Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick 20 Rose Comète

For me, this is one of those "why the hell did I buy this" type of colors.  I mean, it's really pretty, but paired against my dark hair and light skin, it just looks so '80s.  And not in a good way, because I'm pretty sure there never was one.  

20 Rose Comète is a light, cool-toned pink with a heavy frost finish and silver glitter particles.  The undertone is definitely of the lavender persuasion, which (depending on your coloring) can either look really fresh and pretty....or Van Halen groupie-esque.  Sadly, I fall into the second category, as it looks atrocious on me.  In the event I paired it with a creamy, warm-toned gloss, I might be able to make it work.  Maybe.  

The reason I purchased Rose Comète in the first place was after seeing Rachel McAdams and Kate Bosworth wear it to red carpet events.  The difference between myself and those two women is that they're both fair with blond hair, and I'm so *not* blonde.  I really think that, in order to be able to sport this color as is, you need to be blonde with fairly light skin.  I can't think of who else it would even appeal to.  Live and learn, right?

I'm off to draw pictures of My Little Pony in my Trapper Keeper whilst listening to Flock of Seagulls. 

xxx ~R 

Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick 15 Ruban Rose

When the Rouge Cocos first debuted, this was the second shade to catch my eye, after 31 Cambon.  Is it one of my go-to lipsticks?  Not really, but I still like having it.

I would describe 15 Ruban Rose as a medium, rosy-pink with a heavy infusion of peachy-gold, pearlized shimmer particles.  It's so heavily pearlized that it comes off looking like a frost.  To me, the difference between a "frost" finish and that of a "pearl" is virtually non-existent.  They're pretty much the same thing in my book, if I'm getting technical.  

While I think this is a really pretty color, it's just not one I reach for.  I don't feel like it goes with my coloring very well, as it makes me feel "'60s grandma".  However, adding a gloss over top does negate that issue, for me at least.  

If you really like this color but want a less expensive alternative, I would recommend MAC Sandy B lipstick, as they are fairly similar in color and finish.  

xxx ~R

Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick 06 Égérie

This one of the first few Rouge Cocos I purchased when they first came out, about a year ago.  Upon first swatch, I thought that it was just going to look orange and weird on me, but I bought it anyway.  I'm glad I did.

I would describe 06 Égérie as a medium, apricot color with a mixture of both pink and brown undertones.  I feel that the pink and brown and pretty balanced, thus making it appear more neutral in tone.  I fancy it to be a subtle shade that feels classic and demure/modest.  It has a kind of '40s-ish/old-fashioned feel to it, almost as if you weren't wearing red, you'd be wearing this color.  That may or may not make sense to anyone, but it's just the feeling I get from it.

As with all Rouge Cocos, the coverage is medium-full, with wiggle room to become more or less intense in color.  The finish of 06 Égérie is creamy, with a slight infusion of micro-shimmer particles, but very, very slight.  Almost undetectable.  

I think this is the type of color that a lot of skin tones could wear, but I think it would probably look the best on light and medium skin tones...somewhere from NC/NW10 to NC/NW 25.  But as I've said before, I'm not a shade matching genius of any sort, so I just go off hunches/guesses. 

xxx ~R 

Skincare Questions? I'm Not Your Girl

So, maybe I'm not, but wanna know who is?  Clare from Lotus Skin Spa.  She's a really good friend of mine and also functions as the resident skincare expert.  Whether it's a question of what's the best facial moisturizer for a certain skin type, to more invasive/intensive cosmetic procedures, she actually knows what she's talking about.

Just today she put up a post regarding Jane Iredale cosmetics, which is a brand I'm very passionate about.  She explains the technical differences between Jane Iredale versus the other mineral makeup brands on the market, as can be seen HERE.

I encourage anyone and everyone to give her site a good look, because she has a lot of really relevant info that isn't discussed on blogs nearly as often as makeup.  And what's the point of worrying about what makeup to buy when your canvas is a mess?  

And for good measure, I leave you with a Saturday night serenade...





xxx ~R

Bumble & Bumble Mending Conditioner

For whatever reasons, be it diva tendencies or otherwise, I have a really hard time liking conditioners.  There's always something off, usually a heinous scent or irritating ingredients.  Bumble & Bumble Mending Conditioner, however, is becoming a slow moving favorite of mine.

