Lise Watier Aquarella Spring 2012 Collection

Lise Watier Aquarella Spring 2012 Collection brings us sheer pastels and rosy shades to mirror the flowers blooming in the spring.  The limited edition packaging features a flower in watercolour art which is just beautiful to look at.

Lise Watier Aquarella Spring 2012 Collection — Packaging

Aquarella Eyeshadow Quartet, Couleur Folle in Folie Pêche, Waterproof Eyeliner in Violet

Aquarella Eyeshadow Quartet, Waterproof Eyeliner in Violet, Couleur Folle in Folie Pêche — Swatches

The Aquarella Eyeshadow Quartet ($36, limited edition) is a mix of sheer pastel pink, blue, violet and yellow eyeshadows.  The eyeshadows are smooth, sparkly and mostly too cool-toned for my taste.  It was a bit of a letdown as I was really hoping for something more from the violet shade.  These eyeshadows are better suited for those who wear sheer washes of colour on their eyes.

The Couleur Folle Mineral Loose Powder Eyeshadow in Folie Pêche ($18, new permanent shade) is a rose gold shade that is more up my alley (and it’s totally gorgeous!).  The shade is divine for highlighting the eyes or cheeks, or even to turn into a lipgloss.

The Waterproof Eyeliner in Violet ($17, new permanent shade) is what I wanted the eyeshadow to be: bold and vibrant violet. Nothing bad to say about this really; it’s just lovely and very waterproof.

Aquarella Bronzing Powder Duo

As a little taste of summer (yay!), I love that we’re seeing a bronzer in this collection. The Aquarella Bronzing Powder Duo ($32, limited edition) is a blend of two powder tones: a lighter peachy shade, and a typical bronzer shade.  Both have fine shimmers that show up glowy rather than gigantic sparkles on your face.  The finish is subtle and the shade can definitely work across many skin tones.

Waterproof Lip Crayon in Rose Mauve, Rouge Gourmand Lipstick in Guimauve, Gloss Aquarella in Rose Aquarella

Waterproof Lip Crayon in Rose Mauve, Rouge Gourmand Lipstick in Guimauve, Gloss Aquarella in Rose Aquarella — Swatches

The Waterproof Lip Crayon in Rose Mauve ($16, new permanent shade) is exactly as the name suggests.  While some may find it boring, this is a lip shade that is universally flattering and pretty.  In my experience, Lise Watier Waterproof Lip Crayons are the absolute best in terms of texture and longevity.  True story: it lasted through a very greasy dim sum dinner, which in my opinion is the ultimate test for a lip liner.  I love this one, go try this or the 18 other shades if you haven’t had the chance yet!

Rouge Gourmand Lipstick in Guimauve ($19, new permanent shade) is a shade that compliments Rose Mauve very well.  The lipstick has a light fruity scent and provides plenty of moisture for winter-chapped lips.

Finally, finish off your spring pouty lips (right? ) with a gloss.  The Gloss Aquarella in Rose Aquarella ($20, limited edition) is a soft rose with mauve shimmers to emphasize your lips.  I like the non-sticky formula and the high shine finish.

My personal favourites from the collection are Couleur Folle Mineral Loose Powder Eyeshadow in Folie Pêche, Aquarella Bronzing Powder Duo, Waterproof Lip Crayon in Rose Mauve.  They are easier for me — who is tan and warm-toned — to pull off.  Cool pastel shades (lavenders, pinks, blues) look all sorts of wrong on my skin tone.  However, paler beauties will get more mileage out of the shades; check out my blogging friends Tracy @ Beauty Reflections and Perilously Pale‘s reviews for proof.

These products are available now at Lise Watier counters, Shoppers Drugmart and LiseWatier.com.  Did any products from the collection catch your eye?

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2012. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Lise Watier, Makeup, Reviews, Spring 2012, Swatches | Tags: bronzer, eyeliner, eyeshadow, lipgloss, lipliner, lipstick, palette, pigment

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit in #128 Almond

We’ve all heard about the MAKE UP FOR EVER HD foundation from beauty junkies all over the world. It has made a permanent home in many a girl’s foundation arsenal. Many makeup artists have it in their professional kit. Now I am here to tell you that, well, I believe in the hype. I adore this foundation.

