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YSL Y Facettes (Pure Chromatics No. 14) Palette: review, photos, swatches | Less manic, more moody: a surprisingly smokey take on spring pastels

February 15, 2013

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The product: Yves Saint Laurent Y Facettes Palette (Spring 2013) / Pure Chromatics Wet & Dry Eyeshadow Palette in N0.14

Every release has that one product that really makes the collection, whether or not it was intended to — Clarins’ face palettes tend to steal the show, for instance, and the same goes for shu’s eye palettes.

In YSL’s Spring 2013 Arty Stone collection, that product is their Y Facettes Palette, a limited-edition packaging of their Pure Chromatics Wet & Dry Eyeshadow Palette in No. 14.

The formula & pigmentation

“The new Pure Chromatics harmony, in its jewel box of fine Y facets, shimmering like the reflections of a thousand sequins, captures the same intensity of light diffused in the prisms of precious gems.”

YSL Y Facettes, swatched dry on primed skin

YSL’s description of their Pure Chromatics (“a concentration of nacres and pigments much higher than traditional shadows,”) leads you to believe they’ll be densely pigmented, but I just couldn’t get as much colour out of these as I had expected to be able to without foiling.

Dry on unprimed skin, they’re barely whispers of colour; dry on primed skin, they’re medium-sheer and very shimmery. Foiled, they’re much more intense, with just the right amount of pigment for the shimmer.

Had they not been described as such, however, I would have been quite happy with their level of pigmentation. While not breathtakingly intense, it works wonderfully with the aesthetic of the palette, translating onto the eyes with plenty of colour without taking away from the highly faceted finish.

Point-extracted colour samples from the swatch photos: as “real” as you can get!

The shades

Every time I swatch this palette, I love it a little more: the shades, like a handful of sugar-coated pastels, all grown up, aren’t ones that I would normally drift toward…

Somehow, though, that doesn’t make me like them any less.

These shadows were inspired by malachite (“an intense, profound green,”) fluorite (“a powdery, iridescent rose,”) amethyst (“a fresh, smoky violet,”) and azurite (“a metallic, lustrous blue.”)

YSL Y Facettes / Pure Chromatics No. 14 Eyeshadow Palette, swatched wet

A description of each, labelled under its muse:

Malachite: a very “fresh” green; sheer pigment with a heaping of finely-milled on-colour and slightly-brighter-green microshimmer.
Fluorite: the most sheer of the four, this pink base is almost translucent — but the microshimmer and on-tone shards flash brightly, keeping it far from unnoticeable.
Amethyst: the most pigmented, this smokey violet is my favourite of the bunch, and has a frost finish (shimmery pigments so small and uniform that none of them flash out separately).
Azurite: “standard” shimmery medium blue with silvery-blue microshimmer. This one would be boring on its own, but is the perfect compliment to the rest of the palette.

The verdict?

At $55 USD, I would absolutely recommend this palette — I didn’t like it at first, but by the time I had used it for a few looks, I was crazy about it. My sister, who on sight told me she thought it was horrendous, had the same reaction: one super-easy eye look and she was head over heels.

For those of you who aren’t quite sold (after all, $74 CAD is hard to swallow), stay tuned and keep an open mind, okay? I have a look coming up on Monday showcasing this palette, and I think you might be surprised.

(If you can’t wait… here’s a preview. Follow here to stay up to date with previews, etc. on Instagram!)

A very cool applicator, the ingredients, & more photos »

Tags: /Eyes, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Spring/Summer 2013, Yves Saint Laurent / YSL

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A few last-minute Valentine’s-themed picks from Chloé, Lanolips, LUSH, and Burberry

February 13, 2013

Rae Chen

4 Comments

I’m not the biggest fan of Valentine’s Day (I complained about this a little already in last Monday’s Lipstick Bandit look), but you have to give it to beauty brands — they do a great job either finding Valentine’s-appropriate products in their lineups, or coming out with something new, just for the occasion.

Here are a couple products that caught my eye, and should have you covered from head to toe (or, in this case, from perfume to pout.)

My Little Chloés

Arriving in stores this month are three absolutely charming miniature versions of Chloé, Love, Chloé and L’eau de Chloé. Perfect for travel (and, more importantly, for looking outrageously adorable on your dresser,) they’ll be displayed on small golden swing sets in store.

Cute, right?

