By Terry Cellularose Blush Glace in Rose Melba - Spring 2014

By Terry brought out three pretty cheek confections for Spring 2014. Rose Melba, Flower Sorbet and Frozen Petal are a must have for all By Terry Fans. This itsy, bitsy tub of delicately whipped Glace gives a subtle flush to the cheeks. The size of the jar is probably the same of their famous lip Baume de Rose. My only fear is when I dab my finger into this gel like product, is that my giant-like fingers (in comparison to the jar) might just gouge out a large amount out of clumsiness. Packaging aside, let's look further at this product.

I tend to veer towards bright, clown cheek colours, so I chose Rose Melba, the lightest of the three shades. Rose Melba is described as as a 'retro pink' which is a perfect description. I wanted a more pared back effect. It is quite a frightful shade in the jar, but sheers out to a believable flush. It is lightweight and gives a fresh faced look to my cheeks. The finish is satin with no sparkle. Warning: It does not have hours of lasting power and if you are so inclined will require touch ups through the day. Let me be clear this did not last on me at all. It is also meant to have a skincare benefit as well, as it is infused with White Rose Native Cells which is the core to their new Cellularose range. I do not use it often enough to say yes or no to this. Application wise, fingers in a patting motion to warm the product into the cheeks worked best for me. I did experience some patchiness as I erred on not blending it in enough as in pat, pat, pat, pat, pat and then pat some more! - did I say pat. I also noticed some product catching on some dry patches. This shade would suit fair ladies up to about a NC 25 - It is very light on me

Okay, so cute product, but a bit to much high maintenance for me. Maybe in this instance the brighter Flower Sorbet or Frozen Petal might have worked better on my skin tone. I love my By Terry products, and I have quite a few beauties still to review. The jury is still out on this one.

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic blusher in Love Is The Drug

Okay, so I know I have reviewed quite a bit of Charlotte Tilbury of late, but all these beautiful product were part of a British haul I managed to get recently. I have one or two more amazing products still to review, but today I bring you my second CT blush Love Is The Drug.

It is housed in a cute, lightweight compact. I love the etched Charlotte Tilbury logo and star. This shade seems more true to the 'swish and pop' action suggested for application of this blusher, with a vibrant pink shade in the centre. Love glow in comparison has the lighter shade in the middle. The outer shade has a satin finish which is to be applied all over the cheek. It is a fresh pink with subtle iridescence, which imparts the cheek with a soft glow. The inner circle is a shot of 'almost' highlighter pink which should suit many skin tones. The finish is a match to the outer ring. It is buildable leaving your cheeks with a believable natural flush a' la Tilbury. No excess powder is picked up when swirling my brush. Love Glow is more coral, with the two shades very similar in colour. 

Two shades mixed together

Love Is The Drug is my second CT blush, but my first to review. Finely milled and highly pigmented are just two of the great attributes of this blusher. Next up on the Tilbury review list will be her Light Wonder Foundation.....

Charlotte Tilbury The Rock Chick Luxury Palette

I always knew I wanted the The Rock Chick quad, it was just a matter of time. The 'rock chick' is focal point of the Charlotte Tilbury aesthetic, and it's actually shades I do not have a many of, in my collection. Well, I now have it. It is everything I have come to expect from the CT shadows. To recap my previous nattering's, the textures of all four shades are creamy, pigmented and a dream to blend. In fact I think they blend themselves!

The Rock Chick is a wearable tonal grey palette, with good contrast between the shades. At first, I thought it would be a dupe for  Tom Ford Titanium Smoke. If memory serves Tom Ford Titanium Smoke is definitely more cool. The Rock Chick has more in common with the warm grey 'taupiness' of TF Silvered Topaz, which will be easier to wear for more skin tones. I have done a quick comparison with the grey quads I own and I hope they give a good point of reference. I have worn it softly for a modern day look as well as packed on for maximum impact. I have only worn it a few times, but I am smitten.