I guessed my shade to be #128 Almond using MAKE UP FOR EVER’s Shade Finder, and I am glad to say that it is a great match. For reference, NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Barcelona is also a good match for my skin at the moment.

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit in #128 Almond — Swatches

The MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit ($89) really does make a difference with the performance of this foundation. The HD primer smooths out fine lines and big pores to prep the skin. I like that it doesn’t have that heavy silicone-y feel of other primers I’ve tried in the past. The foundation itself has a beautiful skin-like, semi-matte finish. It does an amazing job covering up any redness and evening out my skin tone, allowing me to walk around with really good looking skin. It doesn’t cover up everything; I have dark bumps on my upper lip area that I have developed from waxing (!!!) and they are still visible in my after photo. To finish off the base, the powder creates an angelic soft-focus effect to the skin. What’s not to like, eh? By the way, I took a photo with flash and the white powder was nowhere to be seen.

Here’s a before and after shot. In the before I wore brow powder, mascara and lipstick (absolute necessities for this kind of thing). That’s it. I did not wear under-eye concealer in either photos, which to be honest, I am really regretting. Anywho.

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit in #128 Almond — Before and After (click to enlarge)

On its own, I like the foundation applied with a brush instead of my fingers. With the latter method, I find myself using more product. I do have one problem with the foundation though: who the heck came out with the numbering system? It is totally all over the place and definitely needs work. May I suggest breaking them up into undertones, i.e., pink #1, #2, #3, yellows, olives, and so on?

Oh yeah, for those who are celebrating, Happy Lunar New Year! Of course, I had to use the new year — the Year of the Dragon — as an excuse to pull out the amazing Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Dragon ($42). In my opinion, it’s totally worth the kidney I sold to buy it. Why do I always get in some sort of trouble when I buy Chanel?

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Dragon — Swatch

Wearing Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Dragon

Along with a little kitten eye flick (YSL Shocking liquid liner) and a little blush (Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed), my Year of the Dragon look is complete! Oh, and the rumours are true: the size of my smile is directly proportional to how much I love a lipstick. Can you tell I love Dragon?

Have a great week, pretties!

P.S. If you fancy being a model, don’t forget to enter the MAKE UP FOR EVER open casting call.

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2012. | Permalink | 44 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Chanel, MAKE UP FOR EVER, Makeup, Reviews, Swatches | Tags: foundation, lipstick, powder, primer, red lips

The best thing about being in the middle of winter is the launch of many Spring collections that are bursting with hope (of warm days ahead) and colour.  Here’s a look at some items from YSL Spring Look 2012.

Bright sheer colours make up this punchy spring collection, which is inspired by candy!  Who doesn’t like candy?

YSL Rouge Volupté Perle in No 114 – Sparkling Fuchsia and No 115 – Shimmering Coral

These are two of four limited edition Rouge Volupté Perle shades ($38).  The other are No 113 – Iridescent Burgundy and No 116 – Milky Pink.  They are glossy sheer lipsticks with a very slippery texture of a lip balm.  Both these shades are laced with gold pearl.  See more swatches at Best Things In Beauty.

YSL Vinyl Candy Palette

The gorgeous, limited edition Vinyl Candy Palette ($68) was inspired by sugar-coated rock candies.  The pigmentation of these eyeshadows is sheer-to-medium without a base (see swatches below), but easily buildable if opaque is what you’re looking for.  I had a bit of problem with the blackcurrant shade to apply evenly, but the rest of the shadows are very smooth.

YSL Voile de Blush in No 2 – Coral Veil

YSL Voile de Blush ($40) is a new, limited edition formula for the collection.  It is a sheer, water-based gel blush that adds a hint of colour and subtle sheen to the cheeks.  It is very lightly tinted that it barely shows up on my tan skin, so your mileage will vary depending on your skintone.  The blush is also available in No 1 – Carmine Veil and No 3 – Pink Veil.