The My Little Chloé fragrances start at $40 USD/$48 CAD (20ml) each, and can be found at select Bay, Sephora, and Murale stores in Canada.

A sheer, hydrated pink pout with Lanolips and LUSH

As I’m sure you know by now, I’m a fan of both sheer lip colour and intense (intense) hydration. Lanolips is a brand that’s hard to get in Canada, but their Lip Ointment with Colour SPF15 in Rose (£7.99) fits the bill perfectly — with 60% medical grade lanolin and SPF 15, it basically checks off all the boxes.

Except, I guess, international availability?

On the other hand, LUSH The Kiss Lip Gloss ($8.95 CAD) is bound to be less hydrating… but definitely easier to find. Vegan and preservative-free, the new gloss formula feels lighter than their other balms, and is made to soften and moisturizer with a pink, sugary sweetness.

And something a little brighter from Burberry!

The last lip pick for Valentine’s are two of Burberry’s Lip Glow glosses ($27 USD/$35 CAD), in Fondant Pink and Pink Sweet Pea. Both part of the Burberry Beauty Spring 2013 collection (Pink Sweet Pea is limited edition), they’re two very, very different pinks.

Exclusive at Holt Renfrew (Vancouver and Toronto) in Canada, Fondant Pink is a soft, pale pink, while Pink Sweet Pea is quite the opposite: a bold, blue-undertoned fuchsia.

A bold move on Burberry’s part, but one that’s been almost incredibly well-received by the makeup community so far. But maybe that’s just what tomorrow needs, you know? A bold move.

Tags: /Burberry, Fragrance, Lips, New This Week (& etc), Travel

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Getting the Perfect Brow | ft. Anastasia Bold & Beautiful Kit and Clarins Mineral Loose Powder

February 11, 2013

Rae Chen

16 Comments

This one doesn’t need too much of a write-up, but I thought I’d take a minute to talk about some of the products I used to create the look — just a couple thoughts; not full reviews. (I have photos for the full posts, but this might do the trick! Let me know if you’d like to see swatches of anything specific; the only product I know for sure will be going up on its own is the Clarins powder.)

(Because it smells like deliciousness.)

Don’t miss this post on She Said Beauty for the tutorial that goes along with the photos!

I started with the skin; theBalm timeBalm concealer ($18), which I’ve just bought a backup of because I finally hit pan on mine. It only took… what, like, three or four years? I’ve been using it densely to cover up spots, but also blended through the undereye area and around the nose/chin, where skin tends to read a little dark.

Then, for a bit of shape, I adde the Clarins Palette Eclat Face & Blush Powder ($35) (from the Rouge Eclat collection) as a blush — this smells amazing, and the amount of pigment is fantastic, particularly from the strips of colour.

Keeping with the Clarins Rouge Eclat theme for my skin, I tried out their Clarins Poudre Multi-Eclat Mineral Loose Powder in 01 Light ($35), patted on lightly with the included puff and blended in. I know this one promises a luminous matte base, and it definitely delivers on the latter part, but I think I prefer a luminous sheen finish when it comes to glowing skin.

The Mineral Loose Powder gets points in my book for following through on matte promises, and it does wear very comfortably and smoothly, but I feel like the shimmer is just too sparse and obvious for my preferences (not to mention, my super-dry, pale skin). If you want a glow but have an oilier skin type, perhaps!

Finally, the star of this look: Anastasia Beverly Hills Bold & Beautiful Kit ($36). I used only Vol. 1 Bold Brows (there are two palettes in the kit, the other for eyes), and I liked the slim profile and easy-to-use products.

I think the brunette shades are a little too warm for Asian hair/skintones, but I’ve been using this lightly through my brows with an added hint of grey for just the right shade. Anastasia is famous for brows, and the “why” is obvious here: the slightly-ashy powder and warmer brown mousse are very, very versatile, and I can see them working well on both warm- and cool-toned skin with dark blonde to brown hair.

I liked that the palette (despite its small size) includes some more-than-decent mini tweezers and a dual-ended angled brow brush/spoolie, too — literally everything you’d need for your brows on a night out or a week away.

Keep reading! »

Tags: Clarins Face & Blush Powder, Clarins Palette Eclat/4. Makeup looks, Clarins, Eyes, Makeup looks: neutral, Tutorials, Yves Saint Laurent / YSL

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New 09/02/13: Urban Decay + Oz, a bit of NARS, and a hint of LORAC

February 9, 2013

Rae Chen

4 Comments

This spread is more interesting than my brain right now (I’m tired; my brain is very boring), so I’ll leave you to it. Enjoy!

