Green Beauty: Andalou Naturals Probiotic + C Cream and Lemon Sugar Scrub

I wasn't really planning to give these two a separate review, but my skin's been doing so well and I've been liking them so much that I just had to put my two new skincare loves in the spotlight: the Andalou Naturals Brightening Probiotic + C Renewal Cream ($19.99 for 1.7 oz/ 50 ml), and the included gift with purchase, the Clarifying Lemon Sugar Facial Scrub (regular size is $11.99 for 1.7 oz/ 50 ml on Vitacost, if you use my referral link you can get both for $21 - pretty nice, huh?).

Here's the reason I bought the Probiotic + C Renewal Cream in the first place: as you may remember, I had the Kate Somerville Goat Milk moisturizer on my wishlist instead. Well, I was contemplating that purchase, but I really wasn't very happy about the recent price increase (to a hefty $65), but also about the fact that the brand uses pollutant plastic microbreads in their products. I had tried a mask from Andalou in the past, and as I was browsing their product line, the word 'probiotic' jumped out: Aurelia Skincare, another natural brand, also makes probiotic products but at a much higher pricetag, and if probiotics can restore healthy bacteria in your gut, maybe they could also do it on your face? You know, like conquer all the bad acne bacteria and overall strengthen the skin's defense mechanisms?

So while I do buy into the probiotics and maybe more importantly, the high Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (form of Vitamin C) content, I'm not so convinced about the whole 'fruit stem cells' technology, for various reasons. But hey - if you can at least give some antioxidant power harnessed from apples, grapes and berries, as well as hyaluronic acid, manuka honey, peptides, resveratrol, coenzyme Q10, allantoin and Vitamin E all in one moisturizer, who am I to complain? I also had no idea my Renewal Cream would come with a free Facial Scrub, so bonus points for that.

But sometimes even the best ingredients list doesn't guarantee good product performance. This is NOT the case with the Brightening Probiotics + C Renewal Cream: it's probably the BEST moisturizer I've used in a really long time, surpassing the Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve, my former favorite. Both Andalou products come in sturdy plastic jars, the full size having a nicer brushed metal lid (the deluxe sample's lid is just plastic) - nothing groundbreaking here, but aesthetically pleasing and functional.

The Probiotics + C Renewal Cream has a beautiful, fresh tangerine scent that feels refreshing and energizing as you're applying the moisturizer to your skin. It has a very lightweight, almost gel-like texture that spreads easily and absorbs quickly into the skin. It definitely feels more hydrating than moisturizing (as in more water than oil content) and while I've been using it at night, the weightless formula would be perfect to wear as a day cream under make-up. As a night cream, it acts as a seal to my serums and treatments, and layers well with a facial oil for the added boost of moisture in the winter.

I've only been using it for a couple weeks (so I can't vouch for long-term results) but here are my thoughts so far: the Andalou Renewal Cream makes my face feel velvety soft, hydrated and balanced. By balanced, I mean that I now rarely get dry flakes around my face, but it also seems to help minimize oil production a bit. I've also noticed fewer large breakouts and less congestion, and my post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is fading faster. Can you tell how happy I am to have this in my routine?

The Clarifying Lemon Sugar Facial Scrub was also a very nice surprise. I generally prefer chemical to physical exfoliation, but sometimes the only way to get rid of some pesky dry patches is to incorporate a gentle scrub once a week. The Lemon Sugar Scrub is maybe a bit coarser than I would like (the sugar crystals are larger than what I'm used to), but with the right amount of water, they dissolve easily, forming a thick, creamy, slightly foamy layer on the face. Because the sugar dissolves in water, the scrub is easy to rinse off, and leaves my skin quite matte but not dry or tight. I did get some redness on my sensitive skin, though it disappeared quickly, and after usage my face was smooth and perfectly prepped for further steps in my routine - everything seemed to absorb that much better! Again, I can't vouch for long-term results, but so far I'm really liking it, and I'm happy to see aloe vera, sunflower, coconut and olive oils, manuka honey and MAP in the ingredients. And it smells heavenly of Meyer lemon and ylang ylang :)

So finally, after a long period of putting up with mediocre moisturizers, it seems that I have found my match. I'm really glad I gave Andalou Naturals a chance, and I'll be definitely trying more products from the brand; in fact, I also bought the 1000 Roses Sensitive Skincare Kit to try over the Holidays. Andalou Naturals is carried in Whole Foods in the US, and from my experience, the employees are happy to make a sample if you want to try before you buy. Have you ever tried anything from Andalou Naturals? What is your current favorite moisturizer?

