Updated Sale Page and My Current Favorite Song

I'm getting ready to move out East soon, so my vanity (the furniture, not pride in appearance) is being heavily analyzed/scrutinized, etc. Thus, I've added more products (mostly lip) to my Sale Items page. As always, I hope you guys find something of interest.


Unrelated to cosmetics...



I've been completely obsessed with this song the last couple of days.

xxx ~R

Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick 86 Desinvolte

As I stated in my post about Rouge Allure 87 Joyeuse, Chanel re-released the Asian exclusive "Le Blanc" collection for the Nordstrom Anniversary event. I was quite pleased with their decision, after I had longingly perused these shades on other blogs several months ago, in all sorts of envy. Having said that...

I would describe 86 Desinvolte as a very light peach. It has a slight infusion of micro-shimmer, but it's not particularly noticeable. For medium to dark skin tones, this would fall into the "nude" peach category. For fair people, as myself, this is just a nice and fresh peach. It's very easy and wearable.

What's interesting about this particular lipstick is the texture. It's not like a typical Rouge Allure, as it feels and applies more like a Rouge Coco. It's heavier and not as sheer and creamy as most others within the range. I think it probably works to its advantage, giving a little bit more color payoff than the average RA. This shade might be redundant if you've recently purchased Rouge Coco 78 Peregrina. Otherwise, I would advise purchasing before it literally vanishes out of counter drawers. #literally

xxx ~R

Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick 87 Joyeuse

When I saw that Chanel was re-releasing the "Le Blanc" collection for Nordstrom Anniversary, I jumped to get my hands on the Rouge Allures. It's very infrequent that one can purchase a Rouge Allure that isn't full of brown. As far as I'm concerned, brown gets really old, just like the people that wear it and isn't always the most flattering tone in a lipstick. Regardless...

I would describe 97 Joyeuse as a medium, slightly-cool toned, candy pink. There's a subtle infusion of micro- shimmer particles, but I don't find them obvious upon application. It adds a bit of a glow and sheen to the finish. While Joyeuse is a very pink pink, it's not as bright and intense as Rouge Allure 167 Super, from last summer. 

Unlike 86 Desinvolte, this lipstick has the standard Rouge Allure formula, being very soft and creamy in texture. The formulation feels very comfortable, with just the right amount of slip and slide. I think a lot of skin tones would find this lipstick as delightful as I do. This lipstick is very LE, so if you like what you see, snatch it up.

xxx ~R

Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector 03 Beige

I don't know much about Clarins, but I know that these Instant Light Lip Perfectors are really, really nice. I rambled on about them in my posts on 01 Rose Shimmer and 02 Apricot Shimmer. Incidentally, I think 03 Beige (the underdog shade) is my favorite. Moving along...

Top/left: 03 Beige. Bottom/Right: 02 Apricot Shimmer.

 I would describe 03 Beige as a balance between pink, peach and beige. I suppose one could call it a peachy-nude shade. It's lighter and brighter than 02 Apricot Shimmer, which you may or may not be able to see in the hand swatch shot above. Suffice it to say, I really struggle with hand/arm swatches, for whatever reason(s).

Regardless of my personal deficiencies, I can say, in all confidence, that these Lip Perfectors are quite fantastic. They function as a gloss and balm, all in one. They have a really unique way of making the lips appear more soft and supple than they actually are. And, the scent? It's simply divine. I highly recommend these. Please, check them out. 

xxx ~R

Chanel Fall 2011: Quadra Eye Shadow 33 Prelude

This particular palette is a huge departure from what I normally buy and wear. I gravitate towards really warm shades, and there's nothing warm about Prelude. On the contrary, these neutral shades are quite cool-toned, which doesn't often happen with Chanel. Anyway...

These are maybe the worst swatches ever :/

I would describe 33 Prelude as the perfect palette for someone who wants to wear cool-toned, neutral colors. The textures within this quad are pretty good. They're not as smooth and pigmented as something like 18 Kaska Beige, but they're definitely not chalky, nor too soft. 

The only shadow that I find disappointing within this quad is the lower left, light taupe-ish shade. It's just not as smooth and pigmented as the others in the palette, which is unfortunate. However, it's not a deal breaker. With Chanel, it's not uncommon to have a dud within a quad. Four out of four rarely happens, in my experience/opinion. 

