A Feast For Your Eyes! Stila Festival Collection Review, Photos, Swatches

May 23, 2013 | 2 Responses

I’m going to get down to business here and just say it straight up: the Stila Festival Collection for Summer 2013 (available in Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutiques, Murale and Sephora) is one of my favourites by far for summer. It brings such unique and vibrant pieces that any makeup lover would die to add to their collections. I received a selection of products so I just wanna show you ALL THE THINGS.

Some items from Stila Festival Collection

First up, Stila has created a limited edition shade for Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner ($26) and Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner ($26), both in Turquoise. Both products deliver opaque pigments in one pass. Isn’t this such a unique and stunning shade? In the side-by-side comparison, the Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner is closer to a true turquoise. The Stay All Day Waterproof Eyeliner leans more mint. Both products are really waterproof and puts up a mean fight against a micellar-water soaked cotton pad.

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid and Smudge Stick Turquoise

Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Turquoise / Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Turquoise /
Stila After Glow Lip Color in Electric Pink and Festive Fuchsia

Lipstick lovers rejoice! The new Stila After Glow Lip Color ($24) is bright and so hard to mess up! The fat crayon format is friendly for newbies, and this has medium pigmentation that builds well. The lips look wonderfully plump (but not Real Housewives plump); just plain kissable lips. I wore Electric Pink today (see below) and it lasted a good 5-6 hours before fading and leaving an even stain. My favourite of these two is Electric Pink, but Festive Fuchsia is also a winner and probably my #1 pick against a late summer tan. These are cherry-scented, but it is very faint that honestly I had to think hard about the scent.

Stila After Glow Lip Colour Electric Pink and Festive Fuchsia

Wearing Electric Pink
Wearing Stila After Glow in Electric Pink (no filters used / from my Instagram!)

Oh, and apparently the pigments fluoresce under black light! ERMAHGERD /geeks out!

Keep reading to see more photos and swatches!

Click here to see more photos and swatches!

The Quest for a Holy Grail Semi-Matte Lipstick Stops Here: Givenchy Le Rouge Reviews, Photos, Swatches

May 8, 2013 | 28 Responses

Brace yourselves, ladies and gentlemen. Here come today’s pretties!

Givenchy Le Rouge 102 and 301
Givenchy Le Rouge 102 Beige Plume and 301 Magnolia Organza

Givenchy Le Rouge (CDN $38 / US $36, exclusively at Sephora) is a modern semi-matte lipstick. It is silky, lightweight and reflects light to bring dimension to the lips. Both shades I tried are packed with pigment so they cover the lips in one swipe. This is the best semi-matte formula I’ve ever tried. Its velvety texture is something I would liken to Giorgio Armani’s Maestro Foundation. It doesn’t migrate out of my lip lines after I apply; it just sets to a beautiful silky, almost powder-like finish. This lipstick is longer lasting than most of my lipsticks. It may or may not have outlasted a McDonald’s combo of quarter pounder with cheese and french fries. Ahem.

Givenchy Le Rouge Packaging
Givenchy Le Rouge — Packaging

Givenchy did not only make a great makeup product here, but they also cased the bullets in hefty, soft leather and chrome covers. Meow! So sexy. If the packaging was fugly I probably would still want to buy all the lipsticks! anyway.

Givenchy Le Rouge 102 Beige Plume

102 Beige Plume is peachy brown. On me, it is a warm nude colour that is a safe bet for the office. It’s sweet and demure, and so perfect.

Givenchy Le Rouge 102 Beige Plume Swatch

Wearing Givenchy Le Rouge 102 Beige Plume

301 Magnolia Organza is a vibrant reddish pink. It’s hard not to feel a little bit sassy with this one on. Work it, baby!

Givenchy Le Rouge 301 Magnolia Organza

Keep reading to see swatches and full face photos!

Click here to see swatches and full face photos!

Lipstick Bandits Do Coral Lips (Whatever Coral Actually Means).

April 15, 2013 | 49 Responses

Most of the lipstick bandits were at a loss when it came to picking a coral lipstick. What is coral, anyway? It can be used to describe a mix of red, pink and orange. Now that the calendar says it’s officially spring — even though Toronto weather is still definitely winter — there’s no better time to lighten and brighten our lipstick picks! Let’s collectively take out our favourite coral shades, shall we?

My pick just arrived at my doorstep three days ago, from YSL Summer 2013 Collection, coming out in May 2013. I give you Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres in N° 31 Corail Alla Prima ($36).

YSL Glossy Stain 31 Corail Alla Prima

N° 31 Corail Alla Prima is a fresh reddish coral that just screams summer. It just begs to be worn with a bronzed and radiant complexion. Lately I’ve been drawn to wearing glossy lips, but regular lipglosses aren’t really ideal for cold and windy rainy days. The YSL Glossy Stain formula has a stickiness factor of zero. I apply three layers of this to get fully glossy lips and maximum colour intensity.

YSL Glossy Stain 31 Corail Alla Prima applicator

YSL Glossy Stain 31 Corail Alla Prima Swatch
YSL N° 31 Corail Alla Prima swatch (3 layers)

Wearing YSL Glossy Stain 31 Corail Alla Prima 1

I know this formula promises to be long-wearing, but on me, it doesn’t deliver any more longevity than my standard cream lipsticks. I’m okay with that, as I love the glossy finish and punchy shades these come in. They do layer exceptionally well, so touch ups are a breeze.

Wearing YSL Glossy Stain 31 Corail Alla Prima 2

Products Used

Face and Cheeks

MAC Mineralize SkinFinish Natural in Medium Dark (as foundation)
NARS Radiant Creamy Foundation in Custard (under eyes)
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light (all over to blur pores)
MAC Mineralize SkinFinish in Lightscapade (on cheeks)
Guerlain Terracotta Light Powder in 03 Brunettes (all over high points of face)

Eyes

Revlon PhotoReady Primer + Shadow Palette in Metropolitan
YSL Dessin du Regard Waterproof Pencil in 1 Black Ink
Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill mascara

Lips

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres in N° 31 Corail Alla Prima

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres in N° 31 Corail Alla Prima is available in May with the rest of the collection at Holt Renfrew, selected Bay, Murale, and Sephora stores. It is one of two new permanent shades; the other is N° 20 Rouge Enamel.

Want to see more of the Lipstick Bandits? Check out the rest of our picks…

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