theNotice

LUSH Emotional Brilliance: the full range

July 25, 2012

14 Comments

With all the talk of LUSH’s new Emotional Brilliance range, I thought I’d take a moment to cover the entire lineup on theNotice. We’ve seen a lot of previews and such recently, but I’ve been hard-pressed to find a post with both product & shade breakdowns!

The line, which launched on the 21st, starts at $18.95 (for the auxiliary products) and goes up to $22.95 (for the staple items). All 30 products are 100% cruelty-free and vegan-friendly.

Now, here’s the ~~green~~ ~~cool~~ green and definitely cool part: the colours all come in clear glass bottles (glass is one of the most easily recycled materials globally, which I didn’t know before) with disposable-or-reusable brush inserts made from recycled black LUSH pots.

Each bottle holds 8g of product (liquid eyeliners are typically only 2g), and all the ingredients are listed inside the label, attached to the cap with a hair tie. Kind of awesome, right?

Play the Emotional Brilliance game to pick your colours…

or keep reading to see the whole range!

Liquid Eyeliner, $22.95

LUSH made an interesting choice with their liquid eyeliners, using two formulas for dramatically different effects. Independent (black) and Fantasy (gold) are designed with a no-smudge, stay-put formula, but the others have the same base as the cream eyeshadows — meaning you’ll have time to blend, despite their liquid base.

Cream Eyeshadow, $22.95

Formulated with a rose petal base and skin-softening almond and jojoba oils, LUSH’s cream eyeshadows are designed to blend easily and dry down to a soft, refined look.

Liquid Lips, $22.95

Formulated using LUSH’s Ultrabalm formula as a base, the Liquid Lips products have been made to moisturize, soften, and carry intense pigment. The effect can be worn on its own for a stronger lip (perfect for their wide range of reds!) or blotted down with lip balm for a softer look.

Eyes Right Mascara, $18.95

AKA the Fresh Wheatgrass mascara, which… I don’t know, man. I think that’s a hilarious and extremely LUSH thing to call a product, even though there isn’t anything strictly funny about it.

The Eyes Right mascara comes in just one colour (black), and promises a natural lash effect with no smudging or flaking.

Ingredients lists & the rest of the range »

Tags: /Eyes, Lips, LUSH, Spring/Summer 2012

14 Comments

Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara: review, photos, swatches

July 23, 2012

Rae Chen

20 Comments

The product: Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara in Very Black

The lash: Illegal Length gives exactly the kind of effect you’d expect (and want) it to: long, defined lashes with very little volume in tow. As someone who isn’t actually crazy about volumizing mascaras (because let’s be honest; 9 times out of 10 that “volume” is simply clumps masquerading as being intentional), it’s right up my alley.

The end result is really natural; intensely black but with “clean” vibe (no sootiness here) and great separation. I find I get the best results with a simple, smooth sweep of the brush; no wiggling or zig-zagging necessary.

Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara on lashes. (…Lash swatch?)

The wear: While I didn’t get the kind of wear I love out of this (which is to say, 18+ hours), it can definitely make it through a regular workday. As long as you make sure you don’t let your lashes droop while applying it, Illegal Length should hold a long, defined curl with no smudging or flaking for a good eight hours or so — just try not to over-apply, mmkay?

Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extensions Mascara brush.

The brush: The brush on this one is pretty basic; straight and spiky and perfect for separation. It’s not the kind of brush (or the kind of formula) that you’d want for volume, so keep your strokes basic — just a few layers, with no drying between coats (as recommended on the Maybelline site), and you should be good to go.

(Honestly, I’ve read a few of the negative reviews online, and I have no idea what people are doing to make this clump and flake. If you were that dead-set on getting volume, you shouldn’t have bought a product called “Illegal Length”!)

The verdict?

Illegal Length Fiber Extensions does a great job of delivering “illegally” long, separated lashes, if you ask me. It’s not perfect–I do get smudges by the very end of the day, but no drooping,– and it won’t deliver anything on the volume front, but it’s good at what it’s been designed to do.

