Lips Like Velvet: Givenchy Le Rouge in Rose Taffetas

Recently, I've been on a mission to somewhat revamp my lipstick collection; I swatched, compared and roadtested most of my stash and then gave away a significant portion to make room for some newer and better lipstick specimens. And so, via the irresistible incentive of Sephora VIB sale and an equally alluring post from Driveller Kate, came into my possession this luxe beauty: Givenchy Le Rouge in Rose Taffetas no. 201 ($36 for 3.4g/ 0.12 fl oz).

 (As a side note, does anyone else find the name just a touch pompous? It's like calling your product 'The Lipstick'. I know the French can get away with almost anything and sound glamorous, but isn't this kind of a tall order to fill...? The Lipstick? I'm not quite sure if it's more impressive or just megalomaniac.)

 Lo and behold, this lipstick is a true beauty; in fact, I do not own a single piece of make-up that is more beautifully packaged than Le Rouge. The cap is envelopped in genuine soft black leather interrupted by a silver metallic accent, engraved with the brand's name and decorated with a single stud at the base. The design under the cap is just as harmonious, and the lipstick bullet comes engraved with the Givenchy logo of quadruple G's. The attention to detail is so tremendous that I honestly had a hard time bringing myself to actually using this product.

 Givenchy Le Rouge in Rose Taffetas is described as a 'light pink coral' but could also be categorized as a warm rosy pink. All of Les Rouges 'deliver intense color and semi-matte finish all in one stroke' (as per Sephora's website), and if you're wondering about the semi-matte, it's almost like a velvety effect - it's not completely matte like the Revlon or MAC offerings, but it's definitely not a cream either; there's no visible glossiness or shine to the product. If anything, the finish is very much like the bare skin of one's lips.

 In terms of consistency and wear, Le Rouge goes on smoothly on the lips with no tugging, and covers very well in a couple swipes. It doesn't seem to plump up my lip lines but doesn't make them more apparent either. After 3-4 hours wear, it does start to feel a bit clingy and drying, though this can be alleviated by adding another layer without compromising the finish. I would say it lasts somewhere around the 5 hour mark (by which point I obviously have to eat... and it doesn't make it through the meal without needing to touch up). My lips do feel a bit dry after wearing Le Rouge for the day, however they're not completely parched like they would be after wearing a full on matte, and wearing a good matte lip balm underneath (Nuxe Reve de Miel, of course!) helps a lot as well.

Compared to my other light pink corals, Rose Taffetas (left) is similar to MAC Viva Glam Cyndi (middle) but more vibrant, opaque and obviously without shimmer. Compared to YSL Rouge Pur in Pink Grenadine (right), it's quite a bit lighter and with more pink rather than red undertones. On the lips, it also doesn't look like anything else I have in my collection and goes with a variety of different eye looks as a slightly brighter but still rather classic option.

Have you tried Givenchy Le Rouge formulation? What is your favorite matte or semi-matte lipstick?

New Skincare Additions

I'm slowly but surely going through my accumulated skincare backups and introducing some new(er) products to my routine, so I thought it'd be interesting to share my experiences with you.

As you've probably deduced from reading this blog, I absolutely love trying new skincare products, even though I think my face often does not appreciate the constant rotation - but I also think I've been finding some long-term favorites recently!

First off, a product I've been using the longest now: John Masters Organics Vitamin C Anti-Aging Face Serum ($30 for 1 fl oz), a certified organic product with Vitamin C, extracts of sea algae, nettle and rosebud to moisturize, stimulate collagen production and bring antioxidants to the skin. I'd purchased it on a recommendation from another beauty blogger who absolutely swore by the product, and I was hoping the serum would help to fade my post-acne hyperpigmentation. After a couple months of testing, I think it does help a little bit to get rid of unsightly dark marks, although the effect is by no means dramatic or particularly fast. I'm also not the biggest fan of the texture, as it remains slightly sticky on the skin after application, and it seems my moisturizer doesn't absorb quite as well on top of this serum. Overall, it's an ok product but I would not repurchase.

 At the same time I've started using the Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion, I also introduced one of their night creams to my routine: Murad Essential-C Night Moisture ($63 for 1.7 fl oz). The product features a patented technology to increase elasticity by stimulating collagen production, vitamin C to fight free radicals and shea butter to moisturize. I was getting a tiny bit bored of using my Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil and thought this would be a lighter option for warmer weather. This definitely has a thicker consistency than the Skin Perfecting Lotion, which is expected from a night cream; what I didn't expect though is that it absorbs very nicely with no oily residue. It has a refreshing, orange & thyme scent and it does make my skin feel soft and hydrated by the morning. I have a lot of night creams to power through but I might repurchase at some point in the future!

