Fake Tanning for the Bahamas with Cocoa Brown

Wait, what?! Tanning, Bahamas - what is all this nonsense about, and in the middle of December to boot, I hear you ask? Well, I kind of hinted here and there that we were going on a short tropical getaway over the Thanksgiving weekend, and it was Bahamas, baby - the Island of New Providence more specifically. But before I could transform myself into a true Bahama Mama (yes, my husband did call me that several times and yes, I did have a few of those cocktails while we were there), I needed some help in the tanning department, and Cocoa Brown kindly sent two of their products to the rescue.

You may remember from this ranty post that I am generally over self-tanning and mostly embrace my pale self. But there are just a few occasions when a warm glow, not even a tan per se, comes in handy - one of them being a beach vacay. What really convinced me to give Cocoa Brown a try was that the company hails from Ireland, the land of fair freckly beauties, and they have very light fake tan options for the palest of pale like me. My husband thought it was hilarious that I got some Irish self tanners to test out :) Cocoa Brown has also just launched on the US market, and their products are now available in Ricky's NYC and Miami beauty stores - if you live in New York, you know there's a Ricky in virtually every neighborhood. (Update: you can now also shop for Cocoa Brown products at Ricky's online store here.) If you're not in the US or Ireland, you can also shop for Cocoa Brown products online at FeelUnique.com, which offers free worldwide delivery with a minium $15 order.

I decided to go for the big guns first and try the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan Mousse* (can't find the official MSRP in the US, but it's $11.27 for 150ml on FeelUnique), which I applied with their Tanning Mitt* ($4.82 each). I'd never tried a self-tanning mousse before, so the experience was both terrifying and fun. The 1 Hour Tan Mousse comes out as an incredibly fluffy khaki-toned blob when you press down the nozzle, which I then tried to vigorously but evenly blend into my skin. It spreads easily but dries down rather quickly, so I'd recommend working in smaller sections. At this point, I panicked just a little bit, because it gives an instant olive tan to the skin and I was starting not to look myself, but it's just a guide color to help you apply evenly and not miss any spots. The guide sets on the skin and doesn't transfer or rub off, so no worries about getting the fake tan on your clothes or your bedsheets.

Since my skin is fair and I chickened out, I only kept the tan on my skin for an hour (you can also wait 2 hours for a medium tan or 3 for a dark tan - or opt for the Dark Mousse), which is when I rinsed it off under the shower. All of the dark olive guide color came right off with just running water, and when I stepped out and carefully toweled myself dry, I was left with just a hint of a peachy brown tan. Husband couldn't see anything at all, but to me, my skin had that pretty warm glow, no streaks, no dark patches, overall very natural looking and exactly what I was hoping for. While the mousse has a pleasant gardenia scent once it's on your skin, I did get a faint whiff of fake tan after I rinsed it off in the shower, but nothing that couldn't be masked with a fragranced body butter. Since the one hour application only gave me a very faint tan, I'd probably go for an hour and a half next time now that I've got my courage up.

Now, the Gentle Bronze Gradual Tan* ($9.66 for 200ml on FeelUnique) is definitely something I'm more familiar with, as gradual self-tanning lotions used to be my weapon of choice back when I was still reaching for a fake tan here and there. The gradual lotion has a nice light consistency that sinks right in and the same gardenia scent. Again, one application gives just a little bit of color that warms up my skintone from the plucked chicken into the 'we sometimes let her out of the cellar' territory. I will definitely reach for this one more often once the temperature rises and my legs are not always covered with pants or tights.

In terms of fading, the 1 Hour Tan Mousse washed away very gradually without me really noticing; with that little bit of sunshine in Nassau, it was almost as if my natural holiday tan blended in perfectly with the self-tan glow. I experienced no random pale patches for the five days or so when I still had some self-tanner on my skin and I was really happy with my more radiant, outdoorsy skin. With the help of Gentle Bronze, I'm now able to extend my holiday glow for an extra couple weeks; again, the effect is so subtle that it fades evenly and gradually.

