Yves Saint Laurent Volupte Tint In Oil (I Rose You) - Review & LipSwatches

Body oils, face oils, hair oils ... it is no surprise that companies are finally coming out with lip oils. Paired together with YSL's oh-so-famous lipstick packaging, these tint-in-oils intrigued me even more. How could I have said no, right? During the Sephora 15% off VIB sale, I spoiled myself with one of these gorgeous lippies. I chose the shade "I Rose You" (No.4), which is one of the lighter colours in the collection. 

YSL's Product Description:

A revolutionary lip colour with a lip tint suspended in a deep conditioning oil. Coat your lips with this lip tint for a lightweight texture that instantly melts onto lips. It is infused with a blend of four essential oils for deep hydration: apricot kernel oil, coriander fruit oil, jojoba seed oil, and possiflora edulis seed oil. Its exclusive applicator envelops the lips in full colour and allows for a precise and uniform application. Lightweight and non-sticky, this lip tint offers a new and luminous shine while the tint effect enhances the natural beauty of the lips - making it the perfect combination for youthful looking lips. 

My thoughts ... 

I really wanted to like this product. I thought this tint-in-oil would be perfect to keep in my bag for on-the-go touchups. Not only is the packaging insanely gorgeous, but it claims to give my lips hydration AND a pretty tint. After testing this tint-in-oil several times, I had no choice but to return it back to Sephora. 

The main reason why I was so disappointed with this product is that it makes my lips peel like crazy. Although it does feel very moisturizing when I first apply it, the moisture doesn't seem to deeply penetrate my lips. Instead, it just sits and stays on top (which can be good too since the glossy finish is quite long lasting - until you eat, of course). Once I remove this oil from my lips, I find myself literally peeling off strips of dead skin from my lips ... not exactly the most attractive thing. 

Another reason why I decided to return it is because of the "tint" that it gave my lips. The display at Sephora and the packaging of the specific shade (I Rose You) that I had picked up gave me the impression that this lip oil would give my lips a pale rosy-pink tint. Instead, it actually made my lips look brighter. As my lips are quite pigmented to begin with, the additional colour and shine made them look a bit swollen in my opinion; however, based on your own preferences, you may really like the tint that this gives your lips. For a lip tint, it really has good pigmentation! 

Pros:

- makes my lips look very smooth (blurs out all the lines) ** 

- gorgeous packaging

- very good pigmentation for a lip tint ** 

- not sticky at all (extremely silky) 

- applicator hugs the lips perfectly and gives precision in application 

- gives my lips an incredibly shine **

Cons:

- cannot be applied over lipstick (the lip colour underneath will start to break apart and "float around" in the oil) 

- makes my lips peel ** 

- didn't give my lips the pale pink tint that I wanted  

- expensive 

- the sweet candy smell can be irritating to some people 

Final Verdict?

If this product doesn't make your lips peel and you like a nice bright tint to your lips, this product is definitely worth a try! 

[ Details ]

- net weight: 6mL / 0.20 fl. oz. 

- price: 32 USD or 35 CAD 

- colour range: 8 shades 

- my shade: I Rose You (No.4)

Hope this review was helpful :)

Chansie 

Dior Rosy Glow Awakening Blush - Review & Swatches

Dior's Product Description:

Rosy Glow reacts to the moisture in the skin to bring a delicate flush of colour to the cheeks. The fresh and luminous colour upon application develops into a rosy blush to suit each individual complexion for an incredibly natural, custom healthy glow that lasts all day. 

My thoughts ...

Because my skin tone is quite fair (NC15-20), I was a bit hesitant to try this practically neon-looking pink blush; however, with all the rave reviews out there, I gave in. What really intrigued me was that at certain Sephoras, the Rosy Glow Blush that was put on display wasn't neon pink at all. It was actually a white powder with hints of pink in it.

After playing around with this blush for awhile, I've realized that the 'white powder' aspect of it plays a major part in the product's claim of having an "awakening" effect on the cheeks. Let's say that we want our bright eyeshadows to really pop on our eyelids. What would be a technique that we could use? To put a white base underneath. In ways, the white powder (which is not visible when the product is still relatively new) acts as a canvas for the pink pigments to really pop on the cheeks, giving the face a healthy flushed glow. Because of this, I believe that the Rosy Glow Blush is suitable even for those with deeper skin tones.

