Guerlain x Pucci Terra Azzura Terracotta Lip Gloss

I’ve secretly wanted to buy blue lip gloss for ages. It brightens the teeth! It cools down warm lipsticks! It makes you look like a smurf! One of the above statements is false, by the way, and especially in the case of Guerlain’s Terra Azzura Terracotta Lip Gloss in Porto Azzurro (no 12), from the Summer 2012 Pucci collaboration.

Guerlain x Pucci Terra Azzura Terracotta Lip Gloss in Porto Azzurro

While this gloss isn’t the star of the collection, I couldn’t resist buying it – on display in its curvy tube, it looked like an aquatic dream. As with the other products in this collection, it’s tortoiseshell box opens up to reveal Emilio Pucci’s bright ‘Winter Capri’ print, a startling contrast that promises for the products Riviera vibe. Inside is a contoured tube of plastic housing the gloss, with an elaborately engraved  cap. The Terracotta glosses are part of Guerlain’s traditional summer range and the Summer 2012 version’s cap has received a makeover in a deep, smokey bronze. While the tube is lightweight and plastic, the attention to detail make it feel baroque and luxurious with Guerlain’s signature engraved above spiralling scrolls. The cap twists off to reveal a soft, doe footed applicator which makes for easy application.

Guerlain x Pucci Terra Azzura Terracotta Lip Gloss in Porto Azzurro

Guerlain x Pucci Terra Azzura Terracotta Lip Gloss in Porto Azzurro

The color, however, is the attention getter for this gloss, and in my opinion the most beautiful of the collection. Named after an iconic Pucci scarf, it is a deep blue that looks alternately ultramarine or violet, with a jelly-like consistency in the tube that gives it a playful feel. On swatching the gloss on my arm, it is visibly blue, and though Guerlain described this as transparent on the lips, I find there is a slight blue tint when applied to the mouth alone. What is strange, however, is that the effect is really attractive – it doesn’t look corpse-like or transform me into a smurf. It simply gives the slightest blue tint to my mouth. Applied over lipstick, it cools down warm shades and does, in fact, make the teeth appear slightly brighter. The shade is original in that it would easily cool down a summer look, when so many of us assault our faces with golds, bronzes, and corals – it provides a nice balance to an otherwise warm summer look.

Guerlain x Pucci Terra Azzura Terracotta Lip Gloss in Porto Azzurro Swatched in Direct Sunlight

The formula is lovely – the gloss is thick but not sticky in the least. It makes my lips feel hydrated and smooth, and doesn’t bleed or feather from the lip line. Described as a “moisturizing gloss”, I believe that Guerlain intended this to be used along with their other summer products, and therefore counteract the effects summer sun can have on delicate lips. The effect is very shiny yet still understated – lips look more kissable than they do slick, like with a MAC lipglass. There is no shimmer in this formula (the bane of my existence) so no gritty feeling, though the gloss doesn’t last as long as I’d like for the price point. My major drawback with this gloss is the amount of product – the tube contains .17oz, comparable to most glosses, but because of the length of the tube, it feels somehow empty (this could also be my impression because of the lightweight packaging). Additionally, due to the lack of longevity of this product, I am certain I will see myself finishing it by summer’s end – a sore disappointment for such a lovely gloss.

Guerlain x Pucci Terra Azzura Terracotta Lip Gloss in Porto Azzurro… Summer Essentials !

Despite my misgivings about the Terra Azzura Terracotta Lip Gloss, I am overall pleased with my purchase – as an eyeshadow and skin care fanatic, it’s nice to stray with a playful gloss once in a while, particularly one so original – I can’t think of many major, traditional, luxury brands that have gone so adventurously out of the box with a summer lip color, and can only thank Peter Dundas of Pucci for his whimsical influence in this lovely collection.

The Guerlain x Pucci Terra Azzura Terracotta Lip Gloss is available on most department store counters (and at Sephora), for approximately $32USD.

