Welcome the Year of the Dragon with MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit and Chanel Dragon Rouge Allure Laque.

January 23, 2012 | 44 Responses

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.

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

Beware of the Lipstick Bandits.

September 12, 2011 | 56 Responses

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I am a member of the Lipstick Bandits. We obsess over lipstick, and convince you that yes, you do need another red lipstick because this one is a blue red, while that one is a tomato red. Or this one is a matte, and that one is a cream. You get the point.

Because we are a band of beauty bloggers, naturally we make a pact with a face of the day. Here’s mine.

Products I Used

Eyes

MAC Blacktrack Fluidline. Apply a ridiculous amount as a mask, and line eyes to create a feline shape… mrrreow!
L’Oreal Black Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara. Generously run through top and bottom lashes.
shu uemura tutu laceflare False Eyelashes*. Because it’s fun to make your eyes feel like ballerinas.
Illamasqua Alchemy Precision Ink Liner. Outline the mask with this fine glitter liner. Because it’s not a Glitter Geek mask without glitter!
Marcelle Pure Gold Lux Diamond Liquid Eyeliner*. Add a chunkier glitter on top of Alchemy for high shine and sparkle.

Skin

FACE atelier 6 Honey mixed with Zero Plus Ultra Foundation. Nothing says badass bandit like a flawless base.
Marcelle Translucent Medium Face Powder*. Set with loose powder patted on with a brush.

Lips

FACE atelier Revenge Lipstick. Apply a dark red around the edges of the lips and feather / blend inwards.
Vasanti USA Soft Finish Matte Lipstick. Apply a true red in the middle of the lips for an ombré effect.

More Pictures!

Close-up of shu uemura tutu laceflare false eyelashes (new with Novadiva Autumn 2011/Winter 2012 collection)

Ombré red lips

Blue Steel

Who am I kidding?

Hope you enjoyed the look. I had a lot of fun creating it and feeling slightly creepy while wearing this makeup. Don’t forget to visit my fellow lipstick bandits’ amaaaazing creations:

Disclosure: Products marked with * were sent by PR/manufacturers for consideration only.

Matte Lips for Fall: shu uemura rouge unlimited supreme matte Lipstick.

September 3, 2011 | 44 Responses

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Brace yourselves, ladies and gentlemen! I’m so excited to review and swatch shu uemura rouge unlimited supreme matte lipsticks ($36), as their cousins, the shu uemura rouge unlimited is one of my favourite lipstick formulas to date.

shu uemura rouge unlimited supreme matte lipsticks

Swatches (from left): Darling Beige, Angelic Pink, Alluring Brown, Evil Pink, Sensual Red, Brilliant Gold (no flash)

Swatches (from left): Darling Beige, Angelic Pink, Alluring Brown, Evil Pink, Sensual Red, Brilliant Gold (with flash)

Darling Beige is a nude beige.
Angelic Pink is a light pink with blue (cool) undertones.
Alluring Brown is a rosy brown.
Evil Pink is a bright pink with yellow (warm) undertones.
Sensual Red is a brick red with gold sparkles.
Brilliant Gold is a sparkly gold glitter. This is an artist shade, meant for mixing and layering.

These lipsticks are super soft for mattes. Maybe a little too soft actually, as they have a tendency to crumble and pill up on the lips. One way I found to remedy this is to blend the lipstick into my lips with a finger after applying from the tube.

The finish is a soft matte, which is very pretty and nothing like your grandma’s matte lipstick. They are scent- and taste-free, and wear time is average for a lipstick (about 3-4 hours). I don’t suffer from dry lips, and these didn’t suck out the moisture from my lips either. They do, however, show off nasty flaky lips very well, so exfoliate first unless that’s the kind of look you’re going for.

I had a hard time pulling off Angelic Pink and Darling Beige because of their lightness, but pale beauties will love these. The rest of the shades are universally flattering, and I’m actually surprised that I really liked Alluring Brown.