Passport to Revlon JetSet into Fall ColorStay Challenge - Pucker in Paris & an Instagram Giveaway!

Hello Beautiful Readers!

I decided to participate in the Passport to Revlon ColorStay challenge recently, and here's how I made out with it! My challenge was to re-create the "Pucker in Paris" look with the products below:

From left to right: Revlon ColorStay Skinny Liquid Liner in Blackout, Revlon Bold Lacquer Mascara in Blackest Black, ColorStay Gel Envy in Sure Thing, Blackjack, and Diamond Top Coat, Revlon ColorStay ShadowLinks in Petal and Greige and finally, the star of the look (in my opinion), Revlon ColorStay Moisture Stain in Parisian Passion

Luckily, I was given a little guide on how to achieve the look!

Truthfully, this look is right up my alley, and something I've been wearing a lot lately - a soft smokey eye, a cat eye (although this cat eye is doubled for dramatic effect), and a bold lip.

Here's how you can achieve this look:

First off, start with a good base to even your skin out - the Revlon ColorStay foundation is perfect for creating a flawless look that lasts. Apply Revlon ColorStay ShadowLinks in Petal all over the lid (almost up to the brow) and the shade Greige in the crease for a soft smoky effect. Then, stabilize your hand and prepare to draw the first line across your lid with the Revlon ColorStay Skinny Liquid Liner in Blackout . I use my pinky finger as an anchor to create that perfect cat-eye flick.

Once you've applied that first flick, simply create another flick right above it. I found this to be the easiest way to get the double-flick effect. Then, apply two coats of the Revlon Bold Lacquer Mascara in Blackest Black. I curled my lashes before for extra flirty-ness.

After the eyes are done, I applied my Revlon ColorStay Moisture Stain in Parisian Passion to the lips. For longer lasting power, let the first coat dry and re-apply. When I took these pictures, my mani was coincidentally Revlon's Gel Envy in Hold 'Em which matched the shade of the Parisian Passion perfectly.

And voila, here's the fresh Parisian end product! A simple cat-eye with a twist, and a sophisticated lip.

To complete the look, here are the steps for the Pucker in Paris manicure.

For the mani, start by applying the shade Blackjack on all your nails except for the ring fingers. On the ring fingers, apply the shade Sure Thing. I applied two coats on both of the shades. Finish the manicure with the Diamond Top Coat.

And voila! How modern and simple is this many! I'm in love!

The mani wore quite well, and still looked fresh after 6 days with very minimal tip wear!

What do you think of this look? I thought the cat-eye was surprisingly wearable and I wouldn't be opposed to sporting it as a daytime look. And I was just completely smitten with the mani!

And now for the fun part! Revlon has kindly offered for a reader to win a Jet Set into Fall prize package with these products. All you have to do is follow me on Instagram @annicktheblogger, and like the picture of me wearing the look! You have to be a resident of Canada and over 18 years of age to participate. Good luck! Contest will close Friday the 17th of October.

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation Review!

The Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation has landed! When I was offered the chance to review the product, I was ecstatic. Who says no to reviewing a foundation!? Plus, the buzz is that this foundation is quite good!

I wanted to put it through a pretty rigorous testing process, to make sure it really hit all the marks that are important in foundation. To me, a good foundation blends well, stays put all day (or most of the day in my case, since I have oily skin), and doesn't clog my pores.

I was sent a few shades of the products, but my match was the lightest shade, 120 Vanilla. It is maybe a tiny little smidgen too light for me, but it didn't bother me. If I had mixed it up with 130 Shell, it would have been perfect.

My honest opinion? I actually really like this foundation. And I'm one picky foundation wearer. I'll tell you why. First off, it covers my redness/blemishes really well, all while still not feeling heavy. You can see the different in the pictures below. It is quite long wearing - I have quite oily skin, so I can't say it stays on perfectly all day (nothing does) but it doesn't break down some foundations might during the day, which, to me, is a really good thing. It also stays on much better with powder throughout the day.

If I were to pick on this foundation, and find it some nit-picky flaws, I'd say that it is perhaps not the easiest foundation to blend. I personally like to blend my foundation with a stippling brush, and this foundation sit much better on the skin if you apply it with your hands. The warmth of my hands gave the foundation a beautiful even finish while a stippling takes a bit more work to get the same finish. Also, since this foundation lasts pretty well on the skin, it's really important to cleanse your skin properly every night. You will not get this foundation off with face wash - you need to use a makeup remover prior to cleansing. I always do this to make sure I get everything off my face, but this foundation tends to stick, so I'm mentioning it because it's an important step to warding off clogged pores.

Like I mentioned, most of my redness (and some of my freckles, but not all of them thankfully!) was covered by this foundation, but the foundation also lives up to its name in being light on the face. However, I do have to say that it is not AS light as my Bourgeois Healthy Mix foundation, but in all my foundations, it is the closest match in terms of feel, wear and application. Anything that is similar to my trusty Bourgeois is good!

These are the products I've used in the "full makeup" face.