Holiday Treat to Myself: Guerlain Rouge G Lipstick in Georgia

Happy December! Since it's the first today, I thought it'd be alright to mention the dreaded 'H' word now; are you guys already feeling festive? Me, not so much - December kinda snuck up on me this year, and with our tropical getaway over Thanksgiving, I'm not ready to talk about gifts, Christmas trees, Winter Wonderland and all that. But I AM ready to talk about some georgious lipstick! (See what I did there? Couldn't help myself, sorry.)

Guerlain Rouge G de Guerlain Jewel Lipstick Compact in Georgia ($51 for 0.12 oz) is by far the most expensive lipstick in my collection. I feel that I can't really dive right into my usual ponderings on the shade and texture without mentioning the price point first. Even though I got Georgia during the Sephora VIB 20% sale, Rouge Gs are still ridiculously spendy, and I'm not feeling too proud of myself that I succumbed to the temptation and bought it.

 

Given the completely over the top 'space tampon' packaging of Rouge Gs,  I can't help but wonder whether I'm in fact paying for the luxurious tube or the lipstick within. This is not to say that I don't enjoy high-end, well-designed packaging (hello Givenchy Le Rouge!) and that I don't in fact expect it of more expensive products (cue my disappointment over the Rouge Bunny Rouge Chronos palette), but I realized that I don't want to be paying extra $15 over the already high price of premium lipstick just for the excessive Parisian jeweler-designed compact. I'm not collecting lipsticks for posterity - this is an utilitarian product, for Pete's sake. Couldn't we reign in the price and the design just a little bit, Guerlain? 

With that necessary rant out of the way, let's oooh and aaah over my new Rouge G. Isn't this line just a perfect decadent thing to treat yourself to for the Holidays, or any time of the year for that matter? What surprised me in the Rouge G formula at my first swipe is the thin and gel-like texture. The brand claims Rouge Gs contain 'a ruby-powder formula that interacts with the light and creates a jaw-dropping pout of perfection'. While that particular detail sounds like a bunch of marketing crap to me, Guerlain also pens these as lip smoothing, plumping and hydrating, and I hate to agree.

I've been recently experiencing a lot more dryness on my lips and many lipstick formulas that used to feel comfortable are no longer very pleasant or attractive. By contrast, the Rouge G glides on the lips easily without catching on flakes and achieves full opacity with two swipes. The formula smoothes over vertical liplines without pooling and gives a beautiful, plump, cushiony look to my normally puckered mouth. There is a faint smell of violets (but nowhere near as bad as Burberry Lip Covers) but absolutely no taste.

No. 62 Georgia is a prime example of how I'm always drawn to the same shades over and over again. Sephora describes it as a rosy pink, but on me it's a warm rose with more red than pink tones. I'm still debating which one of my other rosy lipsticks, Givenchy Le Rouge in Rose Taffetas 201 or MAC Viva Glam Cyndi, is the closest dupe to Georgia. MAC's Cyndi, which is a Luster finish, is closer to Georgia in finish but a touch more watermelon red, while Givenchy Rose Taffetas is similarly lighter in depth, but a matte texture with a more muted white base. YSL Rouge Pur in Pink Grenadine is deeper, more red and thicker/ more opaque, and I threw in NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in New Lover just to show you how un-pink Georgia reads on my cool skintone. If you're curious, Burberry Lip Cover in Primrose Hill Pink would be very close to Georgia as well.