PS: Somewhere along the way, something happened that left me more excited about Sephora Collection than I am about Urban Decay. I don’t even know.

…but, I mean, if I had to guess, I’d say it’s because Sephora has been killing it recently. There’s nothing like being (positively!) surprised by a brand to make you really pay attention, you know?

Tags: /New This Week (& etc)

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Clarins Rouge Eclat (Spring 2013) | Collection Preview, Overview, & Details

February 7, 2013

Rae Chen

12 Comments

I’ve been extremely remiss about posting things on time always recently always (let’s be honest), so this preview is rather late! I’ve been playing around with the Clarins Spring 2013 Rouge Eclat collection for a good month or so, but I do actually have reviews & a look coming up for you soon — I promise.

(Actually soon this time, not the ,”in the distant future but I promise to tweet and Instagram about it,” kind of soon!)

Availability: on counters now & online at Nordstrom.

The inspiration

“Like the iris…

The Clarins woman is natural, elegant, modern. Her make-up embodies the freshness and softness of spring: a delicate velvet-smooth complexion and eyes enhanced with plum and shimmery grey tones.

The focus is on the lips with Rouge Eclat, the first age-defying lipstick by Clarins. Finally, a lipstick that offers more than just colour! Inspired by the multicoloured tones and satin feel of the iris, it veils the lips in youthful, radiant shades…”

The collection

Poudre Multi-Eclat Mineral Loose Powder – new product

With its silky, featherlight feel, Poudre Multi-Eclat veils the skin in softness, enhancing the beauty of the face and décolleté. The translucent texture of this mineral powder even, smoothes and matifies the complexion in one step.

Face & Blush Powder in Palette Eclat – limited edition

Instant Light Brush-On Perfector – permanent

Wonder Perfect Mascara – permanent

Eye Quartet Mineral Palette in Iris Blossom – limited edition

Joli Rouge Brilliant Perfect Shine Sheer Lipstick in 17 Watermelon and 18 Sweet Plum – new shades

Gloss Prodige in 09 Water Lily and 10 Vibrant Rose – new shade & limited edition, respectively

Rouge Eclat Lipstick – new product

Satin Finish Age-Defying Lipstick: The highly nourishing cream texture glides onto the lips. It’s so smooth and fine, you won’t notice you’re wearing lipstick… but you will notice the subtle fragrance of red fruits with notes of blackcurrant and liquorice, the signature scent of all Clarins lipsticks!

01 Nude Rose, 02 Sweet Rose, 03 Petal Pink, 04 Tropical Pink, 05 Pink Berry

Keep reading for the rest of the Rouge Eclat shades & more photos! »

Tags: Clarins Face & Blush Powder, Clarins Palette Eclat/Base, Cheeks, Clarins, Eyes, Lips, Product Photos, Product snapshots, Spring/Summer 2013, Teasers

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YSL Crème de Blush in Rose Quartz & Red Agate: review, swatches, photos | Arty Stone, Spring 2013

February 6, 2013

Rae Chen

20 Comments

The product: Yves Saint Laurent Crème de Blush Cream Blush in No. 7 Rose Quartz & No. 8 Red Agate

There are a few YSL products that you hear a lot about: their iconic Touche Éclat, of course, or their brilliant Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stains. I’ve been poking around in more of the line with their Spring 2013 Arty Stone collection recently, though, and I have to say — YSL? Not a one-trick pony.

The Crème de Blush formula

YSL’s cream blush formula is whipped and velvety, more a mousse than a heavy cream or gel. The lightweight texture applies smoothly (“like silk,” as promised!) with fingertips or a foundation brush, and dries down to a radiant powder finish.

These blushes aren’t super-pigmented when swatched, but they have more than enough colour to them. I find the pigmentation works in perfect harmony with the texture, delivering a sheer or intense cheek with very little fuss.

These blushes are lightly perfumed, and gorgeously so — easily one of my favourite-smelling blush formulas! (What’s yours?)

YSL Crème de Blush swatches: Rose Quartz, Red Agate

No. 7 Rose Quartz

Rose Quartz is a lively, bright pink with cool undertones and just the slightest hint of yellow in the base. I have a makeup look coming up soon for you featuring this blush, and I have to say — it is the perfect pink for the season.