Regardless, if you want a nice, every day sort of neutral palette that leans cool-toned, Prelude might be your go-to quad. The colors are all very tasteful and demure, making it practical for day-to-day, office wear. Am I nuts over this quad? Not really. But, it's always nice to have something different in one's collection. 

xxx ~R

MAC Golden Gaze Mineralize Eye Shadow

I've never been a fan of MAC's Mineralize eye shadows, mostly because the textures and colors have always been super shitty inconsistent in quality. The "Semi Precious" collection is the first Mineralize collection that has released any shadows that I've been fully satisfied with. Alors...

I would describe Golden Gaze as a combination of a coppery gold and a charcoal black. The gold portion of the eye shadow is quite pigmented and smooth. The black part, on the other hand, is far from color-rich and has a chalky, uneven finish. When combined, however, the result is fairly smooth and mostly even, particularly for a Mineralize eye shadow. 

Historically speaking, MAC's Mineralize eye shadows have been mostly terrible, in my opinion. Usually there's very little color pay-off, the texture is horrid and the fallout is like a Winter wonderland (in a really bad way). Golden Gaze is totally legit, as it applies and wears well (wet and/or dry). 

I purchased another color from this collection called Smoked Ruby, which also has a smooth finish and nice pigmentation. There's still a number of duds within this collection, so I would advise swatching them at the counter before you order/purchase. 

xxx ~R

Jess' Blog Sale!

If you're not familiar with the blog "Don't Call Me Jessie", then make sure to follow her blog, because 1) she's a fellow lip product junkie and 2) she's having a massive blog sale at the moment. She has a lot of amazing and LE/limited edition lip, face and eye products (MAC, YSL, Tom Ford, Dolce and Gabanna, Laura Mercier, Lorac, MUFE, Too Faced, Urban Decay, etc).

Jess even has a brand new Lancome Chris & Tell lipstick! I gasped a little when I saw it. Anyway, click HERE for her "Part 2", which also has a link at the bottom of the page for "Part 1" of her blog sale, which contains all of the lip products. Happy shopping!

xxx ~R

YSL Rouge Volupte Perle Lipstick 110 Incandescent Orange

I mentioned in my posts about YSL Rouge Volupte Perle 107 Impetuous Beige and 108 Celestial Mauve that the first batch in the line were total losers, and these new releases are undeniable winners. As to avoid beating a dead horse, I'm just going to get on with it. Having said that...

Full application

Blotted stain

I would describe 110 Incandescent Orange as a vibrant orange with a raspberry/coral shimmer. For whatever reason, my camera was being super bitchy and was picking up the red undertone more than it actually is. I think the shimmer was throwing off the flash. Regardless, this shade is most definitely an orange. 

What I really love about this shade, in particular, is the versatility.  As seen above, one can wear it full-on or sport as a stain. I typically *despise* stains, but this one is truly beautiful. Again, my photos don't do it justice, so it's something you're going to have to experience on your own. 

I feel that Incandescent Orange is a very original color, despite the endless barrage of orange and coral lip shades that all the big brands have been crankin' out. This one has different elements/properties to it that create a chameleon-like effect. I also think that it would look quite lovely on a wide variety of skin tones. Basically, I'm advising anyone and everyone to check it out. 

xxx ~R

YSL Rouge Volupte Perle Lipstick 108 Celestial Mauve

As noted in my post about Rouge Volupte Perle 107 Impetuous Beige, this new release of the line is nothing like its unfortunate predecessors. The look/texture/application is 1000 times better, and the colors are straight-up beautiful. So...

I would describe 108 Celestial Mauve as a light, cool-toned pink with a lavender iridescence. It's a very delicate shade of pink, with an almost ethereal sheen. It sounds kind of corny and silly, but that's how I get when I'm dazzled by a lip product. #dazzled

This lipstick is the most wearable version of super pale pink that I've encountered, including YSL Rouge Volupte 7 Lingerie Pink, MAC Viva Glam Gaga (1), MAC Saint Germain, etc. This lipstick is the idea behind those, with the texture and balance of pigmentation to back it. I applied this lipstick quite liberally, and I couldn't make it look stupid. That's how I know a lipstick is really bitchin'. #bitchin

xxx ~R

YSL Rouge Volupte Perle Lipstick 107 Impetuous Beige

I might as well address the elephant in the room. The first batch of Rouge Volupte Perles that came out were HORRIBLE. The color choices were weird, the texture was too slippery, and the color payoff was sad. I am very pleased to say that the new Fall 2011 release of Rouge Volupte Perles are nothing like their older, uglier sisters. Alors...

I would describe 107 Impetuous Beige as a pale, pink nude. It has a very subtle infusion of micro shimmer that adds a subtle glow/luminosity to the lips. If you're a fan of shades such as YSL Rouge Pur 148 Tea Rose, Rouge Pur Couture 10 Beige Tribute and/or Rouge Pur Couture 24 Blond Ingenu, then this color is right up your alley. 

