Kevyn Aucoin @ Hautelook

Today Hautelook is having a sale on Kevyn Aucoin and everything is under $7! There are a lot of individual lip and eye products for sale but unfortunately no palettes or base items.

I picked up an Expert Lip Tint in Tatjanaberry, and two Essential Eye Shadow Singles in Goddess and Aubergine, so I'll post some swatches once they arrive.
Have you visited the sale yet, did you haul anything?

Also, Later this week hautelook will be having sales on...
Mario Badescu Skincare
Alison Raffaele Beauty
100% Pure
and
Jemma Kidd Makeup School

If you would like an invitation to join Hautelook click here.

*The above links are personal invitation links, and I receive a $10 credit every time a new shopper makes a purchase. Hautelook isn't invitation only, so you may join on your own.

H2O+ Sale @ Hautelook

Today Hautelook is having a sale on H2O+, and the prices vary from 30-60% off. I haven't decided if I'm going to get anything yet. I really wanted to try their Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment, but it's only available in kits, so I have to figure out if I want to try the rest of the products in the kit :)
Has anyone already tried H2O+, any faves?
If you would like an invitation to join Hautelook click here.

*The above link is a personal invitation link (not an affiliate link), and I receive a $10 credit every time a new shopper makes a purchase. Hautelook isn't invitation only, so you may join on your own.

Hautelook Package

Today when I got home from pilates there was a package waiting for me from Hautelook :)

And, this is what was inside.

Kevyn Aucoin's Celestial Powder in Candlelight had been on my Dermstore wishlist for a while, but I was never quite ready to plop down $42 for it, so I was thrilled when it showed up on Hautelook a few weeks ago. This might be the best highlighting powder that I've tried so far. The powder is of excellent quality; it's silky smooth to the touch, and best of all there aren't any obvious shimmers or sparkles in it. This leaves a gorgeous pearlescent sheen on your skin that makes it look like you have an ethereal glow.

Swatched with my finger. I also tried to photograph the finished effect once it's been blended out, but my camera didn't seem interested in capturing that.

I haven't gotten to play with this much so I won't give it an official rating yet, but so far it's a 5/5. Also, I think that this would look excellent on just about any skin tone, and that's not a statement that I make lightly. It's not too warm or cool toned, and once it's been blended it looks like your skin but more luminous.

*The above product was purchased by myself because I love pretty, shiny things.

Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser Review

I can't help wanting to try a product that people are raving about so I recently picked up Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser. Burt's Bees describes this as a light lotion cleanser.

This light lotion cleanser removes dirt, oil and make-up, revealing a smooth and radiant complexion. A gentle plant-based cleansing complex plus jojoba beads and a fruit acid complex help encourage normal skin cell turnover. While royal jelly, one of nature’s most nutritious substances, helps enhance skin’s natural radiance. Your skin appears brighter and younger-looking, naturally.

At first I thought this cleanser was a dud, it dried out my skin and gave me mummy face (dry tight and flaky), but I tried it a few more times and eventually found a way to make it work for me. The directions on the bottle recommend wetting your face and hands then massaging the cleanser over your skin. I find that it's more gentle to lather the cleaner between your hands before applying it to your wet face. I think lathering it first dilutes the detergents so they aren't so abrasive, and this method didn't leave my skin feeling dried out.

One pump, the texture is quite fluid.

The cleanser all lathered up.

Like all Burt's Bees products this is heavily fragranced, which I normally don't like, but in this case it really hasn't been bothering me. This did a good job of removing facial makeup and rinsed away easily. I can't say that it really exfoliates though; the jojoba beads are so sparse that they don't really do anything and I don't think that the fruit extracts are on the skin long enough to have any effect. I'm not sure about the benefits of royal jelly either since it hasn't been proven to be helpful to skin and it can cause reactions if your are sensitive to bee pollen.

Note: The ingredients listed on my bottle don't match those listed on the Burt's Bees website.