The velvety finish has a hint of radiance (the super-tiny microshimmer is at times so hard discern that I’m almost convinced it’s fairy dust), and it does a wonderful job of giving the cheek a glowing, “lifted” effect.

YSL Crème de Blush swatches in 07 Rose Quartz & 08 Red Agate, heavily/lightly

No. 8 Red Agate

Surprisingly enough, the brick-red warm undertones of Red Agate are wearable on more than just warm complexions — despite my very pale, cool-toned skin, I had no problem adding this to my everyday makeup routine. While Rose Quartz has a strong blue undertone, Red Agate delivers a much more natural-looking flush, which may appeal to the more subdued makeup-wearer.

I love the gorgeous, shimmer-free (but somehow still startlingly radiant) finish (it must be fairy dust), but be careful with this one! The same pigments that create this lovely warm red turn into a “fevered” cheek if you overdo it, though the colour is well worth the caution if you ask me.

The verdict?

As much as I enjoy these blushes, I find it hard to recommend them at the $52 CAN price tag — even at $38 USD, they’re pretty expensive. That said, if you love a cream-to-powder blush, these are a great product: the packaging makes me think of super-chic ice cubes, and the colours are beautiful!

Find them at: Nordstrom & Sephora online; $38 US/$52 CAN.

Keep reading for ingredients & more photos! »

Tags: /Cheeks, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Spring/Summer 2013, Yves Saint Laurent / YSL

20 Comments

The Lipstick Bandits | Valentine’s Day makeup & a few pink lip picks

February 4, 2013

Rae Chen

45 Comments

~~I don’t want to write a post it’s really late I just want to go to bed~~

No, seriously, I am so bored of my face, can I just go to bed now please

I feel like I have a lot of feelings about things in general, but… not a ton about most holidays. I mean, I love a Lipstick Bandits collaboration as much as the next person (usually more, sometimes [somehow] less), but — Valentine’s? Yeah, I could do without it.

Korres Raspberry Liquid Lipstick in Berry, blotted heavily with YSL Volupté Sheer Candy in Tasty Raspberry overtop.

With that in mind, I figured I’d do a kiss-proof lip for this round of Bandit posts. Because if there’s one thing I do believe in, it’s not getting lipstick all over someone else’s face! I feel like it’s somehow almost rude — an unanticipated side effect of close face-proximity; the stubble burn of the makeup-wearing world.

(Which is to say, prevent if possible but be ready to make sacrifices in the name of awesome.)

On the eyes, I have on the pink/gold half of Clinique Strawberry Fudge Duo through the lid, with a bit of cool-toned depth added to the outer corner (think Inglot 358), and smoked-out black liner.

Finish with mascara and move on: I’ve been testing out Senna Volupulash Mascara the past few days, and I love it so far. (It’s quite a dry formula, with great wear and a full-but-clump-free lash.) On the cheeks I applied Senna Faded Rose, an old favourite; it’s a great, versatile neutral cheek.

Aside from lip balm reapplication (no mirror needed!), the look holds up like a peach — there’s no need to fret about lipstick transfer or touchups, so you can focus on the important stuff instead.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Lips, The Lipstick Bandits

45 Comments

Sephora Collection Pastel Pop Color Adapt Blush | On Our Radar

February 1, 2013

Rae Chen

2 Comments

How cute is this? Sephora Collection Pastel Pop Color Adapt Blush, $14 USD/$17 CAD. pH-adjusting products are always such a gimmick, and yet, they always manage to hook me.

This one’s a sheer pink for the lips and cheeks, with açaí oil, cherry extract, and safflower seed oil, and (more importantly) without parabens or silicones.

The packaging is pretty fun, right? Either that or my judgement is being seriously impaired by my recent dearth of sleep.

Tags: /New This Week (& etc), Paraben-free, Sephora Collection, Silicone-free, Spring/Summer 2013

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Karl Lagerfeld x Shu Uemura | Mon Shu Rouge Unlimited Lipstick reviews, photos, swatches

January 30, 2013

Rae Chen

10 Comments

The product: karl lagerfeld for shu uemura Rouge Unlimited Lipstick in Luxe Burgundy, Mon Shu Red, and Celebrity Beige

While working on a shu uemura Blossom Dream post (Spring 2013), I was hit by a rather startling realization: in all of the holiday bustle, I completely forgot to post about shu’s Holiday Rouge Unlimited Lipsticks.