Lastly, somewhat of a cult favorite: Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel Alcohol-Free Toner ($7.99 for 12 fl oz). This toner is a blend of aloe vera juice with witch hazel extract, rose water, glycerin and some vitamin E - can't really simplify those ingredients any further! At first I just couldn't get used to the strong rose geranium scent of this toner but it definitely grew on me and I look forward to its refreshing boost now. As far as the results, it does exactly what is says on the front: it's gentle, it's moisturizing, it helps to tighten the pores slightly and for me reduces some of the redness and the number of breakouts. I actually like this product a lot and I think it's a steal for the price; I recently got talked into a different toner by an aesthetician that was 3 times the price and half the size of Thayers and I can't see any benefits from it at all. Go check Thayers witch hazel out if you're in the market for a new toner!

As a side note, if any of these products piqued your interest, they're now available at beauty.com with a 20% off discount for their Friends & Family event, and although I haven't shopped with beauty.com yet (and I'm trying to be good and not buy anything now!), I'm obsessed with their partner site drugstore.com. Just thought I'd let you know!

Have you introduced any new products to your skincare routine recently? What is your favorite toner and night-time treatment?

Zoya Nail Polish Exchange

As some of you fellow polish fanatics may know, Zoya was offering their annual Nail Polish Exchange deal in honor of Earth Day a couple weeks ago, and I just could not stop myself from getting some new lacquers (just $4 each!), especially that previously I'd only had 2 of their bottles in my collection. Well, and since they're just too pretty, I just had to share with you.

 The minimum order requirement for the Exchange was 6 bottles, so I purchased (clockwise from top): Aurora, Jem, Kimber, FeiFei, Wednesday and Julie. I think I did quite a good job picking out shades that suit my preferences but I have to say that I expected Wednesday to be a bit bluer and in fact it's a pure medium mint green. Below is a look at my entire Zoya collection with added Pandora and Jules in the bottom left corner.

Now, for the polishes that I exchanged the Zoyas for... it's a motley bunch, with mostly drugstore. Instead of shipping the rejects back to Zoya, I decided to save on postal fees and just give my old polishes away to friends. I got rid of 3 Sinful Colors polishes in Hot & Sour, Aqua and Cinderella, a discontinued OPI in Panda-monium Pink!, an Essie in Demure Vixen, one Essence polish, one polish from Joko (a Polish brand) and one Petites polish in Passion Orange. I haven't worn any of these polishes in a very long time and decided that overall, I wasn't a fan of how they looked against my skintone.

As a little extra, here's how Zoya Julie looks on my nails - very soft and feminine, no? My weeding out of old unloved polishes has been rewarded not only with a lovely bunch of new shades but also an incentive at work by which I'm able to score some free OPIs of my choice, so watch out for some more nail polish related posts. Out with the old, in with the new!

Have you bought any new polishes lately? What are you wearing on your nails right now?

Blue and Purple Fyrinnae Looks

I've promised some make-up looks featuring the new Fyrinnae eyeshadows I've had for a month or so now, and since I'm not overly talkative today, I thought it'd be a good moment to post. The eyeshadow looks themselves aren't terribly new and innovative but I've had some fun trying them out and all in all, I can say that I'd used a lot more color for the past month than in the past; so a win overall. Unfortunately, the photos don't do the shades justice - they all turned out majorly overexposed... I think I must underestimating the amounts of daylight we get in now after the winter gloom.

Green and purple: Herbivore all over the lid, blended out with a matte taupe Inglot (I know - cheating!) and a pop of mint in the inner corner thanks to Arcane Magic in Electric Stardust. You can't exactly see that but this combo is fanastic, Electric Stardust picks up on the green duochrome in Herbivore and it's insanely harmonious, colorful but still quite subdued. Lips are NYX Mega Shine gloss in Dolly Pink.

Violet: When I Grow Up all over the lid and along the lower lashline, blended out with Snow Leopard, Moon Child to highlight the inner corners. A very simple look but with enough impact thanks to that vibrant violet shade, possibly in my top 5 favorite purples of all time. By the way, that should be a fun post, no? Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick in Warm Me Up patted lightly into the lips.

Gradient Liner: Feisty Fennec Fox all over the lid as a neutral shade to offset the colorful liner: London Mod in the outer corner, When I Grow Up in the middle and Crimson Ghost in the inner corner. I believe I also used some Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Binge as a base for the shadows. A new Givenchy patted lightly on the lips, details soon to be revealed.

And there you have it, some slightly less neutral looks from me; I think I would like to do a couple pink & purple looks and some blues & greens still, so I might share these at some point. Have you been experimenting with color lately? Any favorite shades?