I used my Revlon Nearly Naked* foundation in 120 Vanilla, then set my brows in place with the Essence brow gel (suggested by Christine over at Little Red Bow), lightly contoured by face with the Sleek Contour palette in Light, and applied the Shu Uemura blush in M Pink 31 on the apples of my cheeks. For eyes, I used the Revlon Photoready Eyeshadow* palette in Metropolitan's darkest shade all over my lid, and applied the glittery shade on top, in the middle of my lid. I quite liked this look! To finish off, I used the Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 23L on my waterline, and smudged in my inner corners and topped it off with a sampler of Benefit's They're Real mascara. One swipe of Revlon's Lip Butter in Peach Parfait* and I was good to go!

I hope you enjoyed this review and that I was thorough enough to give you an idea of whether you'd like this foundation or not. My take is that for a drugstore foundation, it's really really good. And if you're looking to cut some corners in your beauty budget, this is a good option!

Have a great day!

* I have received this product for consideration but my opinions are always my own. I am not being compensated for this review and I always strive to review products with honesty.

January favorites!

It's time for January favorites!

After some new additions, and products that were being reused over and over again during the month of January, I thought it would be fun to do a post on those items. Some of these haven't been reviewed yet, but they will soon!

Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Curviest Caramel: The perfect on-the-go easy neutral lip. I've been wearing it a lot paired with a brown smokey eye.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick Matte in Mauve it Over: Another slap and go lipstick. I picked this up on a whim, without much thought, and it turned out to be one of my favorite lipsticks of the month. It's matte formula doesn't always suit my dry lips, but it's really comfortable to wear, and definitely doesn't make dry lips worse. The Revlon Lustrous Matte formula is definitely worth a look if you haven't tried them yet.

Anastasia Brow Whiz in Brunette: Never thought I'd be one to love a pencil brow product, but this one is so easy to use. I also love that one side has a little brush for brushing my brows into place. It's also pretty much the perfect shade for my brow - no red tones in the pencil at all!

Hourglass Mineral Primer: Because of a few skin problems in the last month, I've been using this pretty much every day to make sure my blemishes are well covered, and stay that way.

MAC Painterly Paint Pot: I've been using this lately, in order to prime my lids and make sure eyeshadow stays in place. It's getting a bit dried up, so I'm hoping to make use out of it while it's still alive.

Laura Mercier Blush in Lush Nectarine: I reviewed this recently and spoke very positively about it - I must say my opinion hasn't change. It's an amazing blush that gives a pop of healthy color to the cheek. My dull January skin definitely needs it!

MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked (in the middle of the Z-Palette): This has been my quick out-the-door shadow of most of January. I didn't use to like Woodwinked that much before a few months ago, but now it's one of my favorites. There's something really pretty about having this shadow blended all over my lid and into the crease.

Guerlain Ecrin Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Les Fauves: I have not stopped wearing this palette since I got it a few weeks ago. It is absolutely stunning. Lucky for me, I didn't have to pay for it since I had saved up some Shoppers Optimum points for it. I think I'll keep saving em' and get Les Fumes next time. These palettes are amazing! I will review it soon.

Bourgeois Healthy Mix Foundation: As mentioned before, my skin had a bit of a break out last month. I actually traced the problem back to not having enough moisture in my skin. This Bourgeois foundation is actually my most moisturizing foundation and I feel like it's kept my skin healthy!

Shu Uemura blush in Pink 31: I picked this up on a blog sale not too long ago, and it is seriously one of my favorite blushes ever. It's so easy to put on as it's not too pigmented, but gives the most natural healthy flush. I wouldn't be surprised if this one hits pan (one day!).

Holiday look of the day with Revlon's new Colorstay Ultimate Suede lipstick!

Have you seen them in stores yet? The new Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede lipsticks have arrived in Canada!

Revlon kindly sent me the shade Backstage to review and I must say, I'm kind of amazed. First off, this product is very strange in application. While is applied very kind of glossy, it does settle in your lips into a, you guessed it, suede finish. I wouldn't say it's completely matte, but it definitely does not have a shine after 30 minutes. When more time passes by, the shine disappears completely, and you're left with a matte/stain. So, unlike most matte lipsticks, this lipstick literally glides on as smoothly as their Lip Butters, but then turns into a matte lipstick... eventually. Makes for a pretty easy application! I didn't find this lipstick drying and it didn't leave my lips wanting balm when it was wearing off. Once the matte finish "settled" it didn't budge for a long time (5+ hours in my experience).

This is what it looks like immediately after swatching on my hand. It's kind of glossy, and almost patchy.

And this is what it looks like on. In the second picture, you can see the lipstick is a bit more matte.

I thought this lipstick deserved a very simple makeup look, so here's the breakdown:

- Clinique Stay-Matte Oil Free Foundation (this is a new one... so far, I'm indifferent)
- MAC's Brun softly in the brows + Anastasia brow gel
- Estee Lauder's Violet Underground beige/pink shade all over lid. This is SUCH a gorgeous shade.
- MAC's Omega in the crease
- Make Up For Ever Smokey Lash mascara
- Tarte Exposed blush
- Revlon Ultimate Suede in Backstage* on lips

Disclaimer: my brows were trimmed and waxed after this... they are out of control!