L-R, same order as the above photo: YSL Rouge Pur in Pink Grenadine, d/c, Guerlain Rouge G in Georgia no. 62, MAC Viva Glam Cyndi d/c, Givenchy Le Rouge in Rose Taffetas, NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in New Lover

Here's another one of my boring daytime looks, using Guerlain Rouge G in Georgia on the lips. I applied it on bare, unexfoliated lips (no lip balm!), without a lip liner. If you look really closely, it isn't as even near the flakes as on the rest of the lips but it somehow softens the appearance of dry skin. There was no bleeding or feathering when I wore it, and it retained a comfortable, creamy feel on my lips despite below freezing temperatures outside. It didn't unfortunately survive a meal, but I wasn't really expecting it to. The rest of my face is Face Atelier Ultra foundation (back from its summer exile, I finally found a way to make it work by applying over primer with a damp beautyblender and substantial powdering over the top), Canmake Cream Cheeks in Clear Pink Joy CL04 and dodgy dried out eyeliner pen on the eyes.

On my cool, fair winter skin, Georgia pulls almost coral - not that I'm complaining, just definitely not pink. Have you ever tried the Guerlain Rouge G formula and if so, what are your favorite shades? Or do you think $51 is entirely too much to spend on one lipstick?

Final Make-up & Skincare Declutter of 2014

I've wanted to squeeze in this final purge of my make-up and skincare stash while it's still November; there's an epic empties post and the last update on my Project Make A Dent awaiting before the year's end, so I wanted to space out the collection-reducing content just a bit for you (also, I couldn't wait to get rid of this stuff, just sitting in my drawers and taking up precious space). Are you ready to see what's headed for the trash can?

Yes, this isn't a huge number of products - for which I'm quite glad, in fact. Throughout the year, I've given my unloved products that were still in a usable condition to friends and family to enjoy, including some lipsticks, blushes and eyeliners that I disliked the formula of, had dupes for, or that weren't a very flattering shade on me, and some gifted skincare I wasn't willing to try because of the ingredients. So this is really just the stuff that has been left behind and really isn't good for anything or anyone anymore, gone straight into the garbage after I took these photos.

Let's start with skincare, shall we? We have three expired sunscreens here, two from Poland and one from Paula's Choice. In fact, only one of these is mine and nearly empty (Paula's Choice SPF 45), the rest are really old bottles my family left behind after visiting us. I should have probably insisted they take these with them (well, if their luggage wasn't already at the weight limit), because I have no use for any sunscreen that's below SPF 30, and these are a laughable 10 and 15. A lesson to take away from this is NOT to have multiple back-ups of sunscreen because they do expire quite quickly.

I'm also finally getting rid of Tolpa's Dermo Face Sebio Light Mattifying Correcting Cream and Reviva Labs Light Skin Peel mask, both of which I disliked and are nearing their expiry dates anyway. I'm also throwing out a deluxe sample of Clarins One Step Exfoliating Cleanser and the Fortune Cookie Soap sunscreen stick that came in one of their Soap Boxes, because I hate both and life is too short to waste on mediocre products.

Now for the interesting part: make-up! You guys, I went back and forth on some of these for a good fifteen minutes, I just hate wasting products (and money!) so much. However, four of these were gifts, so none of my own money's been wasted here. The Urban Decay Complexion Primer Potion sample, Graftobian Luster Creme in Orchid Odyssey and Murad Eye Lift Illuminator were all gifts with purchase and don't work for me for various reasons, plus I'm sick of looking at them lingering in my make-up storage.

The Sleek True Colour lipstick in Cherry was very well loved and a part of a make-up swap with a dear blogging friend, but it's unfortunately gone off; you can even see in the photo that the bullet looks a bit suspicious. I won't be replacing it with anything just now because I have some similar shades, including Wet n'Wild Dark Wine and Lancome Wine Party, but I may think about a closer subsitute next year. I used to really like the Revlon Colorbust Lipgloss in Papaya, but came to realize I dislike lipglosses with large shimmer particles, and haven't worn it in over a year, and my trusty NYX dual sharpener has gotten an upgrade via the Urban Decay Grindhouse, so I feel it's time to say goodbye.

And that's it! I'm much happier now that these products have made their way out of my stash. My decluttering efforts, combined with beauty shopping limits and regular empties, have really made a difference in the size AND quality of my collection. I definitely feel that I'm coming closer to having a well edited, versatile, well loved and manageable stash without random products and multiple back-ups causing me to feel guilt and anxiety. How about you? Have you jumped on a decluttering bandwagon this year?