I don't think this cleanser functions as a treatment product, but it does cleanse well and that goes a long way towards preventing breakouts and dull skin. I think I'm looking for something even more gentle/moisturizing for my dry winter skin, but this will work well for me in the summer and normal to combo skins should enjoy this. I feel I should also mention that the bottle describes this product as 99% natural; sulfate, paraben, phthalate, and petrochemical free; not tested on animals; and made from 80% post-consumer content (I assume they mean the packaging).

Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser
Overall Score: 4/5
Price: $9.99
Summary: A good, reliable cleanser containing a blend of oils and gentle detergents for skin that isn't too sensitive or dry.

*The above item was purchased by myself for review purposes because I can't ignore the possibility of a great find.

Urban Decay Spring 2010: Stardust Eyeshadow

Urban Decay has created a new line of eyeshadows for spring - Stardust Eyeshadow.

Stardust shadows’ silky texture delivers an incredible amount of sophisticated, twinkling sparkle. Boasting 40% more glitter than our most sparkly shadows, Stardust delivers a sheer wash of color, topped with teeny bits of iridescent sparkle that glisten like wet snow. The glitter (a pricey ingredient called reflex), actually stays on your lids. No fallout, no chunky glitter… just stunning, sparkling eyes.

TIPS:
Achieve more vibrant color when applied with your fingers - whether you choose wet or dry, Stardust’s unique formulation loves a personal touch!

Looking for a softer sheer color wash? Use an eyeshadow brush.

Try it wet for most intense color – and remember the power is in your fingertips with Stardust.

Stardust is unlike any other shadow – you will see some glazing on the surface after use - this is part of her character and does not affect the color or sparkle factor. Fill Weight: 3.5g e 0.12 US oz

I've never really gotten into Urban Decay, my tastes just aren't that bold, but there's something about this product that really appeals to me. So far there are nine shades, and Diamond Dog and Space Cowboy seem pretty inviting to me so I might try them out. These are currently available from Urban Decay and Sephora.


source: Urban Decay

Global Goddess Review

After having some major Global Goddess lemmings I purchased a few products a while back and have finally gotten around to reviewing them.

The product I wanted most was the Global Goddess Goddess Glow South Pacific Shimmer, and I hate to say it, but I'm a little disappointed. It's not that it's a bad product, but it hasn't been able to meet my expectations. The product itself is beautiful; It comes in a gilded compact, has a very pretty over-spray (the silvery swirl pattern is an over-spray and disappears after the first use), and seems like it would have lots of potential. However, I just don't quite feel like the results are as beautiful.


On the Global Goddess website this product is described as a, "luxurious bronzer", but this won't work as a bronzer unless you are fairly pale. Also, it has a bit too much sparkle for a bronzer in my opinion. Instead I think this is much more of an illuminating finishing powder since it gives the skin more of a subtle luminosity. I would be fine with using the product this way except I don't really love the finish. When I apply just a little there is no glow of any kind, but when I apply a little more I can see bits of shimmer sitting on the top of my skin. They aren't glaringly obvious (from the distance of a few feet they blend in just fine), but for a product that costs $32 I expected it to be more finely milled.

The Complexion Perfection Duo hasn't managed to escape my disappointment either, but for reasons that have more to do with Global Goddess as a company than the actual item itself. Global Goddess doesn't have images on their site of this product's actual shades; they have a tiny little color chart and a pop-up window with descriptions. Based on the descriptions I was able to narrow down the shade I needed to either 4 or 4.5, but I couldn't decide which, and to further complicate my decision Global Goddess' site mentions...

shades ending in .5 are formulated to match mid/multi cultural skin tones – For example - S. Asian, Asian, Latina, Middle Eastern, and Mixed Ethnicities and any olive undertones skin tones.

