Guerlain | Gloss D’Enfer #920 Rouge Parade, Un Soir À L’Opéra, Christmas 2014 Collection

October 8, 2014

Part of Guerlain’s Un Soir À l’Opéra Christmas 2014 Collection (see previous reviews here & here), Gloss D’Enfer #920 Rouge Parade will coat your lips in an ultra-glamourous rich ruby brilliance. Drawing on the deep red of velvet theatre curtains as inspiration, this is a shade that is steeped in glamour, elegance, and sophistication – with a healthy dose of sexy thrown in for good measure.

Guerlain | Gloss D’Enfer #920 Rouge Parade

Guerlain | Gloss D’Enfer #920 Rouge Parade (ingredients list)

Gloss D’Enfer #920 Rouge Parade, Limited Edition (CAN $33.00) | A deep crimson hue with blue undertones in the base. Thanks to the clear acrylic octagon-shaped tube, you not only see the shade you’re getting, but can monitor usage levels. The slightly up-tilted sponge applicator holds a small reservoir in its base, retrieving the right amount of gloss from the tube with every application. Lightly scented with a vanilla “floriental” (top notes: lemon, orange and bergamot accord, heart notes: rose and iris, dry-down: vanilla and tonk a bean), it approaches the senses delicately – I only notice it upon opening the tube and again upon initial application. Intensely colour saturated and highly pigmented, #920 Rouge Parade feels incredibly lightweight upon application; in fact, if not for the colour, I don’t feel like I’m putting anything on. The gloss factor is outstanding, although it does tone down through any eating or drinking. Longevity is excellent as well; I am able to get minimum 8 hours wear and minimal migrating into any fine lip lines (rather surprising for such a vivid hue).

The mega-watt shine of #920 Rouge Parade, is immediately apparent upon application, and within minutes, this silky product seems to melt right in; as my lips are rather deeply lined, the effect is as though the gloss fills in said lines and makes my lips seem that much fuller as a result. Throughout the wearing, I experience no stickiness or oily film, and definitely none of that pulling-away-from-the-inner-lips syndrome (hate that – where you have this blank space on the inner portion of the lips that no amount of gloss seems to want to cover). I absolutely LOVE how hydrating this gloss is and even long after all traces of colour are gone, I’m left with a lightly stained “bitten-lips” look, and a bonus super moisturized feeling as well.

Guerlain | Gloss D’Enfer #920 Rouge Parade

Nothing says holiday makeup like the ubiquitous red lip and what makes #920 Rouge Parade stand out, is the fact that you get: intense colour, a brilliant shine, and a smaller commitment than applying lipstick might involve, although the highly pigmented nature of this shade means you can’t just whip it out and apply mirror-free either. Absolutely stunning on its own or even layered over a similar hue for more depth, this is most definitely priced on the steep side for a gloss (although not as high as some other luxury brands), but it’s #920 Rouge Parade‘s impressive qualities – in terms of colour, application, and hydrating properties – that make it worth a look, especially for fans of that perfectly sultry red lip.

Available at all Guerlain counters as of November 1, visit www.guerlain.com for more information on the entire product range

*Disclosure: Press sample provided by the company/PR for my unbiased consideration

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #021 Linen, #030 Medium Beige & #080 Ebony

October 7, 2014

Inspired by the instant illuminating and perfecting effects of a studio makeover, the new Dior Star Studio Makeup Foundation has finally hit counters nationwide, and after thorough testing of the 3 shades I received this past August, I can honestly say that I am truly impressed with this product. In a nutshell, the Star Foundation promises to provide the skin with a “brightening effect for a perfect, modern complexion and beautiful skin that is ultimately radiant, luminous and even … combining the maximum radiance and the effectiveness of skin care in a single formula“.