The Make-up Addict Tag

This is a very vague tag name for a beauty blog, don't you think? I would probably rename it somewhere along the lines of 'A Nosy into My Make-up Collection and Storage'. I always think that ONE DAY I will show you a little tour of my vanity, but in reality, that day never comes - so better a little glimpse than nothing, right? Thanks to Larie from Eye Heart It for tagging me, it was fun!

1. Which product do you still keep buying more of despite having plenty in your collection?
Leeeepsteeecks. And eyeshadows. And blushes. I'm a touch more tame when it comes to mascaras, eyeliners, primers, foundations, concealers, face powders, bronzers and highlighters - I'm happy with finding just a few that work and sticking to them over and over again.

2. What's the one product you can't live without?
Concealer - the first make-up product I started wearing regularly as a teen. My skin is still plagued by spots and scars, so I'm usually embarassed to show my bare face in public without concealing all the imperfections first. I know it's probably very silly and vain of me, but that's the truth.

3. Favorite makeup brand?
Is that even a legitimate question to pose a make-up addict, I ask you? I actually enjoy buying products from brands I've never tried before, so my collection tends to be pretty eclectic. I like Guerlain for lipsticks (but only have two because uhm, pricey), Inglot, Fyrinnae and Rouge Bunny Rouge for eyeshadows, Pixi for eyeliner pencils. At the drugstore, I like Revlon and Maybelline. Can we stop this torture now?

4. How big is your makeup collection?
Big for normal people, small for hardcore make-up addicts; so I guess somewhere in the middle? It all fits into this ----->

5. And how do you store it?
A small IKEA chest of drawers and half of a vanity drawer (also IKEA), the other half being taken up by jewelry. I store my nail polishes, skincare and so on separately, some in our tiny bathroom, some in a set of drawers in the bedroom. I'm not completely happy with my storage; while the IKEA box on top of my vanity is quite sturdy and functional, the built-in drawer is not - it only opens about halfway, and storing excessive amounts of eyeshadow palettes inside has caused the bottom to warp, threatening to spill the contents on the (hardwood!) floor. I'm very jealous of everyone's Muji storage, so I may try to justify that purchase at some point.

6. How many items of makeup have you got in your handbag at the moment?
Lessee: six. Two lipsticks (Lancome Color Design in Wine Party and NYX Tea Rose, which is part of my Project Make A Dent), Palladio blotting paper, Peter Thomas Roth Mineral Powder SPF 30, a Miss Sporty concealer pencil and a sample of Le Blanc de Chanel from Macy's that I forgot to take out of my purse.

7. If you could raid another blogger's stash, who would it be?
Is it totally predictable that it would have to be Driveller Kate's? That would give me access not only to some Japanese brands I've never laid my mitts on before, but also base make-ups possibly too light even for me. And lots of glitter for the eyes and fabulously bold shades for the lips. Kinda salivating just thinking about it.

8. How long does your usual makeup routine take and how many products do you use?
I've been teased before about how much time I spend doing my make-up, but what my tormentors fail to understand is that I treat it as the time out for ME. I like putting on my slap in peace and quiet without anyone looking, so if I can prolong the process, it makes my day a lot happier. Yeah yeah, I know what you're thinking now - blah de blah, put a NUMBER on it. 30 minutes is a safe bet; mind you, I don't have the usual 'need to get out of the door in the morning' time constraint when I get ready. If I do, I CAN make my routine shorter and simpler; same goes for the number of products, with the minimum being about 6 (powder foundation, concealer, brow product, mascara, blush, lipstick) and the maximum... Ooooh buddy.

The make-up filled half of my vanity drawer, with the shameful box of back-ups hiding in the back.

9. Have you ever bought makeup knowing you wouldn't use it?
Nope - like Larie, I buy make-up to enjoy using it, not just looking at it. Although I will admit that I've started doing this thing where I won't open certain 'back-up' products until the one I'm using at the moment runs out. You would think it's a reasonable process, especially for products like mascara, liquid eyeliners or maybe even foundations. EXCEPT I also do it for lipsticks that aren't even the same brand or shade as the one they're supposed to replace, as well as face powders, primers, concealers... It's quite silly, because now I have mild anxiety that my back-ups will go bad before I even have a chance to get to them. Something to work on next year for sure.