If you've made it this far into this unseasonal review, here's a special bonus for you! I've decided to include a couple photos from our trip - not that you can see my tan in any of them - but rather to feast your eyes on some beautiful colors and hopefully warm up your day:

Overall, I'm very pleased with the results achieved with the two Cocoa Brown tans I've tried, especially the 1 Hour Tan - it was just so easy to use! At this price point, I can definitely see myself repurchasing. Do you guys use self-tanners? What is your favorite tanning product?

Disclaimer: Products featured in this post and marked with an asterix (*) are press samples I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided as free press samples. Thank you for reading!

Recreating the Rouge Bunny Rouge Summer Look with Visée Bitter Brown Quad

To be honest, this post is probably useful for just about no one, since the star of this Rouge Bunny Rouge-inspired eye look is a Japanese Limited Edition Kosé Visée feat. SmackyGlam eyeshadow quad that's no longer available - no, not even on eBay. I could of course extrapolate and say that today's post is about taking inspiration from current trends and recreating a make-up look with what you already have without needing to purchase anything new; blah blah blah. I don't know. I had numerous ideas on how to feature this look, but in the end it boils down to this: I very much like the Rouge Bunny Rouge Summer 2014 look, called Chance. I also very much enjoy using the Visée BR-7 Bitter Brown quad, which was a gift from the one and only Belly. So, here are the two together. I hope you like.

A simple make-up look featuring a cobalt blue eyeliner in an otherwise neutral color palette makes me a very happy camper. Cobalt blue (or ultramarine, however you prefer to call that) is my favorite color; and as a bonus, it looks good on my fair cool skintone, AND makes my dark brown eyes stand out. The hint of vibrant blue paired with gleaming golden browns is a perfect summer eye combination.

Here's what I picked from my stash to recreate the Rouge Bunny Rouge Chance: for the eyes, I used Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Beige as a base and inner corner highlight, the golden brown from the Visée Bitter Brown quad on the lid, blended up into the crease and along the lower lashline, the dark shimmery brown smudged along the upper lashline.

I lined my upper waterline and inner corner with the Sephora Nano Eyeliner pencil in Azur Blue, and applied Benefit BadGal Lash mascara in black. On the cheeks, I'm wearing Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil bronzer and bareMinerals Ready Blush in The One, on my lips I have the Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait. The base is my standard Estee Lauder Double Wear Light set with MUFE HD Powder.

L-R: Four shades in the Visée Bitter Brown quad, Sephora Nano Eyeliner Pencil in Azur Blue, Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Beige, bareMinerals Ready Blush in The One, Revlon Peach Parfait Lip Butter

Even though I have not used all the shades in the Visée Bitter Brown in this look, I'll still offer up my thoughts on the formula, and my general usage of the quad. All four of these eyeshadows can be called shimmery, however each has a different finish: the pinky white is a mostly gold glitter (with some silver, light blue and baby pink flecks as well), the peach is shimmery with small flecks of golden glitter, the golden brown has a regular pearl/frost finish, while the dark brown is almost a satin. The textural variety in the Bitter Brown quad allows for some more interesting but still neutral looks, and the formula of the shadows is smooth, creamy and pigmented. If you like glitter and shimmer on the eyes, the Bitter Brown quad is perfect - although even for a shimmerphile like me, using all four at the same time without any mattes is a bit of an overkill.

 What has been your favorite look this summer? Have you ever tried any eyeshadows from Visée?

My Summer-Proof Make-up Routine

You know how everyone bitches about their make-up melting, smudging and smearing all over in the summer heat and humidity? I never used to get that; sure, I'd slightly adjust my products for summer, opting for easier, more lightweight formulas and brighter shades, but I wasn't terribly bothered. Yeah... and then I moved to New York - and now I really get it. So here's a quick rundown of make-up bits I've been using recently, with a very simple look at the end, in case you're looking for some everyday summer face inspiration.

