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Ciaté London x Olivia Palermo Satin Kiss Lipstick Collection

January 21, 2016

Embracing Olivia Palermo’s sharp style aesthetic, hot British brand Ciaté London has teamed up with the model/actress & Creative Director for the brand, to create a well-curated collection of must-have products, including these four Satin Kiss lipstick shades (US $25.00/each).

There’s a timeless and glam old-world feel to the golden lipstick tubes, given a whimsical touch via the small black bow on top (the Ciaté London logo). The four shades have Olivia’s initials etched onto the bullets (for the record, doesn’t the font look exactly like the one OPI uses?). The lipsticks are all unscented and show major pigmentation that’s visible from the very first swipe, with the creaminess factor off the charts; buttery doesn’t even begin to cover it. Rounding things off is an excellent staying power (obviously this doesn’t include eating/drinking) with the deepest shade lasting the longest. Another bonus, is that lips feel wonderfully hydrated throughout the wearing – and long after the last bits of colour have faded. Finally, the finish is neither overly glossy nor matte but a lush-looking satin (which seems to magically make lips look fuller, or is that just me?).

Also reviewed from the Ciaté London x Olivia Palermo Collection:

Smokey Sudes Eye Palette

Olivia Palermo (credit)

Ciaté London x Olivia Palermo Satin Kiss Lipstick Collection

Ciaté London x Olivia Palermo Satin Kiss Lipstick swatches

Cashmere | A warm-leaning nude with pink undertones and the obvious palest of the group, application is in reality much smoother than what appears in my swatch photos (I apparently have more than my share of lip lines. Sigh). An excellent hue for those with fair to medium skin tones, but might be too ashy for those with darker complexions.

Ciaté London x Olivia Palermo Cashmere Satin Kiss Lipstick swatch

Truffle | Warm-leaning as well, this shade has touches of coral to go with the pink in the base, forming a universally flattering shade and easily wearable by a broad range of skin tones. Not as editorial-leaning as Cashmere and a shade I suspect will be the perfect counterpart to a dark smokey eye.

Ciaté London x Olivia Palermo Truffle Satin Kiss Lipstick swatch

Praline | The name alone makes me think of caramel-y sweetness and this shade totally delivers on that score. Still in the nude family but on the deeper end of the scale, this has been THE neutral I’ve been reaching for lately. A lot.

Ciaté London x Olivia Palermo Praline Satin Kiss Lipstick swatch

Velveteen | Let’s all breathe a collective sigh at this beauty, shall we? I mean JUST LOOK AT THAT COLOUR. Honestly, with a small army of reds (and all the variations thereof) in my beauty arsenal, I honestly have absolutely nothing with this intense carmine tone. Luscious, velvety and just drop.dead.gorgeous.

Ciaté London x Olivia Palermo Velveteen Satin Kiss Lipstick swatch

I wasn’t sure what I expected to find with these lipsticks, but being blown away wasn’t one of them (although I totally was). Up until recently, my only experience with Ciaté London was with their nail products which are quite excellent, by the way, and I’m so happy to find that their colour cosmetics deliver as well. The only downside? While these lipsticks are available through Sephora, its through the US stores/site. On behalf of all Canadians, I’m thinking that a petition to change that is in order. Who’s with me?

The Ciaté London x Olivia Palermo collection is available at Sephora (US only) – full information can be found at www.ciatelondon.com

Press samples kindly provided for my unbiased consideration

CHANEL | Rose de Lune, Vaporeuse & La Merveilleuse, Rouge Noir Absolument Collection

November 27, 2015

Perhaps as a counterpoint to the brooding tone of CHANEL’s iconic Rouge Noir shade, there are also several new and more lighthearted lip options that have been released with the Rouge Noir Absolument Collection for Holiday 2015, and not surprisingly, I am in love with them all.

Also reviewed from this collection:

CHANEL | 347 La Merveilleuse, 237 Vaporeuse, & 477 Rose de Lune

CHANEL | 477 Rose de Lune, 347 La Merveilleuse & 237 Vaporeuse

CHANEL | 477 Rose de Lune, 347 La Merveilleuse & 237 Vaporeuse swatches

477 Rose de Lune, Limited Edition (CAN $34.00) | An icy pink shade with cooler undertones and filled with a soft and almost iridescent silvery shimmer. CHANEL Glossimers are amongst my favourite lip glosses, primarily because they’re not sticky and always leave lips feeling well hydrated. That being said, there is something magical about Rose de Lune, with its multi-dimensional shimmer that elevates it from being a typical pink gloss to something almost ethereal. Totally backup-worthy.

