Dior Addict Lipstick 465 Singuliere

I told myself that I wasn't going to buy this color, so naturally, I ordered it. I have authority issues. But, I digress...

I would describe 465 Singuliere as a sheer, cool-toned, bubble gum pink. When applied, I feel like it turns out more neutral than cool, but that's to be expected, especially with a sheer lipstick. This finish of this particular shade is 100% non-shimmery and slightly glossy. I don't feel this is as glossy as the likes of 578 Dior Kiss, but it still has a subtle shine. I'm actually glad it isn't a very glossy one, because I think a lot of the allure to this shade lies within the subtleties. 

The reason I was originally going to pass on Singuliere is because I had already purchased (and fallen in love with) Chanel Rouge Coco Shine 56 Chance. I thought that they were too similar in color to justify having both. However, if I like something, I *really* like it, thus, must have it. Incidentally, I think that owning both is quite justifiable as 1) I do what I want and 2) 56 Chance is less cool-toned, brighter and more glossy in finish. To me, they're completely different. To others, maybe not. Either way, I highly recommend both lipsticks, as they're just so frickin' pretty. 

xxx ~R 

Dior Addict Lipstick 343 Miss Dior

Fear not, for these endless Dior Addict posts will cease soon. I figure that I might as well just bang 'em all out. "Get it did", if you will. So...

I would describe 343 Miss Dior as a sheer, nude peach with a very slight infusion of gold and pink micro shimmer particles, resulting in glowing and slightly glossy lips. The formulation of this specific lipstick is *wonderful*.  It feels very smooth and balm-like. Not all of them are winners, as some textures are gritty, etc. Such is not the case with Miss Dior. 

This shade really surprised me. When I looked at Karla's swatches, I didn't care for this one at all. I was almost veering toward 249 Diorissime, but figured that since I had already ordered 422 Tokyo, that it would be semi-redundant. Still, I longed for a sheer peach color. A twist of fate came about, and 343 Miss Dior satisfied that random desire. The end. 

xxx ~R

Dior Addict Lipstick 253 Basic

So, this is what I wanted out of Dior Addict 368 Pink Cherie. Alas, Pink Cherie was a hot mess and a reminder that every now again, one must schlep to the counter and swatch. Laziness. It'll be the end of me. But I digress...

I would describe 253 Basic as a light, slightly cool-toned beigey pink with a subtle sheen and illuminating glow. I think Sephora describes it as a "pink nude", and oddly, I actually agree with that. For a lot of ladies, this would fall into the MLBB/ "my lips but better" category. This is the type of shade that I would keep in my handbag twenty-fo sev. 

What I really love about this lipstick is how literal it is. It is, in fact, very "Basic". It's a simple concept that results in glowing, lush lips. It's one of those colors that you can slap on with any eye/cheek combo, any time of the day, whilst looking polished and kempt. Random: Do people still use the word "kempt"? It sounds weird, but I'm going to leave it. 

xxx ~R

The National and Arcade Fire Concert

I can say, without any exaggeration, that this was one of the best concerts *ever*. A perfect match, if you will. The National played as solid as they always do, but I was surprised when Arcade Fire blew the effin' roof off the joint. I've been a big fan of them for a while now, but never saw them live. I feel like they're turning a corner as a band, dropping a little bit of the folk and jackin' up the rock.

Please excuse the questionable audio. I was right in front of a speaker, which drown out the instrumentation. I made this compilation/mashup vid for you guys, but if you want to see these songs in full, jump over to my YT channel. It was hard to chop these songs up, but I had to, for y'all.

xxx ~R

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine 46 Liberte

This is a surprise favorite of mine. I thought I would like it, but hadn't a clue that love would be a factor. Love, I say...

I would describe 46 Liberte as a sheer, glossy tangerine type color. I'm sick of the word "coral", so I'm just not going to use it. Plus, I don't consider this to be coral anyway. I'm such a diva. Regardless, I love this shade. I should also mention that it's completely devoid of any and all micro shimmer/glitter particles.  The first (or second) thought that popped in my mind was how editorial it looked. It looks like a lip color that was perfected by a makeup artist, mixing and blending various lipsticks and glosses together. 

What I love about Liberte (and the Rouge Coco Shines, in general) is the amazing Photoshop effect they have on the lips. They just create this glaze that makes your lips look as though they're in perfect condition, whether or not they really are. At the time of these shots, my lips were slightly dry, and Liberte managed to make them look smooth and supple. The glory of this lipstick doesn't fully translate in my photos, but I assure anyone and everyone that it's gorgeous. And a must-have. Boom. 

xxx ~R

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine 48 Evasion

In one of my Dior Addict posts, I said that I wasn't able to choose between the Addicts and the Rouge Coco Shines. I retract that statement, as I can wholeheartedly say that I prefer the Chanel RC Shines. The Dior Addicts are nice, but the formula is nothing mind blowing. I feel like the formulation of the Rouge Coco Shines is revolutionary. Dare I say, "genius"? Moving on...