Murad Monday: Skin Perfecting Lotion

Recently, I received a good selection of Murad skincare as a little bonus from work and have been very excitedly trying out my new goodies. Since Murad is such a varied and popular line that somehow isn't very talked about in the blogosphere, I've decided to bring you some reviews here and there in form of a 'Murad Monday', and today we'll start with my new morning mate, Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion ($35 for 1.7 fl oz).

'Pores are minimized as texture is refined by this ultra-light, oil-free moisturizing formula. Queen of Meadow and Algae Extract penetrate to clear pores and reduce sensitivity. Retinol encourages healthy cell turn-over while Arnica soothes irritation' (from Murad's website).

First off, props to Murad for encouraging acne-prone and oily skins to use a moisturizer; I know how badly dehydrated my skin gets with all those acne treatments! The Skin Perfecting Lotion is essentialy a lightweight hydrator with a hefty dose of retinol to help exfoliate the skin, and interestingly enough it's part of two lines within the Murad product range: the Acne line (blue) as well as Age Reform (purple, formerly grey) - it's exactly the same product under the same name, just different packaging and target group. Pretty smart, right?

The consistency of the Skin Perfecting Lotion is that of a quite thin, almost gel-like lotion (duh!) with a very, very subtle fresh scent; most of the time I can't smell it at all. For my face and neck, I squeeze out a dollop about the size of a hazelnut, spread it onto my fingertips a bit and then quickly pat it on the face. It completely sinks in within a minute but still gives a bit of a glow to my skin; the finish is definitely not matte. The product feels very cooling and refreshing on my face and actually helps to calm down the redness I get after washing my face. After applying the lotion, my mug feels hydrated, supple and very comfortable - no tightness or tingling there!

But the main reason this is such a firm favorite not just for me, but also for hundreds of people who have rated it on Makeup Alley, Sephora and Murad's own website is that this light refreshing lotion REALLY hydrates, without any of the greasiness or clogged pores some moisturizes leave behind. My face can get very irritated and flaky due to acne topicals I've been prescribed and this really helps to balance it out in the morning. I definitely enjoy using my tube of the Skin Perfecting Lotion and will probably repurchase once I run out.

Have you tried Murad's Skin Perfecting Lotion? What is your favorite lightweight oil-free moisturizer?

(Com)Pressing Fyrinnae Eyeshadows

Yet again, I've succumbed to the lure of Fyrinnae loose eyeshadow minis (remember that one order I already had planned back in March?); I looove the ultimate appeal of their sparkliciousness. I hate however how inefficient these little pots can be - so while I was a rather absent blogger for the first two weeks of April, I was a very dilligent (com)presser.

Pressing loose eyeshadows really is a rather satisfying experience. Look at all the space saved! All these empty pots consolidated into one perfectly slim palette! Oh, and the simplicity of just dipping your brush into the tiny pan, no spillage, no fall out! I will admit that I have become quite an ardent enthusiast of squeezing sparkly goo into tiny metal receptacles and I'm certainly enjoying the fruits of my (messy) labor.

In terms of the process itself, I largely followed Kate's instructions on pressing her Fyrinnae minis, with some minor adjustments. First off, I purchased my supplies at TKB Trading, including the 15mm tin pans (which, although prone to rusting if exposed to water, have the advantage of magnetizing to my Z palette, as opposed to the aluminium pans), as well as their little pressing kit, pressing ribbon and their own mixing medium, which I used instead of glycerin suggested by Kate. In terms of the process itself, I found that in order to get the just right consistency of the mixture, I had to add the mixing medium immediately followed by isopropyl alcohol; it simply refused to ball together otherwise. Lastly, I was not able to press right after filling up the tin pans because there was too much of the mixture oozing out the sides - so I waited a couple hours for the alcohol to evaporate before using the ribbon and my little stamp to press the eyeshadows down.

Here's a look at all of my pressed old & new Fyrinnae minis together in a Z Palette - oh, and an extra Barry M Dazzle Dust in Mushroom I couldn't stop myself from pressing too. Some of you are probably thinking a) at least half of these shades look exactly the same b) why even go to all this trouble? To that, I can only answer that I am slightly addicted to neutrals in general, taupes in particular, and that I really enjoy my Fyrinnae shadows. I find their shade selection interesting, the complexity of the shadows unique, and the price point more than tempting. So there. Oh, and their lab is within an hour drive from where I live - buy local!