If you’re looking for a really clean, defined lash look, or if you’re on the hunt for a cheap, paraben-free, non-tubing mascara with fibers, then check this one out. (I think it’s the only one that fits in that latter category, to be honest!)

Illegal Length retails for $9.99 CAD, and can be seen on my wimpy Asian lashes here or here.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Eyes, Maybelline, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches

20 Comments

New 22/07/12

July 22, 2012

Rae Chen

3 Comments

I sorted this week’s “New…” widgets a little differently — limited edition items vs. permanent ones. Nothing’s double-checked or cross-referenced, so don’t blame me if a few of the items are on the wrong list, but this should be more or less correct!

Permanent-range items

I love the look of the new Clarins mono eyeshadows. They’re one of the last (or perhaps the very last?) Clarins products to be repackaged and relaunched, and the brand did not disappoint! (Review coming soon for ome of the shades; just need it to get light out in Edmonton again.)

The product that surprised me the most to see, though, was YSL’s Touche Éclat foundation — I just figured that if they were planning on doing one, they’d have done it sooner, you know? It’s not exactly news (anymore) that the illuminator has done well for itself! Better late than never, I suppose, though, and foundations have been “in” again this year.

Limited edition items

From NARS, Fall 2012; from Chantecaille, Safari Chic (elephants!); from Lancôme, Midnight Roses… the list goes on. Dior Purple Revolution (and hey; if you’re going to have a revolution in violet, I am not going to complain); MAC Illustrated (Nordstrom/The Bay exclusives, if I’m not mistaken); Estée Lauder Violet Underground.

Oh, and then there’s… »

Tags: /Fall/Winter 2012, New This Week (& etc), Spring/Summer 2012

3 Comments

When fresh flowers meet French braids (plus a light, translucent summer makeup look.)

July 20, 2012

Rae Chen

15 Comments

What happens when you mix oh-god-keep-it-off-my-face braids (also known as “partial French” or “cascade,” but really, where’s the fun in that) with a Crown of Thorns that constantly thinks it’s dying?

Apparently, the answer is festival-floral hair, to match your face daisies, because why not. It’s thirty degrees and the heat is killing you, so you may as well put some of those panic-flowers into your braids, right?

(Backstory; the plants in our house are constantly flowering, and I’m convinced it’s because they think they’re going to dehydrate & are feeling the need to spawn before it’s all over. Poor things.)

It starts with a braid,

Adds in some flowers,

And ends something that might not actually be all that terrible.

I don’t get terribly excited about hair (love cutting it, love colouring it, love braiding it — but only on other people,) so I’m just crossing my fingers and hoping this isn’t extra-boring for all of you. I can’t even remember the last time I used the hair tag, so I suppose it just goes to show how infrequently it crosses my mind.

And, well for those of you who do like hair:

Check out the full tutorial of the look here.

And hey, about that face…

The makeup in this post is pretty basic, but I did take a few [more] shots of it. Any interest in the product rundown/more photos? I know you’ve already seen it twice (this post, and the storybook daisies one), so I think I’m just going to sit on the photos for a rainy day — but let me know if you want to see more of it, and I’ll get a post up sooner.

Keep reading! »

Tags: /4. Makeup looks, Hair, Makeup looks: neutral, Tutorials

15 Comments

Helpless Wednesday flailing, with a side-helping of daisies! and some recommended reading

July 18, 2012

Rae Chen

7 Comments

As those of you who follow me on Twitter probably already know (@theNotice; you know you want to), I’ve been swamped recently with a summer term neuropsych course. Four months of course material, meet five and a half ridiculous weeks of studying. Try not to set anything on fire.

So, instead of a post, have some objects involving daisies!

(Plus, one last image from last week’s festival/floral makeup look…)

& finally, a few posts to read while you’re nursing your Rae withdrawal.

– From the “big blogs”: Karen looks at the NARS Foreplay cheek palette, on Makeup and Beauty Blog, & Christine has a wonderful Beauty Blogging 101 series over at Temptalia. (The series is a must-read for all the bloggers around here who can’t get enough of blogging tips, so scurry on over!)