So, not all that long ago, B&B re-did their therapy line and came out with both the Mending and Quenching therapy products.  Quenching is designed for dry hair, and Mending is more for color-treated/damaged hair.  Prior to the Mending, I used the Quenching.  The scent of the Quenching conditioner was very nice, as it almost reminded me of Chloe´Eau de Parfum (vaguely, but still).  Scent aside, the actual performance was just "meh".  It worked well enough, but I don't feel like it was any more special than any other "dry hair" conditioners. 

Mending, on the other hand, feels very different and actually works much better.  Mending also has a nice scent, which seems to always be of importance to me.  It's something like a light, fruity floral, but I can't fully place it.  I notice that the ends of my hair look much more moisturized/less dry, as well as appearing more shiny.  The hair follicles feel somewhat stronger as well, which may or may not be a figment of my imagination.  I'm just going with it.  

So long story short, B&B Quenching conditioner is pointless, but the Mending is actually worth the money (in my very humble opinion).  As far as the corresponding shampoos, leave-in treatments and masques, I haven't a clue as to how they perform, just for the record.   

xxx ~R

I'll Be Your DJ

Because it's Friday, and I fancy myself a bit of a internet DJ, I leave you with this song.



Crank it.

xxx ~R

Lancome Color Design Matte Lipstick Posh Pink

I'm really impressed with the overall quality of the Color Design Matte lipsticks, as was written in the Red Haute Matte post.  This is another gorgeous and fashionable shade of matte.

I would describe Posh Pink as a rich, hot pink with a slight coral undertone (very slight).  It looks brighter in the tube than what actually applies on the lips, which was the same as I found with Red Haute.  This type of bright pink feels somewhat sophisticated and adds just enough drama, without veering into the '80s new wave tacky territory.    

This is one of those shades of lipstick that work well as the focal point of your look, keeping attention on the lips with an otherwise minimal face.  From what I'm seeing/reading, this color is very on trend for Spring. 

I wanted to see what would happen if I mixed Posh Pink and Red Haute together, and this was the result...

The combination of the two reminds me very much of Chanel Rouge Coco 31 Cambon, which is one of my all-time favorite lipsticks.  This has a late '50s/early '60s "Mad Men" sort of vibe to it.  I dig it.   

xxx ~R

Lancome Color Design Matte Lipstick Red Haute

For a number of years now, I've really felt like Lancome is viewed as the red-headed step child in the cosmetics industry.  It's either labeled as "old lady"or justs gets ignored all together.  I feel the brand has a lot of great products and formulas to offer, the Color Design lipsticks being one of them.  The packaging is sleek and cute, the formula is smooth and non-drying, and this particular range of Lancome lipstick is completely unscented (added bonus).

I would describe Red Haute Matte as a semi-bright, retro, slightly tomato red.  Kind of like a poppy red with a tomato twist.  I don't consider this to be a very "loud" shade of red, but it definitely packs a slight punch with a vintage vibe.   

What's so unique about the Color Design Mattes is the way they apply and feel on the lips.  They're incredibly smooth and creamy upon application and feel very lightweight, as if there's nothing on your lips at all.  What's really impressive is the fact that they feel creamy and keep the lips feeling moisturized whilst looking completely matte.  It's one of the more unique/interesting formulations of lipstick I've tried in a while, just because I've never come across a true matte lipstick that didn't feel and look parched on my lips.  I also find the 22 USD price point very appealing, as I'm used to paying between 30-34 USD for Chanel and YSL.  I highly recommend any and all matte lipstick fans to check out the Lancome Color Design Mattes.  

xxx ~R

Music Spam

Yeah, so I'm tweekin' pretty hard on this band.  Thus, another vid must be posted.  My apologies.



xxx ~R

MAC Lady Danger Lipstick

This shade is definitely not for the faint of heart.  It's very much an in-your-face, balls to the walls shade of crazy, bright red.  I love it.  It's my favorite MAC lipstick, tied with Impassioned.  Neck to neck.

Lady Danger is a radioactive, almost neon bright orange-red.  It's very opaque and has a Matte finish.  It's one of those lipsticks you wear when you want attention, because people will look.  No questions asked.  It's a very well-known, almost cult favorite and works on a wide variety of skin tones.  Highly recommend. 

xxx ~R

MAC Creme Cup Lipstick

I think Creme Cup is in my Top 3 fave MAC lipsticks.  It's a very easy color to wear, as it's simple and nothing very obvious.