Since I am multi cultural with red/orange and golden-olive tones in my skin, I decided to email their customer service. I explained my skin tone, my background, my other foundation shades, colors I looked best in, etc, and their response was... absolutely nothing. I waited an entire week for them to respond with some form of suggestion and they never did. So I made my best guess and purchased shade 4.5.


I can wear it, but it's not quite warm enough, so I really haven't worn it much - I think maybe I should have chosen 4. Based on my limited experience, I think that the Complexion Perfection Duo is actually pretty decent. It includes a cream to powder foundation on one side and a slightly lighter shade of concealer on the other. The foundation is quite emollient and easy to apply. Its coverage varies from medium to full, and it blends into the skin easily. The concealer shade could be a little more emollient, but if I apply it over an eye cream it blends in well, and I've never experienced any problems with it creasing or slipping.

I don't think it's Global Goddess' fault that I selected the wrong shade, but I do think they have horrible customer service, and that's something that I just can't abide by in a company. If you get the chance to test this product out in person, go for it, but I wouldn't purchase it sight unseen.

My final thought is on the packaging. It really bugs me that the compacts don't match. They seem to be made from the same material, and are the same size so I don't understand why the imagery and the engravings differ. It's not like it really matters, but I'm still putting it out there.

Global Goddess Goddess Glow South Pacific Shimmer
Overall Score: 3/5
Price: $32.5
Outcome: For the money, and for less, there are much better bronzers out there.

Global Goddess Complexion Perfection Duo
Overall Score: NA
Price: $40
Outcome: Try before you buy because Global Goddess won't help you.

*The above items were purchased by me because I like pretty things, and I'll update with swatches once the weather clears up.

The Good and the Bad of 2009

The year is nearly over and I've been reflecting on some of my favorite (and least favorite) purchases and products from the past year.

HAIR

Best Hair Care Products: Shiseido Tsubaki Shining Shampoo and Conditioner
I have hair that occupies the space between curly and wavy, which means it's usually just crazy. Since I've started using Shiseido's Tsubaki line though it's calmed down substantially. The texture of my hair hasn't changed, but it is substantially less frizzy and I've been able to forgo my pantry of styling products in favor of a little bit of serum once it's dry. My hair is also noticeably more shiny. Since the label on my bottle is in Japanese I can't tell what's actually in here, but it is HG status for me.

SKINCARE

Best Moisturizer: Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance
At the beginning of 2009 my skin was flaky and generally kind of pissed and I was in need of a good moisturizer. After trying five or six different products I found this and it has been my HG ever since. It's excellent at providing my skin with moisture and it's silicone based, so it's not greasy or too heavy.

Best Cleanser: Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil
In 2009 I discovered cleansing oils, and my clear favorite so far has been Shu's Skin Purifier High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil. It does an excellent job of removing makeup, even eye makeup, and washes away easily. This cleansing oil isn't too drying for my skin and it doesn't leave behind a residue that makes me feel like I have to double cleanse. Shu has recently replaced this with an Advanced Formula and I hope that I will like it just as much

Worst Cleanser: Olay Sensitive Skin Foaming Face Wash
This cleanser didn't feel like it was meant for sensitive skin at all. It made my face feel super dry and tight, like I was being turned into a mummy. After only a few days of using this my skin started peeling so I had to throw it out.

Best Misc. Skincare Product: Paula's Choice 2% BHA Lotion
I don't have a lot of break outs but I really like the notion of exfoliating inside my pores along with the surface of my skin. Since I've started using this I've noticed that my skin is smoother and when I do break out this takes care of it right away. I also really like that it doubles as a toner so I can keep my skincare routine as short as possible.

Worst Misc. Skincare Product: Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby SPF 60 Sunscreen
I dislike this sunscreen because it feels like I'm slathering on glue, and once it's on and blended in I can feel it on my face through out the day. With mineral sunscreens there are certain trade offs, which I accept, but I think this is the first sunscreen that's made me feel like I'm covered in a calcium deposit. This sunscreen isn't overly drying and it's fairly inexpensive, but I'll be moving on once I'm finish with my tube.