10. Tag a few other makeup addicts to do this tag! 
I have a feeling this is an older tag and a lot of people may have already done it, but I'd love to see Belly of Wondegondigo, Claire from The Land of Lorp, Liz of So Lonely in Gorgeous and Louise of Lilting Grace give it a go - I want to see where you keep your make-ups! Thanks for reading, everyone :)

November 2014 in Perfume: Roses, Orientals & Rose Orientals

I don't review perfumes all that often, mostly because I don't consider myself a connaisseur in any way, shape or form, and I'm always a bit worried about 'getting things right'. But talking about scent shouldn't be prescriptive - so I thought I'd give it a shot this month as I'm going through some of my perfume sample stash. And since I'm clearly a control freak, you get five mini reviews all based around the theme of roses, orientals and rose orientals. Hope you find something that peaks your interest!

Lubin Black Jade, 2011 (top: galbanum, bergamot, cardamom; middle: rose, jasmine, incense and cinnamon; base: sandalwood, patchouli, vanilla, tonka bean, amber)

This is the first niche perfume I've ever tried; the story of how it came to be is that my dad participated in some conference for Polish enterpreneurs, and one of the speakers was a lady who founded a chain of perfumeries specializing in independent and niche fragrances. He was given two little sample vials to take home and he kept them for a couple months until Christmas to pass on to me, knowing that I was interested in perfume. It always touches me how thoughtful he was to give it to me.

Since I've tried it for the first time around the Holidays, I now associate Black Jade with cold, snowy nights outside and a glowing fire on the hearth. It's described as a modern floral chypre but to me it's more of a floriental, with a big, tart, almost cherry-like rose, some powerful jasmine akin to Thierry Mugler Alien, and lots of sweetness on the drydown. I like how the rose is magnified with spices, especially cardamom (and doesn't rose and cardamom remind you of the creamy Indian dessert?) and a touch of incense somewhat reminiscent of Serge Lutens Feminite du Bois. I mostly get gentle vanilla with sandalwood towards the end (about 6 hours in), and I love that. Quite a beautiful, enveloping and sophisticated fragrance.

Jo Malone Red Roses, 2001 (mint, red rose, violet leaf, lemon)

Yes, it literally smells like a bouquet of roses straight from the florist. I initially quite disliked this perfume thinking it rather old school, but after revisiting it almost a year later I came to appreciate it for the simple soliflore it is. I don't get much citrus in this rose but I do get the green: crushed leaves and some of that geranium tomato scent, quite close to rose otto actually. I wouldn't buy a full bottle as I ultimately prefer the rose note as a part of a bigger composition, but I enjoyed it: it brought back the memory of my mother's lacque jewelry box, where among strands of necklaces and mismatched ear clips she kept a single vial of genuine rose oil, the scent of which emanated every time she would lift the lid. Exceptional staying power.

Missala Qessence, 2011 (top:  saffron, coriander, cinnamon, chamomile, tagetes and orange; middle: damask rose, ylang-ylang, jasmine, iris and elemi; base: olibanum, patchouli, oakmoss, musk, agarwood, vetiver, sandalwood, virginia cedar, vanilla, cashmeran, labdanum and cyperus esculentus)

While Red Roses can be described as a bit too simplistic, for me Qessence is definitely a case of 'too much of a good thing'. I feel sorry that I don't like this fragrance more, because the staff of Mrs Missala's perfumery, whom I mentioned in the review of Black Jade, was nothing short of amazing when I visited the boutique in Warsaw's Marriott hotel back in 2011. But Qessence does not agree with me. I've seen it described on Polish frag blogs as a symphony of the most precious notes in perfumery, but it's more like a cacophony to me. On my skin, it's quite linear, and the base notes of patchouli, cedar and frankincense eclipse the floral heart of the fragrance. Individual accords keep fighting each other for a prime spot, giving me a massive headache. Qessence is also incredibly tenacious, lasting beyond an evening bath and well into the next day (sic!). More reviews in English can be found on Fragrantica here.