YSL Rouge Volupté Perle in No 114 – Sparkling Fuchsia and No 115 – Shimmering Coral / YSL Voile de Blush in No 2 – Coral Veil Swatches

YSL Vinyl Candy Palette Swatches

I adore the the eye palette and the lipsticks in this collection.  I can’t wait to show you a look using the products.  What do you think?  Anything you want to take home?

YSL Spring Look 2012 is available in Canada as of February in Holt Renfrew and selected Bay and Murale stores.  The Vinyl Candy Palette is also available at selected Sephora boutiques.

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2012. | Permalink | 29 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Makeup, Reviews, Sneak Peek, Spring 2012, Swatches, Yves Saint Laurent | Tags: blush, eyeshadow, lipstick, palette

The Lipstick Bandits Holiday Edition is near and dear to my heart because I get to play with glitter. This time around we are layering products over a red lipstick to create a sparkly red lip.

When we came up with this challenge, I thought I was doomed.  None of my five lipglosses (yeah… only five) were sparkly enough for the job.  I had to be more creative and pulled out Sonia Kashuk Eye Quad in Bronzed Beauty from a swap from fellow Lipstick Bandit Danielle.  The gold glitter was chunky and sparkly enough for me.

Giorgio Armani Rouge 406, Chanel Fatale, Sonia Kashuk Bronzed Beauty

Giorgio Armani Rouge 406, Chanel Fatale, glitter from Sonia Kashuk Bronzed Beauty

To get my sparkly holiday lips, I started with Giorgio Armani Rouge d’Armani in Rouge 406 as a base.  I added a small amount of Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in Fatale to create a sticky base, then patted the glitter all over for… well, pure awesomeness.

Not the lowest maintenance of lip looks, but holy crap; seeing my lips like this make me want to kick myself and yell out expletives.

If sparkly lips are your thing — and if not, why are we friends? — you definitely have to check out the rest of the Lipstick Bandits’ red and sparkly lips:

• Arianne (Glitter Geek)
• Danielle (Bloomin’ Beauty Blog)
• Jen (My Funny Valentine)
• Larie (Eye Heart It)
• Makeup Morsels
• Paris (My Women Stuff)
• Rae (theNotice)
• Rocaille (Rocaille Writes)
• Tracy (Beauty Reflections)
• Xiao (Messy Wands)

See You in 2012, Beauties!

What are your New Year’s Eve plans?  As for me, I’m going on a brief hiatus for the rest of my holiday break. Once again thank you for reading Glitter Geek! I appreciate your continued support for Glitter Geek.  Have a safe and fantastic New Year!

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2011. | Permalink | 32 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Looks, Makeup, Sonia Kashuk, Swatches, Uncategorized | Tags: glitter, lipgloss, lipstick, lipstick bandits

I don’t do many nail posts on Glitter Geek, and I have my reasons:

1. The eczema on my hands are awful. On really bad days they are all up in my finger tips.
2. Nail polish removers are one of the bad things I use that cause eczema flare-ups.  Beauty is pain, right?

Wrong.  No longer will I have to remove nail polish with toxic juice; not if I can use Impress Press-On Manicure in Color Me! * ($6.99).  They come in 18 solid colours ($6.99) and 18 patterns ($8.99).

Color Me! is special because you can design it however way you want.  I couldn’t think of a better way to try this out than a glittery manicure. Having this hard-to-remove formula on my fingers and knowing that I can peel them off when I am done with them is just… alskdfj;laksjd… I have no words.  It’s like a dream come true.

Since I just bought China Glaze Nail Polish in Tinsel Town ($6.50), I wanted to take her out for a spin.  It wasn’t totally opaque in one coat, so I know I could layer it over another colour.  I used two coats of Le Metier de Beauté Nail Polish in Midnight Rendezvous as a base, and topped it off with Seche Vite Top Coat.

