Empties February (& January)

The last two months have been in the line of winter survival. 

I don't know about you guys, but somewhat the fun in cosmetics gets out of it and everything is more about necessity. Shortly, I'm looking forward for a warm spring so my skin can behave normal again, and I can have fun with my cosmetic goodies again.

Again, I'll have quite some used-ups and hygienic bye-bye's to show...

I'm gonna start with two of my favourites:

• The NIOD Copper Amino Insulate Serum 1.00 % has been that wonderfully blue liquid that smells so neutral and layers on like a calming liquid. You mix the 2 bottles up and store it in the fridge: how fresh is that? I saw an improve in the quality of my skin: repurchased already!
• May Lindstrom The Blue Cocoon has been a nicely soothing balm, but too expensive and not entirely healing on disturbed skin so I've been looking for alternatives (see here).

• Alterna Caviar repair Fill & Fix treatment Mask is a staple, abeit a pricy one. It packs up proteins for damaged hairs which has an instant effect, but also improves hairs in the long run
• Fountain The Monecule in Happiness: I already shared my like for Fountain's hyaluronacid infused liquid concoctions and I could use some more positive feelings last months.
• Glonaturals Bodylotion: It smells like chemical coconut but it packs in a good amount of moisture into winterskin. I mixed it with pure oils like St. Johnsworth to get extra hydration.
• OlivineLove + Roses hydrating mist: Lovely and so natural smelling rose water infusion.

• Aromantic Camellia Seed Oil: Aka Japanese Tsusaki oil works wonders on hair and is lovely on skin as well
• De Tuinen Prickly Seed Oil: Prickly seed oil is a powerhouse that often sells really expensive, think La Bella Figura's version. I loved this affordable version.
• Andalou Naturals Luminous Eye Serum: I order this in one of my Vitacost hauls and it moisturizes wonderfully without too much fragrance. As for anti-ageing? I'd prefer Pai.
• Alterna Re-texturizing Protein Cream: This is such a favourite of mine! It smoothes in frizzies wonderfully and builds up hair in the long run.
• Givenchy Eclat Matissime: This one is still full: it was not suitable for my sensitive skin.

• Bliss FatGirlSlim has been a freebie in some box. I like it, but I'm a firm (pun intended) fan of my French line of anti-cellulite treatments (see a heap of mentions here). 
• Mario Badescu Super Collagen Mask was another freebie. I feel nostalgic for anything Mario Badescu as it reminds me of my 1st couple of online cosmetic purchases around 2000. Then again, it only adds some moisture so I would not repurchase.
• Givenchy Acti'mine Wake up skin Base: another full tube I have to abandon as I am too oversensitive for it.
• Andalou Naturals Argan Stem Cells Scalp intensive Lotion is targetted for hairgrowth. I have not seen dramatic results but it might have helped.
• Kinvaria 24hr Rosehip Face Serum was a serum I bought on a rave review being best thing ever for sensitive skin. Another case of not liking the fragance: household cleaning stuff. Blerg.

•  Cinema Secret makes some awesome makeup for professional use. Their concealer palette has been fab for covering imperfections, but I have this palette for many years so bye bye!
• Fasio Eyebrow Gel has been perfect for colouring the hairs of my eyebrow when they lightened in the sun. 
• Jadilla J BB Concealer still originates from my Gmarket Haul days. Funnily, now everyone seems to go K-beauty I find it soo 2008! The colour is too light for me these days but coverage was wonderful.
• Another hygiene/older concealer I had to bin is Models Prefer concealer duo. Somewhat it did not blend wonderfully either (green and a beigy colour) so I haven't used it much.
• This Le Metier the Beaute eyebrow pencil in blonde has been a perfect colour, but the pigment-hold was not spectacular on skin. Now it dried out...
• Clarins Eclat Minute...yes, fab coverage for under eyes but hygiene disposal again.

• Tigi BedHead After Party is one of those raved about haircreams that make your blowdry last beautifully. I liked it but prefer my organics and Alterna ranges over this one.
• Tatcha Indigo Soothing cream is another staple. Must-have for me.
• Trevarno Eye cream smelled like herbs gone wild...Also, a bit too thick for eyes.
• Nails Inc make some fab 3free nailpolishes that last and look superb. I loved this neutral pink.
• NVey Eco compact foundation was the most unblendable foundation ever. No likey.
•  I already discussed my Herbivore Lapis oil over here and I liked it a lot. 