 All of the shadows together, left to right, top to bottom: Electric Stardust Arcane Magic, Newcastle, Snow Leopard, Herbivore, London Mod, Nijiro, Witchy Woodland Creatures, Feisty Fennec Fox, Barry M Dazzle Dust in Mushroom, When I Grow Up, (shades I owned previously:) Moon Child, Kurisumasu!, Envy Me, Steampunk Arcane Magic, Madame & Eve's Arcane Magic, (new) Enchanting Otters, Crimson Ghost, Sacred, Damn Paladins (renamed Work Safe Blue), Evocation, Purgatory, (new) Dapper Mr Shark.

Swatches of the newly acquired shades after pressing, neutrals first, on bare arm (no primer): Nijiro, Witchy Woodland Creatures, Newcastle, Feisty Fennec Fox, Snow Leopard.

And the brights: Electric Stardust Arcane Magic, Herbivore, When I Grow Up, London Mod, Dapper Mr Shark, Enchanting Otters (look at the multicolor sparkle! look look!)

So far, my new favorites are definitely Witchy Woodland Creatures, Electric Stardust AM, When I Grow Up, Dapper Mr Shark and Enchanting Otters. I haven't experimented with all of these shades yet but I do have a couple looks already that I'm intending to post some time soon, so keep your peepers peeled. Also, I haven't noticed my pressed shadows performing any differently to their loose forms and the biggest upside to the whole endevour is that I now reach for my Fyrinnae pretties almost every day.

Have you ever tried pressing loose pigments or eyeshadows? What shadows have you (re)discovered recently?

Springtime Bathtime!

I'm a bath person, through and through. Every night, I look forward to my relaxing soak, lights slightly dimmed, sounds from the rest of the apartment muffled, just my underwater floating pale limbs and... bubbles. Preferrably, lots and lots of fluffy bubbles, smelling like cleanliness, peace of mind and a good night's sleep. Because that's what baths are for, are they not?

Last months, after going through the last dregs of my bubble collection, I picked up a couple treats from Lush and I thought I'd share my thoughts. First off, Dorothy Bubble Bar ($6.25 for 3.5 oz): 'Our Dorothy bubble bar will take you far from the rain and grey clouds to somewhere over the rainbow where blue birds fly (...) The exotic floral scent of ylang ylang, sweet figs and uplifting orange oil will take you down the yellow brick road and far away' (from Lush website). Dorothy is an item I'd been meaning to try for a really long time and I'm really glad I finally decided to give it a whirl. Being partial to both ylang ylang and singing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' in the tub, this is just perfect for me: sensual, warm floral with the feminine sweetness of ripe figs, similar to their Figs and Leaves bar soap. Now, I'm pretty stingy with my bubble bars, so this size comfortably lasts me four baths, somewhat justifying the price tag.

 For some fun in the tub and to try one of the reusable bubble bars, I've also chosen Carrot ($7.95 for 4.2 oz), which was released with their Easter collection. 'This bubbly carrot may not improve your eyesight, but it will fill your bath with piles of frothy lemon and buchu scented foam.' For ignorants like myself, buchu is an African fragrant shrub with an herbal aroma. Carrot smells mostly of sweet Sicillian lemon with some clean musk, simple yet refreshing. It also produces lots of bubbles when held under the running tap water, although the process is a bit more time-consuming than using their regular bubble bars.

Rose Jam Bubbleroon ($6.25 for 3.5 oz) is my current absolute favorite; 'Rose Jam is based on a decadent traditional Turkish recipe for rose jam that our Turkish rose absolute supplier shares with us every year, and is made with our sophisticated new rose perfume.'. Growing up in Poland, I have very fond memories of rose jam, which our delicious donuts (pączki) are traditionally filled with. This rose bubbleroon certainly evokes the feeling of sweet decadence with its powerful but slightly green aroma; while there's very little of the geranium aspect to this rose (which I prefer), it's not musky old-lady either. The coconut-oil center does make this bubble bar more moisturizing than others I've tried, although the bubbles seem to disappear slightly faster.

Lastly, a robin egg bath treat from my Spring 2013 Fortune Cookie Soap Soap Box: The Birds and The Bees bath fizzy ($4.50 for a set of 2). I don't have it anymore to give you a run down of the scent but it had a very pleasant fruity kick to it, with maybe a bit of luscious late-blooming floral. The formula boasts honey powder and sweet almond oil to moisturize the skin, and I did notice a bit of oil residue floating on top of the water.

I also wanted to share how I now store my bath treats: I purchased these two clear plastic food containers from The Container Store and they're just perfect for preserving the scent of the bubble bars for longer. They're easily stackable inside my bathroom drawer, easy to wipe down and most importantly, now I can see what I have in stock instantly.

What's in your bath tub or shower this spring?