Available in 14 photogenic shades that contain the ideal dose of warm-toned pigments, the Star Foundation fluid feels incredibly light and weightless upon the skin and is designed to stay constant throughout the wearing, without any fading or oxidizing (where the colour literally changes and becomes somewhat yellowish). Created with ‘Light Pulsion Complex Lighting Technology‘, there is a two-pronged effect that takes place; a new generation of ‘hollow silica beads loaded with mineral pigments‘ capture and reflect light – without shine (similar to camera filters), to brighten the look of the skin and provide an immediate radiance. An intense corrective halo recreates the beautifully flawless complexions seen on professional sets. The trio of plant-based ‘light-trap‘ ingredients of this formula, act on key skin markers to erase dark areas, spots and minor redness, fulfilling Star Foundation‘s secondary skin care role. With daily use, the skin is made to look clearer and more luminous.

The Star Foundation comes in a glass bottle that has an almost mercury-glass look to it under certain lights (it’s really quite lovely), while the perfect amount of product is easily and effectively dispensed from its pump nozzle – no waste or excess to worry about.

My thoughts: The first thing I notice upon application, is … nothing. As in, no heavy, waxy, or mask-like feel upon the skin. The Star Foundation‘s fluid is so lightweight, that blending it in is actually quite effortless, and once applied and properly buffed into the skin, it appears seamless and provides a softly luminous tone – this is what’s meant when they say “beaming with health”. My skin looks even and slightly brighter, but not glowingly so – it’s a very subtle effect and one that you can’t really put your finger on, but that makes you really like what you see. The coverage is light-medium, although that’s customizable as well; using a damp sponge (Dior has released a Beauty Blender-ish black egg-shaped version to go with this foundation, which I do not have – but am planning on picking up) yields the most natural look to the skin, as the product can be easily sheered out with this method. Using a paddle shaped foundation brush provides a light yet still buildable finish, while a densely-headed bevelled foundation brush gives the fullest coverage, as well as a truly buffed-in appearance to the skin. It basically comes down to desired level of coverage, and preferred method of application – with great results no matter which you opt for (for the record, my preferred way of applying this is by starting with a paddle brush – all over the face & jaw/neck, then going over that with a barely dampened sponge to push it seamlessly into the skin). As stated earlier, this foundation feels so light (I literally forget that I’m wearing anything at all), with excellent staying power on my combination/oily skin – lasting easily about 10 hours before I need to tone down what little shine appears in my T-zone area, although the foundation itself continues to look good (no fading that I noticed) until I remove all my makeup.

Note: the foundation brushes I have been using extensively – both with the Star Foundation, as well as with other brands – have been the ones from Dior Backstage Brushes, specifically the Professional Fluid Finish Light & Full Coverage brushes (review coming soon).

Natalie Portman for Diorskin Star Foundation (photo credit: Dior)

Model wearing the new Diorskin Star Foundation from the Cruise 2015 show

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #021 Linen, #030 Medium Beige, #080 Ebony

Diorskin Star Foundation #021 Linen (CAN $50.00) | My hands-down favourite and the shade I’ve been reaching for since first receiving these foundations, #021 Linen is a neutral hue that leans neither too yellow nor pink, and thus absolutely perfect for my light-medium skin tone. Now that Summer is behind us, I can wear this shade alone (without needing bronzer to warm it up), as it melds perfectly with my complexion. LOVE ♥

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #021 Linen

Diorskin Star Foundation #030 Medium Beige (CAN $50.00) | A light-medium beige with pink undertones in the base, #030 Medium Beige is more suited to those without any yellow in their skin tone. On me, I am able to *just* get away with this shade (more when my face has a bit of natural tan), although it can also be made to match better with a light dusting of bronzer on top.

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #030 Medium Beige

Diorskin Star Foundation #080 Ebony (CAN $50.00) | A rich chocolate hue with a slight reddish undertone (think mahogany) to add warmth. Obviously, #080 Ebony is way too dark for me but I love using this as a ‘transformer’; mixed with any other lighter foundation hue, I wind up with a totally customized shade, perfect for when my skin is in between seasons. Another wonderful use for this particular hue, is as a contouring product – the texture melts into the skin, for a truly believable result (but don’t forget to blend, blend, blend).