CHANEL | 477 Rose de Lune Glossimer

CHANEL | 477 Rose de Lune Glossimer swatch

237 Vaporeuse Rouge Allure, Limited Edition (CAN $42.00) | A soft nude-pink shade in CHANEL’s relaunched Rouge Allure formula, with a smooth glide upon application and subtle shine at the finish, lightly scented with the brand’s signature rose fragrance (which definitely dissipates quickly after application). As my lips are quite heavily lined, I was pleased to see that Vaporeuse doesn’t seem to settle or emphasize said lines, and while the shade itself is quite subtle, it’s also perfect for balancing a stronger and/or smokey eye. Lasting power is on the light side (approx. 2-3 hours), although it leaves a nicely moisturized feel to lips once the colour has faded. Layered with Rose de Lune on top creates a lush look and can boost wear time slightly.

CHANEL | 237 Vaporeuse Rouge Allure swatch

347 La Merveilleuse Rouge Allure Velvet, Limited Edition (CAN $42.00) | A luxurious magenta/berry shade in a highly pigmented formula with a matte/satin finish. With its effortless glide along the lips, this lush hue benefits from a liner if you want a precise look, but I love the more approachable tone of applying it directly from the bullet. Fragranced with the CHANEL’s classic rose scent that becomes undetectable (to my nose) once applied, this is a far cry from other matte lipsticks that can be somewhat drying, leaving a fully hydrated feel to lips throughout the wearing and after. Longevity is impressive, lasting easily 8+ hours, even with drinking and eating thrown in the mix.
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CHANEL | 347 La Merveilleuse Rouge Allure Velvet swatch

I have been impressed with every single piece of CHANEL’s Rouge Absolument Collection for Holiday 2015 (left to go: my review of the eyeshadow quad, coming soon), and that’s something that doesn’t happen often. Of the three lip products shown here, my hands-down favourite is Rose de Lune and I definitely intend to stock up as this has now become my go-to lipgloss (I have literally been stopped by total strangers asking me what shade I’m wearing when I have this on). What’s lovely about La Merveilleuse and Vaporeuse, are that they’re both shades that will transition well for Spring & Summer, but also totally on point right now. To repeat: a highly impressive collection and well worth checking out … before they’re all gone.
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The CHANEL Rouge Noir Absolument Collection for Holiday 2015 is available now at The Bay & thebay.com, Holt Renfrew and Nordstrom stores across Canada. Find more information via www.chanel.com

Press sample kindly provided by CHANEL for my unbiased consideration/Post may contain affiliate links

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes Fall 2015 (Limited Edition)

November 12, 2015

For Fall 2015, Maybelline has relaunched their Creamy Mattes lipsticks (original shades reviewed here) in 8 new limited edition colours ( CAN $9.99 each). Made with 3 precious oils and what feels like all kinds of buttery yumminess, there’s nothing shy about any of the colours, as they all come in a super pigmented formula with an ultra-creamy feel in application. Long-wearing, the finish is more of a lustrous matte as opposed to flat, with a Play-Doh like scent (at least to my nose) which I totally love, but which dissipates almost as soon as the shade is applied.

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes Fall 2015 (Limited Edition)

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes Fall 2015 swatches (in sunlight)

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes Fall 2015 swatches (alternate light)

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656 Clay Crush | A warm leaning pecan nude shade with a smooth finish upon application, and a great swipe-and-go kind of colour. Neutral and so easy to wear.

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 656 Clay Crush swatch

675 Nude Nuance | A raisin nude shade, bearing a smooth finish and slightly more colour saturation than Clay Crush but still well within neutral territory.

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 657 Nude Nuance swatch

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681 Vibrant Violet | A cool toned violet shade (or ultra-violet in this case) with strong magenta undertones – looks patchier in the swatch photo than the actual application, which is in fact quite smooth (so difficult to capture in photos, let me tell you).