One thing to keep in mind is that even though the blush is called Rosy "Glow", it is completely matte and does not have any sort of shimmer in it. Great for everyday use!

Pros:

- rose scented (bonus points!) 

- gives the cheeks a natural pink flushed look 

- decently long lasting (6-8 hours)

- does not appear patchy when it begins to fade on the cheeks 

- includes a decent brush (good for touch ups) 

- a little bit of product goes a long way 

- lightweight, sturdy packaging (not to mention very pretty) 

- very finely milled 

Cons:

- expensive $$

- can look overdone if applied with a heavy hand 

- scent may be irritating to some people 

[ Details ]

- net weight: 7.5g 

- price: 44 USD 

Hope this review was helpful :) 

Chansie 

The Balm Nude 'tude Eyeshadow Palette - Review & Swatches

The Balm's Product Description: 

This amazing palette consists of 12 beautiful shadows that make wearing nudes sexy! These satiny smooth colours can be applied naturally, i.e. "let me slip into something comfortable" or beautifully layered. The wide range gives you light highlighters as well as brazen bold shades that work to add definition and emphasis to your lids. Nude 'tude allows you to dramatically dress up your eyes - if nothing else! 

There are 2 versions of the Nude 'tude palette: the naughty and the nice. Both versions contain eyeshadows that are exactly the same in quality, pigmentation and colour. The version that I bought is the 'nice palette'. 

Every time I see a neutrals palette, my first instinct would be to compare it to my beloved Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palettes. Because of the more wallet friendly price tag, I was really hoping that this palette would be a 'cheaper' alternative to the Naked Palettes when it comes to neutral eyeshadows.

My verdict? I still prefer my Urban Decay ones over the Nude 'tude palette. 

My thoughts ...

Pros: 

- very pigmented (the swatches below are not applied over a primer) 

- blendable 

- good colour range 

- nice mix of matte and satin finish eyeshadows 

- long wearing and crease free (with eyeshadow primer underneath) 

- the palette is very slim and light (good for travelling)
- friendlier price tag (sometimes available on Hautelook) 

Cons: 

- the 4 darker shades on the right-end of the palette are more 'dry' and stiff compared to the rest

- overall, the eyeshadows are not as creamy/buttery as those from the Urban Decay Naked Palettes 

- there is less product in the Nude 'tude palette compared to the Naked Palettes (11.08g vs 15.6g)
- shadows are very soft and powdery: make sure you tap off the excess before applying or else there will be a lot of fallout 

Final Verdict:

Nude 'tude is definitely a great neutral eyeshadow palette; however, if I could only choose one and I had enough money to invest a bit more into a palette, I would 100% choose any of the Urban Decay Naked Palettes over this one simply because I like the colours and the creaminess of those eyeshadows much more than the ones from Nude'tude. 

[ Details ] 

- price: 36 USD 

- size: 11.08g (0.9g / eyeshadow) 

Hope this review was helpful!

Chansie 

Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette Collection - Swatches & Photos

Hello my lovelies! 

I've recently rediscovered my love for my Urban Decay Naked Palettes. With all the rave reviews out there about these famous eyeshadow palettes, there is probably no need for me to write a long essay about why I love them so much. To put simply, these eyeshadows are extremely pigmented, creamy, long-lasting and blendable. What more can I ask for from eyeshadows, right? My only complaint about these palettes is that the colours are quite dark. Depending on the type of eye look you're used to wearing on a daily basis, these palettes may or may not be too dramatic for daytime wear. Nonetheless, I still believe they're worth checking out. 

For reference, my skin tone is around NC15-NC20. The following swatches are applied on top of bare skin with no primer underneath. As seen below, these eyeshadows are pigmented even without an eyeshadow primer; however, because I have oily eyelids, I find that I do need to apply a primer in order to prevent these shadows (or any shadows) from creasing. 

Naked Palette

Naked 2 Palette:

Naked 3 Palette: 

[ Details ] 

size: 1.3 g / eyeshadow 

price: 64 CAD

Hope this brief review and photos were helpful :) 

Chansie