– I’m kind of flailing over the NARS High Society trio, too, at the moment. The quality doesn’t sound phenomenal, but the slightly-strange combination of shades is definitely working in its favour. (See it on MABB & Temptalia.)

– Tracy (my comrade-in-arms when it comes to being chronically ill and chronically Edmontonian) tried her first Tom Ford blush recently. Which, I mean: you’d expect that the review would be glowing, right? Not so much (!)

– How pretty is this muted lavender Laqa & Co. nail polish on Charlotte? The name (Incestuous. Classy.) probably needs to be changed, like, yesterday, but still. Pretty!

– And, finally, on the gorgeous-cheekbones and face-chomping front, Xiao has preview swatches of Guerlain Fall 2012. Don’t lie; I know you want to see them, so hide your wallets and have a look.

Tags: /Link love

7 Comments

A bright gold Monday morning Fantasy with LUSH Emotional Brilliance

July 16, 2012

Rae Chen

25 Comments

I wear a really startling amount of gold eyeliner, so a good, reliable (read: permanent-range) gold has been on the top of my wishlist for months. I have and love Marcelle Lux Diamond Pure Gold, which I rave about on a pretty frequent basis, but I’m constantly on the lookout for a solid gold: a smooth, metallic finish, rather than chunky glitter.

(Which isn’t to say that chunky glitter is a bad thing; I’m crazy about chunky glitter. It would be nice to have both on hand, though, you know?)

I can think of very few brands who do gold eyeliners, and even less who do them in the tone I’m looking for. (Less bumble-bee yellow and a little bit closer to white-gold, or at the very least, antique gold). Take the liquid component of the sentence–an integral part thereof–into consideration, and just like that… results found: 0.

(Make Up For Ever #9L might have fit the bill, but: pencil.)

Meet LUSH Fantasy.

I haven’t had a chance to see this one in person, yet, but I’m excited for it: a permanent-range gold liquid eyeliner, no chunkiness in sight. At $22.95 CAD for a whopping 8g of product–most liners are about 2g,–Fantasy is one of two eyeliners in the Emotional Brilliance range that have been formulated with a long-lasting, no-smudge formula. (The others are designed to take longer to set for a softer, more blendable look.)

Keep your fingers crossed for this one, fellow gold-lovers!

P.S. The Emotional Brilliance range is housed in glass bottles (both recyclable & easy to reuse) with disposable wand applicators made from recycled black LUSH pots. With no extra packaging (the ingredients and info are all on the name-tag, attached with a basic black hair elastic), they’re designed to look cool on a dressing table & travel just as well.

This cruelty-free range will launch July 21st in LUSH stores and online.

Tags: /Eyes, LUSH, Spring/Summer 2012

25 Comments

Storybook daisies: basically, the highlight of my summer. | Summer festival makeup tutorial

July 13, 2012

Rae Chen

33 Comments

You guys, I don’t even know what to say about this one. I had so much fun doing it, and I’m ridiculously happy with the results — after a little colour-balancing and curves, I feel like I managed to get a “glow” that I (really, certainly, very much) do not have in real life.

(If any of you ever meet me in person, you are going to be so disappointed by my face, I kid you not.)

I started playing around with this look on the back of my hand, but (clearly,) it didn’t exactly go to plan. After seeing Pixie Lott’s V festival look from last year, I knew I had to do something with bright white flowers — storybook daisies, if you will. Instead of pairing the flowers with super-dark eyes and bold lips, though, I went softer, choosing sheer melon lips and a translucent gold and violet eye.

I hope you enjoy the look!

Read the tutorial on She Said Beauty here.

