First New Bronzer Of The Season: Lancaster Kaleidoscope Illuminating Powder is Almost Too Pretty To Use.

April 24, 2011 | 15 Responses

It’s that time of the year again when makeup companies come out with their latest and greatest bronzers! Lancaster Kaleidoscope Illuminating Powder ($39, at Shoppers Drugmart and Murale) is a beautiful, huge pan of lilac, pink, peach and bronze powders.

Lancaster Kaleidoscope Illuminating Powder

Kaleidoscope is big enough (8 whopping cm diameter!) that you can use the colours separately; the peach and pink would make a beautiful blush and cheek highlight, respectively. For a quick face, I just swirl my powder brush around, and the combination is a warm peach bronze that is neither shimmery nor matte. The finish on the skin is very natural and skin-like. It’s perfect for faking a good complexion when you’re feeling kinda blah. Do you feel the same way? When my skin is looking dull, I always turn to bronzer for a quick pick-me-up.

Lancaster Kaleidoscope Illuminating Powder Swatches (lilac — barely visible, pink, deep bronze, golden bronze, peach, and blended)

As for the shade, I think it’s a good choice for those with warmer skin tones. Try before you buy if you are pale and have a lot of pink in your skin, as it may look more orange on you. It’s pretty hard to overapply because the bronzer applies sheer and builds very well, so layer on as much as your little heart pleases.

Lancaster Kaleidoscope Illuminating Powder — Size comparison to Scherbie’s head

Wearing Lancaster Kaleidoscope Illuminating Powder (all over, no blush)

Besides the gorgeous colour, I have to point out that the bronzer smells so fresh in the pan and I always get a warm fuzzy feeling when I catch a whiff of it. Is that weird? It doesn’t smell like anything once it’s on, but the fresh smell is always a bonus in my books. It is a lot of money to spend $39, but it is very big (20g / twice the size of a MAC Bronzing Powder!). If you have a pressing need for a lot of bronzer, like say, you are the makeup artist for the cast of Jersey Shore, then it is a very good deal. Otherwise, even though it is pretty, it’ll just take up a lot of space in your potentially cluttered vanity table. Am I right? :)

Are You A Bronzer Fan, Or Do You Embrace Your Paleness?

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know how much I love my bronzers (and self-tanners!). Are you a fan as well, or has Jersey Shore scared you away from bronzers for life?

Disclosure: Product was sent by PR for consideration only.

So Winter has Made You Paper White, Huh? Get a Quick Golden Look with NARS Sertao Blush.

February 16, 2011 | 9 Responses

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Gold, copper, and bronze are very in this Spring.

‘Kay. I think I’m starting to sound like a broken record here, always talking about Spring trends. But if you live in Canada, you totally get it. We’ve been waiting for Spring for many months, so it’s a pretty big deal ’round here. We even have a ceremonial dance to welcome Spring. True story; look it up.

So, I will talk about Spring trends whether you like it or not.

Let’s talk bronzer for a sec, shall we? What of it? Well, it’s probably not a good idea to douse yourself with the stuff right after Winter has taken away your Summer (sunless) tan. Here are some tips to slowly ease the golden, bronzed look back into your life as we transition into the most beautiful season ever.

#1 — Step Away from a Matte Base.

The bronzy summer glow starts with your base, so pick a foundation or moisturizer with a dewy finish. I have combination skin that’s more on the oily side, and really like NARS Sheer Glow ($55). For reference, I’m a MAC NC40 and my match is Barcelona. I don’t own this yet, but my sample from Sephora was very well-loved. Those with normal-to-dry skin types might love Mary Kay TimeWise Luminous-Wear ($23). It contains hydrating jojoba and and mica that imparts a lovely glow.

If, after reading all of the above, you are totally cursing me because your skin is so. very. oily, I have a solution for you. Apply your matte foundation, then infuse light back into your face with an illuminator like Mary Kay Liquid Illuminator ($23). Read more on these in a future post; they are kinda amazing and also limited edition! Illuminate the high points of your face only (cheeks, temples, nose bridge, chin) to put the dew back onto your skin.

#2 — A Multi-Use Eye & Cheek Product is Your New Best Friend.

NARS Sertao Blush

Here’s where NARS Blush in Sertao ($29) comes in. NARS blushes are well-known for their incredible pigmentation, and Sertao is no different. I recently discovered that it makes a beautiful light golden brown eyeshadow, too. A few quick swipes across the lids, on the cheeks, and temples et voilà — you are golden.

Another great thing about Sertao: it lasts and lasts and lasts. Most of my blushes I put eventually fade as the day goes on, but Sertao’s gorgeous sheen and colour stays on my cheeks until I take it off.