First off, base products. I don't think I've ever reviewed Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Make-up ($37 for 1 oz) on the blog (the shade I have is Intensity 1; I would have preferred to have 0.5, but 1 works in the summer), and I had actually neglected it for a long time - which is a shame, because it's a beautiful base for summer. The coverage is definitely on the light side, but can be built up to medium - though I prefer to do a thin layer all over the face and then spot conceal my scars/blemishes. When used over a more emollient moisturizer, it blends out seamlessly with a buffing brush, and retains quite a dewy finish, without pooling in the pores or fine lines. And you guys, this thing lasts - I sure do get a little shiny/sweaty in my T-zone as the day goes on, but Double Wear Light never goes patchy or slides off the face, which I consider a big accomplishment.

Also previously not mentioned on the blog, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly ($29 for 0.22 oz) is my weapon of choice for masking any imperfections. It's seriously pigmented, and long-lasting; it blends out very easily when applied on the skin, but after a moment, sets and doesn't move around, which is especially important for concealing blemishes. My preferred application method is to apply a bit on the back of my hand, and then use a separate brush to pick up product and dot it around the face, which I then blend out with my fingers for a thin, invisible layer - a bit labor-intense process, but I find that applying it on the face straight from the wand globs on way too much product. To be perfectly honest, for my under eye area I still prefer to use the Bobbi Brown Corrector - but the NARS will do in a pinch. In terms of shade selection, Chantilly, the lightest shade in the range, looks very, very fair in the tube - though it does oxidize a bit darker on the skin and matches my skintone quite well in the end.

As you can see, no primers included in the line-up, however I do experiment with face primers here and there, and sometimes even spritz my face with Skindinavia No More Shine Make-up Finish (reviewed here) - but I don't find those added products do anything in making my base last any longer. The only primer I reach for every time I do my make-up is NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base - my eyeshadows never crease when I use it, and my eye make-up stays intact for an entire day.

Speaking of eyes, I have less patience for elaborate eyeshadow looks in the summer - and I also like a bit of color. Enter some waterproof eyeliner pencils; my long-standing favorites are NYX  Slide-ons (reviewed and swatched here) as well as Sephora Contour Eye Pencils 12HR Wear (reviewed and swatched here). Most often, I use them to line my upper lashline for a subtle cat eye, but I also enjoy using the darker shades to tightline, or wearing the lighter shades in the bottom waterline. In the face shots below, I attempted a gradient flick with NYX Esmeralda on the inner half and Sephora Surfer Babe on the outer part, with some matte shadows on the lid for more definition - but overall, I keep things very quick and easy.

Now, I've been experiencing more mascara fails recently than I care to admit - one big drawback of having long lashes (and not a lot of lid space) is that my mascara-ed lashes now touch my brow bone, and most mascaras transfer within the first 15 minutes of doing my make-up. Which is why I busted out a deluxe sample tube of Anastasia Lash Genius Clear Waterproof Topcoat ($21 for 0.19 oz)- I didn't really have high hopes for this, but you guys, it's pretty brilliant. The brush on the Lash Genius is a standard wiry type with lots of bristles, which makes distributing the product on top of mascara a breeze, and there's no weird residue or globs visible on the lashes - it looks like it's not even there. Oh, but it works - no browbone transfer, no smudging, no flaking, and at the end of the day, it comes off easily with a cleansing oil. Big thumbs up!

For lips and cheeks, I honestly switch things up a lot, but I thought I'd show you some products I haven't featured in a while. Inglot AMC Cream Blush no. 88 ($12 for 5.5g/ 0.19 oz) is always my go-to in the summer: the neutral rosey brown hue goes well with both warm and cool-toned looks, and the satin/matte finish stays put thoughout the day. And you guys know I love bright shades on the lips: the Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayon in Red Sunrise (reviewed here) claims to be waterproof, and I have to admit that it does wear quite well throughout the day, but not as long as Beaute's Liqui-Gel Stain in Flouron (VERY recently reviewed here, lol), or other lip stains in my collection. But in the end, I don't really mind reapplying lip products, so I rotate my choices daily.

Here's what these products look like on the face: I also used the pencil end of Revlon Brow Fantasy through my brows (rant here), and set my T-zone with Make Up For Ever HD Powder. Very simple, but with some fun, brighter colors. If you're interested to see which staple products I was using in my last everyday summer make-up routine, click here.