MAKEUP

Best Foundation: Becca Luminous Skin Color
I love the color selection (shades are arranged by depth and undertone); I love that it blends into my skin perfectly and leaves my skin looking like skin, and I love that it has a broad spectrum chemical sunscreen of SPF 25. That's a lot of love.

Most Disappointing Foundation: Nars Sheer Glow.
Please don't take disappointing to mean that this is a bad product. It just isn't the product that I was anticipating it to be. After this was previewed during NYFW Spring 2009 I had six months to contemplate how luminous it made the models look and how much I was going to love it. Then when I actually tried it in September I was a little crushed that it wasn't sheer and didn't leave my skin with a luminous glow (it actually made parts of my face look drier). The color selection is excellent though.

Best Blush: Nars
I wish I could say that I tried a variety of blushes this year, but honestly when I want a new blush I really only look to Nars. My first blush ever was by Nars and other brands have had a very hard time getting my attention. Maybe I'll be more experimental next year.

Best Brow Product: Kevyn Aucoin Precision Brow Pencil
Earlier in the year I decided that I wanted an automatic brow pencil so that the tip would always be ready to use. This one has a very fine tip, a great formula that doesn't deposit too much pigment, a spooly on the end for blending and grooming your brows, and it's retractable. There are three shades: Blond, Auburn, and Brunette; but they can be hard to get your hands on.

Best Mascara: Shu Uemura Ultimate Expression Mascara
I curl my lashes everyday, but I don't always wear mascara - this mascara made we want to wear it everyday. My lashes don't have a natural curl to them so when I look for a mascara I always look for one that will hold a nice curl. This one did that, and gave me outstanding, bold lashes.

Worst Mascara: Prescriptives False Eyelashes Plush Mascara
This did seem to give me voluminous lashes, but it never failed to deflate my curl so all my lashes stuck straight out and you wouldn't have been able to tell if they looked fake or not. I did keep this around and use it periodically for three months, but I could never bring myself to appreciate it since I felt like my lashes looked better, even if more natural, without it.

Best Misc. Eye Product: Givenchy Magic Kajal Liner
I really like eyeliners and I'd been looking for an intense black, chubby liner that I could use for a smoky eye, so when this came out I snapped it up. This is not a liner for creating precise lines or a tidy finish, but it will give you really dramatic, sexy eyes, and if you work it right it can be used to create a smoky eye all on its own. Clearly this liner can't come out to play all of the time, but it is one of my most loved eye products.

Worst Misc. Eye Product: Coastal Scents 88 Eyeshadow Palette
This palette is great for just playing around with color, but if you are serious about wearing a particular shade it's probably best to pick it up elsewhere. The quality of the shadows themselves isn't that great - many of them are chalky and they don't stay well for even a short period of time so using this for day to day looks is basically out of the question.

Best Lip Product: Kevyn Aucoin Expert Lip Tint
I had all but decided that I couldn't wear bold lipsticks because I felt like they just didn't look good on me, but after I purchased this in Talula I realized that I just hadn't met the right ones. The formula for these is so soft and flexible that they don't seem like traditional lipsticks. I like that these can be applied lightly for a wearable day look, or amped up for more glamour. I also like their rose scent.

MARKETING

Best Packaging: Tsumori Chisato Holiday Collection for Shu Uemura
This was the first time I purchased an item almost entirely for it's packaging. I picked up a Tsumori Chisato Limited Edition Rouge Unlimited in Jupiter Brown and it's a very pretty lipstick, but it could have been just about any wearable shade and I would have purchased it because of the cute tube with the black kitty. I was super thrilled to discover that the packaging is reusable too. The actual lipstick tube pops out and can be replaced with any Rouge Unlimited Lipstick. I really hope that interchangeable and reusable packaging catches on with more brands since it seems so efficient and good for the environment.