice, what would it be?”

The #FaceForward campaign flips the usual conversation (“what advice would you give your past self?”) and encourages women to break boundaries, challenge themselves, and reach their goals. To #FaceForward toward the future, if you will ;)

I’ve been thinking a lot about this question recently, and I think that if I could only give my future self one piece of advice, it would be this:

Keep saying YES.

Keep saying yes is the mantra that I’ve been operating on since the summer (paired with my old standby, GO HARD), and it has inspired and encouraged me every single day since then. To me, it means be better than you are — not to be better than your peers, but to be better tomorrow than you are today. It means saying yes to new opportunities and challenges, no matter how scary, and operating in a way that would make your past self proud.

Together, “keep saying yes” and “go hard” are a way to conduct yourself that leaves you always striving: if, at any given point, your very best is the comparison point for not good enough, then there’s always something pushing you.

It was easy to keep saying yes while I was away, but it’s more difficult now that the summer is over. When you’re no longer surrounded by creatives and cityscapes and beauty left and right, staying on track is like trying to get your six glasses of water a day: hard, likely to make you pee a lot, and as gruelling as it is rewarding.

Here on the prairies, everything is so far, and the ground beneath my feet never feels quite like home. I find that I struggle to stay inspired, but I’ve been keeping my little #FaceForward on my desk to remind myself to look to the future and keep saying yes.

And you know what? I think it’s helping.

What piece advice would you give your future self?

Tags: /7. Other, Beauty blogging, Clinique, Ramblings, Travel

4 Comments

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil in Ash review, swatches, photos

September 21, 2015

Rae Chen

10 Comments

The product: Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil in Ash

I’ve tried a lot of brow products this year, but the prettiest by far has been the Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil. The brand recently launched a few more shades (for a total of nine), including one that caught my attention: Ash, a cool-toned grey that’s perfect for those with dark hair and cool-toned skin.

Great for: The Arch Brow Sculpting Pencils feature a wide, angled, triangular pencil tip one end, and a spoolie to groom the brows on the other. Together, the two work to create the perfect, super-full brow in under two minutes–think Cara Delevingne brows; bushy and full.

The formula of the pencil is soft but waxy, which is ideal for on-the-go but (in my opinion) doesn’t lend itself particularly well to that really sharp, crisp Instagram brow. I don’t think that this is necessarily a bad thing, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re not a fan of the “wild” look that’s all over runways and magazines right now!

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil in Ash swatched

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil review

The formula and shade: The formula of the Arch Brow Pencils said to “combine the benefits and technique of a powder, pencil, and wax,” which sounds like marketing-speak to me, but I do like it. It’s soft and very easy to blend, giving the diffused look of a powder but with the expediency of a pencil.

I find that the Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil gives me the fullest (and fastest) brow look of any of the brow pencils or powders that I own, and the colour stays in place all day long. Ash is a great shade for me; it looks grey in the tube, but on my skin, I find that it looks like a very natural, cool dark brown. True to its name, it’s quite an ashy shade, and it’s an excellent choice if you find that most brow products look way too red on you.

The price per ounce: I flinched at the$32 USD/$37 CAD price tag of the Arch Brow Sculpting Pencils, but after doing a price-per-oz breakdown out of curiosity, I feel quite a bit better about it.

Of the angled brow pencils that I looked at, the Hourglass pencil was actually the cheapest per oz by a wide margin. It contains way more product than most twist-up brow pencils, so if you’re looking for a single workhorse product to add to your kit, the Arch pencils are actually a very economical option!

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil (0.014 oz/$32 USD) = $2286 per ounce
Anastasia Brow Wiz (0.003 oz/$21 USD) = $8000 per ounce *not an angled pencil; just added to serve as a popular comparison!
Smashbox Brow Tech to Go (0.007 oz/$28 USD) = $4000 per ounce
Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Long-Wear Brow Pencil (0.01 oz/$42 USD) = $4200 per ounce

The verdict?

