Givenchy "Rouge Interdit" Review

Hello everybody!
Here's a little review on one of my favourite brands/formulas/packaging of all time. I hope you enjoy!

 Here is the packaging with the casing of the lipstick. It's really high quality and beautiful to look at, and because of it's square shape it's very easy to store too. One downside is that the lipsticks are quite loose in the casing and if you're not careful they can fall out. I haven't experienced this too often, but I thought I should add it in.

 The bullet of the lipstick is also very beautiful. It's silver with lots of detail. It's embossed with "Givenchy" and with the little logo all over the tube.

 The end of the bullet has a little tag with the Givenchy logo and a little tassel to make it extra luxurious, although not always practical.

Here are the shades I own, 19 Black Plum and 25 Rose Caprice. 

 Rose Caprice has a slight shimmer to it and is quite glossy. It's a beautiful pale pink shade which looks very natural. It would be perfect for a bridal makeup as it's quite glossy but has a good amount of colour. I wouldn't say it's a sheer shade, although the entire line is actually a sheer formula. I think you could get a similar colour with a pink lipstick and gloss, but it's such a beautiful product and lasts a long time, I think it's worth the money for a little bit of luxe.

 Black Plum is a very terrifying looking shade in the bullet. It looks almost black in some lights, but is a little lighter than you think. I looked at two Givenchy lipsticks in store, this one and a more pale pink than above and asked my boyfriend which one I should get. He preferred the pale pink (obviously) but I couldn't resist this beautiful colour. It's a sheer, berry-toned lipstick that can be a deep raspberry when applied lightly, and a deeper purple if layered. I think it's very versatile and perfect for an evening event.

Here are the swatches, Rose Caprice on the left and Black Plum on the right. You can see the shimmer in Rose Caprice nicely here, but also that it does have a definite pink colour. Black Plum has been layered twice here, so it's how people would most wear it. You can see the raspberry/plum colours and also the deep purple in it. It's a purple that makes your teeth look whiter too- so that's always a bonus! 

Here's a final shot of the lipsticks. The quality, longevity and pigmentation of the lipsticks is wonderful, and overall I think they are worth every penny. I know that you can get similar things from the drugstore, but I find these particular products to be something I will keep forever and always add to my collection.

I hope you enjoyed this post about what is probably my all-time favourite lipstick formula! Have a good day!

Prada Candy Fragrance Review

I got a sample of Prada's "Candy" from Sephora in September of last year. I used the entire little vial in about two days because I loved it so much. I have bad luck with fragrances, every time I really like one it gets discontinued, so I like to make sure a product is going to stick around for a while before I commit to it. My all time fave "Ralph Rocks" by Ralph Lauren has been discontinued for at least two years, but I keep getting it from Kijiji and in weird stores, finally I've decided this is my last bottle and it's time to move on. I will dedicate a whole post to that later...
Anyway, here's my review of a new favourite!

 This is the box it came in. I kept it to photograph for the blog, and also because I think it's so pretty! Let's face it, I'm never going to own a Prada purse so I may as well keep the box for an embarrassing amount of time. (It's been recycled now, but c'mon!) The box used to have a girl on it, but I'm assuming it's been removed to better match the male Prada Candy and the new Prada Candy L'Eau.

 I bought the bottle in the biggest 80ml size. I got it at the airport in Orlando when I was there back in February. I really liked that it came with the plastic black contraption you see at the top of the bottle, it means the bottle can still look cute but won't squirt everywhere when you travel/move etc. If you're wanting a new fragrance and get this... don't throw the black thing out!! I almost did, and thank goodness I didn't because I had to leave Orlando eventually.

I think the bottle is really pretty, and so it should be for the price. In Canadian dollars this would set you back about $125.00, but if you really love it... get it duty free! 

fragrantica.com describes this fragrance:

"Prada Candy is a new fragrance by Prada launched in August 2011. The composition includes an elegant mix of musks in the top, a sensual balsamic vanillic accord of benzoin in the heart and sweet modern caramel in the base of the fragrance"

theperfumeshop.com describes the notes as:

• Heart notes
  Benzoin Overdose
  
• Top notes
  
  Musks Cocktail
  
• Base notes
  
  Caramel Explosion
  
• Scent
  
  Oriental
  
• Feel
  
  Feminine
  
  I describe this fragrance as quite sweet, but more mature for a sweet scent. I really like candy scents, but think they can be a bit overpowering and immature. This is the first fragrance I've found that isn't too fresh and still has some musk to make it seem fancier and more mature. I find it lasts a reasonable amount of time on the skin (about 6 hours), and is wearable both during the day and in the evening. Because it's quite warm it works well with my skin type (I know it depends on how warm your skin is and how the chemicals react with the fragrance, but scents can be different on two different people so keep this in mind when buying, I recommend trying a fragrance out beforehand). I'm obviously a huge fan of this scent as I spent a ridiculous amount of money, but one I can see myself wearing for a long time (at least until they discontinue it).
  
