Ushering in Spring with flowers from Clinique

Maybe "eternal" is a little too strong, but looking at how the Clinique Cheek Pops have been holding up at the rate I'm using it, I'm pretty sure the petals will only disappear when I'm close to hitting pan.

Clinique has been absolutely on point with its makeup innovations of late, and these new-for-spring Cheek Pops take the cake. They are housed in sturdy clear plastic containers, making them great everyday travel companions. The texture is a little out of the ordinary. I would call it densely packed powder, since it takes a bit of work to pick up the pigment with a soft blush brush. The swatches below were made with fingers: one single hard swipe for Plum Pop and Peach Pop, two hard swipes for Ginger Pop.

L-R: Plum Pop, Peach Pop, Ginger Pop

Ginger Pop is a neutral red blush, and what I suspect would flatter the majority of skin tones. Peach Pop is a shimmering coral. In the swatch, it looks like NARS Orgasm without the sparkle. Plum Pop is the cool plummy pink blush I never knew I was missing. Again, it looks scary in the swatch, but on the cheeks (see below) it is quite demure.

Ginger Pop. Look breakdown here

Plum Pop. Look breakdown here

While they come off as almost too bright on my arm, these shades are flattering and can look very natural when applied to the cheeks. While finger application works fine in a pinch, I prefer building up the color with a blush brush. The blush lasts all day on me, though the color is slightly faded by the end of the day.

Clinique Cheek Pops retail for $21 and is available at Clinique.com, Sephora, and Nordstrom.

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration. This entry also contains affiliate links.

Paul & Joe Holiday 2012: Make Up Collection Frozen Lilac 001

I'm not going to lie. When I first heard about the theme of the Paul & Joe Holiday Make Up Collection Set, my reaction was "you've got to be joking." I don't know why I found cats and turtle doves perfectly acceptable, but unicorns?

It's a good thing as a dedicated beauty blogger I don't usually knock things until I try them. I think people - including me - underestimate how good Paul & Joe products can be because they look cute.

The Frozen Lilac 001 set includes a translucent powder and a creamy cheek powder. I didn't swatch the translucent powder because it wouldn't be visible on the skin. The rose-hued creamy cheek powder may be confusingly named because it definitely belongs under the cream category. When I first tried it, I actually said "this feels dimethicone-y" aloud – it feels smooth and dry, but goes on and blends into the skin with little effort. The blush stayed on strong for at least six hours and slowly fades to a very bare flush. In case this isn't clear: I love it.

I wore it with Tarte LipSurgence in Escape (swatched here) and SmolderEYES in Gold (application method here) under my glasses!

Paul & Joe Holiday Make Up Collection Frozen Lilac 001 retails for $65 and is available at Beautyhabit.com and Bergdorf Goodman. If you would like to call to order, you can try Caroline or Alex at 212.872.8648. Let them know I sent you!

Full disclosure: This entry contains product(s) sent by the PR or manufacturer for editorial consideration.

Butter Makes Everything Better, Of Korres

I'm sorry. I had to.

Cheesy titling aside, recently I've been enjoying the Korres Eros Coral Cheek Butter and Raspberry Lip Butter Glaze. Fortunately (or unfortunately?), neither made of real butter. 

L-R: Eros Coral Cheek Butter, Raspberry Lip Butter Glaze

I used to be a staunch powder everything girl. Certainly, my powder stash is still much larger than the rest, but I think it's about time I expanded on the cream front. There will be a separate post on this, but let's just say creams can be much more varied in feel and texture than I previously thought, and I find that discovery very exciting.

As far as the Cheek Butter goes, I'm used to much more... well-oiled textures from my cream blushes. In comparison, Eros Coral feels dry (let me clarify that while it feels dry, it's not actually dry) and oddly like powder as soon as you apply it to the cheeks. A finger dab's worth is all you need for each cheek, though you can always layer for more intensity. For best results, your first point of contact should be where you want the color to be most intense, then blend out from there. 