As for the press-on nails, I really like the product.  They don’t look chunky and unnatural, but for someone who keeps her natural nails short and has small nail beds, I’m still getting used to having them.  There are 24 nail covers in 12 sizes, which means you can touch up if a nail cover falls off.  My impressions are that they are very firmly stuck to my nails (I’m on Day 2) and don’t think they are going to fall off anytime soon.

Starry Night Sky Manicure

I’m so happy to be able to wear glitter nail polish again without thinking about the headache of removing them later.  Aren’t my nails mesmerizing?  I can’t stop staring at them.  Have you tried press-on nails before?  What was your experience with them?

Impress Press-On Manicure By Broadway Nails are available now at Walmart, and in January 2012 at  Rexall Pharma Plus, London Drugs, Zellers and Jean Coutu.  More information on their website.

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2011. | Permalink | 14 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: China Glaze, Holiday 2011, Le Metier de Beaute, Reviews, Swatches | Tags: China Glaze Tinsel Town, Impress Press-On Manicure in Color Me, Le Metier de Beauté Midnight Rendezvous, nails

Marcelle Lux Eye Dust ($11.95) loose pigments are gorgeous; there’s no doubt about that. However, opening the packaging of these delicious morsels of eyeshadows reminds me of the lyrics to a Bon Jovi song:

Love hurts, love scars, love wounds, and harms
Any heart not tough or strong enough
To take a lot of pain, take a lot of pain
Love is like a cloud, holds a lot of rain
Love hurts, ooh love hurts.

Dear Marcelle Lux Eye Dust: Y U no easy to open?

A lot of “ow!” and split thumbnails later, I finally managed to open all of these suckers.  They come in a flip top lid, which makes them less messy than the regular sifter packaging, but man oh man are they a pain in the ass!

Now that it’s off my chest, let’s all hold gather around, hold hands and admire the beauties.  I swatched these dry without a base, and you can already see how incredibly smooth and pigmented they are.

Marcele Lux Eye Dust in Illusion, Vegas, Bronze Millionaire

Marcele Lux Eye Dust in Mermaid, Element, Supersonic, High Voltage

Illusion, Mermaid and Supersonic have a slight pearl finish.  Vegas, Bronze Millionaire, Element and High Voltage (my favourite!) are full-on metallic shades that are perfect for holiday party season.  It also comes in Ocean (teal), Go-Violet (violet) and Fantasia (fuchsia), which you can win in my giveaway (ends at midnight)!  All of them are paraben-, oil- and talc-free.

Who’s in the mood for creative loose pigment photos?  Just try to look at them and tell me you’re not making grabby hand gestures at your computer screen.

Illusion, Vegas, Bronze Millionaire, Mermaid, Element, Supersonic, High Voltage

Illusion, Vegas, Bronze Millionaire, Mermaid, Element, Supersonic, High Voltage

Here’s a tissue to wipe that drool of your face.

Vegas, Bronze Millionaire, Mermaid, Element, Supersonic, High Voltage

Illusion, Vegas, Bronze Millionaire, Mermaid, Element, Supersonic, High Voltage

Loose Eyeshadows Are Annoying But So.Freaking.Gorgeous. Discuss.

Who’s with me?  Do you like loose eyeshadows?  Who makes your favourite pigments?

Disclosure: Products were provided by the manufacturer for editorial consideration only. For more information, see my Editorial and Advertising Policy.

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2011. | Permalink | 36 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Fall 2011, Makeup, Marcelle, Reviews, Swatches | Tags: eyeshadow, pigment

This is a YSL lipstick.

Nice, right?  That iconic gold packaging is so breathtaking.  It’s pure luxury.  What could YSL possibly do to make this gorgeous tube of lipstick sexier in my eyes?

Hello, engrave my name on the packaging.  I got this personalized tube of lipstick as a gift from the lovely people at YSL and thank you, thank you, thank you!  I shall cherish it forever.  So you’re probably curious as to what colour is inside, yeah?