Menard L'eau de Kasaneka, 2004 (top: ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, basil, bergamot and orange; middle: carnation, jasmine, heliotrope, ylang ylang and Japanese rose (Hamanasu, Rosa rugosa); base: ambrette seed, cedar, sandalwood, vetiver and vanilla)

Quite a delightfully refreshing rose oriental, with an invigorating spicy kick from ginger and orange at the opening. While I have no idea what Hamanasu smells like in real life (or maybe I do - looks suspiciously alike Rosa canina, so maybe I've smelt it and just assumed it was dog rose?), I can tell you that this rose is more heady and sweeter, not as green nor earthy. There's almost a fruity quality to this fragrance that reminds me of lychee, with an undercurrent of the overripe banana notes of ylang ylang, but the fruit is balanced out with something mysterious, hypnotic, night-blooming. I also get a lot a lot a LOT of vanilla from L'Eau de Kasaneka, with a woody background from the sandalwood. The base reads as warm and glowy, which I deduce is probably the ambrette seed working its magic, but I've never smelt that note separately so it's more of a guess that there's something more in there. Overall, it's maybe a touch too sweet for me, but I think it'd be a good perfume to try for someone just getting into florientals.

L'Artisan Parfumeur Safran Troublant, 2004 (passion flower, sandalwood, red rose, vanilla, saffron, sugar and ginger)

Me and saffron, we just don't mesh well together, so I'm not sure what on Earth made me seek out this sample (no, I know what did: a glowing review in my Perfumes: The A-Z Guide). To me, saffron tastes like paraffin, and smells like the numbing gel they use at the dentist. And since there's a lot of saffron in this, I literally feel my gums go numb when I spray it on; but I tried and tried for the sake of this review and also discerned a fresh white floral note, the sweetness of vanilla and quite a bit of ginger, which makes Safran Troublant smell quite festive and gingerbread-y. For an oriental, I feel that this one has an unexpected lightness while still satisfying the spice craving.

What are your favorite orientals and rose perfumes? What fragrance have you been wearing lately?

Perfect Inner Corner Brightener: Surratt Eyeshadow in Scintillante

The Surratt Artistique Brush Collection launch I attented a couple weeks back was in fact my first time seeing (and swatching!) the range in person. I was immediately drawn to the beautiful shimmery eyeshadows and lipglosses, twinkling at me from the display. But, having admitted to myself that I rarely wear lipgloss, I decided to pick out one eyeshadow - and it just turned out to be the lightest shade in the line-up, Scintillante ($20 for the individual pan 0.06 oz/1.7 g, compact sold separately).

I took a couple photos of the entire counter display but they didn't turn out very well due to the quality of lighting. I was told that the vertical rows of eyeshadows are arranged to suit different skintones from the fairest on the left to the deepest on the right. Another note about the lighting at the Surratt counter in Barneys is the fact that it makes these eyeshadows appear a lot more shimmery (or should I say, sparkly?) than they are in natural light. Can we also look at these lipglosses? Belly said the shimmery blurple one was like magic on your lips. Surratt also has a black gloss in the range, which is meant to deepen the shade of any lipstick you layer underneath it. Very cool!

Some notes on the packaging: all of the powder products in the Surratt range are sold as individual refills (pans only) to reduce excess waste, with compacts available separately. Practically, it means that the price of a single item is higher if you want to have a compact for it (that would probably be the case of an average consumer) but quite reasonable if you don't need the case (I'm assuming that would be most beauty addicts). I didn't purchase the compact, because I intend to store my single eyeshadow in a Z-Palette. While it won't magnetize to the palette, because these pans are resin and not metal, you can either stick the eyeshadow in using the double-sided label provided on the back of your singles, or you could stick a magnet to the back - unfortunately, thus obscuring the label with your shade name.

 

 

You could also just keep your singles as they come, because conversely to most brands who sell individual refills, Surratt eyeshadows have a nifty sliding lid that protects the top of the shadow - I really like this design for how simple and compact it is, and the lid is transparent so you can easily see which shade you're grabbing for.

Enough blabbling about the packaging, let's talk about the product inside. Scintillante is a slightly greyish off-white with an icy gold shimmer. I understand that I may have lost you there, because having grey undertones in what is basically a highlighting shade does not sound good. But IT WORKS. See, on my fair skin, a lot of shimmery/pearly shades that are traditionally used to brighten the inner corners of the eyes are just too dark and/or too warm. On the other hand, pearly white shadows appear too fake and stark. What to do?! I think Troy hit it out of the park with this more muted, very pale white gold shade.

