Celebrating Fall Colours with Elizabeth Arden Fall 2012 Collection

December 6, 2012 | 10 Responses

Yes, I know, the post is a little late and the only colours in Toronto we see these days are brown and grey… but whatevs. Just humour me.

Elizabeth Arden was one of those brands that I associated with more mature women and never paid attention to. I don’t read a lot about Elizabeth Arden on the beauty blogosphere either. I was given the opportunity to test drive the products from their Fall 2012 collection and I must say, I’m pleasantly surprised!

Elizabeth Arden Fall 2012 Collection

My favourite product from the collection is the Ceramide Cream Blush in Nectar ($24). It’s a beautiful rosy peach shade that is flatters most skin tones and brightens the complexion. The blush is very pigmented, so a little bit is all you need. The texture is perfect, too; it blends easily and dries to a non-sticky, luminous finish.

Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in Mulberry ($22.50) is a creamy berry-burgundy with gold shimmer. The shade to me is a bit old-fashioned, and not really my cup of tea. Nothing bad to say about the formula: it provides even colour and melts on to the lips without dragging and irritating chapped lips.

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Cream Blush in Nectar / Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in Mulberry

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Cream Blush in Nectar / Ceramide Ultra Lipstick in Mulberry – swatches

High Shine Sparkling Lip Gloss in Sparkling Ruby ($15) is a spiced red lipgloss with gold micro-shimmer. I mentioned before that I’m a lipgloss snob, but this is actually really nice. It’s non-sticky, non-goopy, unscented, and a beautiful high shine gloss for that Victoria’s Secret pout.

Another product that I really fell in love with is the Smooth Line Lip Pencil in Crimson ($18). It is a creamy brick red lip liner that has a lip brush on the opposite end for feathering in the product on to the lips. Love the gorgeous texture of this one, and I’d even wear it sans lipstick and just a little bit of Crimson gloss on top.

Elizabeth Arden High Shine Sparkling Lip Gloss in Sparkling Ruby / Smooth Line Lip Pencil in Crimson

Elizabeth Arden High Shine Sparkling Lip Gloss in Sparkling Ruby / Smooth Line Lip Pencil in Crimson – swatches

For eyes, the collection has this Beautiful Color Eye Shadow Duo in Heathered Plums ($28.50), a duo of a shimmery purple taupe and a matte deep burgundy. It’s pretty, eh? The texture of the eyeshadows are smooth and sheer. Perfect for someone who wants an effortless and fool proof smokey eye. It’s so easy: pop the shimmery taupe all over the lid up to the crease, then smudge the burgundy along the lash line and blend into the taupe.

Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Eye Shadow Duo in Heathered Plums

Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Eye Shadow Duo in Heathered Plums – swatches

Elizabeth Arden Fall Glam Look by Rebecca Restrepo

While some of the colours aren’t what I’d usually wear, there’s a lesson learned here: the textures of all the products are on point. I am really impressed by the creaminess of the products, and I’d be curious to look at the rest of the Elizabeth Arden line to find shades that I do like to wear. Don’t judge a book by its cover, kids.

Fragrance Favourites: Snuggle Up With These Cozy Scents For Fall and Winter.

October 25, 2012 | 8 Responses

I do not claim to be a fragrance expert, but in the several years that I’ve been wearing perfume, I have figured out what notes I am generally drawn to. In the warmer months, anything with jasmine has my name on it. When sweater weather arrives, out come the warm, snuggly fragrances. I look for sandalwood, vanilla, or powdery musk. I love a perfume that wears like my most comfortable sweater. I know I’ve found a good perfume when it gives me a burst of happiness as I catch whiffs of it throughout the day.

Givenchy Dahlia Noir, TOCCA Colette, Chloé Love, Chloé

Givenchy Dahlia Noir Eau de Toilette * ($77 for 1.7oz, Sephora) has those familiar base notes of sandalwood and vanilla, warm amber and cedar. While I think the opening notes of lemon, peach and mandarin orange are just okay, I am just crazy about the dry down of this perfume. On me, this is a powdery floral, much like Chloé Love, Chloé Eau de Perfume ($90 for 1.7oz, Sephora). I reviewed this here, and I still to this day adore this fragrance. Oh that’s another thing I’ve learned: orange blossom is one of my favourite florals, too. Mmm. Love, Chloé one has orange blossom as one of its middle notes. Both Dahlia Noir and Love, Chloé are daytime fragrances to me. They are soft, feminine and lasts a long time.

I was so excited when I finally bought TOCCA Colette Eau de Parfum ($72 for 1.7oz, Sephora). It just felt oh, so right. Before I bought it, I was so crazy over this warm and sweet fragrance that I had been going back to Sephora for a quick spritz of Colette. (Seriously, true story.) I have received so many compliments from Mr. Geeks and from lady friends. I think the notes just work really well with my body chemistry. I love the description, too: “Colette embodies the irresistible scent of a woman that lingers on the pillow long after she leaves.” I couldn’t have said it better. Notes include: bergamot, mandarin, lemon, juniper berry, pink peppercorn, jasmine, violet, cyclamen, pine needles, incense, musk, sandalwood, amber, vanilla and cedarwood.

These soft fragrances, an oversized sweater and my warm purring cat: these are my essentials for a lazy cuddling day.

What are your favourite fragrances to snuggle up in?

O Hai Perfect Lip Colour, Like, Ever: Laura Mercier Dulce de Leche Crème Smooth Lip Colour

October 15, 2012 | 22 Responses

This is Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lipstick in Dulce de Leche ($32). Yeeeup, toldja I had to get it. Here’s a glorious photo via Jessica of Beautezine, because I wore it several times and did not take an untouched photo. (It was worth it.)

Laura Mercier Dulce de Leche Creme Smooth Lipstick / Photo source: Beautezine

And here’s how it looks on me. How would I describe this colour? Browned rose, I think? All I know is it’s all sorts of pretty. It’s perfect, in fact. I’d wear it to my fall wedding. It’s either this or a red lip stain. Oh my, I just love this colour.

Laura Mercier Dulce de Leche Creme Smooth Lipstick Swatch

The warm undertone just works wonderfully with my warm complexion. I never thought I’d say that about a brown lipstick. This isn’t your mom’s brown lipstick from the ’90s. Dulce de Leche is brown lipstick 2.0. And the formula is brilliant: creamy and opaque with a slight sheen. Again, perfect!

Wearing Laura Mercier Dulce de Leche Creme Smooth Lipstick

Oh by the way, do you like my eye makeup? I did this sunset smokey brown eyes for iVillage Canada. I think it pairs perfectly with Dulce de Leche, don’t you agree? Check out the makeup tutorial here.

How would you describe your perfect lip colour?