How do you switch up your make-up routine for the summer? Do you reach for more waterproof and long-lasting formulas, or use different shades?

Loving the Orange Lip: Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Audacious

I know, I know, by now Revlon Matte Balms are old news - but it takes me a while to decide whether to jump or not on a particular product bandwagon. I mentioned a couple months back, while extolling the orangy red virtues of OPI Red Lights Ahead... Where? nail polish, that was interested in trying a similar shade on my lips, even though warm reds rarely look good on my skintone. So yeah, I really went there - instead of trying an orange red, I actually decided to try a pure bright orange in a matte formula: Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in the shade Audacious ($8.99 for 0.09 oz/ 2.5g). Because I'm not a lipstick wuss. Also, I figured that if it was a complete shade fail, at least it'd been at a drugstore price point.

But a fail it's definitely not - in fact, it's pretty fantastic, and I'm just slightly obsessed with Audacious. Gimme all the ORANGE! I think the reason this looks so audaciously bright (har har) on my fair cool skin is the shade's white base, which gives it a more neon appearance. Muted, brown-based oranges on me? A complete flop. Vibrant, white-based or clear almost fluorescent orange shades? Sign me up.

Compared to my other orangey lip products, Revlon's Audacious is the most decidedly orange - Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani Sheers in 301 gives just a hint of peachy orange on the lips, recently reviewed Beaute Liqui-gel Stain in Flouron is a lot more pink (and neon!), while Chanel Rouge Allure in Conquise has a more muted, rosey quality. Beaute's Flouron is the only other matte in this line-up, but because of its creamy gel stain formula, it sinks into the lips and wears a lot more closely than Revlon's heavier, more traditional matte lipstick formula; as you can see in the arm swatch, the textures are quite a bit different.

L-R: Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Audacious, Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani Sheers in 301, Beaute Liqui-Gel Stain in Flouron, Chanel Rouge Allure in Conquise

Speaking of textures, I usually detest mattes and try to avoid them in my lip products, but the Colorburst Mattes are surprisingly quite good. They're even more matte in finish than Givenchy Le Rouge, another matte-ish lipstick I tolerate; I'd say Revlon walks the line between very matte and chalky, but manages to stay on the good, wearable side. The matte finish aside, the Revlon's Balm has a creamy feel with a lot of slip (no dragging!) for easy application, and after a couple minutes seems to set a bit on the lips, which means no accidental color migration and good longevity. There's quite a bit of a refreshing mint scent to the product, which makes it tingle very slightly for a couple minutes after application - a welcome bonus in the summer heat.

Similarly to their Kissable Balm Stains (which are another favorite of mine), the Matte Balm wears very comfortably on the lips, and while it's not moisturizing enough on its own on my dry lips, it doesn't suck out all the moisture either. I would however recommend prepping your lips before applying the Matte Balm (exfoliating, a thin layer of lip balm), as it seems to go a little patchy around dry flakes or other areas that are still healing. But I think Audacious is worth the extra effort - I just really love this shade, and taking the size of my lip product collection into account, it's quite a surprising discovery.

Are you loving the orange lip trend as well? What are your orange lip favorites?

Cult Classics: Beauté Liqui-Gel Stain in Flouron

Beauté's Liqui-Gel Stains are one of these products that were hyped up through the roof a couple years ago, and then they kind of mysteriously disappeared from the beauty scene, never to be mentioned again. Which is probably why, when I enthusiastically grabbed the neon orange tube of Flouron at a sample sale, a friend I was with probably thought I was mentally unstable - and my excited cries of 'No, no, but it swatches differently!' were met with a somewhat puzzled stare and a shrug.

But yeah, I really don't know why nobody talks about these anymore, because the Beauté Liqui-Gel Stain for Cheeks & Lips in Flouron ($29 for 3g) is pure awesome. 'A uniquely textured highly pigmented liquid/gel hybrid, The Liqui-Gel Stain for Cheeks and Lips allows for perfect blendability before setting and lasting hours. Easily buildable the Liqui-Gel Stain allows the sheerest whisper of color or a nearly opaque flush to either cheeks or lips' (description from the brand's website). Beauté (not to be confused with Le Metier de Beauté!), a niche Canadian make-up brand, is admittedly not the easiest to get hold of in the US, but it can be purchased via the brand's website or online at Urban Outfitters - and while you're there, check out their fantastic Korean beauty section!