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre in 110 Fuchsia Symbole

This is the YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre in 110 Fuchsia Symbole ($38). Eeeeeee!  It’s a bright but sheer pink, and it is every bit as gorgeous as its packaging.  The Rouge Pure Couture Golden Lustre line is new and available now exclusively at The Bay.  They contain reflective pigments of pink, white and yellow gold that give the shades that little bit of extra dimension on the lips.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre in 110 Fuchsia Symbole

These are more sheer and more moisturizing than the Rouge Pur Coutures. They almost feel like a gloss on the lips. I love this lipstick formula!  Here is a comparison of 110 Fuchsia Symbole and Rouge Pur Couture in 07 Le Fuchsia.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre in 110 Fuchsia Symbole Swatch

110 Fuchsia Symbole / 07 Le Fuchsia Rouge Pur Couture Swatches

The new line is available permanently except for one shade, 113 Rose Parisien, which was recently featured on Lipstick Rules and oh. my! — do we love the shade or what?

Get the Look

Because this fuchsia pink is quite sheer, I chose to wear 110 Fuchsia Symbole with an silver and black smoky eye using YSL Ombre Duolumières in N° 41 – Silver Moiré / Flannel Black ($52) from the YSL Holiday collection.  This is a great party look and I am really pleased with how it turned out.

For the eyes, I started by blending a brown cream base (Annabelle Muddy Smudge Paint) all over the lid and above the crease.  I sprayed a flat eyeshadow brush with MAC Fix+, then applied the silver eyeshadow wet on the inner half of the eyelid, as well as the inner third of the lower lash line.  I then applied the black eyeshadow along the outer third of the eyelid, blending into the outer crease.  I took a chocolate brown eyeshadow (MUFE 17 Espresso) in between the black and the silver to blend the two seamlessly.  I also applied the brown in the crease and ran it along the lower lash line, followed by the black along the outer 1/3 of the lower lash line.  I applied black eyeliner all around (Annabelle Ohmygoth! Smudgeliner) and mascara (Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill).

I also wore one of my best purchases at IMATS — the Velour Lashes in You Complete Me — in this FOTD.  Can you say bombshell lashes ten times fast?  I just adore these lashes.  They are so soft and lush.

For the cheeks, I left rest of the face clean with a neutral blush (NARS Douceur) and a little bit of contouring (MUFE 17 Espresso).

Read on to see more pictures!

(...)
Read the rest of YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre in 110 Fuchsia Symbole Has My Name Written All Over It + FOTD! (584 words)

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2011. | Permalink | 53 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Fall 2011, Looks, Makeup, Reviews, Swatches, Velour Lashes, Yves Saint Laurent | Tags: false lashes, fotd, IMATS, IMATS Toronto 2011, lipstick, pink lips

If this is the first time you’re hearing about the Lipstick Bandits, this post should suffice for an introduction.

After a lot of digging around our massive lipstick wardrobes, we present to you our must-have lipstick for fall.  When I think of fall, I think of girls with perfectly berry-stained lips.  Berry lips are incredibly flattering on all skin tones, and of course MAC’s vast lipstick line would have something that is perfection.  My pick is MAC Lipstick in Amorous ($17.50).

MAC Amorous Lipstick

MAC’s description of Amorous cracks me up; they call it a “lovestruck cranberry.”  *snickers*  Whatever.  It’s a beautiful hidden gem from their permanent collection.  Amorous is from MAC’s Satin line — a semi-matte, pigmented and long-wearing formula.  I wore her for the first time for IMATS Toronto this weekend and fell in love.  After a solid nine hours, its pigment hugged my lips without drying them out or settling into fine lines.  I can’t even believe I don’t own other Satins in my lipstick collection.

MAC Amorous Lipstick Swatch

Wearing MAC Amorous Lipstick

It’s one of those colors that makes you feel instantly put together even without a lot of eye makeup.  However I chose to pair it with an antique gold — Illamasqua Pure Pigment in Ore — for a very autumnal and flattering palette.  Oh how I love berries and golds!