• WLL3People Expressionist bio Extreme Mascara is one of the mascaras the natural bloggers rave about. Nice, but they have not reached similar hold/volume over the chemical mascaras.
• Bourjois Rouge Velvet in Fuschia has a gorgeous hold and superb matte appearance before this matte-lip thingy has been going on. 
• Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Gloss Lip Lacquer Lipgloss in Love Drunk has been a sample I have been scraping the last bit out. Perfect mauvy shimmer! Adore...
• Another Marc Jacobs winner has been his O!Mega Lash Volumizing Mascara I bought in Marseille, France. I would like to try his newer version but the reviews have been mixed.
• Benefit Tinted Primer Hey, They're Real does not live up to my beloved Kate Kanebo version (here).
• Oh, and the tiny oil on the left has been Kiss the Moon Midnight oil. Soo, gorgeous...on par with my new fascination with Herbivore oils.

• Grow Gorgeous End split ends Leave in Serum in from that Deciem line again. Ok, me and my sensitive nose but this is sooo masculine and overpowering I cannot use it.
• Arcona Chamomile balm smells amazingly soft, but it also brings in a good amount of soothing softness on par with May Lindstrom the Blue Cocoon, for a fraction the price: staple!
• Wella Colour Fresh in Silver 10/81 has been a end-of-holiday toner for my then blonde hair. This one tones gorgeously and only needs one bottle without mixing. More about it soon.
• Another case of the ageing makeup product: My gorgeous YSL palette...awww...
• Another staple is my Collistar Face Magic Drops for self-tan. Although I don't use it in winter, I use it to match my face to my body on beachy holidays.

  I have been using up a lot of staples that are suitable to calm my oversensitive skin during the winter period. I have also ventured on some new products which has been a mixed bag of winners and not-so-successful for me. And I have been able to let go of some expensive brands that will not work for me (aww Givenchy)...

So for next month I hope to cleaned out my makeup-drawer a bit more, and be as diligent as ever to finish up products that I like : )

Makeup Forever Artist Shadow in Crystalline Gray Beige ( D552)

*Makeup Forever's new color-shadows popped up at Sephora's website -> curiosity triggered*

There are so many new ones [210], and the Makeupartist in the video were raving about aalllll colours.

I picked one that looked rather like a neutral taupe online: Crystalline Gray Beige:

It's a shade with the promise of a Diamond lustre: Diamond people! I had Rihanna chanting in the back of my mind...'Shine bright lika a diamond...'

There are also eyeshadows in satin, matte, idirescent & Metallic. However, I thought it would be nice to see MUFE's translation of a diamond lustre.

The eyeshadows are sold in separate pans. You can either muster up your own palette, or buy the MUFE version of 2, 3 or more. There was a good deal for the palette version so I chose that option:

 The case is plastic, but the sturdy type in MUFE's signature sleekness. The pallets have magnet adherence so you can take out your pan whenever you want. This is handy for travellers and makeupartists or aspiring colourists who like to vary their colours on daily/weekly basis.

 Talking about the size of the pan: it's the same as Le Metier de Beaute eyeshadow pans:

 

That got me into comparing mode again. Hence, I also picked up my cheaper brand Makeup Artist palette in Undress Me too.

Ofcourse, those are baby pans compared to big-sized MUFE & LMDB, but the colour-family of one of them is quite similar: a mauve-ish silver Taupe.

This swatch is made in daylight/indirect sun, foundation base but no specific eye primer. The Le Metier de Beaute palette is Bauhaus in colour Graphite (review here). 

• MUFE is the warmest of the 3: a reddish mauve base
• Le Metier de Beaute has the best opacity
• The diamond aspect of MUFE is slightly dissapointing: all 3 have similar lustre on skin

Verdict:

I have not been as enthousiastic about the eyeshadow as the makeupartists in the video. Honestly, I'm spoiled with Le Metier de Beaute and others, but I think that a budget eyeshadow like Makeup Artist wears just as well.
However, I think it's a wonderful neutral, office-appropriate sparkle that will cooperate well with Edward Bess eyeprimer. And I will add another shadow of MUFE's Artist collection in a different finish to complete the duo-palette.