I would describe 48 Evasion as a light/medium, warm pink with peach undertones. It's definitely more pink than peach. There's a nearly undetectable infusion of micro shimmer particles that just imparts a bit of a glow. The finish of this particular Rouge Coco Shine is more creamy than glossy. 

While I'm always one to encourage people to buy as much makeup as possible, I don't think this is a must-have lipstick. It's very similar to a lot of lipsticks within the Chanel range, Rouge Coco 35 Chintz in particular. Out of all the ones I own, my clear favorites are 56 Chance, 41 Canotier and 46 Liberte. But as with anything, it's all in personal preference. Tuh-mey-toh, tuh-mah-toh. 

xxx ~R 

Saturday Night Serenade

I'm spending my Easter/Passover/Sunday with The National and Arcade Fire. It should be a pretty good concert, albeit a hipster haven. Hopefully, I'll leave with some decent footage from either shows, that I could potentially post. We shall see.

xxx ~R

Chanel Soft Touch Eye Shadow 86 Trace

I've been doing a lot of lip product posts as of late, so I thought it was due time for an eye shadow ramble. So...

Trace

Top/left: MAC Glamour Check, Bottom/right: Chanel 86 Trace

I would describe 86 Trace as shimmery, warm, antiqued, reddened brown. It has gold micro flecks in it, but there isn't any fallout (or at least I didn't have any). The gold shimmer particles take this shadow from boring to ballin'. Straight up. 

The products used in the photos above include:

• MAC Painterly Paint Pot on the lid
• Chanel Soft Touch Eye Shadow 86 Trace on the lid, applied wet and repeated dry
• MAC Embark eye shadow in the crease
• MAC Brown Script eye shadow in the crease and blended upward
• MAC Signed,Sealed eye shadow in the outer corner and under the lower lash line
• Chanel Soft Touch Eye Shadow 85 Sillage lightly dusted on the inner 3rd of the eye
• MAC Brule and Bisque eye shadows blended on the brow bone
• Illamasqua Cake Liner in Mislead (black) on the upper lash line (it's okay, not that great)
• Prestige Total Intensity Eye Liner in Deepest Black on the lower water line
• Dior Diorshow Unlimited mascara

I swatched Trace against MAC Glamour Check (LE), and they're actually quite close. Glamour Check seems to have a bit more of a purple/burgundy presence in it, but if you missed out on Glamour Check and are still bitter, Trace might be a solution. I'm just here to help. 

xxx ~R

Dior Addict Lipstick 578 Dior Kiss

So, I just got done trash typing about how much I hate 368 Pink Cherie. It's cool though, because I really, really love this shade. Moving along...

I would describe 578 Dior Kiss as a slightly warm, strawberry pink. I don't know why "strawberry" comes to mind, but it just does. This particular shade is very smooth, lacking any and all forms of shimmer or glitter. It's just glossy and beautiful. 

What I really appreciate about Dior Kiss is that it's a bright pink that isn't bright. It's warm, but just barely. It seems to be in between a lot of things, making it more unique and versatile. I think anyone who likes pink lips would like this color. I find it very fitting that they used this shade as "the" shade of the Dior Addict range. 

xxx ~R

Dior Addict Lipstick 368 Pink Cherie

I'm going to make this brief, because I totally hate this lipstick. Trash talk after the jump...

I would describe 368 Pink Cherie as a very sheer, warm pink with silver and pink micro glitter particles. I call it, "my lips but trashier". It just looks cheap and busted on me. Incidentally, I had a weird feeling when I ordered it that I wasn't going to like it, and my gut was correct. Some call me a "cosmetic intuitive". By some, I mean myself. 

The main flaw with this particular lipstick is that the micro glitters don't really blend in with the base color. It's not a well designed/formulated shimmer infusion. As a result, the glitter particles remain on the lips, post removal. I *loathe* glitter remnants on my lips. I simply cannot stand it. The texture of Pink Cherie isn't as smooth as the other shades I have either. Overall, this was a "fail" for me, as the kids say. But, they can't all be winners, right?

xxx ~R

Dior Addict Lipstick 422 Tokyo

I still haven't swatched any of the Addict lipsticks at the counter, as I'm all sorts of lazy and wildly internet reliant. All the shades I've purchased thus far have been based off of Karla's swatches. Just by the way this color looked on her glorious, little arm, I knew I was going to love it. So...

I would describe 422 Tokyo as a light, pinky peach with a very subtle infusion of shimmer. Just as with 178 Urban, this shade isn't particularly glossy, as it has more of a subtle sheen and glow. Another commonality with Urban is that this shade is also a Sephora exclusive (although all shades can be purchased off diorbeauty.com). 

I'm actually quite smitten with Tokyo. It looks very pretty, delicate and ladylike. It's not terribly dissimilar from Chanel Rouge Coco Shine 48 Evasion, but I think they're different enough to justify buying both. Or, at least that's what I tell myself. I find it necessary to add that this lipstick looks quite lovely when paired with Dior Addict Ultra Gloss 236 Satin Peach. Very complimentary, if I do say so myself. 