My Multitasking Homegrown Hero – Smith’s Rosebud Salve

Have you ever tried this tiny miracle in a tin? If not, you’re missing out. I first discovered rosebud salve from the immaculately groomed-yet-natural looking preppy princesses who I grew up with. These girls obviously put a lot of effort into their looks all whilst looking completely effortless, and always toted around a tin of rosebud salve in their Longchamp schoolbags. Now, I’m clearly more off-kilter glamourpuss than East Coast Wasp , but I do love products that keep me looking effortlessly fresh and pretty.

Smith’s Rosebud Salve

Smith’s Rosebud Salve is one of those cult products that is found in the makeup bags of not only beauty editors, but regular girls across America. I used to get tins of it sent to me in Paris when it was unavailable to buy there, such is my fidelity to this simple and wonderful balm.

Smith’s Rosebud Salve

But what is it? A 100 year old family recipe, housed in this charmingly retro tin, is a balm that looks lovely on lips, but also nourishes cuticles, relieves chapped skin and minor burns, and even diaper burn. I’ve seen this used slicked on eyebrows to keep them shiny and in place, to add a bit of glossy glow to cheeks and eyes for photo shoots, and to tame stray hairs in a strict chignon. This is legitimately a $6 tin of MIRACLE.  It now comes in a variety of flavors (including mocha rose and menthol), but the original, with a faint fragrance of rose and no flavor, is a classic for a reason.

Smith’s Rosebud Salve

The reason I love the rosebud salve desperately  is that it feels wonderful on lips. Light and slick, it leaves lips looking shiny (without a sticky gloss effect) in the most natural way possible, with only the slightest hint of healthy pink. It looks fantastic when used to soften lip color but I often skip even that step and use the rosebud salve to balance out a smokey eye, as well as pairing it with a natural makeup look. It’s tiny size means it is eminently portable, and though dipping into a tin with a finger isn’t the most hygienic, it is now available in germaphobic (and hands free) tubes as well.

I rarely tell readers that they absolutely need a product in their kit, but I’m doing so now – SNAP THIS UP!

Rosebud salve is available widely, though prices range from $6 to $8 in the US.  Buy it for the lesser price at sephora.com

In France, rosebud salve is available at American Apparel for about 9 euros, and at Urban Outfitters in the UK.

Cheap Thrill Sunday

In any good makeup arsenal, you’ll find the high blended with the low. I may have more NARS eyeshadows than I can count, but I’m never against a cheap purchase – sometimes really exceptional products can be found for under $5, and failing that, it’s an easy way to experiment with color and texture.

I picked up a few products from NYX Cosmetics recently, an American brand with a vast range of reasonably priced products.

NYX's Xtreme Lip Cream (Absolute Red, left), and Soft Matte Lip Cream (Sao Paolo, right)

NYX's Xtreme Lip Cream (Absolute Red, left), and Soft Matte Lip Cream (Sao Paolo, right)

I’ve been dying to try the Soft Matte Lip Creams and though I couldn’t find the color I wanted, I did pick one up in Sao Paolo, a bright (but still wearable) warm pink. The texture of this product is really lovely – very much like a rose petal. It applies like a gloss but dries down to a feather light, silky matte lip color that stays and stays. The texture is not 100 percent matte, as it does give a slight lustre to the pout, but isn’t shiny like a gloss either – rather, it looks very much like a cross between a stain and a lipstick. The odour, however, is sickeningly sweet, like artificial buttercream, which makes initial application torturous. That scent fades however, leaving only bright, lasting color with a gorgeous finish. Available in 11 shades,  mostly neutrals, this product retails for a steal at $6USD.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Sao Paolo

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Sao Paolo

I also grabbed a tube of the Xtreme Lip Cream  , a recently launched product that is said to be a hybrid between a gloss, a lipstick, and a stain. This product goes on very thick – almost like honey – and doesn’t have amazing longevity considering the texture. It is, however, a fun way to experiment with color and does provide quite the bold look – though it is slightly difficult to apply precisely with its somewhat large, doe foot applicator. I picked this up in Absolute Red, a bright scarlet that leans slightly cool, pulling only the tiniest bit fuchsia. The odour problem here is the same as with the Soft Matte Lip Cream, but not as strong – it smells almost like a mix of vanilla and plastic, but fades quickly enough. These can also be found for $6, but aren’t as unique as the Soft Matte Lip Creams.