Conclusion:
Usefully pretty, but not a musthave if you have similar hues.

The Spoiled Christmas...

Before we forget about the gluttony & decadence that is called Christmas...

This perfume set By Killian is in synch with the real desire of Travel to Shanghai, same as the Australia resolution. Also, I will need to look for the Best of '14 Perfume winner in advance ; )

for Da Peepers....

Yes, after declaring LMDB Bauhaus as my fave pair of eyeshadows '13 I was bound to buy 'Carnaby Street' on sale!

How can I not love these set of glowy neutrals: I cannot get enough of the peach colour and the taupe below is a eyeshadow dream. All of the colours are winners in the 'subtle but not too subtle' range of eyemakeup!

Last, but not least...Chanel Ultra Rose:

I was craving for a vivid cool pink blush: it was either NARS Gaiety or Desire, and then I found this post from Indigo Kir Royale that made it Gaiety & Desire's baby, only in zeee Chanel quality.
 
Ps: Some of these were self-indulgences from either sales or mere lust-have-ism.

BBB's Best of 2013 - Makeup

Welcome to BirkinBagBeauty's Best of 2013!

I'll be starting off with all pretty and functional 'paint': the warpaint, peacepaint, coverpaint, enhance-paint and the funpaint of makeup.

"eyes are the mirror of the soul" (and a dent in my wallet)

I have been rekindled in my love for makeup in 2013 and the eyes were the focus. I was one of the 1st to get Le Metier de Metier Bauhaus (see here) and I still love the boldness & versality of the palette.

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 I refound an older love too: Coffret d'Or Shine Accent Eyes in 01 Orange Spring I bought here.

It is like a more subtle version of my latest Charlotte Tilbury palette in Golden Goddess, and has peeeeeaaach in it.

“Lips are the fingerprints of love.” 

~Tyler Shields

Lipstick:

Givenchy Le Rouge in Rose Boudoir is the one I reach for the most: often after experimenting with newer colours/textures in the shops. It is velvety without being too matte; it doesn't compete with a strong eyeshadow, but isn't too boringly neutral either. Overal, a nice pop of flush for the lips in that sublime Givenchy texture.

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Lipgloss:

I loved YSL Rouge Pur Couture before most-famous-face-of-'13 Cara became face of that brand too: actually seeing a tomboy-type glam up with the right lipgloss is a good salepoint for me. I really like how the lipgloss glows without going into tacky territory; how it last long enough without feeling obtrusive; and the way it fades into a pretty stain. As for the colour: This reddish pink is vibrantly present when I want to have a stronger definition on the lips and a softer focus on the eyes.

“As beautiful as woman's blush, as evanescent too.”   

 ~Letitia Landon

This has been a difficult vote, as my infatuations in blush is as evanescent as described in the quote above. Good thing I could nominate the different textures...

Blush/Bronzer hybrid Michael Kors Bronzer Powder in Flush 02 has already gotten my stamp of approval in December (here) and it has gotten the top vote for this category. Runner up is Rouge Bunny Rouge at Goldcombe Bay for a contouring bronzer hue without blushtones.

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For days that I love to have everything organic, I vote for Josie Maran Cosmetics Color Stick in Petal Pink: it is slightly shimmery and in a rosy hue. It blends quite nice and the scent is delightful.

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I haven't forgotten about my early 2013 blush-infatuation Kose Addiction Cheek Polish in Tadzio 06 (review here). It is a fresh & cooler pink that lightens up the face and I love it when all other features (lips/eyes) take a step back.

Yes, and a special mention for cheek/lip multitasker 

 

Rouge Bunny Rouge Decadent Duo in Rumba Cubana:

This one has been my purse-favourite. The blush-side is always the right colour with a multitude of lipcolours and wonderful for the mid-day perking up. The lipgloss has the quality to plump lips without too much drama, and feels like a dream. The above Rumba/Cubana is as good as empty and I have a backup for future uses ♥ 

"The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural"

~Calvin Klein

Full Cover: Rouge Bunny Rouge Time Defying Foundation in Wheatgrass

I'm a complicated person about my base foundation: I'm often too sensitive for the likes of Chanel or YSL (hello fragance), I have to cope with winter-patches and I want to look younger. Enter RBR latest foundation: scentless, with plenty of goody ingredients and I get "your skin looks good"-compliments when wearing it. My only pet-peeve is the colour: it looks dark in the swatch but applies quite light: But it's a good match when not on selftan.