Back to the product: packaged in a simple, hefty plastic tube with a doe foot applicator, Beauté's Liqui-Gel formula doesn't look any different than a regular lip & cheek stain. The consistency though is a pretty spot-on mix of liquid and gel - thicker than fluid The Body Shop's Lip & Cheek Stain, but thinner than jelly theBalm's Stainiac Hint of Tint For Cheeks and Lips. Beauté's stain has a bit of an old-school make-up smell to it, but once it sets on the lips, there's no lingering scent or taste.

The shade Flouron, which appears to be a highlighter orange shade in the tube, actually swatches as a beautifully neon pinky coral, and as it dries down, sets to an even pinkier hue on my cool-toned lips. The formula gives plenty of time to evenly distribute the product on the lips before it sets, and the Liqui-Gel doesn't sink into vertical lip lines or exaggerate dry patches - a feat virtually unheard of for a lip stain. The creamy liquid does set to a matte finish, but it remains comfortable on the lips, and wears like iron. While I can't say the stain actively moisturizes my lips, it doesn't really dry them out either. On the cheeks, it applies equally easily (although go easy on the amount of product, it's bright!) and gives a pretty, fresh flush of color.

Compared to other bright coral/ warm pink lip shades in my collection, the Beauté's Flouron is definitely the most vibrant. The neon orange bullet of Giorgio Armani's Rouge d'Armani Sheers in 301 swatches as a more muted and truer orange shade, while both L'Oreal Colour Caresse lipstick in Blushing Sequin and Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm in Watermelon Twist are pinkier and cooler. I have a pretty large collection of bright warm pinks, but nothing comes close to Flouron! For a glossier finish, it pairs great with Essence Stay With Me Long Lasting Lipgloss in Candy Bar.

L-R: Beauté Liqui-Gel Stain in Fluoron, Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani Sheers in Coral 301, L'Oreal Colour Caresse in Blushing Sequin, Covergirl Jumbo Bloss Balm in Watermelon Twist

I'm pretty smitten with this Liqui-Gel Stain; I haven't tried that many stain formulas (since usually they're terribly drying on my lips) but the Beauté's version might just be my favorite so far. It's a must-have product for long, lazy summer days: feels lightweight and non-sticky, stays put, and the shade looks stunning on both fair and sunkissed skin.  

Do you reach for lip & cheek stains more often in the summer? What are your favorite formulas?

Trind Caring Color Nail Lacquer Spring/Summer 2014 Collection Review & Swatches

There's a new player on the US nail market: Trind, a Dutch company specializing in nourishing and strenghtening hand and nail care products, as well as a healthy line of nail lacquers called Caring Colors* ($13 each for 0.3 fl oz/9 ml). Today I have a review and swatches of a part of their Spring/Summer 2014 Collection, "Beauty and The Beach" - let's dive in! ... Or should I say, let's take a stroll?

I received three of the six nail polishes from this collection: Surf's Up, Mint Julep and Appletini. These were a lot of fun to play around with, because as you know, I love almost all shades of blue polish, and the green was a new addition to my nail wardrobe. Trind recommends using the Caring Colors in combination with their treatment products for optimum conditioning effect and adhesion, which prolongs the wear of your manicure. I've been using the lacquers in conjunction with the Keratin Treatment for Nails Kit* for the past two weeks, but it's a bit too early to tell; Trind states it takes approximately 4 weeks to see the strenghtening effect (I'll post a separate review of the kit soon!). I can tell however that with the Keratin Nail Protector used as a base, all of the Caring Colors I tested went on smoothly and resisted chips for about a week on my nails.

Surf's Up is a metallic teal; it appears a bit more aqua blue and duochrome in the bottle but swatches as a true shimmery teal - I like it a lot more than I thought I would! I layered two coats for full opacity. Surf's Up painted smoothly without gaps or pooling around the cuticles, and while you can see some brush strokes, as with nearly all metallic finish polishes, I thought it had a great, even formula.

