YSL Beauté | Collector Palette Lumière de Jour

For Spring 2015, Yves Saint Laurent Beauté introduces the Désir de Jour Collection, inspired by the Luis Buñel cult-classic film ‘Belle de Jour’ featuring the iconic beauty of Catherine Deneuve, a woman with an outwardly cooly demure appearance, but filled with passionate undercurrents – a sentiment that is perfectly captured by the colours of this collection. One of the star pieces, the Collector Palette Lumière de Jour (CAN $55.00 exclusive to The Bay), is a softly hued pressed face powder that not only assists in setting your makeup, but will help provide you with a touch of that certain je ne sais quoi, bien sûr.

YSL Beauté | Désir de Jour Spring 2015 campaign featuring Cara Delevingne

YSL Beauté | Collector Palette Lumière de Jour

Collector Palette Lumière de Jour | The exterior of the iconic gold YSL compact has been jazzed up here with a coat of white prismatic sequins, along with a black band bearing the brand’s ‘Casandre’ logo down the middle. The powder (which is also embossed with the same logo) is a soft pink hue that leans neither too cool nor warm, thus making it a universally flattering shade, and displays an exceptionally fine shimmer that is not only an overspray, but carried through all layers.

Similar in concept to the way the Guerlain Météorites products perform, the Lumière de Jour Palette is a finely milled face powder that is designed to add a final touch to your makeup, setting everything in place. The glow it imparts to the skin is very hard to pin down and accurately capture in photographs; with my swatches below, I had to apply it with a very heavy hand in order to get it to appear – the general idea, however, is that you’re NOT supposed to see the powder at the surface level of your skin, in any case. The pink hue of the powder works well to add an overall brightness to the face, but again, the key word here is ‘subtle’ – in other words and unless your complexion is on the darker side of the spectrum, it applies as more of a sheer-invisible veil, than a wash of colour. The ultra fine texture of this powder is non-chalky and I experience no dust storm effect when swirling my brush through it, all of which help it buff easily into the skin for a seamless and flawless look. With regards to staying power, that’s difficult to say, due to the overall colourless nature of the powder, but I found that it seemed to warm up with the wearing and meld with my skin’s natural oils, but somehow still prevented my face from appearing too shiny by day’s end (even though it’s not touted as a mattifying powder) making touchups unnecessary.

YSL Beauté | Collector Palette Lumière de Jour

This is a lovely powder and one that is quite easy to use; its ultra-fine texture and universally flattering shade make it ideal for a variety of skin tones, and does an amazing job of giving your skin that ‘lit-from-within’ radiance, and will have people asking you if you’ve had ‘something done’. From my understanding, the Lumière de Jour Palette is exclusive to The Bay here in Canada – I’m not certain if any retailers elsewhere will be carrying it, but if you happen to find out, let me know.

Available now for a limited time at all Hudson’s Bay stores across Canada and thebay.com

Press sample provided for my unbiased consideration

SPACE.NK | Spring Beauty Edit 2015

February 17, 2015

Mark your calendars: Spring Beauty Edit 2015, a hotly anticipated one-day-only event from SPACE.NK starts tomorrow and will be available at all 23 US locations, as well as to online shoppers at spacenk.com (US only). During this amazing event, clients are presented with the latest in Spring beauty (as well as looks from their ‘New Bohemian SS15 Campaign‘ going on right now) and can also meet with experts from some of their finest brands for makeovers, advice and tips (call your local store to learn event times, and featured experts/services, as this will vary by location).

Exclusively for the event and in addition to the one-on-one consultations available, SPACE.NK is also offering this Limited Edition Cosmetics Bag/Foldover Clutch that is filled with 28 well-curated selections of must-have featured brands (deluxe, travel, and full-size items valued at well over US $400.00) to shoppers who spend $250.00 or more.