Keep reading for more photos, plus a product listing »

Tags: /4. Makeup looks, Annabelle, Clinique, Eyes, Makeup looks: colour, Tutorials

33 Comments

(Ultra)blast away toothpaste-breath & bring on the Breath of God with LUSH Toothy Tabs: a quick review

July 11, 2012

Rae Chen

22 Comments

The product: LUSH Toothy Tabs

↳ in Dirty, Ultrablast, Breath of God, and Aquatic

The creation: LUSH created Toothy Tabs–their new-this-year and entirely unique solid toothpaste–to strip down conventional ideas about toothpaste. Free of plastic packaging (these no-frills boxes are made out of 100% recycled paper, and can in turn be recycled) and preservatives, the tabs differ drastically from a tube of Colgate or Crest both in formula and in form of delivery, which makes them a really unique (and travel-friendly) experience.

How they work: Created by Helen Ambrosen, one of the company’s co-founders, the tabs are made from a sodium bicarbonate + cream of tartar base, with essential oils and spices to give a light, clean aftertaste instead of the typical aggressively minty one. The oils were chosen both for their scents (Simon Constantine, who designed the seven flavours, describes it as perfuming someone’s breath) and for their antiseptic qualities, meaning they both clean your palette and help prevent bacteria that leads to bad breath.

“A gentle surfactant creates the foaming effect that helps dissolve the bacterial build up on your teeth, which you can get rid of completely by brushing. Sodium bicarbonate helps to thoroughly clean and whiten your teeth and the cream of tartar helps to make the solid form. Dicalcium phosphate is included to help polish the teeth, glycerine acts as a humectant while saccharin sweetens.”

My thoughts on the Toothy Tabs

I’ve been testing out LUSH’s [no longer] new Toothy Tabs for a good few months, now, and I still find myself waiting for them to “click.” They’re really cool, of course, and super-portable, but I’m not really sold on the taste. They’re a lot better than most natural toothpastes, for sure, and less agressive than the drugstore’s seemingly endless supply of super-spicy offerings, but the baking soda makes them overbearingly salty, overall.

Travel- and texture-wise, though, I quite like these. I keep a few tabs in a tiny plastic baggie in my purse, and they’re so much more compact than a small tube of toothpaste. (Easier to use, too; you just pop one in your mouth and chew, no finicky toothpaste tube caps involved.) They froth up really nicely when brushed as normal with a wet toothbrush, creating a more dense foam than I’ve ever gotten from toothpaste.

The verdict?

At $3.95 CAD for a box of 40 tabs, LUSH makes it pretty easy to try out the Toothy Tabs. In the long run, yeah, you’re paying more for your toothpaste, but (if you can find a flavour that you like,) I think they’re well worth the cost.

The tabs are portable, convenient, eco-friendly, and come in seven flavours — way more than your typical toothpaste. (Is this still true? I’ve used Colgate Winterfresh for coming up on ten years now!) If you’re looking for a vegan-friendly toothpaste, or you want a natural toothpaste that tastes strange without actually tasting awful (ahem, Tom’s of Maine), give these a try.

Additional photos &amp more »

Tags: /7. Other, LUSH, Other, Product Photos, Product Review

22 Comments

Annabelle Hawaïan Hues Eyeshadow Palette review, photos, swatches

July 9, 2012

Rae Chen

19 Comments

The product: Annabelle Hawaïan Hues Eyeshadow Palette

Included in this season’s Aqua Queen collection (alongside the new Biggy bronzer; review soon), Annabelle’s new eyeshadow palette contains ten new paraben-free eyeshadows in a mix of finishes and shades. I almost wish that these were all part of the regular line–I would love to have entire pans of a few,–but it’s kind of nice that they aren’t.

The palette, which retails for a mere $12.95, is a steal at just over a doller per shade. If you really love one or two of these eyeshadows, I’d say snap up a few backups now, while they’re still on shelves!

The formula: Like Annabelle’s Mono and Trio eyeshadows, the shadows in this palette are nothing to scoff at. While not as buttery as a brand like Senna, or as intense as something from Make Up For Ever, they’re more than decent for the drugstore — easily on par with a handful of mid-range brands, in terms of quality and colour complexity.

Each shade is smooth and blendable, both applying and buffing out easily & evenly. The intensity of individual shades will be covered below.

Annabelle Hawaïan Hues Eyeshadow Palette swatches (dry on primed skin).