Mint Julep is a neutral medium depth mint blue with a cream finish. It's a beautiful shade that doesn't pull too yellow or green, like some mint shades tend to on my fair, cool skintone. The photo shows two coats (there are some sheerer patches but it's opaque enough for me) was taken on a third day from application - as you can see, there are no chips and nearly no wear on the tips. It's very slightly greener than Essie In The Cab-Ana, but a close dupe overall, and slightly darker and more vibrant than Orly Gumdrop.

Appletini is a midtone apple green with very fine gold shimmer. I wasn't overly fond of the yellow undertones on my skintone (which the artificial lighting in this photo is bringing out even more - compare to the bottle shots above, which were taken in daylight) but my husband and some girlfriends actually quite liked it. It swatches slightly darker than in the bottle and the shimmer is virtually invisible once on the nails.

All three of the Trind polishes I tried applied evenly, had good opacity, dried fast and wore well without chipping. I initially had some qualms about the elongated handle, but in fact the design makes it easy to hold and paint the nails with precision; all of the Caring Colors have a standard slim brush, which for me makes it easier to get an even application on the sides of my nails. From what I've tried so far, I'm curious to see what else Trind has in stock for us - I was quite impressed with the quality of these!

Trind products, including the Spring/Summer 2014 Collection, are now available online in the US at skindirect.com, skinstore.com and ultimatebeautyonline.com.

Disclaimer: The products marked with an asterix (*) are press samples I received from the brand's PR for review consideration. All links are non-affiliate. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided as free press samples. Thank you for reading!

Chanel Summer 2014: Illusion d'Ombre in New Moon no.97

Here's my other cheeky purchase from Chanel Summer 2014 collection: the limited edition Illusion d'Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in New Moon no. 97 ($36 for 0.14 oz/ 4g). While I ogled Chanel cream shadows in the past and admired the shades, I wasn't eager to purchase after hearing they tend to crease on oily eyelids, which I regrettably have. But... I couldn't say no to New Moon. Just look at it!

Chanel Illusion d'Ombre shadows come packaged in a hefty glass pot with a screw-on lid, and a nifty little brush for applying on the go; although the shape of the brush suggests it may be better for lining the eyes rather than packing on color. While the design of the packaging doesn't make me very assured as to the shelf life of the product, it sure does look pretty on my vanity.

If you've never had the chance to play with the Illusion d'Ombres, they have an interesting, slightly moussey/bouncy texture when pressed. The cream itself isn't actually overly creamy; it feels a bit dry to the touch and reminds me more of the L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadow formula than a typical cream eyeshadow like the Benefit Creaseless Creams. This results in some difficulty when trying to pick up product with a brush; I find that fingers work best for packing on the shade. In terms of longevity on the eyes, other reviewers were right: it creases in a couple hours when used on bare lids, but stays put without any issues over eye primer (NARS Pro Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base).

What I couldn't resist, however, was the shade New Moon itself (How excited are those non-French speaking beauty fanatics for a shade name they can actually pronounce? Emerville... Emervelle... Emerveille... Oh for God's sake!). New Moon is a warm, rosey brown with a touch of burgundy somewhat akin to shades like Urban Decay Toasted or Too Faced Push Up, and some amazing, complex microglitter - I spy with my little eye some fuschia pink, lime green and gold. The actual warm brown base becomes more diffused when blended out on the eye, and the glitters really shine through, giving an almost wet/glistening appearance.

My favorite part of this shadow, which I would usually call a glittery mess and call it quits, is the fact that the multicolor glitters really stay put and don't migrate all over my face (I'm looking at you, Urban Decay Sidecar and Too Faced Nude Beach!). This allows me not only to avoid looking like a five year old at a birthday party, but also to place the Illusion d'Ombre exactly where I need it, and/or use it as an accent for textural variety.