This is SPACE.NK’s most popular event of the year and I encourage you to reserve your space in advance to avoid any disappointment, as this bag usually sells out at the speed of light (the gift bag will also be available to online shoppers, but you’ll need to act fast).

The oversized Cosmetics Bag is made of a heavy-gauge black nylon with a solid brass zipper & pull, and works beautifully as a travel-perfect makeup bag (guaranteed to hold all your beauty and skincare items with ease), but it can also double as a Foldover Clutch – very minimalist chic – again, turning this bag into an excellent travel essential (no need to drag an extra purse with you).

The selection of products included in the bag, are all brands I have been so curious to try and this is the perfect way to test them out, without committing to full-size versions. Considering how fanatic I am about skincare I may just find my next Holy Grail product amongst these lovelies.

SPACE.NK | Spring Beauty Edit 2015

Included in the Limited Edition Cosmetics Bag/Foldover Clutch:

· 37 Extreme Actives High Performance Anti-Aging Cream (7ml)
· African Botanics Pure Marula Oil (5ml)
· Algenist Complete Eye Renewal Balm (7ml)
· Bakel Nutriremedy (10ml)
· Bumble & Bumble Repair Blow Dry (15ml)
· By Terry Cellularose Brightening Serum (4ml)
· Darphin Stimulskin Divine Cream (5ml)
· Diptyque Scented Candle (70g)
· Goldfaden MD Fleuressence Native Botanical Cell Oil (4ml)
· Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF15 (5ml)
· James Read Tan Sleep Mask Tan (25ml)
· Kat Burki Hibiscus Antioxidant Face Mask (7ml)
· Kevyn Aucoin The Flesh Tone Lip Pencil in Medium (0.026oz)
· Lancer The Method: Polish (15ml)
· Malin + Goetz Vitamin B5 Body Moisturizer (29ml)
· Mio Double Buff Dual Action Enzyme Exfoliator (50ml)
· Natura Bissé Essential Shock Intense Cream (10ml)
· NIA24 Sun Damage Prevention SPF30 (75ml, full-size)
· Oribe Shampoo for Beautiful Color (15ml)
· Oribe Conditioner for Beautiful Color (15ml)
· Philip B Oud Royal Forever Shine Conditioner (15ml)
· Radical Skincare Extreme Repair (8ml)
· Ren Keep Young & Beautiful Instant Firming Beauty Shot (10ml)
· Rodial Glamtox Cleanser (30ml)
· Roloxin Lift Revitalizing Facial Treatment (2g)
· Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment (10ml)
· Tata Harper Moisturizing Mask (7.5ml)
· Verso Day Cream (15ml)

SPACE.NK | Spring Beauty Edit 2015

If you’re fortunate enough to live in an area that has a SPACE.NK store, do yourself a favour and go visit in person, so you can get a jump-start on what you might want to pick up from Spring Beauty Edit 2015 – then make sure to head back bright & early tomorrow to benefit from this amazing one-day-only gift bag (they literally sell out so fast in-store). Or for those who live in the US but don’t have access to a SPACE.NK location, you can also benefit from this promotion via online ordering. Either way, it’s one of the most generous beauty gift with purchase offers that I’ve seen in quite some time, and if you’re going to spend the money anyway, might as well get something fabulous in return, no?

Press sample provided for my unbiased consideration – this post contains affiliate links.

CHANEL | N°102 Mysterio Illusion d’Ombre

February 15, 2015

The ethereal beauty of the ballet is the inspiration behind La Perle du CHANEL for Spring 2015, the latest release from this luxury brand, with airy metallics and fresh rose hues the order of the day. This is a relatively small collection that has several lovely pieces (look for upcoming reviews on my other selections), but today, it’s all about the shimmery silver, whisper-soft & impossibly gleaming beauty of Illusion d’Ombre N°102 Mysterio (CAN $38.00 limited edition).