The shades have a mix of finishes. The prime shade (top left) is soft silver with a iridescent finish. It gives a soft focus wash of colour that opens up the eye area. The Enhance shade (top right) is a mid tone warm grey. It has a satin finish with a lovely sheen to it. The 'POP' shade (bottom left) is a glistening silver sparkle in a taupe grey base. The Smoke shade (bottom right) is a glorious silky matte intense dark grey shade. The shades look cooler in the pan, but swatch warmer. As the light changes so do the beautiful colours of the palette, which reminds me of Tom Ford She Wolf.

Textures come alive

Quick comparison swatches T-B Armani quad in Maestro, TF Silvered Topaz, CT The Rock Chick

The Rock Chick is my kinda gal! What is your go to palette for an effortless rock chick vibe?

Troy Surratt Lipslique in Hevyn and Bon Bon

Another purchase from the Troy Surrat line were two lip products called Lipsliques. I chose two easy to wear shades that are now permanent fixtures in my bag. First, lets's talk texture. They have a light, comfortable feel with a bit of tackiness, which allows them to hug the lips for longer wear. Both shades have medium opacity, but still have a sheer look with a glossy finish. This is my favourite type of finish as you can just slip it on in a hurry and it is very forgiving to unconditioned, unprepped lips. Easy Breezy!

Hevyn is my go to every day lip. At first I thought it might have too much brown to it. On the lips it is my own lips transformed.  A neutral Rose that adds colour to my lips. It is their bestseller for good reason. Bon Bon is all kinds of wonderful. It is a cool pastel pink, that gives a fresh and feminine look. It is lighter than my natural lip shade, and might look too light on girls darker than my roughly NC 25 skin tone. I think for fair ladies, this will dance on on their lips - a pretty pastel for spring, will make blue eye's pop too!

Hevyn, Bon Bon

Hevyn

Bon Bon

I'm already dreaming of my next Lipsliques and have the shades already to go, namely Rubis, Perfictioniste and Chuchoter. Also to note, the packaging is compact and sleek. These are like candy, one is just not enough!!

Perricone MD OVM - Eggsellent Anti-Aging Serum

A very corny heading to very serious skincare product. OVM was launched at Sephora at the end of last year and a few weeks earlier on the Perricone MD site. I received mine for review a few weeks back and am now ready to share my thoughts with you. This product is a new innovation, which takes thinking 'out of the box' to new heights. In the past Dr Perricone has focused many of his products on Alpha Lipoic Acid and DMAE, of which I am a huge fan. Then came his Blue Plasma range (formula 15 and other Perricone lovelies) and now OVM. This unique product works on re-energising the skin and adding volume, which as you age, is lost. The idea behind the product, is based on how the membrane that surrounds an egg nourish's and protects the egg yolk and white within. OVM was born. It is described as "A bio-matrix technology with  Eggshell Membrane that delivers unparalleled anti-aging benefits." It sounds sci-fi, but grounded in real science!

OVM has become an integral part of my morning skincare routine. after cleansing and toning, I apply this light serum, and then follow up with Perricone MD Photo Plasma. The texture reminds me of a frothy whipped yolk. It is slightly tacky upon application , which then disappears. It had a fresh scent, that I find pleasant and does not linger. It has a combination of Eggshell membrane, DMAE and Retinol as the key ingredients. I have had no irritation at all, even with the inclusion of retinol in the product. I classify it as a serum, as it is a targeted product that precedes my moisturiser.

I love my little white jar of goodness. I have definitely seen a fullness and density return to my skin. That elusive plumpness that I see in my daughters skin, I can now see emerging in my own. I have hardly made a dent in use of this products and can say it will last a good few months. Hurrah for that!
What new wonder products have you started recently?

Introducing : Surratt Artistique eyeshadow in Soie, Cuivre, Patine, Ombre and the sweet Artistique blush in Se Pomponner

On my agenda for Barney's revamped beauty floor (pristine white) was the Surratt counter. This fledgling brand was much hyped and likened to my favourite Japanese brands. This would make sense as the creator , Troy Surratt spend a lot a time in Japan perfecting his new line. It was really quite impossible to make choices in one visit, but I came away with a gorgeous palette of pretty neutrals, a 'pop' blush and a new love for Suratt. The single eyeshadows come in a slimline acrylic case with sliding top. I love the system where these can slide off and the pans are stuck into a bigger Surratt case to make your custom palette. I did mull over the price of the case, as I could have bought another shade or the case. I chose the case, of which I am glad, as I now have a portable Surratt mini look. My cheek shade is also housed in the compact for a complete story. I'm one happy girl!