Here's another simple (or, you know, boring) look showcasing New Moon all over the eyelid, blended slightly out, and smudged along the lower lashline. As you can see, this shade doesn't have very opaque coverage, so that some of my pinky purple eyelid veining peeks through (but it's in the same color family as the shadow! Whatevs.). I used Urban Decay 24/7 pencil liner in Whiskey for some definition at the lash line, and finished with two coats of black mascara. I was slightly bored of the usual summer bright peaches and pinks, so I opted for a wine red shade on the lips (Wet n Wild 522A with Osmia Luster for extra shine). Base is Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum mixed with YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat, Stila Convertible Color in Lillium on the cheeks.

In one sentence, I love my Illusion d'Ombre in New Moon and have nothing remotely like it in my collection (hence no comparison swatches - well that, and I got too excited and forgot). Definitely check it out if you've had enough of 'boring neutrals' but need something easy to wear on the eyes. Do you own any Chanel Illusion d'Ombre eyeshadows? What are your favorite shades?

Chanel Summer 2014: Rouge Allure in Conquise no. 144

It's hard to wear summer make-up trends when you're a pale, pale gal with cool undertones. Warm copper shades on the eyes = a crazed rabbit with a violent case of rabies and pink eye. Tanned bronze goddess = Oompa Loompa overdosing on self-tanner. And lastly, orange lips = I stole this lipstick from an unsuspecting friend/relative because it looked so awesome on them. Uhm... just not really on me.

So yeah, oranges are few and far between in my lipstick drawer. But when I swatched the new limited edition Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Conquise no. 144 ($34 for 0.12 oz/ 3.5g), I was well, conquered *snickers childishly*. It packed enough punch to brighten the face, and the tone looked just right - not too aggresively orange, slightly muted for daytime. Having never tried the Rouge Allures, I succumbed to the secret agent feel of the tube with its clicky release mechanism and the impressive pigmentation and luxurious slip of the formula.

 

My previous experiences with Chanel make-up haven't been so absolutely memorable to justify the price tag, so I found myself rather surprised to be picking up Conquise and one more item from their Summer 2014 collection, which I'll be reviewing very soon. In the end, I sold my first Chanel lipstick (Rouge Coco in Sari Dore) in a blog sale, very rarely reach for my only tube of Rouge Coco Shine in Monte Carlo, and can never get a decent shade match in their foundations. But I don't know, I was in the moment, I felt inspired by the shades compared to what other brands had on offer, and I just went with it. Oh, and I also had the rare coupon that could be applied to beauty purchases.

Chanel Conquise is a muted coral shade with a fair dose of rosy pink and some subtle shimmer that translates into a luminous satin finish on the lips. I'm sorry that my shots are not super color-accurate; I think orange shades are pretty notorious for not coming through properly on camera. As you can hopefully see in the swatches, it's slightly warmer/ less pink than my almost finished tube of Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Soft Coral, which I'll be replacing with Conquise. It's similar in tone but much more pigmented and slightly softer than Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani Sheers in Coral 301, and a lot more orange than MAC Lustre Lipstick in Jest.

In terms of formula... it hasn't topped my current favorite high-end lipstick, which is Guerlain Rouge Automatique (here's my review of the shade Shalimar). Rouge Allure in Conquise has very good pigmentation and feels soft and velvety going on, but tends to dry out and settle in a couple hours, requiring a touch-up - and it doesn't quite survive a meal in full strength, but does leave a pretty peachy stain behind. It's also not quite as masterful as a Rouge Automatique in perfecting any unwanted texture like lines or dry patches on my lips. So... yet again, I'm not completely blown away by Chanel's lipstick formula. But Conquise is a lovely shade, and it wears well enough to warrant keeping.

Here's an easy summer look to compliment Conquise: warm pink and peach shades on the eyes with a subtle dark brown eyeliner flick (Urban Decay 24/7 in Whiskey), peachy pink cream blush on the cheeks (NYC Blushable Creme Stick in Plaza Pink) and two swipes of Conquise on the lips, slightly blended out with a finger towards the edges of my mouth for a more effortless feel. It's all very monochrone, but pretty in the peaches & cream kind of way, and elegant - or more grown-up than the stuff I usually wear. Also, this is what my skin looks like the morning after using Dr. Wu Intensive Renewal Serum with Mandelic Acid 18% (not bad, huh? My pores do *seem* smaller).