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Light Cover: Koh Ren Do Maifanshi in 123

Revieved here: a perfect colour and dewy complexion. Now if it only was sold at more places than Barneys.

“Statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.”   

~Aaron Levenstein  

yes, that's the Game of Thrones actress (the one with the white wig)

So we're not talking bikini's yet, the ones in Australia and Brazil probably are, but a good concealer should be as invisible as it wizardy strengths to what it has to conceal. So the same story about my skin, [problematic], and I get the occasional pimple between what we  the lovingly can call 'living lines'.

Eyes:

Givenchy Mr. Light in Mr. Toast 03  is as buttery as you need for under your eyes. It diffuses dark circles in a wonderful way without getting topsy-turvy panda look. It photographes nicely too, without flashback. It doesn't settle in the lines and it is wonderful for shadows around the nose, and that bit of extra light to optically plump lips.

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Organic:

I discovered NVEY Eco Foundation thanks to blogger Emma. I love organic products on days when I want to detox from the non-organic stuff I put on my face. It is somewhat similar as RMS uncover, only without the heavy/pasty feeling RMS has. Peach 875 is actually a bit too light for me, but it works wonderfully on red/flaky patches as the creamy consistency smoothes without irritating.

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Pimples & Eyes

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla is my multitasker for eyes/pimples. I think you've encountered several raves and I can only say that I love it as well.

That is my Best of '13...Makeup-list for now: I could extend by listing the pencils etc, but I wanted to focus on the ones that really stood out for me in 2013, not the whatever rotation ones.

So, what have been your faves and why?

Before Resolution 'Spend Less'...

I have found some really interesting sales going on:

Selfridges has the cutest Takashi Murakami Collection palette from £60.00 -> £40.00 in both colours. I have found some swaches here & here.

The SA in Holland said that Laura Mercier's baked eyeshadows "Les Petits Bonbons' were a limited edition and really hard to get. Well, it's on sale now over here in the most gorgeous wooden box. 
While you're saleshopping, do not forget Selfridges non-sale-but-really-useful Suqqu range & the hyped Charlotte Tilbury too.

Harrods has a good deal on the pricy Chantecaille range and especially their palettes are tempting: The Bengali Tiger & the Shadow & the Rose palette are half price now. Karla's famous arm shows Bengali over here

Beautybay is having a fair discount on the Le Metier de Beaute range and I already caved and own the gorgeous Carnaby Street Kaleidoscope. Cultblogger Sabrina from TheBeautyLookbook has them swatched here.  BTW, isn't it strange that the so-called 'exclusive' Bloomingdales/Neiman Marcus palettes are often to be found somewhere else? Not that I'm complaining.
Another cult-LMDB is their dewy lip & cheek Fresh Tints.
 Beautybay also has Rouge Bunny Rouge on sale & Edward Bess, but mostly for about 10% discount

Liberty is having the spring-zesty/summery Jovoy Mojito candle on sale with a gorgeous glass bell jar: what a way to tone down your Holiday's alcohol habit and rejoice for summery times & mojitos. If you prefer your room to smell like cake (think Marie Antoinette), they have this candle without the jar.

Also, this Kenzo cosmetic purse is now discounted from £90.00 to £27.00 so you can be fierce about carrying your makeup around.

Blush-Crush: Michael Kors bronzer in Flush

What does it take to become my latest blush-crush?

Glamour 

Size 

velvet 

softness 
performance

niche 

perfect colour 
the right kind of glow

Glamour:

 

 Michael Kors as a brand stands for Uptown New York glamour so its makeup is on par with the fashion aura of the brand. A white packaging and golden letters, and inside a golden grande compact that could easily been mistaken as a small palette.

Size: 

I was secretly thinking 'how American' to have the blush/bronzer being supersized to this generous compact. My British Burberry is laying on top (still in dominating mode, who said size matters?) but the idea is clear.

