Estee Lauder High Gloss

Not a big fan of Estee Lauder gloss, but who could say no to a few nice GWP? :D



This is Estee Lauder High Gloss in Berry. It's a pretty berry pearl that gives off a lilac iridescent sheen and while it looks very cool, it turns warm on my lips. The texture is thinner than Lancome Juicy Tubes and not as sticky, but it also doesn't last as long and the color fades after a while. Actually, make that it doesn't last at all. Over all, it's an average gloss, so if I'm going to cave $17, I might as well get my good ol' favorite Juicy Tubes or my new love Juicy Gelee as I've finding myself reaching for it more often recently.

Canmake Cheek & Highlight

Canmake continues to wow me with its affordable yet decent makeup, so I've been trying more and more of their stuff.

This is the Cheek & Highlight in #03 Sunny Orange. And no, it doesn't show up as orange at all on me but more like a golden beige with hints of peach and bronze, a very unique color I haven't seen before. With it on, I just look healthy instead of "flushed." And actually, I'm more impressed with the highlighter than this particular blush itself. It's a much better day highlighter than the Canmake Highlighter! How do I tell a day versus a night highlighter? I just look very very closely after blending!



A highlighter that is chalky and dusty and settles into pores after a few hours is a bad highlighter, period, regardless when I use it. An example of a bad highlighter would be the Canmake Highlight Gradation (yes, sadly it's also Canmake). A good night highlighter is one that provides a little more "coverage," i.e. it gives a "soft focus" effect whenever the light hits. An example of this is my beloved Victoria's Secret Mosaic Highlighter. And because a good night highlighter provides a little more coverage, it will look overdone when used during the day and will be very obvious in natural sunlight. Likewise, a good day highlighter won't have much effect when used at night, because it'd be too dark and there just won't be enough light to pick up its subtle shimmers.



Up until now I thought the Canmake Highlighter makes a great day highlighter, but I guess it's found a contender in the Cheek & Highlight! This thing is so subtle it leaves so traces of powder behind after just some minor blending - just glowy goodness! Wow! In fact, I was so impressed I didn't bother with a separate highlighter! Now I'm totally excited to try ALL the other colors of the Cheek & Highlight!

Stila Color Push-up Part II

Trying out another Stila Color Push-up! Yay!

All pictures taken indoor with flash, unless otherwise noted.

FOTN

Another face of the night :D Might as well since every time I actually wear some makeup it's for a night out anyway. I don't wear makeup to work, and on the weekends I do lazy routines, so it doesn't count.

Hubby and I went to a vegetarian Asian fusion place called Zen Palate. The appetizers were amazing, but the dinner entrees fell a little short. Next time we're back we'll try the cafe menu (served all day) instead.

Anyways, had a really long day at work, dealing with idiot-incompetents constantly over the phone for 8 hours. I was ready to kill by the time I get home. If I looked pissy in the first picture, I was. As always, my makeup didn't really show up in the pictures. Also, the lighting was bad so my eye makeup looked a bit uneven. And I don't wear foundation, fill in my brows, none of that fussy stuff. Blah.



Face:
- Estee Lauder Lucidity Powder in Transparent (t-zones only, I don't wear foundation)
- Stila Color Push-up in Pink Flash (will review soon)
- Canmake Cheek & Highlight 03 Sunny Orange (will review soon)

Eyes:
- The Body Shop Shimmer Cubes Palette 12 (will review soon)

Lips:
- Estee Lauder High Gloss in Berry (will review soon)



Finally, a (very fake) smile. Hubby was very patient taking the pictures. Thanks hunney! <3

Sephora Brilliant a Lerves Lip Gloss

Another Sephora lip gloss I really like! The Brilliant a Lerves is a beautiful pink tinted gold. My lips look a little washed out if I wear it alone, but it works magic on top of lipsticks or even other glosses! For example, if I'm wearing something too cool and I want to warm it up a little, I just need to dab this gloss in the middle of my lower lip, blend, and press!