I wasn’t expecting to, but over the past few weeks, I’ve become very fond of the Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencils. Ash is a great match for my skintone/hair colour, and it looks very natural on me — even if I just sort of scribble the pencil into each brow and blend by mussing up the product with the brow spoolie.

I like my brows quite understated, so I have to be careful with the Arch brow pencils. For those who like a full brow, though, I would very much recommend these! They’re gorgeously packaged, very economical per oz, and blend and wear beautifully.

Availability: $32 USD/$37 CAD at Sephora.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Eyebrows, Eyes, Fall/Winter 2015, Hourglass, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches

10 Comments

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara review, swatches, photos

September 17, 2015

Rae Chen

19 Comments

The product: Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara in 01 Jumbo Jet, 02 Portly Plum, and 04 Massive Midnight

The collection that I have, without a doubt, fallen the most in love with this fall is Clinique’s. Usually, when I’m testing makeup products, I really go at it for about a week and then let them fall by the wayside as the next big thing comes along. But with these Clinique launches…

I mean. I’ve had these mascaras since July, and I’m still wearing them almost every single day this September. In the words of ’90s Posh Spice, they are major.

The shades: The new Chubby Lash mascaras are currently available in a few different shades, depending on where you are. If you’re at Nordstrom, for instance, you can pick up Jumbo Jet (black), Massive Midnight (blue), and Two Ton Teal — but if you’re at a Sephora, you have at your disposal Jumbo Jet and Portly Plum (eggplant).

I’ve tried this mascara in black, blue, and eggplant, and I love them ALL — but Massive Midnight is by far my favourite. It’s a beautiful royal blue that shows up even on my black lashes, and it’s perfectly done: in some lighting conditions, my lashes just look black; in others, the blue is so evident that I can see it in the mirror from a meter away.

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara in Portly Plum (1 coat, plus the Pretty Easy liquid liner)

Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara swatches (L-R): 04 Massive Midnight, 02 Portly Plum, 01 Jumbo Jet

The formula: If the allure of perfectly-tinted lashes wasn’t enough, Clinique hit it out of the ballpark with the Chubby Lash formula and packaging, too. These feature a chubby silicone brush tipped all around with short, thin bristles, and they really deliver.

All three of these mascaras give me completely clump-free, voluminous lashes, and the formula holds a curl well. They wear for a good 10-12 hours (!!!) without dropping the curl, flaking, or smudging, and give me results that are extremely similar to the Charlotte Tilbury mascara ($29 USD) at a fraction of the price.

The verdict?

For once, I can’t think of a single way that I could improve these mascaras — and that’s saying something. They’re well-priced, come in a beautiful range of colours, and deliver a voluminous, clump-free lash that wears for 12 hours with zero smudging.

These are some of the best mascaras that I’ve ever tried, and I think it’ll be a good, long time before something replaces them as my favourite!

Availability: $17 USD/$20 CAD at Sephora, Nordstrom, and Clinique. New permanent items, available in different shades depending on where you buy from!

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Clinique, Eyes, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Spring/Summer 2015

19 Comments

L’Amourose Rosa Rouge Rechargeable Heated G-Spot Vibrator review | Incredibly chic temperature play

September 15, 2015

Rae Chen

11 Comments

The product: L’Amourose Rosa Rouge Rechargeable Heated G-Spot Vibrator

It’s been a while since theNotice’s last toy feature. Missed the last couple? Check them out here! { Je Joue Uma G-Spot Vibrator / We-Vibe 4 and Tango }

L’Amourose’s Rosa Rouge is, I think I can fairly say, a vibrator like no other vibrator that you’ve ever tried before. Its shape, design, and heating element (yes, you heard that right) are entirely without compare, and the not-so-hidden tech geek in me gets a little thrill every time I pull this one out.

The heated vibrator difference

What makes the L’Amourose Rosa Rouge so utterly unique is that it’s a heated toy. As in, “designed to heat to a perfect 42 degrees Celsius,” (104 – 107˚F) which is a far cry from the usual, “accidentally heats up sometimes during use,” seen in most vibrators.