    

NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in Absolute Red

 

Lastly, I picked up two small shakers of the NYX‘s Loose Pearl Eyeshadow, a loose pigment with a fine, sparkly texture best suited to eyeshadow or highlighting purposes. These products are a reasonable dupe for MAC pigments, and can be mixed with water to use as liner, brushed on the eyelids, blended into glosses or patted on top of cheekbones. At $3 USD each, these are an absolute steal, and a good product to own due to versatility and quality. As shown in the photos, these come in tiny jars and can be a wee bit messy to apply (there is no sifter, only an open top to the jar), but dipping a small, wetted brush directly inside of the jar can avoid messy mishaps. I poured a bit of each pigment out to show the beautiful, sparkling textures of these – they really shine, and don’t apply with any gritiness. I can’t recommend these enough as a true ‘steal’ purchase !

NYX Loose Pearl Eyeshadow in Mink (left) and Baby Pink (right)

NYX Loose Pearl Eyeshadow in Mink (left) and Baby Pink (right)

 

 

NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss

There are two kinds of girls in this world: Lipgloss girls, and Eyeshadow girls, or at least, that has generally been my world view for the past 10 years (Sarkozy vs. Hollande? Pah!). I count myself firmly in the latter category, having amassed an enormous collection of eyeshadows I will never wear justified only by the words, “Oooooh… pretty!”, but when NARS releases a new lip product, I’m always the first in line to try.

NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in Piree

With that in mind, for the Spring 2012 collection, NARS released a line of glosses to their Larger Than Life range, now encompassing the aforementioned gloss, as well as eye-liner and mascara. From the NARS website:

“Outrageously lustrous color meets high-impact shine. Dramatic, stay-in-place shades glide on smoothly and evenly for lips that are more luminous and voluminous than ever before.

• High-shine, high-impact finish gives a dramatic effect
• Long-lasting, stay-in-place wear
• Infused with ingredients to nourish and fight free radicals while natural lip enhancers pump up volume
• Shorter-bristle brush delivers the most precise application possible”

NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in Piree

The packaging is quite a bit different from the traditional NARS glosses, which come in long, rectangular tubes. This one, with its thick shiny plastic and rounded edges, seems almost more voluptuous, as though the traditional gloss had been injected with as much restylane as a real housewife of Beverley Hills. The applicator is certainly unique – a miniscule, stiff brush that does indeed allow for more precise application, but requires at least two pumps to coat the entire mouth.

Being wary of bright glossy color, I chose this in the shade “Piree“, a rosy and natural, warm pink similar in shade to their cultissime “Chihuahua” from the regular gloss range. The shade itself is lovely, albeit a bit warm for my skin – I think this would look like a “my lips but better” shade on all but the palest and darkest of complexions (I think it would look especially delightful on medium-toned Asian complexions). I took a photo of the gloss next to my nails, painted with OPI’s Kreme de la Kremlin, to show the similarities. This a creamy gloss with no shimmer, which is refreshing, as it permits the wear of gloss without looking like a teeny bopper.

NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in Piree vs. OPI's Kreme de la Kremlin

NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in Piree, Swatched

NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in Piree, Indoor Light / Flash

 

The formula itself is ok – though I should preface this by saying that I am really not a fan of the feeling of lip gloss on my lips. It doesn’t feel as smooth or emolient as the traditional NARS glosses, instead it feels thick and even a bit tacky (though less than a MAC Lipglass). It did feel, however, substantial on my lips, which is an odd term to use for cosmetics, but I felt like I was placing something of substance – that is to say, texture and color – as opposed to just a coat of “ooooh shiny!”. The color lasts for 3 – 4 hours on my lips, though the shine of the gloss wears off well before then, about 2 hours into wear. My lips never felt dry during wear, and the color never bled or feathered, owing perhaps due to the formula as well as the small precision application brush. The formula contains a host of good things – rice lipids to aid in long wear, Jojoba oil and vitamin E for short-term moisture and long-term protection, and a few products to fight free radicals and take care of the lips. I haven’t noticed any effects from any of these ingredients yet but due to my gloss aversion, admit I haven’t been wearing this regularly either. I will say however that the heaviness of the gloss means that most of my lips’ imperfections are masked (in a good way), leaving me with a plump, shiny mouth.

In short, this is a lip gloss that I’m actually willing to wear… which is saying quite a bit. These are wonderful for those that enjoy the sheen of a lip gloss, but want a sophisticated and womanly version to wear.

Currently available only at Sephora counters and NARS, for $26 USD.

Serge Lutens Sneak Peek !

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to take an exclusive look at the Serge Lutens boutique in Paris’ Palais Royal gardens. While I’m working on my review of the experience, I thought I’d share with you a sneak peek of the colors of their Fard à Levres from their ultra luxurious Beauty Essentials range:

From left: Mise à Mort, Roman Rouge, Pourpre Maure, Or Frêle, Rose des Glaces, Mauve de Swann, Votre Sienne, Compliment Beige, Couvre Feu, Garde Rose

From left: Mise à Mort, Roman Rouge, Pourpre Maure, Or Frêle, Rose des Glaces, Mauve de Swann, Votre Sienne, Compliment Beige, Couvre Feu, Garde Rose

From left: Mise à Mort, Roman Rouge, Pourpre Maure, Or Frêle, Rose des Glaces, Mauve de Swann, Votre Sienne, Compliment Beige, Couvre Feu, Garde Rose

Descriptions of the shades (all are opaque unless stated otherwise):

Mise à Mort (No. 1) is a true, matte, long wearing red, close to the color of blood. Mr. Lutens was said to have been inspired by the muleta used by Spanish bullfighters.

Roman Rouge (No. 2) is a slightly browned wine red in the pan, with distinct blue undertones, that pulls somewhat berry when on skin.

Pourpre Maure (No. 3) is a purpled wine color, not quite vamp dark but not quite bordeaux either.

Or Frêle (No. 4) is a very sheer gold with microscopic shimmer. This appears more glossy than lipstick – I would use it to layer over the other, more opaque shades.

Rose des Glaces (No. 5) is the sheer pink answer to Or Frêle – this reminds me a great deal of NARS‘ discontinued color, Sabrina.

Mauve de Swann (No. 6) is an elegant, feminine mauve with distinctly cool undertones. Application is somewhat sheer.

Votre Sienne (No. 7), inspired by the red of the Tuscan city of Sienna, is a brick, orange – red.

Compliment Beige (No. 8 ) is a slightly sheer, neutral nude ‘flesh tone’. Application is not as smooth as the other shades, but this can be layered for more opaque color.

Couvre Feu (No. 9) is a cool toned deep wine, that is somewhat similar to Roman Rouge, but deeper.

Garde Rose (No. 10) is a bold, hot pink ( neither cool, nor warm), reminiscent of Elsa Schiaparelli’s signature color.

These were wonderfully hydrating and long wearing – I tested Mise à Mort on Monday and got a solid 7 hours of wear (including through dinner) before any significant fading. My lips felt hydrated and almost as though I had nothing on – despite the nearly matte texture, these weren’t drying in the least.

The Fard à Levres (which is rechargeable) retails for 75USD and is available for purchase in the US at Barney’s New York.