NARS Sertao Blush Swatches

#3 — Softly Define the Eye with a Smudged Brown Eyeliner.

A very monochromatic look may be great for the runway, but in real life it just looks like a lot of yellow. This is not cute, especially if you have yellow undertones in your skin. Break up the yellows by smudging brown eyeliner close to your upper lash line. Keep it soft; we don’t want to see a solid line. I used Urban Decay Whiskey 24/7 Liner from my Naked palette.

You’re 99% done at this point. Add some mascara, and your fave neutral lip gloss (I like Chanel Glossimer in Maline), and you’re set to run out the door.

Wearing NARS Sertao Blush (lid), Urban Decay Whiskey 24/7 Liner (top lash line), and MAC Studio Fix Lash Mascara (lashes)

Wearing NARS Sertao (eyes and cheeks)

Was that quick or what?

Are You Ready for Spring Yet?

What Spring trend are you dying to wear, or are currently wearing? Everybody knows I am crazy about my bright lips, but recently I’ve been wanting to try the brights on my eyes.

Skeptic No More: Sigma Makeup’s Sigmax High Definition Brushes are (Surprise!) Really, Really Good.

January 4, 2011 | 27 Responses

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Sigma Makeup Sigmax High Definition Synthetic Brush Kit

Sigma Makeup‘s brushes have received a great deal of rave reviews from YouTube gurus and beauty bloggers in the past couple of years. I admit that even though I was a little curious, I was more skeptical of all the hype they’ve been getting. Is it brand bias? To be perfectly honest? Maybe. It just all sounded too good to be true.

If you’re not familiar with the brand, Sigma makes a full line of high quality, handmade makeup brushes. Its claim to fame: MAC brush dupes for a fraction of the price.

I have been test driving the new line of Sigmax High Definition Brushes ($42) containing three face brushes: F80 Flat Kabuki, F82 Round Top Kabuki, F84 Angled Top Kabuki. The Sigmax HD Brushes are designed to work well with both cream/liquid and powder products. The brushes are also available for purchase individually.

The brush handles are a thicker than my other brushes, and so the brushes are heavier than what I’m accustomed to. The brush ferrules are very sturdy and do not move around when I pull on the brushes during a wash.

These brushes are made with synthetic fibres. I am really impressed that they held their shape and were free of any funky smells after washing and drying. All of the brushes are very densely packed, which make them excellent for buffing in creams and liquids. A nice side effect: they are very easy to clean because very little product gets absorbed and lost in between the brush fibres.

F80 Flat Top Kabuki

Usage: To apply and buff in liquid foundation all over the face; to buff in powder (or powder foundation) for a heavier coverage.

It does a fairly quick job to cover the whole face. I don’t actually reach for this brush that often for liquid foundation, and I think that’s just my personal preference. It is excellent for buffing in the foundation into the skin to achieve a perfect complexion easily. I quite like this type of brush for buffing in powder like my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural to get more coverage out of it.

Recommendation: You might like this if you want that perfect skin look quickly, and if you don’t mind using a separate brush for general concealing.

F80 Flat Top Kabuki

F80 Flat Top Kabuki (density / brush head size)

F82 Round Top Kabuki

Usage: To apply and buff in foundation all over the face; to blend concealer under the eyes and around the nose.

The F82 brush head is smaller than the F80′s, so it is easier to manoeuvre around tricky areas of the face. I prefer it over the F80 for foundation, too, as I like that I can “roll” the brush around because of the rounded top. Its smaller size compared to the F80 means that I have to work longer, but I eventually get the same gorgeous finish.

Recommendation: As my favourite of the three, I like the F82′s versatility as a foundation and concealer brush. I love this brush and think it is an absolute must-have.

F82 Round Top Kabuki

F82 Round Top Kabuki (density / brush head size)

F84 Angled Top Kabuki

Usage: To apply and blend cream blush on the cheeks; to apply powder blush heavily.

This is the perfect brush for cream blushes. I always found MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Blushes to be tricky to blend with my fingers or with any other ol’ skunk brush, but this brush takes care of the job in two seconds. If you have a not-so-pigmented blush like NARS Douceur, this could save you time by picking up a heavier amount of powder on the bristles.

Of the three, this was the only one that shed 3-4 hairs during a wash.

Recommendation: This is a must-have for those who prefer working with cream blush over powder. Also, if you have a softly pigmented powder blush that you love but need to layer, this brush is a definite time saver.

F84 Angled Top Kabuki

F84 Angled Top Kabuki (density / brush head size)

Sigma Brushes: Yea or Nay?

Have you given in to the hype? If these three were any indication of the quality of the rest of the line, I’d say they are definitely worth the hype. I might try the eye brushes sometime.

Disclosure: Products were sent by the manufacturer for consideration only.