Now the bad news - Sephora discontinued it. I think I'm cursed :(

Lancome Juicy Gelee

Being a big fan of Lancome Juicy Tubes, I must have these Juicy Gelees when they first came out. I know they are all sheer, but I got a red Fruit Punch anyway.



My overall impression is that they're excellent! If you don't like Juicy Tubes because they are sticky, you'll love these because they are just as shiny without any of the stickiness and they last just as long! Actually, they feel just like a fruitier and jellier version of my favorite Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Soothing Lip Balm! No matter how chapped my lips feel, I put some of this Juicy Gelee on and they'd feel soft and supple again. Love!!!

Anna Sui Lip Rouge Jar

When I first got the Anna Sui Lip Rouge, I was put off by the strong rose fragrance it has. Not a big flowery person, you see. In fact, flowery fragrances, especially that of roses, all give me a headache. But then I like the color I got, #300, a lot, so I stuck with it and hasn't regretted it since.



#300 looks red in my picture, but it's not quite red. It's an opaque tomato red with very very fine shimmers that are not visible unless view under direct light. It goes on matte and adapts well to my natural lip color, packing a good punch. I got used to the rose scent after a while too. The only I don't like about the gloss is its price - it's a complete rip off, just a touch better than the Stila Lip Glaze with 0.12 oz. in the pot (versus 0.08 oz. in the Stila Lip Glaze) for the same price! Oh well, Anna Sui has discontinued it anyway! Phew! They saved me from myself :P

Pixi Beauty Moisture Tint Gloss

Pixi is a British indie cosmetic brand run by 3 sisters. I have their Moisture Tint Gloss #3, and although their official website says it's a "fresh golden red" (and looks it in the picture), it's actually a blue-based red and this bluish tint is very obvious on my lips. So yeah, I don't love the color, but I do like the gloss. It's moisturizing, lasts for a decent time, and it has this subtle minty flavor that makes my lips tingle. Very refreshing.


Too bad Sephora doesn't carry their products anymore, because I would have gone back for other colors. I don't feel like paying outrageous shipping fees to have some lip glosses sent all the way from Britain, do you?

Sephora Round-a-Pout Lip Gloss

I've only tried the Sephora brand lip glosses, but I think they're pretty decent. I was expecting cheap crap, but they turned out to be smooth, non-sticky, pretty pigmented, and lasted for a good long while. I really doubt they'll pass my Gym test, then again I haven't tried so I don't know!



Anyway, I was in love the moment I saw these Round-a-Pout lip glosses - the concept of lip glosses in a ball is just too cute to resist! There were many color sets at the time, but I chose the Love Pout, which consists of 4 warm-toned pink-orange-red shades:


My favorite half is the Orange-Pink: The orange is translucent and beautiful! It actually doesn't look orange but turns a bit peachy coral on my lips. I love it! The pink is even cuter even though it's a bit opaque. I'd have to blend well when I wear this color, but afterwards it would melt into my natural lip color and turns it a bit bubblegum pink! I thought I'd look like a tween-wannabe wearing this shade but it actually looks really natural and cute!


The other half is Red-Berry: This half I'm more wary about as both are very potent colors. The red I could pull off on braver days (and easy application) but the berry -wooh!- off the chart for me! I know it looks like a darker red, but it turns a really really bright raspberry pink on me and wow, I looked like a clown no matter how little I put on...Oh well, I still love the other 3 colors so no complains here.


There was a while when Sephora had this on sale for $2 a piece (from $9) so I literally bought 10 and gave them out to my sister and my friends. And usually, my sister is very very cautious with brighter glosses, but she turned out to love the Love Pout also, which was a huge surprise for me as I was so sure she'd to come back and say, "Urgh, what were you thinking?" She even bought a bunch too for her friends!! Hah!