I would describe Creme Cup as being a light/natural, neutral baby pink.  It's a Cremesheen, so it tends to be, well, creamier than most of the other finishes MAC offers.  MAC lipsticks do have a propensity to dry out my lips, but I find it's less so with Cremesheens, as well as Amplified Cremes.  MAC Angel lipstick is very similar to this color, only slightly more cool-toned and has a Frost finish (but not super frosty).    

Non-MAC options for this color that come to mind are YSL Rouge Volupte 1 Nude Beige and perhaps Armani Rouge d'Armani 103.  

xxx ~R

MAC Hue Lipstick

MAC Hue is a very popular shade within the internet/youtube/blogosphere beauty world.  Nude lips are a big thing, and this seems to be one of the shades that a lot of different skin tones can use without going "too nude".

Hue looks like a light, peachy pink in the tube, but after application, it turns pretty much beige on the lips.  You can definitely see the pink, but it lightens the lips considerably.  Hue is a Glaze finish, which usually means that the color payoff is pretty low, but this one seems to show up pretty well upon application.  

The one major con with MAC lipsticks is the drying factor.  It doesn't really matter what finish I choose, my lips end up being very dry after around an hour or so.  It's kind of common knowledge within the beauty realm that parched lips are the sacrifice with wearing a MAC lipstick.  I've also noticed that they seem to exaggerate the visible lines or dry patches on my lips, which is apparent in my pics.  I've become very used to the forgiving nature of Chanel and YSL lip products.  

In the event you don't like MAC or have a problem with dry lips but love this color, I would recommend YSL Rouge Volupte 2 Sensual Silk or even YSL Rouge Pur Couture 10 Beige Tribute (albeit a tad more pink).  Both very beautiful lipsticks.  

xxx ~R

YSL Rouge Pur Lipstick 144 Silky Apricot

This is one of those lipsticks that you wear when you're in a mood.  It feels very Spring/Summery, although I don't necessarily subscribe to the notion that certain shades of makeup go with certain seasons.  Anyway...

144 Silky Apricot is very appropriately named.  It's a light-medium, peachy apricot color, with a pastel twist.  It's the sort of color that would probably look best on light to medium skin tones, due to the pastel factor. This is the type of shade that I would accompany with a shimmery pink gloss, as it makes it a tad more wearable/less avant-garde.  Can lipstick be avant-garde?  Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but that's okay.  Wouldn't be the first time. 

Since this range of lipstick has been discontinued, the first dupe that comes to mind is YSL Rouge Volupte 30 Faubourg Peach.  The difference between the two is pretty marginal, with Faubourg Peach being slightly more pink-toned.  Maybe even something like MAC Ravishing would be similar, but don't quote me on that. 

xxx ~R

YSL Rouge Pur Lipstick 150 Sublime Red

So, as we all know by now, YSL's Rouge Pur lipsticks have been discontinued and replaced with the Rouge Pur Coutures.  I definitely think that YSL made a good move with the Rouge Pur Coutures, because everything about them is better than the Rouge Purs.  Well, maybe they need more colors, but that all comes with time.

150 Sublime Red is a stunning, bright, orange-based red.  It's definitely a show stopper.  When wearing this color, all attention goes to the lips.  The finish of this particular shade is lovely, as it's very smooth and maintains a slight sheen.  

Since this color might be difficult to find at this point, I would recommend YSL Rouge Pur Couture 1 Le Rouge, with maybe a little bit of Rouge Pur Couture 13 Le Orange mixed in.  Another similar color would be MAC Lady Danger, which is slightly more bright and very matte.  

xxx ~R

Song of the Day

I never really liked The National until this last album, "High Violet". Kinda blows my mind a little bit.

xxx ~R

Dior Addict Ultra Gloss

Dior Addict Ultra glosses are, hands down, my current favorite formula.  Chanel Aqualumiere glosses were my favorite for years, but they've recently been discontinued and replaced with another line of lip gloss that has an obnoxiously long name (Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss).  Seriously, Chanel?  Moving on...

Dior Addict Ultra glosses come in three finishes: Glow, Pearl and Flash.  The first 5 shades in the lineup are all of the Glow finish, and the last three are all Pearls.  Before I go into color description, I need to touch on the formula.  It's perfect.  It's smooth, slick and lightweight.  It feels like it's moisturizing your lips, and there is zero sticky factor to these.  They're probably the least sticky glosses I've ever encountered.  There is no actual scent/flavor, although I can detect a slight sweetness, of which I can't pinpoint if it's floral or fruit.  It's a good thing when glosses are unscented, in my opinion, as there's no concern of having clashing scent battles between your lipstick and gloss. 