Wearing MAC Amorous Lipstick, and Illamasqua Ore Pure Pigment on eyes

The other Lipstick Bandits picked out some amazing lipsticks, too! Check out these posts for all our fall picks:

• Tracy at Beauty Reflections
• Dani at Call It Beauty
• Larie at Eye Heart It
• Arianne at Glitter Geek
• Makeup Morsels
• Xiao at Messy Wands
• Jen at My Funny Valentine
• Paris at My Women Stuff
• Rocaille at Rocaille Writes
• Rae at theNotice

IMATS Toronto 2011 Sneak Peek!

In other beauty news, IMATS took Toronto by storm again this past weekend.  Here’s a little teaser photo of the student winner of the fantasy tribal contest.  I am absolutely slack jawed.  The finished look is so arresting!

First place winner of student make-up competition

P.S.  How have you been?  Sorry I haven’t been around that much lately.  I have so many things that I want to do with this makeup thing, and first I want to get an online portfolio started.  What do you think of ArianneMakeup.ca, or MakeupByArianne.ca?

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2011. | Permalink | 55 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Illamasqua, Looks, MAC, Makeup, Reviews, Swatches | Tags: berry lips, lipstick, lipstick bandits

Right now I am in my hotel room in Mexico City after a busy afternoon checking out sights and sounds. It’s amazing how far our very little Spanish (and English-Spanish dictionary) is taking us. It’s tough but at least I know how to order my coffee the way I like it!

I was stressing before I left because I didn’t schedule any posts for the next two weeks that I’m on vacation, but I took some swatches of L’Oreal Color Infallible Eyeshadows before I left, so I might as well share them now.

L’Oreal Color Infallible Eyeshadows

From top to bottom, left to right:
Time Resist White
Permanent Kaki, Hourglass Beige
Forever Pink, Unlimited Sky, Flash Back Silver

From top to bottom, left to right:
Forever Pink, Unlimited Sky, Flash Back Silver
Purple Obsession, All Night Blue
Burning Black

My first impression of these is that they are incredible; they are creamy, long-lasting and apply with barely any fallout. The darker shades are more prone to fallout, but they are definitely better than other powder eyeshadows I’ve used in the past.

Keep reading to see swatches!

(...)
Read the rest of Swatches: L’Oreal Color Infallible Eyeshadows. (59 words)

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2011. | Permalink | 23 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: L'Oreal, Makeup, Reviews, Swatches | Tags: drugstore, eyeshadow

Forget neutrals and golds for the holidays, shu uemura’s idea of holiday makeup is bold hues with lots of sparkle. There is nothing safe or classic about this holiday collection called rouge et bleu, a collaboration with movie director Wong Kar Wai.  By the way, the inspiration of the collection is a short film called ‘Mask’, and will be released on October 18.  For now, you can watch the trailer on the shu uemura website.

burning in water ($85) is one of two beautiful eye and cheek palettes in the collection. It contains four eyeshadows, two blushes, one double ended sponge applicator and one double ended brushes.  Both the powders and creams are very smooth and give excellent colour payoff.

shu uemura burning in water palette

The cover of the palette is a cool hologram of the eye makeup from the promo images.  Here’s a short video since it was difficult to photograph:

shu uemura burning in water palette – cover artwork

Cool, eh?  Now, how about some swatches?

shu uemura burning in water palette swatches (natural light, no flash)

shu uemura burning in water palette swatches (with flash)

Delicious, right?  As much as I love all these colours though, I wish they switched up the texture with a matte eyeshadow shade.

shu uemura burning in water palette

The cream cheek colour reminds me of Giorgio Armani’s cream blushes; they blend easily and dry to a powder finish.  The powder cheek colour is a light beige with slight shimmer, which would make a stunning cheek highlight.  I do wish the cheek colours come in bigger pans so I can fit a blush brush in there.

shu uemura burning in water palette – box

Is It Too Bold For Holiday, Or Just Right?

What do you think? Do you tend to favour the safe classics of golds and reds for holiday collections, or do you like the bright colours from this palette?

© Arianne for Glitter Geek, 2011. | Permalink | 20 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Categories: Holiday 2011, Makeup, Reviews, shu uemura, Swatches | Tags: blush, eyeshadow