All of this gotten me slightly cynic about its performance. I loved the latest launches of Fashionbrands going makeup (waves to Burberry and a nod to uncle Ford) but Michael Kors has never really appealed to my clothing aesthetic. And then the grandeur of it all.

 Thus: colour, performance & velvety texture:

Flush was my colour of choice after hearing it being described as a sister of NARS Deep Throat. Honestly, they are more distant cousins but I liked the few swatches online enough to indulge.

I picked up some other bl-onzers (blush/bronzers) that could have been siblings:

I omitted Bobbi Brown Antigua (too pink) & Maquillage (too much mixing) from the next swatches. I also mixed the 2 shimmery shades of the Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscope & the two topshades of NARS Soulshine.

Swatch winter-daylight (3 pm)

 

 At first glance:

•  No twins out there.
• Banila Co Copacabana is the closest match, only slightly paler & a bit more mauve
• Michael Kors has the most delightful & complicated shimmer of them all
• NARS Soulshine & Le Metier de Beaute have a pinkish hue when mixed
• Sofina Aube & Armani Sheer bronzer 2 are reddish compared to MK
• NARS Soulshine & Le Metier de Beaute are quite similar when mixing them in the right amount.

And now for the shimmer time: *FLASH*:

• my blush-crush is totally justified: look at the delicacy of the glow of Michael Kors...is it cool? Is it warm? Not sure, but it is gloooowy
• Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscope also flashes up in a complicated glowiness
• Banila Co. Copacabana has been a favourite for a long time, and for a good reason
• I sure love bl-onzers a lot!

Conclusion: Can you justify a crush? Yes, I just did...

Pretty Springy Things

- Something Cheeky

(YSL Creme de Blush 9)

-Something (from) Lush 

[Mumkin]

- Something Glossy 

[Le Metier de Beaute Sheer Brilliance Cannes]

Cannes looks really sparkly in spring-sunlight, but it's quite subtle on lips: 

- Something Mask-y 

Etos (Dutch Brand)

I guess it's more of a no [stop] buy for me lately....

Upcoming posts

• Blush-palettes are the latest thing?

Nope, I've seen it before by Shiseido Maquillage. I was remembered by Frontrowbeauty's FOTD how fantastic these are, and will compare them with the Le Metier de Beaute's one.

•  More on the Palette Swatching project:

I finally will swatch The Shiseido Maquillage Alexander Wang palette. It has been a couple of years old when Alexander Wang was an upcoming designer.

• Black is the new black

This amazing post made me buy a Pixi Endless eyeliner pencil. I will compare them with my other 5 fave black eyeliner pencils to see how they can be different in their eyepencil blackness.

Using...used...gonna use..

Happy Pre-Christmas: I hope you all try to enjoy preparing for it, and leave the stress for what it is, when possible.

Just a good ol' roundup of the things I am using...used...gonna use:

from top left- clockwise

• I've gotten some new lipsticks lately. I have the Le Metier de Beauté in Dubai and this week received an Edward Bess in Midnight Bloom. The Balmshell lipgloss is a GWP
• I also emptied my Sana Hadanomy Collagen Mist and gotten myself a new one; it's intensely neutral and soothing for days that your skin needs it, and I feel it actually does something in terms of adding moisture
• Samples: Jouer Lip Enhancer lipbalm and curious about Rodial Dragon's Blood Sculpting Gel. The Jouer doesn't do that much plumping, but it has the perfect consistency as primer before lipstick/gloss.
• I digged up my Beauté the Kose Eye Fantastist from an older collection: WOW! that was 2008!  (see here when I got the set). It's a glowy champagne-hued highligher that I'll be using during the holidays for making my eyes appear slightly dreamy & angelic.  

Review: Le Métier de Béauté Kaleidoscope Bauhaus

"Shimmery, glisteny eyecolours...come into Birkies land" 

Before I start to sound too Alladin's Lamp, let me introduce something shimmery that contains some other wishes: not three, but four shimmering eyeshadows:

Le Metier de Beaute's own site has not featured this Kaleidoscope yet. On Zuneta's site the description says that the Bauhaus colours have been inspired by:

"the Bauhaus movement, that influenced famed runways of Caroline Herrera and Cynthia Rowley alike,[...] “Modernisation is as feverishly popular as ever, and a little touch of Bauhaus never hurt anyone,” says Mikey Castillo, Director of Color, Le Métier de Beauté." 