I’ll be posting more about the Beauty Essentials line from Serge Lutens later this week, as well as the rest of the story of my visit to the boutique. Please stay tuned !

P.S. I also received several fragrance samples, and couldn’t help taking a photo of this adorable mini bottle of Féminité du Bois !

Féminité du Bois from Serge Lutens

Dior Spring 2012 Garden Party Makeup Collection

As you may have realized by now from reading my blog, I’m a sucker for pretty packaging. I am capable of buying makeup palettes and products in shades and formulas that wouldn’t suit me in a million years if it’s housed in an attractive package.

You may also know that I’m not terribly fond of Dior cosmetics, and I feel their recent collections have been… well.. less than exciting (Holiday 2011, anyone?).

So it was with surprise and a great deal of excitement that I spied the photos for Dior‘s Spring 2012 Garden Party collection on one of my favorite beauty blogs.

Dior Garden Clutch

Granville Garden (mint/peach)

Milly Garden (silvers/pinks)

Dior 5 Couleurs Palette Garden Edition

Dior 5 Couleurs Palette Garden Edition

Dior Vernis Garden Party, apparently with a rose scent

Dior Rosy Glow, which changes color depending on body heat to create an individual flush

Dior Ultra Addict Gloss in 3 new shades

 

The shades are beautiful and the packaging is delectable – captures the essence of spring prettiness, that moment when all you want is a pair of espadrilles and a pastel sundress, perfectly.

While some of the shades in particular look like many of the other spring collections (the nail polish looks like Lancôme’s Spring 2012 nail polish, as well as the green toned 5 color eyeshadow palette). The embossing, also, seems to be a spring trend – showing up in blushes everywhere from Lancôme to Laura Mercier to Anna Sui. However, the heat activated blush and the rose scented nail polish are interesting formula ideas, something Dior has been lacking in for years – I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve been excited about Dior makeup since Dior Show hit the market. I’m especially excited about the Garden Clutch – hello, tulip click closure !

I would, however, liked to have seen a lipstick range from this collection. Lipstick is making a HUGE comeback, and I loved the  poppy lips shown on the runway at the S/S 2012 show:

Photo Courtesy Harper's Bazaar

What do you think? Are you excited about this collection?

Source: www.musingsofamuse.com/2011/10/dior-garden-party-makeup-collection-for-spring-2012.html

Duty Free Exclusives – Chanel’s Palette in ‘Voyage’ !

I’ve actually used (and mentioned) this palette in another post, but I’d like to share with you what is more than likely the most useful makeup palette I own.

Every time I travel internationally, I look forward to checking out the duty-free store. Many of the luxury cosmetics brands have differing duty-free products exclusive to regions (ie: Sonia Rykiel has a makeup line in Asia – I die).

While I’ve usually just blown all my money on airfare, I usually take advantage of my overdraft to pick up a few goodies, whether I’m looking for cut-rate prices or Duty Free exclusives. Fortunately, the boy travels for work often in Asia and the Middle East, so lately I’ve sent him with long shopping lists for his mother and I ! One of my favorite of these acquisitions is the Chanel Palette in ‘Voyage’, a duty-free exclusive. This lovely little thing  is available globally, exclusively in airport Duty Free stores, and retails for about 60 USD depending on the exchange rate (mine was bought in Shanghai International Airport for about 400 Chinese Yuan, in June).

Unfortunately I tossed the box, but inside you’ll find the palette housed in a luxurious black velvet pouch, along with 3 applicators (sponge tip eyeshadow, lip brush, and blush brush) and a mini, .3ml version of Chanel’s Exceptionnel mascara. You can go ahead and throw out the sponge tip applicator – it’s not particularly useful or even well made, but I do like the mini lipbrush for the lip colors. The product will look something like this :

The palette itself is large and long, about twice the size of a traditional Chanel Quad Eyeshadow, and has a very good amount of product for the price ( ie: one Chanel blush alone will set you back at least 40 USD), considering that the quality is as good as the products bought individually.