CHANEL | Illusion d’Ombre N°102 Mysterio

Illusion d’Ombre N°102 Mysterio | With its perfect mix of warm and cool undertones, N°102 Mysterio can either appear platinum hued (when seen in direct light/sunlight) or as a brilliant steely-ice silver (lower light). If you’re new to the Illusion d’Ombre range from CHANEL, this is actually a gel-to-powder eyeshadow product in a cushiony format, claimed to be long-lasting and can be worn as either eyeshadow or liner.

With the exception of one shade (Rivière) that was never released here in Canada, I have all the rest of the Illusion d’Ombres from CHANEL, and I can truthfully say that not all perform as expected; N°102 Mysterio, however, has redeemed the range with its spectacular colour (the initial texture seen in the pot looks somewhat dull, but once swatched, its true brilliant nature appears) and wonderful texture (which is smoothly applying with zero fall-out). In the swatch photo below that was intentionally blurred, you can see the ultra fine prismatic shimmer that lends such depth and vibrancy to this shade, while application couldn’t be easier as well.

There are several ways to apply and wear the Illusion d’Ombre shades; the best is actually with one’s fingers – great for a broader sweep of colour across the lid, but not so easy for finer or more detailed work. That’s where a synthetic haired brush comes in (which absorbs less product than a natural haired brush would), enabling you to do more precision work or even layer N°102 Mysterio for increased intensity. Depending on the look, I might also go in with a blending brush to smooth and soften out any edges, although I wouldn’t recommend starting with that type of brush. With regards to staying power, I have oily lids and definitely need to prime first or risk having the product crease within an hour – despite the long-wearing claim. With primer, I experience basically no creasing, flaking, or fading, with the colour staying true until removal.

CHANEL | Illusion d’Ombre N°102 Mysterio

CHANEL | Illusion d’Ombre N°102 Mysterio (taken with flash)

CHANEL | Illusion d’Ombre N°102 Mysterio

CHANEL | Illusion d’Ombre N°102 Mysterio (blurred to highlight the complex shimmer)

CHANEL | Illusion d’Ombre N°102 Mysterio (same angle, alternate lighting)

Silver eyeshadow is not always an easy colour to wear but N°102 Mysterio is one of those silver hues that will just work on everyone. Despite its über-gleaming nature, this is also a wonderful shade for daytime wear, especially when worn as a sheer veil of colour along the lids, drawing light to your eyes. As a bonus, the finely milled texture of the shimmer also lends itself to being applied as a highlighter (cheekbones, cupid’s bow), adding another level of versatility. In my opinion, this is by far one of the best Illusion d’Ombre shades from CHANEL, and well worth picking up.

Available now at CHANEL counters across Canada. I picked mine up at The Bay.

Affiliate link

CHANEL | Rouge Coco #440 Arthur

February 14, 2015

Red … the colour of love and of unlimited passion, simultaneously volatile and intense – all traits that are perfectly captured in #440 Arthur (CAN $42.00) from CHANEL’s newly relaunched range of Rouge Coco lipsticks. This collection of 29 lipsticks shades come in 5 colour ranges (reds, nudes, corals, pinks, plums) and are each named after friends, artists and lovers who inspired Coco Chanel.

Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel’s lifestory is filled with mystery and contradictions, but one thing that remains constant is her tumultuous and deep love for Arthur Capel, known as ‘Boy’ amongst his friends … and the man who was to be the love of her life. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, than with #440 Arthur, a richly passionate red created in homage of that love.

Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel & Arthur ‘Boy’ Capel (1917) – credit

CHANEL | Rouge Coco #440 Arthur

Rouge Coco #440 Arthur | The newly reformulated Rouge Coco range of lipsticks are a vast improvement over the original incarnations, with a significant increase in colour vibrancy as well as bearing an intensely moisturizing feel that features an ‘exclusive complex of Jojoba and Mimosa Butters, Sunflower Wax and silicone for lasting hydration and luminous results‘.