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 681 Vibrant Violet swatch

682 Blushing Pout | A white-based dusty pale pink with a tendency to settle in lip lines (of which I have TONS) and can appear slightly patchy at first – but which can be basically eliminated by blotting and re-applying. A total retro feel to this shade (think: Twiggy, the swinging 60s).

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 682 Blushing Pout swatch

683 Pink N Chic | A blue based (and therefore cooler-leaning) ultra pink shade that is like Blushing Pout in application, and can benefit from throughly blotting + reapplying, to achieve the smoothest finish. This one also gives me a retro vibe and I actually love the look best when most of the colour has worn off.
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Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 683 Pink N Chic swatch

684 Electric Pink | As close to neon as pink can get, this shade appears to have both warm & cool undertones, making it wearable by a broad range of skin tones.

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 684 Electric Pink swatch

691 Rich Ruby | Drop.Dead.Gorgeous. This red is so lush and just so flattering on EVERYBODY. Depending on your skin tone, it may appear as either cool-based or warm leaning – and always amazing. Leaves a nice stain behind too, even after most of the colour has worn off (which takes forever, as this shade is quite long-wearing).

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 691 Rich Ruby swatch

696 Burgundy Blush | I’ve never been able to pull off a near-black lip (as much as I’ve wanted to) until THIS. Slightly blue based (you see hints of this during initial application), I’ve worn this shade full-on for mega vampy impact, as well as blotted down to subdue some of the drama, while still providing major colour to my lips. Insanely long wearing, as well.

Maybelline | The Creamy Mattes 696 Burgundy Blush swatch

I’m going to keep this simple: these Creamy Mattes are amazing, and when you consider that you’re paying a mass-market price (which can usually be scored on sale) for a luxury-performing product, well … it doesn’t get sweeter than that. From the eight, the 8 shades, the two bright pinks are the ones I can’t really wear (mainly because pink and my skin tone often clash), but the others? Well, let’s just say that they’re wearing down pretty quickly. Even that purple (how awesome is this? So needs to become permanent).

Available now at all mass-market locations where Maybelline products are sold. Visit maybelline.ca for more info on the brand.

Press samples kindly provided for my unbiased consideration

Charlotte Tilbury | Matte Revolution Lipstick, Lip Cheat®

September 30, 2015

Long before beauty chemists figured out the ingredients needed to create a glossy pout, matte lips reigned supreme, and while I personally love the lush appeal that this look provides, I’m not so keen on the dryness factor that comes with the territory. The latest foray into this field from Charlotte Tilbury, Matte Revolution Luminous Modern-Matte Long-Lasting Lipstick (10 shades, $38.00) has somehow managed to eliminate the ‘Sahara Quotient’ from the formula, producing a lipstick that feels as wonderful throughout the duration, as it is sexy to look at. Revolutionary, you might even call it. (Matte Revolution-Revolutionary … see what I did there?!)

Putting into play certain illusionary magics she’s used for years (lighting trickery, pigments and powders), Charlotte wanted to create a product that would give lips the look of fullness and a lit-from-within glow, all with just 1 swipe of lipstick. Some of the key ingredients include:

Lipstick Tree extract – a natural antioxidant, protects lips
Orchid Extract – offers soothing & hydrating properties
3D Glowing Pigments – gives the illusion of fuller & wider lips, lit-from-wthin
Triglycerides – mixed with oils & waxes for long-lasting colour and a perfect glide

Housed in ribbed outer casing in the brand’s signature rose-gold, another innovation is the classically shaped square tip (inspired by a lip brush), which enables you to cover your lips easily and quickly even at the first stroke, and can also be turned along any of its angles for more precision application. Each of the ten shades offers buildable coverage: one swipe covers fully, but still retains a certain overall luminosity, while a secondary pass gives a more opaque and velvety finish. From the three shades I was sent to try, I was impressed with the lasting power which easily surpasses the 7 hour mark, showing minimal wear along the inner rim of the lower lip only when eating and/or drinking. Another plus is the feel: a good hydrated sensation throughout the wearing and even when the colour seems to wane a bit, a simple press of the lips seems to revive it right back.

*I was also kindly sent these 2 coordinating Lip Cheat® shades to test out with the lipsticks.