Eros Coral is a bright coral pink. When blended out, it produces a healthy, natural flush.

peeled lips (weakness, sorry!) make for patchy application

The Lip Butter Glaze is a follow up to their signature Lip Butters (for the uninitiated, they are potted balms that come in various shades and scents). To me, that suggests that it's more balm than gloss, but I think it works well as both. (Side musing: what category does glaze fall under? It's glossy but not gloss-like. I always found anything named "glaze" looks more watery, whereas glosses look stickier. Does anyone know what I mean?) The color of the Raspberry glaze is actually darker than what you see in my pictures. For some reason, gloss just doesn't translate well in pictures. 

This lasts for about four hours, but any food and drink in between will completely wipe it off. It also smells a bit like crème brûlée on the lips, and the fragrance doesn't wear off till much later. I wasn't affected by the scent, but I thought you'd want to know.

Korres Eros Coral Cheek Butter and Raspberry Lip Butter Glaze retail for $25 and $14 respectively, and are available at Sephora.

The products in this post was sent by the company for editorial consideration

Addiction Winter 2012: Arabian Nights Makeup

I have never been persuaded to purchase an entire look because of an ad, till now. When I saw the picture for the Addiction winter makeup campaign – and it doesn't help that I'm already an ardent fan of the brand – something in me snapped. Before long, I was sending an embarrassingly long shopping list to a dear friend in Japan, who was kind enough to get everything I wanted for me.

The Swatches

Mustard Tree Eyeshadow

Brown Toast Cheek Mix

L-R: Argan Tree and Tea Rose Cheek Sticks (blended, unblended)

Saffron Lip Crayon

The Look

Arabian Nights, Winter 2012

I mean, not that I have anything against it, but it's mustard yellow eyeshadow. I must have been feeling adventurous... or trying to dig myself out of a serious makeup rut. Either way, I have no regrets whatsoever.

The nifty thing about Addiction is they publish a complete step-by-step on how to achieve the look. I had to improvise because I didn't have a couple of products, but otherwise I stayed true to the instructions. You can take a look at the original tutorial here.

I needed flawless skin, so after concealing under eye circles and redness with my RMS concealer, I applied a thin layer of Chantecaille Future Skin around my t-zone and on my cheeks. Recently my skin gets oily very quickly, so I patted on a Paul & Joe translucent face powder to set.

I had the most fun with the cheeks, mostly because I found another contour color that works perfectly. I applied Addiction Argan Tree to the hollows below my cheekbones and blended it out with my fingers, then Tea Rose on the cheeks, blending it into the contour shade. I applied the brown shade in Brown Toast over the contour color, below the jawline, and to the sides of my nose. I lightly went over Tea Rose with the orange shade, and applied the highlighter shade down the center of my nose, above my cheekbones, and on my cupid's bow.

For eyes, I patted on Addiction Mustard Tree all over the lid, stopping just as I reached the bottom of the brows. I made sure to feather the edges so it wouldn't look harsh. With an eyeliner brush, I pushed Shu Uemura ME856 right into my lashes. I also applied ME856 to my waterline and created a slight gradient at the lower lash line with Mustard Tree. Finally, I dabbed the lilac shade of Le Métier de Beauté Penelope at the inner corners, combed on mascara, and applied Addiction Saffron to lips.

Individual reviews of the items above (hopefully) to come. I know it would have made more sense if I talked about those first, but I just really really really wanted to share this look!

Addiction makeup is exclusively available in Japan, though at a mark-up we in the States have access to it through ichibankao.com.

......................................................................................