At the counter, Scintillante appeared to be more of a light warm beige with rainbow shimmer. In reality, there aren't many rainbows and unicorn farts going on in this shade; in diffused daylight, it has more of a glowy satin finish, similar to my beloved Shiseido Luminizing Satin eyeshadows. I've tried to capture the counter sparkle by taking an out of focus shot in direct sunlight - you can see some lime green, pale pink, orange and gold shimmers there, but these do not translate onto the eye. Probably better for everyday looks, just less fun :/ I find the texture of Scintillante to be similar to Shiseido as well, very soft and a touch loose on the brush but with supreme blendability and a finish that melds into the skin beautifully. Surratt's eyeshadows are made in Japan using the proprietory 'slurry' technology, where the liquid pigments are poured into the pans like cake batter and their surface is levelled out (not pressed) to ensure even distribution in the pan. Scintillante may not be the most pigmented shadow I've ever worked with, but it layers well and stays put for the entire day.

Here's a shade comparison for you, using some of my favorite brightening shades. Hopefully you can see that NYX White Pearl is paler and cooler, while Rouge Bunny Rouge Unforgettable Oriole, Fyrinnae Nijiro and MAC Soft Force are all darker, warmer and more golden. I feel that they're also more reflective than Surratt Scintillante, which has a finer, softer glow. I also took a photo of the first three in full sunlight so you could judge the level of shimmer for yourselves.

L-R: Surratt Scintillante, NYX White Pearl, Rouge Bunny Rouge Unforgettable Oriole, Fyrinnae Nijiro, MAC Soft Force

Here's a close-up of my eye look: I used Scintillante in the inner corners and on the mobile lid, with Rouge Bunny Rouge Champagne Pewter Highlight from the Chronos Eye Shadow Palette on the outer third and along the lower lashline, and Clinique Stone Violet in the crease for subtle definition. I think in this photo you can really see the difference in the larger shimmer of the RBR shadow and the soft brightening effect of Surratt Scintillante.
You could say that Scintillante isn't very exciting, and that's true - but for the purpose of effortlessly highlighting the inner corners of my eyes, it's a fantastic shade to have. I also wore it on my 'no make-up make-up' day with just a touch of brown liner to tightline and no mascara, and my eyes looked fresher and more wide awake. Here I'm wearing the eye look described above with Hourglass Incandescent Electra on the cheeks and a touch of fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Passion on the lips.
All in all, I'm happy with my purchase, even though Scintillante isn't exactly what I was hoping for when swatched at the counter. I'd especially recommend you check out Surratt's range of eyeshadows if you're a fan of the Shiseido shadow formula. What is your favorite shade for brightening the inner corners of the eyes?

Share The Love: Recent Favorite YouTubers

After posting my huge rant about gurus and YouTube beauty community, I've decided to take a page from my own book and start looking for new, more genuine channels to watch in my spare time. In the process, I have in fact unsubscribed from a number of 'big' YouTubers, who were beginning to bring me nothing but poorly veiled commercials and lots of frustration, and in their place discovered some amazing, less popular content creators who put up immensely enjoyable high-quality videos that definitely surpass what I'd been watching thus far. In the spirit of sharing the love, here are my recent favorite channels:

(Oh, I've included screenshots of these ladies' channel pages. Not sure if that's cool with them and legal and all that, but I needed cute graphics :)

Ashley at MakeupTIA (blog: www.that-is-all.com)
You guise, I've finally found a fellow beauty blogger with the same coloring as me! Not that easy to find a fair natural redhead with dark brown eyes out there; apparently it's not the most common genetic mix of features. She even has the same skin type as me (combination, acne-prone and sensitive)! While my hair may not be as fabulously coppery as Ashley's, I can definitely appreciate her recommendations: she's amazingly well-spoken, has a calm, soothing voice and makes beautifully edited, interesting and all around enjoyable videos. Check out her channel if you're a fellow redhead, like natural & green beauty, or are tired of the high-pitched overenthusing from other gurus.