Charlotte Tilbury | Matte Revolution Lipstick & Lip Cheat®

Charlotte Tilbury | Matte Revolution Lipstick

Charlotte Tilbury | Matte Revolution Lipstick – Amazing Grace, Bond Girl & Love Liberty

Charlotte Tilbury | Lip Cheat®

Crazy in Love | Rosewood, warm leaning with a slight hint of burgundy
Hollywood Honey | Raisin, some brown in the base for depth

The Lip Cheat® formula is one of the best I’ve tried with regards to lip liners; long-lasting, glides effortlessly along the lips without any pulling or tugging (make it excellent for all-over application as well), and displays absolutely no feathering or bleeding into surrounding lip lines.

Charlotte Tilbury | Matte Revolution Lipstick an Lip Cheat® swatches (sunlight)

Charlotte Tilbury | Matte Revolution Lipstick an Lip Cheat® swatches (alternate light)

Amazing Grace | Rosewood coloured, has both cool and warm tones in the base rendering it an almost perfect ‘neutral rose’ hue that can be worn by a wide range of skin tones. Classy and elegant, yet still maintains a young & fresh appeal.

Inspiration: Grace Kelly, polished perfection à la Nicole Kidman and Miranda Kerr

Ingredients: Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Trimethylolpropane Triisostearate, Dimenthicone, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Polyethylene, Polybutene, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Dicalcium Phosphate, Mica, Ethyl Vanillin, Caprylic/Capric Trigglyceride, Tocopherol, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil (Zea Mays Oil), Pentaerythrityl Tetera-Di-t-Butyl Hydroxhydrocinnamate, Orchis Mascula Flower Extract, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, [May contain/Peut Contenir +/-): Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 6 (CI 15850), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Carmine (CI 75470)]

Charlotte Tilbury | Amazing Grace Matte Revolution Lipstick swatch

Bond Girl | (As though I would EVER resist anything Bond-related?) Rich Chestnut with a strong vein of berry at the core to keep this shade from leaning too far over into brown territory. Absolutely gorgeous and THE perfect lippie to wear when you want nude/neutral, but with a bit of a punch.

Inspiration: Alluring Bond beauties, from Halle Berry, Barbara Bach, and Olga Kurylenko

Ingredients: Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Trimethylolpropane Triisostearate, Dimenthicone, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Polyethylene, Polybutene, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Dicalcium Phosphate, Mica, Ethyl Vanillin, Caprylic/Capric Trigglyceride, Tocopherol, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil (Zea Mays Oil), Pentaerythrityl Tetera-Di-t-Butyl Hydroxhydrocinnamate, Orchis Mascula Flower Extract, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, [May contain/Peut Contenir (+/-): Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Red 6 (CI 15850), Yellow 6 Lake (CI 15985), Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), Carmine (CI 75470)]

Charlotte Tilbury | Bond Girl Matte Revolution Lipstick swatch

Love Liberty | Deep Berry with touches of mahogany playing in the background, cooler leaning but will work equally well on warmer complexions. One swipe provides a rich wine-coloured touch, although I highly suggest taking it up a notch with a second pass for a stunning (& killer sexy) vampy pout, with no goth element to muddy things up.

Inspiration: Liberty Ross, wildly glamorous nights à la Jerry Hall and Uma Thurman

Ingredients: Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Trimethylolpropane Triisostearate, Dimenthicone, Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina), Polyethylene, Polybutene, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silica, Mica, Dicalcium Phosphate, Ethyl Vanillin, Caprylic/Capric Trigglyceride, Tocopherol, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil (Zea Mays Oil), Pentaerythrityl Tetera-Di-t-Butyl Hydroxhydrocinnamate, Orchis Mascula Flower Extract, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Tin Oxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, [May contain/Peut Contenir (+/-): Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), Carmine (CI 75470)]

Charlotte Tilbury | Love Liberty Matte Revolution Lipstick swatch

I have a love-hate relationship going on with matte lipsticks; on the one hand, I adore the more light-absorbing coverage this finish provides as it not only looks hot, but (and depending on the look you’re going for) can either work to perfectly complement the rest of your makeup, or easily stand alone as the star player. That being said, the dryness levels that some matte lipsticks bring to the party, is usually the deal-breaker for me which is why I was so pleasantly surprised by the feel of this Matte Revolution range; smooth to apply, smooth to wear, and smooth long after they’ve gone. So I’m guessing this now means I need to try them all, right?