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #080 Ebony

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #021 Linen, #030 Medium Beige, #080 Ebony (ingredients list)

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #021 Linen, #030 Medium Beige, #080 Ebony (inner arm swatches)

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #021 Linen, #030 Medium Beige, #080 Ebony (slightly blended)

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #021 Linen, #030 Medium Beige, #080 Ebony (blended out)

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #021 Linen with a drop of #080 Ebony

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #021 Linen with #080 Ebony, slightly combined

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #021 Linen with #080 Ebony, combined

Dior | Diorskin Star Foundation #021 Linen with #080 Ebony, blended out

With innovations in the world of beauty popping up almost daily, finding the right foundation still seems to elude most of us. It doesn’t need to be said that different skin types each have their own needs, but bear in mind that the changing seasons also affect how our foundation will function upon the skin. Usually once the weather starts to turn colder, I’ll switch to a product that’s more emollient and hydrating but after having used Star Foundation throughout the sweltering heat of August and now in the cooler temps of October as well – 2 very distinctive seasons, and having seen equally great results, I am positively thrilled and cannot recommend this enough. Perfect for all skin types, who wouldn’t want to look studio fabulous?

Available now through All Dior counters – for more information visit www.dior.com

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

Essie | Winter 2014 Collection

October 6, 2014

At first glance, the colour selection of Essie’s Winter 2014 Collection might seem counterintuitive, but if we separate ‘Winter’ from ‘Holiday’, it starts to make sense. There’s white to represent snow and silver for all things tinsel – even a berry red that’s just so seasonally appropriate, but the other three? Well, let’s just say that when Winter has us in a major chokehold, those 3 warm-leaning hues will act as a getaway, as far as my nails are concerned.

Essie | Winter 2014 Collection

Tuck It In My Tux | A semi-sheer ivory hue in a hybrid crème/jelly formula that applies relatively easy and leaves a glossy finish behind. Two coats provides a translucent effect, but you do need to load up your brush to ensure it falls patch-free. Beautiful on its own, Tuck It In My Tux will also work well as a sandwich shade (i.e.: added as a last layer over a glitter polish for a frosted-glass effect). Coats applied: 3 (thin), plus top coat

Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Lo | A brilliant pewter foil/metallic hue with ultra fine bronze flecks that give off a slightly oxidized tone. Highly pigmented, this is basically a 1-coater, with the added advantage of applying in a self-levelling way as well as brush stroke-free. Bear in mind that Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Lo (get it? Jiggle Lo-gigolo. Right) dries fairly quickly, so I recommend you work fast and and with as steady a hand as you can. Coats applied: 2, no top coat

Back In The Limo | A semi-sheer blush/apricot hue in a hybrid crème/jelly formula. Application is self-levelling and comes to an über-glossy finish, to compliment its plush cushiony tone (looks so squishy/juicy). Two thick-ish coats gives decent coverage, although still somewhat translucent. Even the addition of a 3rd coat doesn’t turn Back In The Limo fully opaque, but provides pretty solid coverage. Coats applied: 3 (thin), plus top coat

Bump Up The Pumps | A highly colour saturated & ridiculously pigmented pink-based coral crème hue. Self-levelling and glossy at the finish, Bump Up The Pumps is definitely a 1-coat wonder, although I would advise you to not skip applying base coat first, to eliminate any possible staining issues. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Double Breasted Jacket | Another exceptionally colour saturated shade, this is an intense fuchsia hue in a crème format, with blue undertones in the base for a cooler-leaning touch. The formula on Double Breasted Jacket falls a little thick but does not interfere with its application, and as with the previous shade, I advise not skipping base coat here either, to ensure your nails stay stain-free. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Jump In My Jumpsuit | A rich berry red crème hue with blue undertones in the base, in a superbly flowing and easy to apply formula. Super pigmented and highly colour saturated, Jump In My Jumpsuit applies in a self-levelling way and leaves a brilliant finish behind. Note: Do not avoid base coat first, to avoid any potential staining. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

The above nail wheel has the shades of Essie’s Winter 2014 Collection broken down with comparisons:

Tuck It In My Tux
Minimalistic – extremely close both in colour and in texture, a couple of degrees dustier-looking
Blanc – opaque, crème format, whitest
Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Lo
Hors D’Oeuvres – similar underlying base, glitter larger and more olive-hued
Back In The Limo
Resort Fling – similar texture, several degrees deeper & peachier
Tart Deco – opaque, crème format, darkest in the range
Bump Up The Pumps
Cute As A Button – sheerest, jelly hybrid formula, more pink based
Sunday Funday – base hue is similar, sheerer, holds a fine silver shimmer
Double Breasted Jacket
Watermelon – almost identical, a degree or two lighter, a touch less blue based
Style Hunter – slightly more sheer, similar blue base tone
Wife Goes On – sheerer, dustier tone, less blue based
Jump In My Jumpsuit
Head Mistress – a few degrees brighter
Size Matters – deepest and more red-leaning

Surprising, is the best way to describe this collection. Far from the traditional hues associated with Winter, Essie’s take on the season is one that’s full of vigorous colour – a festive collection, in fact, with nary a brooding shade in sight. I adore Tuck It In My Tux – despite its slightly finicky nature, and I’m weirdly drawn to the almost searing tone of Double Breasted Jacket. Metallic nails are so on point this year, and Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Lo bears a fab application to go with the provocative name. Back In The Limo scores major points for being unique, especially in my collection of polishes – something that doesn’t happen often. As I said at the start: surprising … just like all proper gifts should be.

Kindly provided by Essie for my unbiased consideration

Runway Beauty Bar event | Essie’s first Canadian Flagship Store

October 2, 2014

This past August, I was privileged to be one of the select few media to be invited to a very special event held at Essie’s first flagship store, Runway Beauty Bar, located here in my hometown of Montréal. Apart from being in my element (as in: surrounded by endless rows of nail polish), we were treated to previews of Essie’s Winter 2014 Collection as well as the 2 latest lacquers to join the Essie Luxe Effects Collection – all of which will launch in stores this November (reviews will be up soon). The highlight of the evening for me, was in meeting up with my girl, Rita Remark, lead nail artist for Essie Canada and a woman who is not only a drop-dead stunning beauty, but one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.

With my baby champagne bottle by my side (how fabulous are those blue POP bottles?) and piles of sweet treats to choose from – including personalized Essie Cookie pops from Sweet Isabelle, I selected ‘Tuck it in my Tux‘ – an ivory jelly-like crème hue for my mani, and Rita put in her trademark magic touch by using ‘Jiggle Hi, Jiggle Lo‘ (get it? LOL) – an antiqued silver ultra fine shimmer, and ran it slightly up the nails from the tips, creating a unique icicle effect. I loved it so much, that I kept the look on for days!

Located at Complexe Les Ailes, Runway Beauty Bar offers amazing mani/pedi sessions that you can basically customize, depending on how much time you have to indulge, with the full range of Essie lacquers to choose from including the gel polishes – as well as several other treatments, including threading, waxing, lash extensions & lash perms/tinting.

A special mention goes out to both Katie and Claudia – thank you so incredibly much for inviting me to be a part of this wonderful event!

Champagne just totally goes with Essie, no?

Essie Winter 2014 Collection

Essie Winter 2014 Colletion

Essie Luxe Effects: Summit of Style (bronze) & Rock At The Top (gold)

Essie exclusive hand treatments, available through salons/spas

Getting the royal treatment from Rita Remark

Cameo appearance of my customized Sapphô cuff by Kim Smiley

My ‘icicle mani’ – love, love, love!

the sweet table (with a double dose of yours truly)

Triple threat: Champagne, cookie pops, & Essie

Seriously, how gorgeous is Rita?

Manadatory ‘mani’ shot ….

We all apparently got the memo to wear white: Claudia, Katie, myself & Rita

Lancôme | Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01

October 1, 2014

Whether you’re looking to boost volume, add length, hold a curl, or all of the aforementioned combined, it’s rare that using just one mascara will meet all those criteria. In fact, beauty aficionados and makeup pros alike, have been known to create ‘mascara cocktails’ in order to get that customized lash look. Mascara brush heads come in a plethora of forms as well: dense & bushy, thin & spidery, curved, spiked and even ball-shaped, but one thing has always remained the same; the wand … until now. Lancôme has recently introduced their Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01 with its patented unique Swan Neck™ wand, a 100% bonafide novelty as far as mascara is concerned, and here to make your life easier. At least it’ll make applying mascara easier – the rest, is up to you.

