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Dior Vernis #995 Minuit (LE) – Golden Winter 2013 Collection

November 23, 2013

To look at Dior’s Golden Winter 2013 Collection, is like looking into the jewelry box of Marie Antoinette; filled with tones of pink & gold, this collection takes its inspiration from Versailles at midnight. No need to add any more … that romantic imagery is more than enough for me. I first fell for the retro shape of these chubby bottles when they were introduced with last year’s Grand Bal holiday collection (previously reviewed here and here) – the ultimate in refined femininity. Plus they’re just so darned cute.

Dior – #995 Minuit

#995 Minuit (limited edition) (CAN $27.00) – a deep bordeaux/prune base hue filled with rose-gold, copper & bronze ultra fine glitter. With its sublime formula – perfect density, flow, self-levelling capacity, and super glossy finish – this shade is nothing short of totally luxurious. Dark enough to satisfy my need for vampy shades yet still shy of looking like yet another blackened lacquer, the shimmery bits here look like they’re literally floating just under the nail surface – LOVE! Coats applied: 2, plus 1 layer of Dior Gel Top Coat

Dior – #995 Minuit

I have fallen very hard for this lacquer, and it has quickly risen to the ranks of one of my all-time favourite shades. The fact that the formula is ridiculously easy to apply (even the brush isn’t the usual paddle style that Dior favours with their regular lineup of lacquers, neither is it of the thinner variety – densely packed & flexible bristles, and just enough width enough to work comfortably with), makes it more than worth the heftier price tag. I’m already planning on getting a back up of this limited edition beauty … how can I resist?

Covergirl – Limited Edition Capitol Collection

November 5, 2013

This year’s instalment of The Hunger Games – Catching Fire (theatrical release this November 22nd), has cosmetic giant Covergirl teaming up with the franchise to bring us an exotic collection of beauty items – perfect if you wish to recreate the extravagant looks seen in the movie, or if that seems a bit much, then how about channeling a few of the Districts with the help of these insanely brilliant nail lacquers?

There seems to be a common theme with this entire collection: they each bear a glass-flecked super-reflective brilliance. As to the small bottles (how cute are they?) I don’t mind that they hold less than an average nail polish – I can’t remember the last time I actually finished an entire bottle – but it’s something to bear in mind if you fall in absolute love with one of these shades, as they are limited edition. One warning: these do seem to take longer to dry than average, so keep that in mind and use a quick-drying top coat to speed things along.

The Hunger Games – Catching Fire (source)

Covergirl – Limited Edition Capitol Collection

#600 Sulfur Blaze – a brilliant yellow gold base hue filled with gold, green, and coppery pink irregularly shaped glass-flecked glitter. Bearing an excellent formula density with a super easy flow, this shade was the sheerest of the 4 shown here – layered over a matching base shade will provide a fuller opacity. Coats applied: 3 (thin), plus top coat

Covergirl – #600 Sulfur Blaze

#610 Rogue Red – a vivid coral/hot pink base hue in a semi-sheer formula, loaded with the same irregularly shaped glass-flecked glitter in gold and pink tones. The formula was a touch thinner than that of Sulfur Blaze, making the flow even easier, and while the first coat lays down rather sheer, full opacity is reached by the second – where this shade also takes on a deep fiery red cast. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Covergirl – #610 Rogue Red

#630 Seared Bronze – a taupe/grey base hue filled with a complex mix of pink, green and bronze irregularly shaped glass-flecked micro glitter, in a semi-sheer formula. The mix of colours gives this shade a slight duo chrome effect as it shifts from bronze – brown – mossy green, depending on your angle and the light. Very flattering and will definitely suit all skin tones across the board, I just wish this had a deeper opacity so that this unique mix would resonate even more. Coats applied: 3 (thin), plus top coat

Covergirl – #630 Seared Bronze

#640 Black Heat – a mid-sheer charcoal base hue, filled with olive green and some sparse pink and bronze irregularly shaped glass-flecked pieces. There’s a jelly-esque feel to the formula (that almost elastic-y spring back effect), but it nevertheless applies super easy without any dragging or pooling at the cuticles. Self-levelling and with an über-glossy shine at the finish, this baby really comes to life in direct light. Bonus: no staining upon removal. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Covergirl – #640 Black Heat