Inside, you’ll find four eyeshadows, two lip creams, two lip glosses, and a blush. The colors in this palette are really soft and pretty. I could see this being the perfect bridal palette, though for me, it’s my everyday workhorse.

Palette with No Flash

The eyeshadows come in a sparkling white, a shimmering and sweet peachy carnation shade, a soft chocolate-brown, and a sheer gold with sparkles. All of the colors have shimmer, and all are very pigmented save the gold, which I find works best as a sparkly ‘top coat’ for the other shades. I sort of wished there was a color between the 3 very light ones and the darker chocolate-brown one to apply to the entire lid, but I really can’t complain, as all four shades are versatile and great quality.

Four Eyeshadows + Blush, Swatched in Natural Light

shimmmerrrry ! the eyeshadows + blush, swatched with FLASH / artificial light

The lip creams come in a sheer berry, and soft coral. These manage to be sheer and pigmented at the same time, and the color is very buildable. They are hydrating on the lips, leaving a moist, hydrated look.

The lip glosses I’m less fond of – there is a blue based true pink gloss with microfine glitter, and a warm coral shade with gold glitter. While the pink gloss goes on so sheer that you don’t get any color payoff, the coral shade’s glitter makes me look like a disco ball. I do like the pink shade to wear underneath the lip creams, making them more sheer, but tend to avoid the coral color for everyday use – I suppose it’s the one element that truly makes this a day into night palette.

L - R; raspberry lip cream, pink gloss, coral glitter gloss, coral lip cream (natural light)

L - R; raspberry lip cream, pink gloss, coral glitter gloss, coral lip cream (Flash)

The blush – the BLUSH ! I love this stuff. It looks so shimmery and raspberry pink in the palette, but goes on beautifully and subtly. I like this a great deal more than Nars’ Orgasm, for example, as I think it gives me a far more natural flush. The swatch is picture above with the eyeshadow, and I wear this blush in many of my photos (including the GiGi look).

The Mascara – great little gadget. I LOVE travel mascaras because, with the liquid limits, I’m always afraid they’ll throw out my giant DiorShow tubes. This one doesn’t give much in terms of volume or blackness, compared to say, DiorShow Blackout, but does separate and lengthen lashes. Two coats give me a pretty, natural look, and more for more drama. It’s also a great lower lash mascara, because the brush really DOES separate. NO clumps with this !

 

Verdict ? For 60 USD, you can’t really go wrong. With the exception of one lip gloss, I use all of the shades in this palette almost daily. It’s a wonderful deal for Chanel makeup which can be so expensive, when you consider how much product you’re  getting. Besides,

I don’t actually like this as much as I have the previous palettes (My 2009 ‘Fly High’, pictured below, was a personal favorite – and was stolen from my bag at work !), but I do absolutely recommend it.

I'm still mourning the loss of this baby. That blush was my HG !

 

I liked that it came with a mascara, which my previous Chanel palettes haven’t, and the blush alone makes it worth the price for me. The shades aren’t marked on the back of the box, or palette, so I’m unsure if you can buy these individually. The shades are universally flattering – nothing is too cool or too warm, and the neutral, feminine tones would make for a soft, romantic look on any woman !

The only dupe that comes to mind directly is for the chocolate-colored eyeshadow, which reminds me very much of the darker shade in Nars‘ Kalahari eyeshadow duo. The blush looks a little bit like Nars‘ Sin in the palette, but on the skin goes on far more sheer and far less sparkly.

If you’re not travelling internationally in the near future, you can usually find these online. Cosme-de and  StrawberryNet sometimes get their hands on these and sell them, as well as on eBay, but beware of counterfeits !

You’ll find me referencing this one often in my makeup looks !

XX La Coquette

Tip : to check out Duty Free exclusives, visit Beauty Free, a blog that chronicles the makeup found in Duty Free stores around the world.

http://beauty-free.co.uk/