I own several of the earlier Rouge Coco versions, and while I adore the shades, I’ve always been less than impressed with the way they performed overall – in terms of colour, moisture levels, and lasting power. I fell in absolute love with Rouge Coco #440 Arthur from the first swipe; this warm tomato-red hue (which has a depth of tone unlike anything I’ve seen in this colour group before) applies in an über-creamy way, literally gliding along the lips. The colour has a vibrancy that while intense, manages to also look playful, sexy, and sophisticated at once – making this one of the most perfectly easy to wear red shades ever. There’s a gorgeous glossy sheen than lasts almost throughout the wearing, and a quick press of the lips is all you need to refresh the colour. Lasting power is excellent, and I’m able to easily get 8 hours of wear, with a light stain left behind on the lips once the majority of colour has faded. Best part, is that I experience no feathering or bleeding into surrounding lip lines.

CHANEL | Rouge Coco #440 Arthur

CHANEL | Rouge Coco #440 Arthur, in full sun

CHANEL | Rouge Coco #440 Arthur, alternate lighting

For the time being, #440 Arthur is the only shade I saw available at my local CHANEL counter, but if this lipstick is anything to judge by, then this entire range looks highly promising (I can hear the cries from my wallet). For someone whose comfort zone has traditionally been nude lip shades, it’s actually quite shocking how many red lipsticks I own; given my well-documented love of CHANEL products, coupled with this incredible new formula, I have a feeling that #440 Arthur is going to be getting quite a bit of my love.

Wishing you all a Happy Valentine’s Day! ♥

Available at all CHANEL counters across Canada. I picked mine up at The Bay.

Purchased product

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Collection

February 13, 2015

Beauty giant MAKE UP FOR EVER has released four makeup kits inspired by the film Fifty Shades of Grey, that opens up in theatres today. Love or hate the novel (I personally laughed my way through it), there’s no such ambivalence about the makeup, in particular the Give In To Me Alluring Color for Eyes & Lips set shown here today (CAN $90.00). The collection includes a customized eye shadow palette featuring four cult-favourite Artist Shadows, lipstick, lipgloss, mascara, and new Graphic Liner – all in a reusable soft case which bears a large mirror on the inner lid, a ‘secret compartment’, as well as a booklet that allows you to recreate 3 iconic looks from the movie, as created by Victoria Down, Head of Makeup Department for the Fifty Shades of Grey film.

The Graphic Liner shown below was previously reviewed in full here, so I won’t go into detail in this post.

At the end of the post, I have also included the instruction sheets for the 3 looks (Natural, Sultry, and Empowered) created by Vitoria Down for the Anastasia Steele character (portrayed by Dakota Johnson), all of which can be reproduced with the products of this collection.

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Alluring Color for Eyes & Lips

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Alluring Color for Eyes & Lips (showing secret compartment)

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Alluring Color for Eyes & Lips

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me 4 Artist Shadow Palette

If you haven’t had a chance to try out MAKE UP FOR EVER’s range of recently launched Artist Shadows (300 shades available, at last count) then you are seriously missing out on what has got to be some of the best eye shadows available in the market. Made with the highest levels of pigment compared to every other brand, they come in 5 different finishes (S = Satiny, I= Iridescent, D= Diamond, M= Matte and ME-Metallic), can be applied either dry or damp, are long lasting, super blendable, and display a buttery/velvety texture.

The four shades of the Give In To Me Palette (breakdown below) are all in highly wearable colours that you can tweak for either an easy daytime look, or ramped up for evening.

I-514 – described as ‘pink ivory’, I see this as more of a champagne hue
S-556 – described as ‘taupe grey’, this shade is the most matte of the four
ME-612 – described as ‘brown silver’, reads more warm copper to me
I-628 – described as ‘reptile’ (which is perfect), this complex hue has mossy undertones

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me 4 Artist Shadow Palette, swatched dry

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me 4 Artist Shadow Palette, swatched damp

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Graphic Liner

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Graphic Liner swatch

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Smoky Extravagant Mascara

This is the latest mascara to be released from MAKE UP FOR EVER (also available in a waterproof version), and is meant to provide ‘dramatic impact & graphic precision’, with the aid of its ‘ergo-conic’ brush head and intense formula.