Covergirl – #640 Black Heat (detail)

Covergirl – #640 Black Heat

The four shades I’ve shown here today (check out my original post on last year’s Hunger Games shades here) are an excellent representation of what this movie is all about, as are the rest of the hues from what I’ve seen online – I just personally wish that there was a bit more diversity in the finish, ie: crème, shimmer, or even a few holographic colours thrown in. My favourite here is without a doubt, #640 Black Heat – I do love those brooding hues, and the shimmer here gives it a gorgeous edge. Yellow is not my thing (it seems to really bring out every uncomplimentary undertone in my skin), but I have to say that #600 Sulfur Blaze had the most blinding brilliance of the group. #620 Rogue Red is like fire along your tips – totally scorching, and with an amazing formula to boot. The only teeny-weeny let-down for me, was how sheer #630 Seared Bronze turned out to be – but it’s still totally gorgeous.

The Covergirl Capitol Collection is available now – feel free to follow via twitter or facebook for all updates.

*Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.

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Illamasqua – Facet Nail Varnish (Sacred Hour Collection)

November 3, 2013

Some things are just meant to be; when I happened to step into the Illamasqua boutique at the downtown Montréal Hudson’s Bay store a few weeks ago, I was checking out the brand’s latest collection – Sacred Hour – and I naturally gravitated towards this one particular shade: Facet. Gorgeous, unique, like nothing I own in my vast collection of lacquers, limited edition … and so totally sold out. Insert major sad face here. But happily, I was able to order it online through The Bay’s website – free shipping too!

Illamasqua – Facet Nail Varnish

Facet (CAD $17.00/15 ml) – a muted grey base with mauve undertones in a mid-sheer formula, filled with irregularly shaped bronze shards as well as sparser pink & green flecks. As with every other Illamasqua lacquer I own, the flow and density was spot-on perfect, applying in a self-levelling way and becoming fully opaque by the second coat. This odd combination of colours (grey with antiqued gold) in theory shouldn’t work at all — but for some reason here, it just DOES. Depending on the light and your angle, this shade might pull deeper grey then morph into a bronzite hue, but no matter which colour it appears, there’s this eerie murky effect that’s prevalent – almost as though it’s being viewed through a veil. With a gorgeously glossy shine at the finish and bearing an easy removal, this shade is pure LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Illamasqua – Facet Nail Varnish

Illamasqua – Facet Nail Varnish (detail)

Illamasqua – Facet Nail Varnish

I couldn’t be happier that I was able to add ‘Facet’ to my collection – not because this shade is a limited edition item, but because of how incredibly unique it is in terms of colour — something that’s becoming harder and harder to accomplish in the already overcrowded world of nail polish. That the formula is perfection, is just the icing on this cake. Oh yeah … us Canadians don’t have to be gouged by Sephora’s inflated prices on this brand anymore, since one can now purchase Illamasqua products through The Bay (in-store Illamasqua boutiques at select stores, or online). Sweet, very sweet.

I ordered Facet through The Bay online.

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China Glaze – Autumn Nights Fall 2013 Collection, part 1

October 31, 2013

The Fall offerings from China Glaze, have got to be my favourites – and this year’s version does NOT disappoint. The 12-piece collection is broken up into two themes: the 6 shades of the ‘Strike Up A Cosmo’ set (shown here today), and my upcoming post which will spotlight the 6 hues of ‘Gossip Over Gimlets’. With rich, jewel-toned hues and mega-what shine, there’s a whole lot of gorgeousness going on here.