Products Used:
Face -
Chantecaille 'Future Skin' in Camomile
RMS Beauty "Un" Cover Up #22
Paul & Joe Face Powder 001 (from the Holiday Make Up Collection 2012 001 Set)*
Addiction Cheek Sticks in Argan Tree and Tea Rose
Addiction Cheek Mix in Brown Toast

Eyes -
Addiction Eyeshadow in Mustard Tree
Shu Uemura Pressed Eyeshadow Refill in ME856
Le Métier de Beauté Penelope Kaleidoscope Eye Kit
Pop Beauty Peak Performance Mascara in Brilliant Black

Lips -
Addiction Lip Crayon in 008 Saffron

The product marked with * was provided by the company for review

Swatched: Tarte Holiday 2012 Collection Sets

Unless you've been living under a beauty rock, you must have heard of these fantastic Tarte Holiday Sets. From what I've seen and heard, they've been flying off Sephora shelves so fast it's like UD Naked all over again. Looking at them and how little they cost, I totally understand the frenzy. With most of these sets, you're essentially paying a little over the price of one item for multiple products. The best part? Aside from the blush set, they aren't even mini-sized. 

A portion of my face has been rather odd lately so I haven't been able to take photos of myself wearing makeup. For now, here are swatches of the three sets I have, in case you were hesitating on your purchase (but seriously, why are you?).

Fantastic Foursome 4-Piece Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush Enthusiast Set ($35 for $60 value)

L-R; Angelic, Fantastic, Magic, Stellar

L-R: Stellar, Magic, Fantastic, Angelic

The colors are all exclusive to this set! Angelic is an ivory highlight, Fantastic is a matte cool pink, Magic is a pink-leaning coral, and Stellar is a shimmery light bronzer. Out of the four, Fantastic was slightly chalky (since it's matte) while Stellar required some packing to show up, but I think that's a good thing in a bronzer shade. 

5-Piece LipSurgence™ Collector's Set ($34 for $120 value)

L-R: Escape, Enchanted, Exposed, Sweet, Elite

Tarte included three different formulas in this 5-piece set. Escape and Sweet are Lip Lusters (sheerer, more shimmer), Enchanted and Elite are Lip Tints (more pigmented), while Exposed is a Matte Lip Tint. It's fantastic if you've been hankering to try out a variety of Tarte lip offerings without breaking the bank. My only caveat is it's mostly comprised of warm pinks. I would have liked to see a wider color selection, maybe switch two out for a red and a nude.

Eye Catchers 6-Piece SmolderEYES™ And Skinny SmolderEYES™ Collector's Set ($39 for $144 value)

L-R: Ash Violet, Rainforest Black, Champagne, Gunmetal, Gold, Onyx

Again, the colors are exclusive to this set and not available in their regular line. I can't even begin to explain how awesome swatching these liners felt. Gliding butter! Yet they won't budge! Look at those colors! And that black! I mean, that's what I call a black! 

I guess it felt like a lot of exclamation points. I think the colors are pretty self-explanatory from the swatches and accompanying names, except Gunmetal, which is a taupey brown and not a steely gray as the name would suggest.

From swatching and some light testing, all the items in these sets hold up to the usual Tarte standard. I've been a longtime fan of their blushes, Exposed being my go-to browned rose, and am happy to rediscover their lip pencils and eye liners. I was once a staunch devotee of SmolderEYES in brown and only put it away because I went back to wearing black liners. 

These Tarte sets are available at Sephora and Tarte.com, and I say they're all worth it. Even if you only like one color out of the entire set, you can split them up and give them as Thanksgiving/Hannukah/Christmas/I-Don't-Need-A-Special-Reason gifts. After all, what girl doesn't like receiving makeup?

The products in this post were provided by the company for editorial consideration

The Epic Brush Post, Part II: Cheek Brushes

This is part two of my ongoing brush series. The first can be found here.

The misconception I mentioned in my face brush post seems to be most commonly applied to cheek brushes. Generally, the softer a brush is, the more pliable it becomes, but since blush application should be targeted, anything too pliable causes loss of control. The thing is, I'm not necessarily sacrificing softness for firmer bristles. Everything I own feels really good on the skin. 

L-R: Hakuhodo 210 Blush Brush, LMdB Cheek Brush, Shu Uemura 20H

The Hakuhodo 210 is a cheek brush with a rounded head perfect for contouring. Its bristles are firm (but not bristly!) and it does a great job of maintaining its shape, which is crucial when what you need is extremely targeted application.