The shades: In terms of everyday shades, Hawaïan Hues includes two light/medium neutrals (a sheer, shimmering beige and a warm, shimmery-but-pigmented coppery orange), two medium/dark neutrals (a buttery, intensely pigmented, frost-finish coppery brown and a smooth, blendable matte black), and two violet shades (a lovely grey-violet with silver shimmers and a sheer, glowing lavender).

In the palette are four brights, as well — a buttery, pigmented bright blue that’s more pigment than finely-milled shimmer (though it has plenty of both), a shimmery blue-green (more teal than turquoise), a shimmery, grassy green, and, finally, a shimmery bright yellow.

Annabelle Hawaïan Hues Eyeshadow Palette — click to enlarge.

Aside from the shimmering beige & the glowing lavender, whose light pigmentation is very obviously deliberate (and stunning), all of these shades range from medium to strong opacity — even the green and yellow eyeshadows. None of them suffer from any chalkiness or patchiness when applied or swatched, but keep an eye out for glitter fallout after you apply!

I was really impressed by the Hawaïan Hues palette, to be honest, and I’d love to see more of these from Annabelle. While some shades were better, they were all still good — a consistency in quality that you often don’t even see from high-end brands, much less drugstore ones. (Ahem, MAC limited edition quads, we’re looking at you.)

The verdict?

Honestly, if you still feel yourself needing a “verdict” at this point, I think you need to brush up on your reading comprehension skills. :P

With solid, compact packaging and ten well-chosen shades, I’d recommend this one in a heartbeat. Paraben-free and under $15, it’s worth picking up whether you’re a colour lover or you’re just now beginning to move away from the neutrals!

Keep reading! »

Tags: /Annabelle, Eyes, Paraben-free, Product Photos, Product Review, Product Swatches, Spring/Summer 2012

19 Comments

Four sites to check out this Sunday

July 8, 2012

Rae Chen

2 Comments

4. Beautezine

This one’s not corporate, but I thought we’d start off with a little blog link love. Jessica, who writes Beautezine, is a gorgeous Ottawa (hey, does anyone know the demonym for Ottawa?) writer, editor, makeup artist, and photographer who has just begun blogging full-time — basically, every beauty blogger’s dream.

If you’re not reading Beautezine yet, you should be!! Jessica’s photos are always great, as are her reviews and looks. I’d call her a triple threat, but that doesn’t do her coding skills justice: I’m loathe to use the phrase, “she can do it all,” but she really can. (And she does it so, so well!)

3. Fresh Faced

Fresh Faced opened up early last month, as a small Canadian online shop catering to green beauty junkies. Founded by Sally Glover, who wanted to create a beauty & wellness site for eco-conscious consumers, the clean, easy-to-navigate layout features brands that are “safe and responsible without compromising luxury or effectiveness” — and, really, why wouldn’t you be in support of that?

The site carried a mix of Canadian and international brands, including Alima Pure, butter LONDON, Dr. Bronner’s, Green Beaver, Nvey Eco, Revolution Organics, and Weleda.

2. Ellis Faas

It’s no secret that I’m kind of crazy about Ellis Faas, so it’s probably also not a surprised that I’m thrilled about their recent redesign. Sure, so Ellis is kind of like my crazy Asian grandmother, with fantastic formulas but completely irritating packaging, but it doesn’t stop me from raving (or ranting) about the line on a (too-)frequent basis.

The stunning new site doesn’t just look sharp, though — the layout now includes skin swatches of each product, ingredients lists, packaging photographs & editorial looks, even the occasional how-to video.

1. She Said Beauty

Like the Ellis Faas site, She Said Beauty has had a major redesign — and it, too, has been a lot more than a topical facelift.

The new site is a “social media experience” that lets you create your own profile, follow blogs, “like” products and brands, view & share product reviews, upload videos and videos… it’s kind of a big deal. Create an account to have a peek around, and don’t be shy! My bare-bones profile is right here, so feel free to say hi & follow when you have time ;)

Tags: /Canadian beauty, Ellis Faas, Indie brands, Link love

2 Comments