  Thanks for reading my review, I'm definitely not a fragrance expert, but I hope you liked it anyway! Have a good day! 
  

FOTD 2: Matte Smoky Eye

So here is another "Face of the Day", today I'm going for something a bit more dramatic and smoky in comparison to my last FOTD, so I hope you enjoy seeing new products and looks!

 To begin I used Dermaglow's "Perfect Primer". This smooths out my skin texture and provides a nice canvas for foundation application.

 I wanted a pretty flawless base, so I used Revlon "Colourstay", an almost matte, high coverage foundation. I used a Beauty Blender sponge to blend everything in (full review in the works), and it helps a high coverage foundation look a little more soft and natural.

 To cover any redness or blemishes I used MAC's Studio Finish concealer.

 For the eye makeup I'm using Nars "And God Created The Woman" palette.

 To start I'm using the top middle shade (Bellisima) all over my eyelid. It's a smoky neutral shade with definite purple undertones.

 I applied lightly all over my lid, and a bit more intensely at the lash like. It looks patchy here, but I that's due to using an iPhone for pictures and basement apartment lighting! The colours do blend really nicely, I promise!

 Next up is the lower right shade (Coconut Grove) which is a cool-toned dark brown.

 I applied this at the lash line and blended it up into my crease.

 Next is a shadow from a Bobbi Brown palette, but any matte cream colour would work. I applied this to my brow bone and slightly in the inner corner of my eye.

 I used MAC's Eye Kohl in "Prunella", a deep purple shade all along my upper lash line.

 I didn't have to apply it too neatly, because I wanted it to look dark and smoky. I used a small pencil brush to blend the liner out for an even more intense look.

 I then used Make Up For Ever's "Smoky Extravagant" mascara in a black shade. It doesn't lengthen the lashes too much, but adds lots of volume perfect for this type of eye makeup.

 Here's an overview of the lashes, they are looking quite thick and a little spidery (without being over the top) and they also look nice and curled, a curl which actually lasted an impressive amount of time.

 To add more cool-toned hues to my look, I opted for Dior's blush in "Rosy Glow". It's a beautiful bright pink with blue undertones and is actually natural looking on the skin, despite looking like Pepto Bismol in the pan.

 Again with the cool tones, I used Tarte's bronzer in "Park Avenue Princess". It's a more mauve toned bronzer with very little orange in it, perfect for girls with redness or fair skin.

 To continue with the mauve tones, I used NYX's Mega Shine Lipgloss in "Beige". It's natural and subtle with berry-toned colour. I wanted to use a gloss because the eye makeup was entirely matte, and so was my foundation. If you wanted to make the look even more dramatic, maybe try a matte nude lipstick or something brighter like a red or even an orange tone.

 Here is the eye makeup closeup. The purple tones really helped make my eyes look a bit greener than usual, so that's always a bonus! Because it's smokey up until the crease it makes my eyes look a lot deeper set, and it isn't necessarily too dark for a daytime look.

Here's the overall look, I hope you enjoy! 

Estee Lauder Cleanser Review

After being at home for a little bit, my Mum told me I could try out some cleansers she had stashed away to write a blog post about. I jumped at the chance, obviously washing my face is rather thrilling. Here is my review on the three cleansers.

 Here are the three cleansers I tried out. The packaging is quite nice, I like that the colour matches the line that each product comes from. The tubes make it easy to get the product out, although I think a pump dispenser would be nicer.

 The first cleanser is the "Take It Away" cleanser. I tried this one on multiple occasions, and have come to the conclusion it is just made to remove makeup. It does a pretty good job, but I find that it absorbs really quickly and takes quite a lot of product to get the job done. I also found it stung my eyes a little bit, but if you're gentle I don't think you would have this issue. I didn't think it cleansed my skin, but it certainly removed all of my makeup. I think if you followed up with a cleanser this would be a nice addition to your skincare routine. I wouldn't repurchase this because I think it's a bit of an expensive 'add-on' product that isn't entirely necessary. Cleansers should do a good job of removing makeup anyway, I don't think you need something else to use beforehand.