An upgraded version of the brand’s un-heated Rosa vibrator–which is otherwise identical–the Rosa Rouge maintains a steady 40-42˚C (normal internal body temp is about 37 degrees), warming up within a minute to skin temperature and reaching its final, toasty destination within 4 minutes.

The warmth of the Rosa is focused on the g-spot ridge and is limited to the insertable portion, leaving the base only barely warmed no matter how long it runs for — which I think is quite a shame, because temperature play is typically most effective at skin level.

That said, however, the Rosa is lovely both in and externally. (I guess 42 really is the answer to life, the universe, and everything.) For those who have never experienced temperature play, I would absolutely urge you to! For me, warm objects feel like satisfaction–not even sexual satisfaction, but like… that feeling you get when you step into a hot shower on a cold day; that’s just calm and quiet and good. Like a little moment outside of time, or a really great ~~massage~~ ~~facial~~ totally above-board spa treatment.

L’Amourose Rosa Rouge motor and settings

Umpfgh. Oh my god. You guys, the motor on this thing is so rumbly — like, MiMi Soft levels of rumbly, but without the rattling. It’s a constant, demure ruh-ruh-ruh, and it goes up HIGH, too: L’Amourose has tricked this baby out with a whopping 12 speeds and 9 vibrating modes.

And y’know what? I’m usually a pattern-hater, but I have to give L’Amourose credit for these ones. They let you use only the internal or only the external motor (yup, this vibrator has two motors; it’s that high-tech), alternate between the two, or slide from one to the other in a slow, hypnotic transition.

The motors totally aren’t “whisper-quiet” as promised, but they’re still very quiet. Despite this being one of the most powerful vibrators I own, it’s near-silent under a blanket!

Design

Apart from a super-sexy, gemlike silhouette, the Rosa Rouge is equipped with all the good stuff, too. It’s made from silicone and ABS plastic (for the shiny, multifaceted base), is fully waterproof, charges by simply sitting on its pedestal (LITERALLY A PEDESTAL), and has a battery that’ll last for 3 hours at medium speed on a 2 hour charge.

What makes the Rosa design truly brilliant, however, is the fact that, once inserted, it’s basically a hands-free toy. It pairs well with clit vibes like the We-Vibe Tango, but it stays in place easily on its own, too.

And, finally, in terms of its g-spot design, I find the Rosa Rouge to have quite an intense curve to it. The flexible shaft keeps things relaxed, however, so no matter how filling it may be, the Rosa’s shape is never bruising or sharp. I find that it’s best used in a nudging/rocking motion (like the Tex), and if I pair it with the Tango, I can get off in an unbelievably short timeframe–the two together are a dirty, efficient, mind-blowing dream.

The verdict?

As a big fan of rumbly vibrations and temperature play, I can’t not recommend the L’Amourose Rosa Rouge. It’s an absolutely beautiful piece of technology, covered in velvety-soft silicone, and it is by far my favourite internal vibrator.

At 4.5″ insertable and 1.5″ around, the Rosa Rouge is something of a work of art. It’s not something that I reach for all the time and it’s not a toy designed for thrusting, but when I feel like I’ve been very, very good, the Rosa Rouge makes me feel simultaneously like a princess and an–actually, nope, it pretty much just makes me feel like a princess.

So… my final recommendations. A $240 toy isn’t feasible for all of us (I was lucky enough to have mine given to me by the lovely folks at SheVibe), but the Rosa and Rosa Rouge offer things that other vibrators simply don’t: a comfortable hands-free design, temperature play, and (and!) 3+ hours of near-silent play on a single charge. If you can do it, I say do it.

Availability: $239.99 USD at SheVibe, or $179.99 USD for the non-heated Rosa (currently available at SheVibe in Emerald or Cerise). To help take the sting off of the price tag, L’Amourose pieces come with an 18 month warranty and a lifetime quality guarantee (50% off any replacement piece if yours breaks, even 25 years down the road), as well as a beautiful storage box and a satin-lined velvet pouch.

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Tags: /Feminism, Other, Product Photos, Product Review, Sex

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