Sula Lip Balm Duo

I've never heard of the brand Sula before, and since the packaging says, "Made in Canada," I'm assuming it's a Canadian brand. Other than that, I can't find any information on it on the web. May be I'm just looking in all the wrong places? From Hush Beauty, I did find an order form for it with a Canadian address, so my guess wasn't so far off, at least. Then from there I found a Sula Beauty website, but it looks like it's currently under construction. So no information after all.

Anyway, I got these Lip Balm Duos from Anthropologie and was really excited to think I've stumbled on to some undiscovered treasures. Sadly, I was horribly disappointed. Let's just say the good ol' Chapsticks are better than these $15 lip balms! Yes, they are $15 each - lip balms with a fancy price that sadly just don't deliver. How's that for a quality product?





First off, I absolutely hate the chemical scent they have. Both the Lip Balm Duos I got are supposedly fragranced. Yet with that said, their subtle fragrance is completely overpowered by this waxy chemically smell that used to be so common in lipsticks back in the days. I remember that smell very vividly - I used to messed around with my mum's lipsticks, you see. Which little girl hasn't? Well, I'm generalizing, but you get my point. Secondly, I don't like their texture at all! They are -gasp- hard and waxy! I was being very gentle with them at first, but when I couldn't get any product onto my fingertip, I dug a little harder and they just crumbled into a mess! So that was that and they are going right back to the store tomorrow! Not happy. I should have gone out to the store and check them out first before buying them online!

I got 2 colors, and while both look beautiful, the product itself is very deceiving. Judging from the picture, don't they look luscious and inviting? I really held my breath reaching for these, only to be devastated as soon as my finger touched them!

- Sun-kissed Citrus: a combination of a salmony pink and fresh orange. They do have a nice and soft citrus fragrance, but as I have said it's totally overwhelmed by the waxy chemical smell I hate!




- Stiletto Red: a combination of a cherry red and a rasberry pink. These also have a subtle berry/cherry scent, but again I couldn't distinguish it because of the strong chemical smell. In fact, the waxy smell is stronger in this duo than the Sun-kissed Citrus duo. Urgh. Yuck.

T'estimo Color Eyes Part II

Finally, I got around to use more of these lovely T'estimo Color Eyes! More is to come too as I still have a gazillion of them I haven't even touched!

The pyramid shaped ones first, of course, as these are my favorite! I think they are the silkiest of all. Sadly, they are also an older release and most of the colors available with this pattern are either sold out or no longer available. Hell, the entire T'estimo line is going away, so what am I talking about? Damn Kanebo! See what rotten luck I have? My favorite things always get discontinued! Not cool. Not cool at all.

WT-07: Metallic, very sheer
A milky white that's turns a bit frosty on me. I still like the formula though, so I end up using this shade as a base and highlight, which is what they're for, right? I mean, it's white, what else can you do with it? haha Silly me :D


These next ones look like 4 sunken pyramids with softer edges. Pretty neat to look at.

SV-23: metallic, low intensity
The color is silver, but it's more like a translucent white with chunky silver glitter. In fact, it's so glittery I can't wear it as a base or a highlight, making it one of my least favorite T'estimo Color Eyes! It's formula is also more chalky and dusty, which is probably the result of the chunky glitters. I usually just slightly press the tip of my ring finger on it and then swipe it across my lids as the last finish, blending well. I find this gives my eye makeup a 3-dimensional effect, but that's about all it's good for.


DB-12: metallic, high intensity
An inky blue that looks almost black but is actually very obviously blue, does that make sense? :P I find this color makes a beautiful eye liner because you can tell it's blue and it makes brown eyes pop! This one doesn't have chunky glitters like silver one above, and the glitters you see are just sprayed on. The formula is also much softer and blends smoothly. My prized eye liner shadow!


Top row, from left: WT-07, SV-23
Bottom row: DB-12


BR-71: Shimmers, medium intensity
A mauvy brown with hints of eggplant. Another excellent eye liner!