China Glaze – Autumn Nights ‘Strike Up A Cosmo’

Autumn Nights – Autumn Nights ‘Strike Up A Cosmo’

Strike Up A Cosmo – a deep rose-gold foil hue with mauve undertones as well as some copper and gold glitter shards thrown in, in an amazing formula: great coverage even by the first coat, self levelling and brush stroke free. Absolutely brilliant sparkle at the finish, plus this shade is so totally trending right now. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

China Glaze – Strike Up A Cosmo

China Glaze -Strike Up A Cosmo

Red-y & Willing – a deeply saturated ruby/garnet hue, with an almost “glowy” kind of effect, in a formula that was very easy to work with – although it does have the potential to be slightly staining (don’t skip the base coat here). Self levelling and bearing a glossy finish, I had some issues with the brush on my bottle – I’m guessing it’s an isolated incident, because the rest of the collection was fine. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

China Glaze – Red-y & Willing

Don’t Make Me Wine – a luxuriously rich magenta hue with an inner amethyst shimmer, bearing an excellent formula that applies in a self levelling manner, leaving a high gloss behind. Strongly pigmented and with that ‘glowing centers/darker edges’ look that I love, there’s also the added bonus of it being non-staining upon removal. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

China Glaze – Don’t Make Me Wine

Scandalous Shenanigans – a true sapphire hue with a matching pearly shimmer, bearing a violet undertone. This highly pigmented formula can almost be a 1-coater, and application couldn’t be easier: brush stroke-free, self levelling and with a nice shine at the finish. There’s definitely a stain potential with this shade, so do not skip your base. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

China Glaze – Scandalous Shenanigans

Tongue & Chic – an intense viridian hue with a matching shimmer, and is a true 1-coater (it’s THAT colour saturated). Self levelling and über glossy at the finish, there is a slight stain potential with this shade as well – make sure to apply your base first. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

China Glaze – Tongue & Chic

Goldie But Goodie – an antiqued gold/pale bronze complex hue, that’s jam-packed with golden/bronze micro shimmer, as well as larger copper and gold glitter flecks – not quite a foil, nor a glittery shimmer, but a hybrid of the two finishes & very unique. An amazing formula with a super easy application, the self-levelling formula leaves no visible brush strokes, and finishes in a ridiculously brilliant shine. Some migration of the fine shimmer upon removal. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

China Glaze – Goldie But Goodie

The 2 foils of this group are in a word: outstanding! The other 4 shades all seem to have this hypnotic “glow” and are so incredibly colour saturated, but other than ‘Don’t Make Me Wine’, need a bit more preparation to avoid any staining issues. That being said, if jewel-tones are your weakness, you should definitely check these beauties out.

Available now wherever China Glaze products are sold, or feel free to follow via online, twitter or facebook for all updates.

*Disclosure: Product samples provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration

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Giorgio Armani Nail Lacquer – #400 Four Hundred

October 30, 2013

With the recent launch of the Giorgio Armani Nail Lacquers (read an earlier review here), there was one shade I knew I absolutely had to have: #400 Four Hundred, in the brand’s signature red colour. Lush, intense, and drop-dead sexy, this shade epitomizes what this beauty range is all about: decadent perfection. My detail-oriented/beauty-obsessed self is so, so happy …

Giorgio Armani Nail Lacquer – #400 Four Hundred

#400 Four Hundred (CAD $32.00/6 ml 0.2 fl. oz) – The. Most. Perfect.Red.EVER. or as I prefer to think of it: “One red to rule them all” (intentionally shameless LOTR rip-off). Leaning neither too warm nor cold, neither blue based nor orange toned, this formula almost has mind-reading properties. Ok, well maybe not exactly, but it does bear a superior flow and density, applying in a completely self levelling manner, and leaving an ultra insane high gloss shine at the finish – adding top coat would be basically overkill. Best part: 100% non-staining upon removal. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat (for photo purposes only)

Giorgio Armani Nail Lacquer – #400 Four Hundred

Giorgio Armani Nail lacquer – #400 Four Hundred

Giorgio Armani Nail Lacquer – #400 Four Hundred

Giorgio Armani Nail Lacquer – #400 Four Hundred and deluxe samples – it pays to befriend your counter sales agents!

I do believe I may have found my Holy Grail red crème lacquer in Giorgio Armani’s #400 Four Hundred. I can’t praise this shade enough, especially where the formula & colour are concerned. The price, on the other hand, is less than desirable – especially when you factor in that it’s basically half the size of conventional bottles of nail polish. That being said, if there’s only one shade you pick up from this brand, then make this the ONE.

I bought this at Holt Renfrew, Montréal