Charlotte Tilbury beauty is available at select Holt Renfrew stores across Canada. Find more information via: www.charlottetilbury.com

Press samples kindly provided for my unbiased consideration/post may contain affiliate links

Dior Addict Lipstick, 2015 Edit

September 22, 2015

Dior has just rolled out their newly revamped range of Addict Lipsticks (CAN $42.00/44 shades, all permanent), and even without the gorgeous packaging acting as total eye-candy, one quick swatch of any shade will in all probability set off a collecting spree. Available in three finishes (pure colour, shimmering and pearlescent), this breakthrough lipstick and long-lasting topcoat-in-one formula features a ‘Hydra-Gel Topcoat and a Triple Oil Complex‘ at its core that runs throughout the entire length of each lipstick, along with a higher level of pigments for sensational colour, mega-watt shine and a super moisturizing feel to lips throughout and after wear.

The exterior packaging comes with a holographic print, with the acrylic casings displaying some prismatic flashes, as well as sporting new magnetic closures at the top to keep the product safe & snug in its tube. My only beef is with the labelling; if you have more than one Addict Lipstick and happen to open them up at the same time, you better know in advance which shade is which in order to properly re-close them, as the names/labels are found on the outer casing, and not on the actual product.

PS: make sure to open each lipstick by simply pulling on the knob and pulling the tube out of its case – don’t try screwing it out. Sounds silly to even mention this, but for those unfamiliar with this range, knowing this one little fact will save you some frustration.

The four lipsticks I was sent to test out, were created by Dior as the must-have It Shades (with corresponding Vernis shades – review to come):

976 Be Dior – inspired by the emblematic rose of the House of Dior
561 Wonderful – a tribute to Monsieur Dior’s declaration that “pink is a shade that can be worn at any hour”
553 Smile – a versatile neutral/nude for an illuminating yet natural look
451 Tribale – pearlized coral shade reminiscent of Monsieur Dior’s classic pearl accents

Dior Addict Lipstick, 2015 Edit (so cool: holographic packaging)

Dior Addict Lipstick, 2015 Edit

Dior Addict Lipstick, 2015 Edit swatches (direct sunlight)

Dior Addict Lipstick, 2015 Edit swatches (alternate light)

451 Tribale | A pink leaning coral hue with a visible, yet totally smooth-feeling, pearlized finish. Provides a healthy flush of colour to lips and leaves a slight “bitten effect” stain after the colour has worn off.

Dior Addict Lipstick 451 Tribale swatch

553 Smile | A pink/nude shade with mauve undertones in the base, making it suitable for both cool and warm complexions. The palest of the four shown along with the shortest staying power (not surprising, given its lighter shade), this is the perfect swipe-and-go shade for when you want a natural, yet still polished look.

Dior Addict Lipstick 553 Smile swatch

561 Wonderful | A blue based baby pink shade, cooler leaning, and filled with a shimmering pearlescence for added depth of tone. While I find that most pinks clash against my skin tone, something about this colour totally agrees with me, and will make the perfect counterpart against an edgy smokey eye look.

Dior Addict Lipstick 561 Wonderful swatch

976 Be Dior | Thinking that this shade would be super vampy based on what’s seen in the tube, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it’s actually more of a deep raspberry on application. Displaying an almost crystalline shine, this has become my go-to shade for when I want a bright pop of colour, but can’t be bothered with precision techniques – it’s THAT easy to apply & wear. The longest lasting of the four, it also leaves a deep rose stain behind. LOVE.

Dior Addict Lipstick 976 Be Dior swatch

These lipsticks are so perfectly named, because once you try them, you quickly become addicted to the way they feel both during application (think: buttery, ultra-smooth, gliding texture), the insane brilliance they provide, as well as how plump & hydrated your lips feel long after the colour has faded. Naturally, there are less expensive alternatives in the marketplace that offer similar qualities, but I’ve pretty much tried them all and have yet to find a lip product that just feels so good. And with 44 shades to choose from, it’s pretty much a given that you’ll find your match. Or six.

The Dior Addict Lipstick Collection 2015 is available now across Canada through Sephora & sephora.com, Holt Renfrew and The Bay, thebay.com Find more information via www.dior.com

Press samples kindly sent by Dior for my unbiased considerations/post may contain affiliate links