GY-34: Metallic, low intensity
As you can see, it's actually not gray and is a lovely smoky mauvy silver. I usually pair this color with the BR-71, wearing this color on the lids and use the brown as eye liner for a smoky eye :D


PK-42: Metallic pearl, very sheer
A translucent veil that gives off a pink sheen at an angle. Makes a good highlighter and base but can be a bit too cool for me depending on how much I use.


WT-08: Metallic pearl, very sheer
Another translucent color, an off white that instantly brightens my eyes. Love this one!


Top row, from left: BR-71, GY-34, PK-42
Bottom row: WT-08


See my previous T'estimo Color Eyes post.

Estee Lauder Pure Pops Creme Eye Shadow

Another cream eye shadow I tried. The Estee Lauder Pure Pops Creme Eye Shadow is okay. It doesn't creases on me, thanks to my awesome sunscreen that works magic as a base, but I do find that it dries a bit too quickly and doesn't blend very well. Over all, these are average and nothing outstanding. If you're going to invest in an excellent cream eye shadow, I'd suggest you try the Laura Mercier ones (see my previous Laura Mercier Metallic Creme Eye Colour post.).

The color I have is Golden Seduction. It's a sheer peachy champagne color that turns a bit frosty on me. Perhaps I used too much of the product? Then again, when I try a little bit at a time, nothing shows up at all! Hmm...

Avon Loot!

Even though I love Avon Hydrofirming Eye Cream (see my Current Skin Care Routine post), I never paid much attention to its makeup. Everything looks bland and nothing ever caught my interest, that is, until miss Muse over here put up a post for the Jillian Dempsey for Avon Horizon Blush. Well, I just happen to have a *thing* for gradation, so of course, the post shot me over to the Avon's website, but it didn't look like they were available at the time. Just this past Wednesday though, I looked again, and boy, I got lucky with a sale and got a quite a loot then! I haven't tried using any yet, so I will post actual reviews later.

- 8-in-1 Palette in Paradise Greens: when I saw these online, I was iffy whether they would look that nice when I get them. To my luck, the colors look BETTER than they did on screen! They turn out to be very soft and neutral and best of all, all are very usable colors. So if you're looking for pop colors to make an impression, you won't find it here. These are more for the everyday airy look. Gosh, I love these colors. Beautiful.




- Jillian Dempsey for Avon Horizon Blush: the star of the loot, of course. I got Apricot Horizon from Avon's website and Pink Horizon from Ebay.



The two are quite similar, in my opinion, with the Apricot having a touch of coral in it. At the request of miss Muse, I took a picture of them side by side so you can tell the difference. These are indeed soft and silky, to my surprise. And very pigmented. I see why the Muse is so crazy over them. I like the Apricot Horizon very much but is still lukewarm with the Pink Horizon since it looks a bit cool. We'll see how it fares when I actually use it. Can't form solid opinions just yet.


Apricot Horizon


Pink Horizon


Pink (left) versus Apricot Horizon (right)

- Light & Luminus Highlighter: I think these might be copy cat versions of Laura Mercier's Mosaic Shimmer Bloc, depending on which came out first :P I think I saw the Laura Mercier ones first at Sephora, actually. At the time, I tried a swatch on the back of my hand and they were too dark and harsh so I passed them up. Then I saw this on Avon.com and as well as the favorable reviews on Makeup Alley, I thought I'd give them a try.




Cool Shimmers


Warm Shimmers


Warm (left) versus Cool Shimmers (right)

- Cynthia Rowley for Avon All Over Face Powder: I saw these on Rouge Deluxe a while back but thought they would be too pink. But then I sort of got hooked with these nifty limited edition Avon items, so I grabbed this Light-Medium shade off of Ebay. The Medium-Dark looks too deep it might make me look bruised so I skipped it. Oh well, trying one is good too, right?