Ok, that "a little touch of Bauhaus never hurts anyone" sounds a bit too vague for me. So what was Bauhaus really about?

My Art-teacher would be dissapointed for me not knowing that much about the Bauhaus Movement. Thankfully, she was into popular culture too as fashionblog-phenonema so I willfully googled up "Bauhaus Movement", knowing she wouldn't consider Wikipedia being the "source of evil" (some teachers always said that..."NEVER look on Wikipedia", and others are like "as a starter you can Wiki but Plleeeaazzzee, get some better source for your essays").

My palette has intellectual value being produced on the Rene Descartes road, or, 
"I apply makeup, therefore I am!

That simply means I cannot sum up this movement shortly, but it has links with art/architecture, art for craft's/building's sake and  to re-unite "Creativity and manufacturing [by] rejuvenating design for everyday life" (theartstory.org)
This meant lots of angular structures and basic colours. E.g. Piet Mondriaan was in the vanguard of the Bauhaus movement that lasted from 1913 to 1933:

I won't bother you with artistic talk anymore...but the stark primary colours are not represented in the palette. Better for me, because I love the subtle & metallic shades. Perhaps they are linked to the architecture movement that strongly stood close to Bauhaus.
And I suspect that Le Metier de Beaute hasn't fully researched Bauhaus either and they just picked an artistic movement in the past to get across more interesting. Oh well, haven't we all done that at a time being? At least I can say my eyeshadows are inspired by Bauhaus art, Mies van Rohe, Mondriaan and the likes ;-). That sounds less superficial than "I like puuurty colours on me eyes"...

Colour description according zuneta.com:

- Axiom - Sublime bronzed umber

- Graphite - Silver liquid metal

- Crucible - Rich pomegranate

- Genre - Deep gun metal 

(ps: had to Wiki Axiom & Crucible)

AXIOM:

 GRAPHITE:

GENRE:

CRUCIBLE:

 

Swatches: bare skin...no sunlight-1 (!) Swipe, NO primer

My point of view of the swatches:
* Axiom is a bronze brown with a hint of golden shimmers. It has a hint of mustard into it mostly visible from a side angle
* Graphite is a stunning darkened silver with a hint of mauve to it, making it a multidimensional shade....I tried to capture it from a different angle, but my lack of sunlight left me (hopefully updated soon).
* Crucible is one of those sexy maroons that has that hint of smoldering deep-red inside. The pinkish sparkle/glow prevents it from falling flat, and I think this will work beautifully layered over black eyeshadow for extra zest.
* Genre looks like a steel colour at first glance, but looking closer there is a hint of teal/blue glow that is supergorgeous for using it alone as a smokey eye or simply as an eyeliner in a smaller line.

To add to my view, an extra photo from the colours from a laying/side angle:

 VERDICT:

• incredibly pigmented, beautiful colours, almost all have a duo- or multidimensional quality that makes it interesting in various light
• 1 (!) swipe without primer and this impact! And still applying equally = SUPERIOR TEXTURE
• Not so fabulous = the quality of the packaging (check the top-case): It's plastic and Burberry does that one better.

• packaging= also on the small side. It reaches the lipstick-cap stripe of a MAC lipstick (see below), and quite bulky.

CONCLUSION:
 For many years I have been one of those women buying eyeshadows both from indie-sites as the more conventional brands being sold in beauty stores. Indie sites such as Fyrinnae and Meowcosmetics deliver eyeshadows that often have multiple sparkles and dimensions that makes it so interesting on the eyes. But than the lack of handiness (powder spill/ bags or jars that fling open and spill over your carpet!) made me reach for handy pressed palettes.

So I LOVE the texture, durability & colour quality of Le Metier de Beauté eyeshadows: it's probably the best quality so far in eyeshadows, leaving Burberry Beauty and Armani behind. I think they budgetised too much on the packaging, though. And for that price they shouldn't.

I haven't compared this Kaleidoscope with other eyeshadows, but this blogger has, so check her out for comparing swatches here.