As I mentioned before, I wasn't particularly optimistic nor intrigued when I heard they were relaunching/reformulating this lipstick range, as its predecessor was just so "meh". They definitely moved forward with the formula, taking a heap of the wax out and making the feel more balm-like and moisturizing. When I say "moisturizing", I'm only talking about the sensation/feel, as I don't believe these lipsticks have the potential to work as an actual treatment. With a lot of gel-based formulations, lip irritation and dry out is very common, but they managed to dodge it with whatever they ended up doing. I'm not a chemist, just a commoner with a debit card and blogger account. Quote me on that.  

xxx ~R

Dior Addict Lipstick 178 Urban

Initially, I wasn't going to buy any of these lipsticks. The concept felt super contrived and desperate, basically reformulating the Dior Addict High Shines and slappin' them on Kate Moss' trap. I just wasn't feeling it. Then, I did what any lip product fiend would do; I caved. Alors...

I would describe 178 Urban as a very pale, beigey pink with silver and pink micro-shimmers. This particular Addict lipstick isn't particularly glossy, as it has more of a glow and sheen. The micro-shimmers are very micro, thus it doesn't appear particularly shimmery. Urban reminds me a lot of MAC Pretty Please, which is great for me, because MAC lipsticks dry out my lips. This lipstick functions as a great alternative, if you will. 

I must say, I really do like the feel of these. They're not sticky or thick, but not as "thin" feeling as the Chanel Rouge Coco Shines, for example. They feel kind of balm-like, with of a hint of gel, but not too much,`a la the now discontinued Addict High Shine lipsticks.  If I were given a choice between the Chanel Rouge Coco Shines and the Dior Addicts, I'd probably go with Chanel. HOWEVER, that would be a terrible decision to make, as I quite like these lipsticks. Very "Sophie's Choice", if you get my drift. 

178 Urban is a Sephora exclusive shade, but it's also sold off Dior's official website, which is where I purchased mine.  Some people hate Sephora/hate ordering from Sephora, so I thought I would just throw that wee bit o' info out there. Lastly, this lipstick looks *amazing* when coupled with Dior Addict Ultra Gloss 262 Pink Silk. Just sayin'. 

xxx ~R

Le Metier de Beaute True Colour Eye Shadow Spicy

As we all can gather by now, I really love these eye shadows. If you're not already aware, make a point to check out my previous posts on LMdB True Colour Eye Shadows in Bordeaux, Corinthian and Jojo. In those posts, I explain in greater detail why these shadows are rocking my world, as such. Having said that...

Spicy

Top/left: MAC Tempting, Middle: LMdB Spicy, Bottom/right: MAC Woodwinked

I would describe Spicy as a shimmery/metallic, antiqued, golden bronze. I feel as though there is a hint of khaki/olive mixed in, as well. Maybe that's what I mean when I say "antiqued". Regardless, it's quite striking when applied, making for the perfect lid color for a warm, smokey eye. This is *unequivocally* my brand of smokey eye. 

In the photos above, I used the following products:

• MAC Painterly Paint Pot on the lid
• LMdB Spicy on the lid, slightly past the crease and under the inner third of the lower lash line
• MAC Embark eye shadow in the crease
• MAC Signed,Sealed eye shadow in the crease, outer corner and under the lower lash line
• MAC Brown Script eye shadow blended in slightly above the crease/below the brow bone
• MAC Carbon eye shadow pushed into the upper lash line
• Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil 69 Clair on the lower waterline (flesh-toned color)
• Chanel Soft Touch Eye Shadow 76 Liberty on the inner corner/tear duct area as a highlight
• MAC Brule and Bisque eye shadows mixed together, for a matte brow bone highlight
• Dior Diorshow Unlimited mascara (a very underrated and amazing product)

I swatched Spicy next to MAC Tempting and Woodwinked eye shadows to compare/contrast and give those unfamiliar with Spicy a frame of reference. In my eyes, Spicy looks to be a hybrid mix of MAC Tempting (or Bronze) and Woodwinked, all of which I love. For those that find MAC Tempting (and/or Bronze) too dark/murky or Woodwinked too bright/light/orange, Spicy is the perfect compromise. An ideal balance, if you will. I think Innocence and Nutmeg are next on my never-ending hitlist.

xxx ~R

Dior Addict Ultra Gloss 262 Pink Silk

I have a theory that a girl can never have too many pink lip glosses. It's the same premise as having too much money or Nutella. That either made a lot of sense to a lot of you, or none to all of you. Regardless...

I would describe 262 Pink Silk as a a slightly cool-toned, sheer pink with the most micro of all micro shimmer particles. It has a "Glow" finish, thus doesn't leave a trail of shimmer or glitter behind. It's the type of gloss that could work with a multitude of different lipstick shades and textures.

As I'm noticing with all the other Dior Addict Ultra glosses, I feel just as content wearing these glosses alone as I do putting them over a lipstick. I think the true test of a quality lip gloss is how it wears on its own, and I feel that this one looks amazing as is. I'm also very excited by the way it looked over Dior Addict Lipstick 178 Urban. They were made for each other, I'm sure of it. 

xxx ~R