As I prefaced, I'm very, very happy with the Fall 2011 RV Perles. They're what I was hoping YSL was going to do when they released the first snickle batch.  These are basically a more user friendly/ less intense version of the original Rouge Voluptes. They feel a bit lighter on the lips and are slightly less opaque/pigmented than the originals. Also, they're all infused with some variation of shimmer, be it micro glitter or a more pearly finish. 107 Impetuous Beige falls into the light shimmer infusion category, as it's not particularly noticeable upon application. 

All in all, I think this lipstick and the others from the new collection are fantastic. I feel as thought YSL heard our complaints and gave us what we wanted. A job well done, some might say. Well, I say. You tell me. 

xxx ~R

Haul Video: YSL Rouge Volupte Perles, Chanel Rouge Allures, MAC Mineralize Eye Shadows and More

There's been a lot of exciting products coming out, as of late. So, I thought it might be fun to do an old-fashioned haul video. Hopefully, you guys are into this sort of thing. Per usual, all products mentioned will be listed in the YT description box.

xxx ~R

Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow Topkapi

I've seen a good number of blog posts/ YT vids regarding this quad, and I really wanted to be the person to say it didn't live up to the hype. I *really* did. Spoiler: This thing is worthy of all the hoopla. So...

Crappy swatches. Sorry. 

I would describe Tapioca Topkapi as a very well formulated palette filled with buttery, metallic eye shadow wizardry. The texture of the powders is unlike anything I've ever tried/used from Chanel. Although they're in the round pans, they're not the baked Euro/Asian version. The consistency is very similar to some of the Dior Iridescent quints, but a tad better. These shadows blend out and meld together perfectly.  

In terms of the colors, there's nothing groundbreaking about them. There's a deep bronze, a warm but silvery taupe, a dark, eggplant-ish charcoal brown and a shimmery, bright gold. What makes this palette special is the formulation of the powders, specifically with the *amazing* taupe. I don't typically get excited about shadows of the taupe persuasion, but this one is like nothing I've ever had. It looks almost foiled on the lid. 

If you're a hardcore Chanel fan/collector and/or a taupe junkie, then I think you might have to buy this. Since the entire collection is LE and exclusive to Chanel boutiques and chanel.com, I would advise pouncing ASAP. 

xxx ~R

Updated Blog Sale Page!

I just wanted to let y'all know that I, yet again, have updated my Sale Items page. I think it's a batch of some pretty good stuff, including a couple Chanel Rouge Allure Lipsticks (sought after LE Genial being one of them), varied eye shadows (Chanel, Armani, Le Metier de Beaute), a Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector/liquid highlighter, as well as some more nail polishes. As always, I hope you guys see something you like.


And, completely unrelated to anything...



I'm still stuck in my relentless/obsessive '90s music phase. #nostalgia

xxx ~R

Armani Fluid Sheer No. 7

In the interest of full disclosure, I feel it necessary to state that I don't know much about liquid highlighters. I don't use liquid foundation, cream blush or anything else that isn't in powder form. I'm definitely a powder person. Having said that...

I would describe Armani Fluid Sheer No. 7 as a gorgeous, glowing, light pink with a slightly cool undertone. It's just really, really beautiful, and this is coming from a liquid hater. Well, not hater. Maybe strong disliker? I'm not sure. 

I've gotten the best results by using a flat foundation brush to apply over my mineral powder foundation, onto the top portion of the cheekbones. I feel like I get a better application that way, as opposed to just using my fingers. The luminous, pink glow that this product creates takes the sallow nature of my pale, yellow-tinged skin and gives it a new light/life. I think we can all agree that I probably need that. 

In general, Armani Fluid Sheers are multi-functional products. Depending on which shade, they can be mixed with liquid foundation, used as blush/bronzer and/or applied as a highlighter. They're oil-free and completely devoid of any stickiness or pore clogging properties. 

As I prefaced, I don't know much about liquid cosmetics, but I know when they're really good. Fluid Sheer 7 definitely fits the bill. 

xxx ~R

Updated Blog Sale Page and a Saturday Night Serenade

I've added some Chanel and Dior stuff to my Sale Items page, which can be seen HERE (or you can like..click the link at the top right of the site). Anyway, I hope y'all see something you like.


And, totally unrelated to cosmetics...



This is probably my favorite cover song ever. It might even be in my Top 20 live performances, but I haven't fully calculated that yet. Regardless, it's undeniably bitchin'.

xxx ~R