Seeing as they were my absolute favourite part of the collection, you can see why that might have been a bit of an issue for me.

Karl Lagerfeld for shu uemura Rouge Unlimited Lipsticks in Luxe Burgundy, Mon Shu Red, and Celebrity Beige

The formula: You always hear about shu’s lipsticks: at first, it was the packaging (anyone else remember those clear twist-up bullets?), then it was the shades (there are some ridiculously gorgeous ones), but in reality, it’s all about the formula.

Comfortable and smooth, the Rouge Unlimited formula wears well on my dry lips, and applies without a hitch even over dry patches. It’s less pigmented than I was expecting–not quite opaque–and wears with a natural shine. Because of the formula (glossy and moisturizing,) the wear is a little on the shorter end of the spectrum, but it’s very comfortable within that timeframe.

And (here’s the part that really sells me) the formula is completely scent- and taste-free. I love a scent-free lip!

Karl x Shu Luxe Burgundy, Mon Shu Red, and Celebrity Beige (L-R)

The shades: All three of these shades have microshimmer in them, adding to the glossy effect. It’s most evident in Celebrity Beige (I think it’d be stellar as a creme finish) and least in Mon Shu Red, but it is present in all of them.

shu uemura Rouge Unlimited Lipstick swatches in Luxe Burgundy, Mon Shu Red, and Celebrity Beige

Celebrity Beige

The most natural of this collection, Celebrity Beige is a surprisingly wearable nude. Despite its peachy undertones, I find it fits well with my cool-toned complexion, and it translates just as easily on warmer skintones — Christine (Temptalia) has it reviewed and worn here.

Luxe Burgundy

I love a vampy lip, and Luxe Burgundy is an absolutely gorgeous varient thereof. A medium-opacity wine with plenty of brown undertones to keep the colour looking muted (but still bold), it has a little more shimmer than I’d like (still much less noticeable than that in Celebrity Beige), and leaves a bit of a stain as it wears away.

Like many semi-opaque dark shades, it can apply a little patchily, but I don’t find I have too many problems once I give a few minutes to “settle in.” Be sure not to slide your lips together overly much and you should be good!

Mon Shu Red

The most attention-grabbing of the Karl for Shu lipsticks, Mon Shu Red has the least noticeable shimmer… and the most noticeable pigment. It’s a bright strawberry-red, a little slippery and hard to catch on film. Against my skin, it’s almost fluorescent, and I can see it as a standout summer shade.

The same rules apply to Mon Shu Red as to Luxe Burgundy for wear.

The verdict?

At $30 USD/$31 CAD, I probably should not love these as much as I do. After all, they’re not fully opaque, and the wear isn’t perfect… but it is very good (if a little short and slippery), and the shades are absolutely stunning.

If you’re on the market for a great scent-free lipstick–which can be so hard to find,–be sure to check these out. The Karl Lagerfeld for shu uemura Holiday 2012 collection is still available on the shu uemura website, and even once these shades are gone, I still think the formula is worth a look!

Keep reading! »

Tags: karl x shu Holiday 2012/Fall/Winter 2012, Holiday 2012, Lips, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, shu uemura

10 Comments

New 29/01/13 from NARS, Clinique, Marcelle, & more

January 29, 2013

Rae Chen

3 Comments

Just a few things that caught my eye this week. The Clarins Double Serum sounds amazing (I’ll be testing it out as soon as I can find time to do so), and I’ve heard amazing things (from Café Makeup) about the NARS Light Reflecting Setting Powder, but the product I’m most excited for has to be–of course–the new Clinique Chubby Sticks.

Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes

$16 US/$19 CAD and available (here) in 12 shades, from a smokey lilac to a lush moss green, I’m curious to give them a try. As a die-hard Chubby Stick fan, they sound like they’ll be right up my alley, but I’m a little hesitant about how well they’ll hold up to my stubborn lids. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!

In Canadian beauty this month…

Marcelle Cosmetics, another of my beauty loves, is coming out with a Twist Push-Up Mascara (whose wand literally twists or untwists for more or less volume) and sheer Velvety Eye Shadow + Primer this month. They’re not online yet, but should be on shelves soon!

Tags: /Clinique, Marcelle, New This Week (& etc)

3 Comments