There were quite a few all-over/highlight shades. I settled for Soie - a pretty pearlescent peach-toned champagne. I then chose Ombre - a matte muted taupe. This works so well as and all over wash or for adding definition to your crease (a workhorse shade). My favourite must have shade is Cuivre - a beautiful sepia with ultrafine rose gold sparkle.  Soie pairs very well with Cuivre. My 'deepen' shade is Patine - a muted dark grape which can read grey. This is shot through with a soft gold sparkle. Both sparkle components of Cuivre and Patine are really so fine. You cannot feel them and they meld with the shadows seamlessly. The texture of all the shadows are creamy and extremely similar to my Addiction by Ayako shadows (reviewed here and here). They blend like a dream and last the whole day, while remaining vibrant and crease free. I purchased Se Pomponner Artistique Blush. A candy pink colour, which shouts from the pan. It can however be softly applied with a soft, less dense blush brush (Suqqu) which allows the bright pigment to kiss the cheeks for a pretty flush.

L-R T-B Soie, Cuivre, Ombre, Patine, Se Pomponner

I think the Surratt shadow range has got so much to offer - neutrals, electric shades, sooty crease shades. This is coupled with sublime textures - matte, satin, iridescent, sparkle, While some shades might be dupable, the superb calibre of these shadows shine through. I wish I bought more!!! I will review the 2 Lipslique twisting lipsticks and Smokey Eye Baton I also purchased in the coming weeks. I wish I bought more! My wishlist for Surratt is already full - my other picks would be eyeshadows in Marron, Truffle, Enchantress,Brun Noir and Noir Le Plus Noir. If there is a fairy g-dmother for all things beauty...... I would take the whole 24 colour spectrum!

L-R Soie, Cuivre, Ombre, Patine,  Se Pomponner

Applied wet

Textures captured

Note: I have named this with the prefix "Introducing" - this series will show new brands, new products and new launches - we will see how it evolves. If it become redundant it will become redundant.

With Love
MR
xx

Urban Decay Naked Palette 3 ......no..maybe.....definitely!?

Naked 3 has been blogged about into infinity. I had made up my mind that this Naked palette was a miss for me. I reach for my other Naked friends, 1 and 2 only when I remember I own them. This is not because I do not like them, but there seems to be other pretties that I love more. I arrived a day or two after they were released at Sephora. Stock was ample so I begrudgingly swatched them whenever I happened upon a Sephora ( ok I fess up, there was one below my hotel:)) I was not blown away by my initial playing. I was unsure whether I wanted it because everyone else wanted or if I thought it was good. A week later, stock had dwindled to a few per store. By them I had set my mind on other acquisitions........ or so I thought. There is a saying "there is the quick.... and then there is the hungry" - well, by the time I think, I thought, I might WANT the palette, they were sold out. From the Sephora near Union Square, to near Bloomingdales, or below my hotel - nada, zero, squat. I talked myself into thinking I was 'Ok' and it was just meant to be. A near-to-last-final visit to a Sephora on 97th and Columbus made my heart swoon. One lone palette waiting for me!

This is my favourite Naked palette. The palette is a mix of Rose, Rose Gold, and Rosy Taupes . The overall Rosy hues are modern and feminine. These shades are all new so no repeats if you are an Urban Decay Junkie. They are well pigmented and last well throughout the day. There are shades to use all over, to line,  to highlight, to add depth in the crease and outer V. There are 3 mattes, 4 sparkly shades, 5 buttery metallics. These rose nature does not make my eyes look irritated , but cool and sophisticated!

L-R Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick

Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

For those who might have pondered "what next?" after Naked 2 - after seeing Naked 3, this really seems like the natural progression that the Naked series needed to make. I was so close to missing out on this Palette, but fate stepped in! I did not want to be pulled into the hype of the Naked 3 palette. In this case, I am glad I took another look just in time!

Have u succumbed to the Naked allure?