It’s definitely one of the deepest black mascara shades I’ve tried and even by the first coat, I notice that my lashes look plumped up, longer, and fuller. A second coat gives serious drama and almost makes lashes look fake – very impressive. What I find, however, is that I have better success applying this to my upper lashes; I usually end up smearing the product on the outer corners of my lower lashes, possibly due to the width of the brush head. The formula also has a tendency to clump slightly (contrary to the ‘clump-free’ claim), but I personally don’t have an issue with that (clumps can also add to the appearance of volume, and basically disappear against eye makeup anyway) and it’s also nothing that a quick lash combing can’t solve (a habit I’ve only lately gotten into doing, and can’t believe what a difference it makes to my finished lash look). Staying power is impressive, smudge and flake-free, and looking just as fresh at the end of a day’s wearing as it did from the start.

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Rouge Artist Natural N4 Lipstick

Rouge Artist Natural N4 Lipstick | The description of ‘Pink Beige’ is spot on, although it definitely leans more warm than cool. Available in a range of 50 shades, the Rouge Artist Natural formula is ultra creamy and nourishing, enriched with a ‘cocktail of vegetal ingredients, made of waxes and Cupuassu Butter’ to hydrate your lips with a natural sheen‘.

The texture is unbelievable silky and literally glides along the lips without any tugging or pulling. Considering the creamy consistency, I am pleasantly surprised to find how well pigmented N4 is, while still managing to offer full coverage. Staying power is yet another surprise, lasting about 4-5 hours without any fading (eating and drinking will definitely drop that number, however). Suitable for a variety of skin tones across the board, except for darker complexions where this shade might just prove almost invisible.

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Lab Shine Lip Gloss D-14

Lab Shine Lip Gloss D-14 | Available in 3 finishes (D=Diamond Collection, S=Star Collection, M=Metallic Collection) and 35 creative colours, these glosses are designed to achieve an ‘ultra-bright effect, with the silky brush ensuring an optimal and dazzling coverage‘.

This shade from the Diamond Collection, has sheer coverage for a more natural effect and filled with sparkling shimmer (of the non-gritty variety). The feel is at once lush and lightweight, as well as non-sticky throughout the wearing. Worn alone on my lips (which are rather pigmented naturally to begin with), it appears as a clear gloss with a whisper of a rosy undertone, with the shimmer more visible when seen in bright light/sunlight. Lasting power is about what you’d expect with a gloss and perhaps a touch longer than usual (approx. 3.5 hours), leaving lips quite nourished and hydrated long after it has worn off.

Pairing the lip gloss and lipstick of this collection together, yields a significantly more lush appearance than wearing either lip product alone – and they seem to perfectly compliment each other.

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Lab Shine Lip Gloss D-14 swatch

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Rouge Artist Natural N4 Lipstick swatch

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me lipstick + lip gloss combined swatch

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Natural Look

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Sultry Look

MAKE UP FOR EVER | Give In To Me Empowered Look

If you’ve been curious to try some MAKE UP FOR EVER colour cosmetics, then this Give In To Me set is a great place to start; all you’re basically missing here is foundation and blush, and you literally have all the products you need to create a myriad of looks. The Artist Shadows alone which retail for CAN $24.00 each, further the case for this purchase, if their stellar quality hasn’t already sold you.

Do let me know if you’ll be seeing the movie (fingers crossed the movie is a lot more entertaining than the ∗cough, cough∗ novel).

The limited edition Give In To Me Collection is available now at Sephora and Sephora.ca across Canada. Find more information on the brand by visiting makeupforever.ca