 The second is the "Perfectly Clean" cleanser. It has a soapy smell and leaves a soapy residue on your face. It seems to be a little drying, but if you moisturize afterwards it isn't an issue. It's quite a thick creamy formula and lathers really nicely. It's quite a heavy cleanser, and I do think it leaves the skin feeling quite fresh and clean. I would recommend it as a morning cleanser, although I wouldn't advise anyone with dehydrated or dry skin to use this too often. I think it would work really well for anyone with oily or combination skin. I personally wouldn't purchase this product, but I think skincare is very personal and skin types can really vary, so I recommend doing some research before purchasing.

The third is the "Soft Clean" cleanser. It's a cream cleanser, so you don't have to wet your face before applying. It's very creamy (as you would expect) and doesn't lather. It's very, very gentle, almost fragrance free (but I think there is a faint scent) and works really well at cleansing while still being incredibly gentle. It doesn't irritate whatsoever, leaves no residue, and my skin doesn't feel tight after using it. I think this would make an excellent morning cleanser if you like using cleansing balms in the evening as I do. It would also be great if you don't have a separate day and night cream, because it's so moisturizing you'd be less likely to need extra hydration- although a little extra is never a bad thing!

I hope you enjoyed this Estee Lauder cleanser review, I thought it would make an interesting post to show the similarities and differences between different products from the same brand. Estee Lauders quality is always there, and you can tell while using these products, and it's nice that they have options for various skin types. My favourite was definitely the Soft Clean cleanser, something I would look into purchasing for myself.

Mum's Favourite Makeup Products

So since I asked my Mum all about her favourite skincare items I thought I'd also take a look in her makeup bag. Here are some of her most used and well loved products!

 Here's a quick overview of her favourite makeup products.

 To begin, here are her favourite makeup brushes. First up is the Real Techniques "Domed Shadow Brush" and "Multitask Brush". She also really likes the Estee Lauder "Blending Brush #7". She really likes the handles, because they aren't too long. She also finds that the brush heads aren't too big and that the bristles never shed. Mum also says the brush is very soft and affordable.

 Next up are Estee Lauder eyeshadows in "Honey Drop" and "Tea Biscuit". They are very pigmented and blendable, and work really well with her blue eyes. They do have shimmer to them, but it isn't too much. Mum really likes that they don't crumble even though she's used them a lot, the quality is wonderful, and they are very long lasting. The packaging is very solid and a good size, plus it has a mirror in the lid. The formulation is very pigmented and smooth.

 Her favourite blush is Benefit's "Hervana". I bought this at full price, and Mum found it on sale for $5.00! Looking back, she said if she knew how much she'd like it, she would have bought two or three more! She likes that it's her very favourite blush (of all time), she likes the sturdy packaging and that you can swirl your brush around without it getting all powdery. The colours work really well on her skintone (a little darker than mine, but still fair).

 For lip products she really likes Vaseline and Fresh's "Sugar Rose" tinted lip balm. Vaseline is a go-to product and works "anytime, anywhere". It also has a nice clear gloss, which looks nice without any effort. The Sugar Rose lipbalm was a little Christmas gift from me, and she likes how small it is, and how it never dries your lips out despite having some colour. She also likes that the colour is more subtle than it appears. A downside is that the formula is so soft that it melts in hot weather, so keep it out of your handbag or car!

 For mascara, right now she really likes Estee Lauders "Sumptuous Extreme" and Lancome's "Hypnose Star". Personally, I don't like the Lancome formula, but Mum really does, plus she doesn't notice the rose scent as much as I do. Mum likes them because the formula isn't clumpy. The Estee Lauder one gives a thicker coating and more volume, but the Lancome mascara adds more length and separates the lashes. She doesn't find that they are irritating, as she does have quite sensitive eyes. She also likes the packaging of the Estee Lauder mascara. 

The MAC mineralize concealer is a liquid formula product. She likes that it has a small brush and can also be used without foundation and doesn't "stick out". She generally uses the brush and then blends it with her fingertips. She mostly uses it for her under eye area as the lucky lady rarely gets blemishes. 

I hope you liked a peek into my Mum's makeup bag! Thanks to my lovely mother for letting me take a look and bug her with questions all day, you're the best!