Kristin Gehm
It's often difficult to find a more mature standpoint among all the beauty gurus catering to teenage audiences. Kristin is a beautiful, warm, kind, funny YouTuber whose product recommendations can really be trusted. I enjoy her eyeshadow combination experiments in the '4 Looks 1 Palette' series and swoon over her collection shown via 'Palette Paloozas' (isn't she crafty with her video titles?), but what I love the most are her Stash Status and Products I Am Using Up updates, which are essentialy a video form of the Project Make A Dent. Along the same lines of making good use of your stash and enjoying what you already have, Kristin's Throwback Thursdays and Total Re-Hauls are also some of my most favorite videos on her channel.

Kirsten at ItsKeerstin
Am I the only one confused between Kristin and Kirsten or what? (And that coming from a girl who insists on having her name spelt with a 'k' not 'c' in the middle ;). It's difficult not to love Kirsten's hilarious, high-energy, scatterbrained personality, or her silly catch phrases, inlcuding but not limited to the famous 'eff me in the b-hole'. Since I'm trying to edit down my own make-up collection, I'm the biggest fan of Kirsten's Declutter series. But then, having successfully purged her stash, Kirsten goes shopping, and I love seeing her picks in her long Haul videos. Make-up excitement all around!

Karima McKimmie (blog: Shameless Fripperies, also known as House of Karima)
Absolutely some of the best, most creative and informative make-up tutorials on YouTube; my favorites include the Dramatic Drugstore Makeup Tutorial for a Night Out and the Easiest Winged Eyeliner Tutorial. Karima is full of great tips and products recommendations, especially from less well known brands, like Rouge Bunny Rouge, Kevyn Aucoin or The Make Up Store - which are way more exciting to me than seeing another review of the latest Urban Decay release. I would love to raid her stash one day! Oh well, a girl can dream :)

Marianna at Marianna's Beauty Room (blog: Impression Blend)
I've only discovered Marianna's blog and channel fairly recently but I really enjoy everything she puts up, and I love chatting with her on Twitter. Her videos are the source of many a Lush lemming (even though I've sworn off bubble bars for now) and I also like listening to her answers to the popular tags making rounds on YouTube. Another thing worth mentioning for any bookworm is that Marianna also posts book reviews on her blog, and I'm always down for a good book recommendation.

Sandra at ttsandra (blog: www.ttsandra.com, formerly known as 15 steps then a beauty blog)
I will admit that I mostly watch Sandra for her product picks. I feel that she's quite eclectic in her choices and likes to discover products from new, smaller brands, which I always appreciate. Sandra also has similar skin and hair type to my own (by hair type I mean fine, easily weighted down strands) so I find her recommendations especially useful. Check her channel out if you like good monthly favorites with some unique picks, combined empties & haul videos (what a genius concept!) and natural everyday make-up tutorials.

Maggie at MaggiesMakeupTV (blog: Maggie's Makeup)
Yes, Maggie of the EPIC Makeup Room Tour and Makeup Collection video - seriously, you have not lived as a beauty fanatic until you see that. Maggie has been my blogging friend for a really long time and she's also Polish (living in Canada), so I've always felt a greater affinity between us. I've been really enjoying Maggie's newest Makeup Declutter series, which she had to temporarily put on hold due to some health problems (wishing you a swift recovery, my dear!). Moreover, Maggie puts up lots of wishlist-lengthening haul videos; so in a word, the best of both worlds.

Lauren at Redheadphd
Ha, another redhead! Well, I do what I can to support a vanishing species. Again, lots and lots of fantastic product reviews and recommendations, especially for the curly-haired, lipstick lovers, make-up brush geeks and fragonerds (uhm, perfume enthusiasts, that is). Lauren is another example that you CAN be well-spoken, non-repetitive, informative, clear and precise in a casual YouTube video about beauty products. I just wish she posted more often!

I'm hoping you'll find some new beauty channels to watch among my favorites and if you decide to subscribe to these ladies, do tell them I've sent you - although I'm pretty sure they have no idea who I am, well except for my pals Marianna and Maggie. I have also recently attempted to merge and reorganize some of my social media accounts and platforms, so you can now add me to your Google+ circles as a person, which will enable you to see my newest posts in your feed, or you can follow me on Google+ as a page, which is linked to my YouTube account, where you can find all of my channel subscriptions. No, I have no idea why this Google+ duality is even remotely necessary, but there you go. Now tell me, what are your recent favorite YouTube channels?