Created to not only fit the contours of the eye better, but to help provide easy access to applying mascara to both eyes (ever have mascara smudged on the bridge of your nose during application?) the unique Swan Neck™ wand shape allows you the freedom to move it around the eye effortlessly, enabling you to reach all lashes from root to tip – even in those hard to reach areas, as well as coaxing those shy lashes you never even realized were there, to show up. Not bad, huh?

Lancôme | Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01

Lancôme | Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01 (ingredients list)

Lancôme | Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01

Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01 (CAN $35.00) | A pitch-black mascara designed to provide volume, lift, length, and curl, with the help of a patented bent wand and a new elastomer-molded brush to ‘perfectly deposit formula on each lash, with smaller bristles woven in to grab even the shortest lash hairs’. Native Rose Cell Extract™ in the formula, helps keep lashes nourished, redensified, & strengthened, as well as providing smooth yet buildable colour. The bowling-pin shaped bottle has a black gradient acrylic cap that bears a black rose in the centre – such a lovely touch. Another feature of the Swan Neck™ wand, is that the bent shape thoroughly mixes the formula each time the wand is pulled out, keeping the contents well combined. There’s a slight rubberized scent I pick up if I bring my nose close to the opening, but it’s not apparent upon application at all.

I have very exacting rules when it comes to my mascaras, and I do expect a lot from them – especially when paying top dollar such as this. Basically, I need my mascara to apply without clumping, then stay smudge as well as flake-free for the duration of the wearing. To start, I suggest reading the insert that’s provided with the Grandiôse Mascara, as it clearly depicts the suggested method of application – but that’s just a guideline. A quick rule of thumb, is when doing outer lashes – keep the wand curve facing down (in the direction of your chin, for example) and that applies to both top & bottom lashes, and when working with the inner part of the eye, keep the wand curve facing up (towards the forehead). Of course, you’re free to play with the direction of the wand to find which way is the most comfortable.

There have been many innovations with regards to that most necessary of beauty products – mascara – and several I’ve tried lately have all scored high marks with me. Once I got past the learning ‘curve’ (sorry, I just couldn’t resist) of using Grandiôse Noir Mirifique 01, it has become one of the mascaras I’ve been turning to quite a bit lately. The formula is a touch drier than some and while you do need to work quickly, there’s still enough flexibility to allow for multiple coats without fear of lashes crackling off. The brush has these little ‘grippers’ (as I like to call them), that literally grab even the teeniest of hairs and coats them with product, while the Swan Neck™ makes it easy to see exactly where you’re applying the mascara. The finish is not only one of the deepest black shades I’ve tried, but a glossy obsidian black hue, basically making lashes look even fuller as a result. I experience absolutely no flaking, or smudging (is there anything worse than those annoying black crescent smudges under the eyes?) and lasting power is iron-clad, or until you finally remove your makeup. While not touted as waterproof, I can say that this mascara even sailed through some incredibly humid weather I experienced here, and continued to look amazing. Removal is best performed with the use of a dual-phase eye makeup remover (my gold standard is the one by Neutrogena) – just soak your cotton pads with remover, apply to lashes and hold the pads there for about 15-20 seconds, then gently remove all traces.

Lancôme | Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01, rose detail on cap

Lancôme | Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01

Lancôme | Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01, brush detail

Lancôme | Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01, closer look at the patented curved wand

Lancôme | lashes pre-Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01

Lancôme | Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01, 1 coat applied

Lancôme | Grandiôse Mascara Noir Mirifique 01, 2 coats applied

Sometimes hype is exactly as promised, but all the buzz that surrounded Lancôme’s Grandiôse Mascara is extremely well merited. For those who love a full lash look, then you need to give this a try. If subtlety is more your speed, you might find that this is too much of everything – too dense, too intense, and too black. I’m personally thrilled with how this mascara performs, and it now holds a top place in my beauty arsenal.

Available at all Lancôme counters, find more information by visiting www.lancome.co