I have five other blush brushes, but each plays its own role in my collection. The Le Métier de Beauté Cheek Brush and Shu Uemura 20 are work horses. They are the ones I'll bring on travels if I could only have one cheek brush. They feature the standard shape (LMdB's is wider, Shu's more tapered) and work with a large variety of textures. I would repurchase both in a heartbeat if I ever lost either.

The Shu Uemura 20H is known as a contouring brush, but I don't really use it for that purpose. To me, it lacks the firmness and density to produce a proper contour. That said, if you want an all-purpose cheek brush, this is it. I like it because something about the shape makes applying blush really, really easy.

L-R: Shu Uemura 20, Yojiya Cheek Brush, Suqqu Cheek Brush

The Yojiya Cheek Brush is one of my softest cheek brushes. I use it for particularly pigmented blushes because it blends them out most effectively.

I'd say the only "dud" I have in here is the Suqqu Cheek Brush. The brush head is too small and feels too soft to be functional as a cheek brush for me, but I couldn't part from it because like its face counterpart, it is so soft. I usually use it with finishing powder to set my makeup.

The Hakuhodo 210 Blush Brush ($36) can be found at hakuhodousa.com, Le Métier de Beauté Cheek Brush ($55) at any Neiman Marcus store, nordstrom.com or zuneta.com, Shu Uemura 20 and 20H (both $50) at shuuemura-usa.com, and Suqqu Cheek Brush at ichibankao.com (though highly marked up). Yojiya products are only available in Kyoto and select airports in Japan.

The Epic Brush Post, Part I: Face Brushes

I remarked on Twitter some time ago that I've reached Brush Nirvana. I have not pined for a new makeup brush since my last acquisition months ago, so I suppose my collection is more or less perfect (for now). Many have tweeted and emailed me asking about the brushes I use and I have stalled my replies, explaining that a brush post is in the works – well, it took about half a year, but here it is. I decided to do it in installments because of the sheer amount of brushes I own (the picture below isn't even half of it). 

I am not showing you every single brush I have. The brushes you'll see are part of my "dream team," if you will. I love every single one of them, and even though I have six just under the cheek brush category, I promise none of them are true duplicates of each other. My brushes vary in shape, bristle length, softness, material, all of which influences how they perform and the effect they produce. That said, most people really only need one. I do realize I have a lot of brushes, but what can I say? They're actually the best part of makeup for me. 

I store the main bulk of my brushes in a Shu Uemura leather brush roll. I also own a couple of asoftblackstar's rolls in sizes small and large for traveling. When at home, I place some in various cups or pen holders for ease of access.

Lastly, before we begin, I should let you know that most of my opinions come from reading beauty blogs, talking to makeup artists, and experience with my own brushes (this includes acquisition of a lot of brushes I ended up hating). I am certainly not an expert when it comes to brushes, and I might be wrong about some things, but I hope this brush guide will save you a few mistakes as you navigate the treacherous path of amassing your own perfect kit. 

On to the brushes:

Top-bottom: RMK Face Brush, Suqqu Face Brush, LMdB Face Brush, LMdB Kabuki Brush

L-R: RMK Face Powder Brush, Suqqu Face Brush, LMdB Powder Brush, LMdB Kabuki Brush

The most popular misconception I've come across about brushes is soft = good. I find that a lot of people get carried away with how good the brush feels versus how it actually performs. What you need to remember is while soft is nice, not all of your brushes should be that way. 

My favorite face brushes are from RMK, Suqqu, and Le Métier de Beauté. The Suqqu one is pure indulgence as it is unbelievably soft. According to the listing on ichibankao.com, the brush is made of 100 percent superior gray squirrel hair. It is the most expensive brush I own, at a little under $200 (this is with no tax/shipping charges and 10 percent discount). 

Is it functional? Yes, but because it's so soft and pliable you won't be able to manage anything more than a light application. I use it for a light dusting of powder or when I want to apply a thin veil of bronzer on my face. Is it worth the money? Probably not. But this brush makes me feel so happy when I use it – in fact, sometimes I rub it against my face. Just because. 