All in all, I'm happy that I took an actual trip to the Chanel counter and swatched their Summer 2014 collection - I liked some pieces way more than I expected from just looking at the promo pictures from the comfort of my own home. As much as I dislike the make-up counter experience and prefer shopping online for most of my cosmetics, it's nice to get out there sometimes and discover new products. Have you picked anything up from the new Chanel release? What is your favorite summer collection so far?

Giving Bronzer Another Go With Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil

For the past couple of months, I'd been only reaching for bronzer to apply it on my... neck. I know I've lost some of you there, but bear with me: it simply looked WRONG on my pale face, and the only use I could find for it was bronzing up my neck slightly to match a too dark foundation on my face. But, there's something to be said about the effortless, summery glow that a quick swipe of bronzer instantly adds to one's face, and so I decided to track down a bronzing powder which would look RIGHT on my fair, fair skin.

Enter a lovely suggestion from Lisa Eldrige's 'How To Wear Bronzer Beautifully' video: Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Light/ Medium Matte Bronzer ($30 for 10g/ 0.35 oz). In theory, it ticked all the boxes: reasonably light shade, rather compact, matte finish, decent price tag. Review spoiler alert: in practice, all the boxes remain gloriously ticked.

 While the plastic packaging lacks simple elegance and class of some more luxurious brands, the compact feels sturdy and snaps shut with a secure click, and comes with a large mirror. In reality, the 'Milk Chocolate' marketing blurb is more of a gimmick: the claims of antioxidant cocoa are probably a bit far fetched, as it comes towards the very end of the ingredients' list, and the sweet hot chocolate scent is most likely all due to the artificial fragrance. I don't really mind it though: I'm looking for a well-formulated bronzer, not pressed cocoa powder to dust on my face. And the chocolate lover in me does appreciate the happy, delicious scent emanating from the compact.

The texture of the powder is fine and silky: it does have a fair amount of slip and feels creamier than my other bronzers. I was a bit worried that could cause blending issues with the powder grabbing too much onto liquid foundation, but no, it blends out seamlessly and doesn't sit on top of the skin, or sink into pores. I would say Milk Chocolate Soleil has medium pigmentation; that, combined with the lighter hue, gives just a whisper of warmth to my skin with one swipe, but it can be built up to the 'I just came back from a beach vacation' level (or, as much as I can hope to achieve one...) with a couple more layers.

Here's a quick shade comparison for you: next to my only other light matte bronzer, The Body Shop Honey Bronzing Powder in 02 Fair Matte (yes, they do make one shade lighter and yes, I have used the heck out of mine), Too Faced Milk Chocolate is warmer and more well... uhm... orange. I know 'orange' is officialy a no-no when describing a bronzer, but you guys - my natural tan is a peachy, orangey shade, and so are my freckles (or actually, my facial tan often equals freckles). So yes, it is more orange compared to the slightly pinkier The Body Shop Honey bronzer, and a lot lighter and less brown than both Benefit Hoola, and the darkest bronzer in my collection, theBalm Bahama Mama.

L-R: Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil, The Body Shop Honey Bronzing Powder in Fair Matte, Benefit Hoola, theBalm Bahama Mama.

To showcase my recently rediscovered bronzing passion, I decided to go for a simple, sunkissed look with Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil used on high points of my face (liberally on the cheeks, temples, up into the hairline, a tiny bit across the bridge of my nose and on the chin, as well as - you guessed it - down on my neck), and also lightly in the crease of the eyes for some definition. I smudged a dark brown eyeliner pencil on my lashline, applied lots of black mascara and finished with a slick of Rimmel Soft Coral lipstick, patted down with a finger to take off some of the glitter and shine. I like this look: it's quick, it's easy, it makes me look rested and subtly polished.

Do you also struggle with finding the right bronzer shades? Is bronzer an everyday part of your make-up routine, or do you reserve it for specific looks? I'd love to hear your thoughts!