Glow:

216 Lace Beige is a light, beige shade with a mild dose of shimmer.  236 Satin Peach is very similar to Lace Beige, just peachier.  In hindsight, I would have only picked one of those two, as I feel having both is semi-redundant.  247 Pink Flirt (one of my favorites) is a light, milky pink with no micro-shimmer.  It's  on the same vein as YSL Gloss Pur No. 2 Pure Rose and NARS Turkish Delight, albeit quite different in formula, naturally.  256 Negligee Pink is a medium, quasi-warmed pink with a slight infusion of micro-shimmer.  262 Pink Silk is the slightly shimmery, more cooled toned sister of 247 Pink Flirt.   

Pearl:

257 Pink Trench is a gorgeous, light/medium neutral pink with silver shimmer.  It's one of those glosses that takes any lipstick and makes it look luscious and gives the illusion of plumper lips.  436 Apricot Cloche is a relatively unique shade, to me at least.  I would describe it as a light/medium pinky-peach with a lot of gold shimmer.  Just as 257 Pink Trench, it jazzes up any lipstick combo and creates the appearance of a plump pout.  Lastly, 556 Coral Fantasy is a vibrant, pinky coral with gold shimmer.  The texture of this gloss is kind of unique to that of the others, in that it's almost kind of runny.  Not runny bad, necessarily.  Just different, I suppose. 

Flash:

I don't own any.....yet.  856 Little Red Dress is of the Flash persuasion, and soon enough, it will end up on my site.  I also need to pick up 576 Sari Pink, which is a Pearl.  If I'm being honest, I want them all.  *sinister grin*

If I had to choose some favorites, I would say they are 247 Pink Flirt, 256 Negligee Pink and  257 Pink Trench.  I guess I really like pink.  Who knew?  Meanwhile, I can't stress enough how amazing this line of lip gloss is.  I can't find one fault with them.  The formula, packaging, color range, and finish selection is just amazing.  Highly, highly recommend.  

xxx ~R

Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss 56 Imaginaire

So, I just posted about the only other shade I own, 60 Excès , and my mini review within that post explains my lackluster feelings on this product.  I don't hate them, but I'm far from head-over-heels.

56 Imaginaire is a warm, light pink with a modest infusion of pink micro-shimmer particles.  It doesn't deviate too far away one's own natural lip color, but it definitely adds a healthy dose of pink.  It's pretty, but it's a color we've all seen a million times.

In terms of formula, it's quite thick.  It's tacky, but I don't consider the texture to be sticky a la MAC Lip Glasses or Chanel Glossimers.  The wear time is slightly longer than conventional glosses, so if that's of importance to someone, it might be worth checking out. 

xxx ~R

Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss 60 Excès

So, I've been very slack on posting about these glosses, probably because I'm not that into them.  When I found out that the Aqualumiere glosses were being discontinued, I thought to myself, they better come out with something really flippin' epic.  And then when these finally rolled out, I was actually pretty excited, as the formula is quite unique, compared to anything else on the market.  But then, I don't know.  The newness wore off, as did my interest.

60 Excès is a medium, warm-toned red.  It kinda has an old Hollywood vibe going.  The texture of the gloss is tacky, but not necessarily sticky.  The lasting power is pretty decent, and they have the nice scent that the regular Rouge Allure lipsticks have.  Other than that, I don't really know what to say.  I much prefer conventional glosses, and my current favorite formula is Dior Addict Ultra Gloss.  One could say that I like the concept of the RA EdGs, but something gets lost in the actual application and wear (for me, at least).  

The most recent celebrity to wear this shade was January Jones at the 68th annual Golden Globe awards.  I applied 60 Excès with more of a heavy hand, so the color looks more intense on me, compared to January.  Also, I think the warm tone of her AMAZING Versace gown brings out some more of the orange tones of the gloss.  

I think that out of all the dresses paraded around the red carpet, January's was the best.  Some people thought that it was a little too over the top, veering slightly tacky/gauche.  I very much disagree.  First off, the dress is meant to have an impact.  Secondly, it's not the Oscars.  The Globe awards are more casual, and it's more about the parties than about awards, at least from what the celebs seem to say.  Lastly, her decision to keep the hair, makeup and jewelry very clean and classic balances off the wow factor of the dress.  I would kill to look like her, no questions asked.  

xxx ~R