I think there's something very appealing about a matte lipstick for the holiday season. I love the idea of a matte lipstick and lots of glitter/shimmer everywhere else!

The displays for the Ultimate Suede lipsticks are pretty picked over in my city! I absolutely love the Backstage lipstick but haven't tried the other shades of the line - have you? Do you like them? Are you a fan of matte lipsticks?

* I have received this product for consideration but my opinions are always my own. I am not being compensated for this review and I always strive to review products with honesty.

A breath of fresh air with Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Adore

When I found out these had FINALLY arrived in Canada, I rushed THE DAY they were out to pick up a few shade. Unfortunately, the display at Walmart only had one tester, and after being chastised by the sales associate for "opening product" (which I didn't do, I tested the only tester available, thank you very much), I gave up on picking colors until I had seen swatches online. I left with a lonely Kissable Balm Stain in Adore.

The packaging is very sturdy. I totally expected this balm/stain to have a waxy feel to it but it does not at all. It's soft, smells lightly of mint, and has a light glossy look.

I'm actually really impressed with this product! The stain glides on very well and not patchy - plus it actually stains. I still had some stain on my lips after removing this product. Of course, I can only speak of the shade I picked, Adore, and not of the others. I heard the lighter colors do not stain so well.This reminds me very much of Clinique's Chubby Sticks, except with more pigmentation, a more pleasant smell/taste, and longer lasting. And cheaper! They are not particularly moisturizing, but they are also not drying to me either. Kind of in the middle which is fine by me. 

Swatched on my hand.

On my mug. 

My friend wasn't impressed with the color on me, calling it a "mom" color, but I'm personally quite impressed. I find it modern and autumnal. Plus, the undertones aren't mauve, but rather warm, and I find it flattering on my skintone. Mauve/fuchsia colors are usually not flattering on me, and since most of their range is sort of mauve, I don't see myself picking up too many of these. I really hope they come up with a wider range of shades.

I'm very happy with this drugstore purchase and have been wearing it for three days straight! For now, I can only speak for the Adore shade I've purchased, but if you're looking for a great fall shade, this is it.

Hope your week is going well! I myself have a cold or throat infection of some kind. Not fun, especially on a busy week!

Revlon Lip Butters - "I'm late to the party" review

Yes, I am the LAST to blog about these. But I never seemed to think the price of these was justifiable when they came out. However, at  $3.99 at Shoppers a few weeks ago, I decided it was time to try a few.

I think I must be the only one who isn't completely blown away by these. The texture these is fine - they are in fact, "buttery" smooth. However, the glitter bits can be a bit gritty in some of these lipsticks. I found that after the lipsticks had worn off, I still had these grimy particles left on my lips. Also, while they do glide on and give your lips a glossy finish, I didn't find they were moisturizing. I think the Maybelline advertisement said something like 94% of women thought these were moisturizing - I guess I must be the 6% because I truly did not. But my lips are also pretty finicky and pretty dry, so take that with a grain of salt. Plenty of reviewers have said that these are moisturizing to them, so I think it's a more individualistic thing. 

I do think however, that the color of these is quite nice. I don't find they apply patchy (not the colors I picked anyway) and they do not smell of anything (that I can detect). They do not wear for more than 2 hours, but given the type of product it is, I'm not bothered by this. I don't find they leave behind a stain on the lips, but that might just be because I chose lighter colors - I can't comment on the darker shades. They are not very pigmented but this didn't bother me either - I expected them to be a cross between a gloss and lipstick and the level of pigmentation was appropriate for the formula in my opinion.

Left to right: Strawberry Shortcake, Berry Smoothie, Pink Truffle

Strawberry Shortcake

Berry Smoothie

Pink Truffle

 

Left to right: Strawberry Shortcake, Berry Smoothie, Pink Truffle 

While the packaging is plastic and light, I quite like it anyway. I like that the outside of the packaging is supposed to represents the lip color inside. Whether it represents the color accurately is debatable, but I like it nonetheless. And I really like the pattern on the cover - it's cute without being gimmicky or too girly. Points for that.

Of my three choices, I've particularly been taken by Pink Truffle. It's a neutral brown/pink color that would suit pretty much anyone. It's the kind of lipstick I can put on without worrying about matching my eye makeup - I like that lot!

Botttom line is that I'm neutral about them. I like them but I could have lived without them. I have lip products at the moment I prefer which offer better pigmentation and  longer wear time. But that's not to say that these aren't good. They are! If you don't have anything similar, I highly suggest you pick up a tube, try it out for a bit, then if you love it, pick up more! Again, I went safe with lighter colors, so I can't comment on the darker shades, but take a peek around the internet for more reviews - there's a slew of them out there!

I hope this was relatively helpful. I know there's a lot of reviews of these on the Blogosphere but I thought I'd put my thoughts on these out there as well, just in case ;) 

Hope your week is going well!