The LMdB Powder Brush is a typical round powder brush made of 100 percent natural goat hair, while RMK's version is flatter and wider and made of a blend of gray squirrel and goat hair. Both are soft but firmer (it sounds like an oxymoron, but it really isn't) compared to the Suqqu, thus allowing for heavier application of powder.

The LMdB Kabuki Brush is a versatile creature. I put it under the "face brush" category due to its size, but I actually use if more often to apply cream blushes (it does so surprisingly well, and is so much easier to clean than a synthetic brush). The LMdB kabuki contains the firmest bristles out of the four and can be used for powder and blush alike. If I need to save space when traveling, I bring just this one brush. I've been told that it is virtually indestructible, and while I never want to test that claim, I've thrown it into various makeup bags and the shape always bounces back after a wash. 

RMK Face Powder Brush ($69.99) can be found at bonboncosmetics.com (though currently it's not listed). I purchased mine from a counter when I was in Malaysia. The Suqqu Face Brush ($200+) is only available to the US through ichibankao.com at a high markup, whereas the LMdB Powder ($65) and Kabuki Brush ($85) are available at neimanmarcus.com, nordstrom.com, or any Le Métier de Beauté counter nationwide. 

Full Contouring Tutorial

One of the earlier posts I wrote on Messy Wands was a mini contouring tutorial using NARS Multiples. I called it "mini" because it wasn't complete - I only demonstrated how to shade the cheeks, while contouring can involve the entire face. With summer quickly approaching, my makeup routine is now as simple as my clothing choices. I've been wearing less and less, and the contoured look is one of my stalwarts for something quick, easy, and effective. 

As I mentioned in said mini tutorial, contouring is about manipulating light (or what we perceive as light/shadow) to make your features more pronounced. We have in our makeup arsenal highlighters or luminizers that has light reflecting properties, or powders one shade lighter than your skin tone to give a similar effect, and bronzers to deepen your skin tone to mimic shadow. When used together, it gives dimension to an otherwise flat face (in my case quite literally, which is why I like to contour my nose).  

Below is a guide to how I contour my face, with the hope that it proves helpful to you.

Bare face, with shaded brows, CdP Concealer in Ochre and LMdB Peau Vierge #2

I shade according to the lines in the photo above: 

1. The area below the cheeks
2. The temples
3. The sides along the nose into the eyebrows
4. Along the jawline

L-R: bare face, contoured face

Contoured face

Contoured + blush

As for materials, you can use any texture you like, though I am partial to powders. There are dedicated contouring products out there (like the MAC Studio Sculpt line) but it is likely that you already have everything you need in your hands. You could use blushes or bronzers that are a couple shades darker than your skin tone – my personal favorite is Burberry Earthy.

Suqqu Balancing Eyebrow in Moss Green, Burberry Sheer Summer Glow Palette

For this particular post, I used Burberry Sheer Summer Glow Palette for most of my face, and the Suqqu Balancing Eyebrow palette for the contouring down the sides of the nose (I love that the palette has a dedicated shade just for that purpose!). To enhance the contours, I place highlighter down the center of the nose and the top of the cheekbones as well.

Top-Bottom: Suqqu Powder Brush, Hakuhodo 210 Blush Brush, Suqqu Eyeshadow Brush L

Hakuhodo 210 Blush Brush

Much of a good contouring experience lies in the brushes you use. It is important to blend the color into the skin while maintaining a defined line, so while your brushes should be soft (bonus points for comfort) it should also retain a firm shape. I've tried a few, such as Shu Uemura 20H (slanted cheek), Hakuhodo S103 (pointed blush brush), and the MAC 109 (rounded blush brush), which is similar to my HG, the Hakuhodo 210 Blush Brush. All are effective and depends on what you personally prefer. I like the rounded shape for the density and firmness, and prefer the Hakuhodo over the MAC due to the softness of the bristles. I also like to use the Suqqu Eyeshadow Brush L where precision is needed (like the sides of the nose).