Bobbi Brown Creamy Matte Lip Color in Tawny Pink

Bobbi Brown's Creamy Matte Lip Color in Tawny Pink basically called my name after I saw it on Michelle Money from the MMandL Show.  Tawny Pink is a neutral medium pink in the tube, but it darkens significantly when applied to a deeper, rosier pink.  The color is rich, and saturated.  You easily achieve full opacity in 1 swipe.  

The formula is indeed creamy and applies easily onto the lips with no tugging.  The wear is wonderful.  It easily lasts 4 hours on my lips, which is unheard of for me.  I don't find the formula to be drying, but it is not hydrating either.  I think if your lips are already on the dry side than this will make them drier.  If your lips are in good condition than this lipstick will suit you wonderfully.

A word of caution before buying about these lip colors: I find them to darken significantly when swatted or applied to the lips.  I would suggest trying them out before buying to see if one is right for you.

Overall, I love this color and the formula is long lasting.  It is the perfect low maintenance lipstick for work.  There are 12 shades available in this range, and each retails for $24.  I will probably check out some of the other colors soon! 

YSL Holiday 2012: Pure Chromatics Palette 12

Warning: This post contains holiday neutrals at their best!  I usually skip holiday collections. Sometimes because I have already spent way too much money on makeup by the time they launch, and other times because how much gold and silver glitter does one really need?  This year I succumbed to YSL Holiday, mostly because I found some of the products to be quite unique!  The Pure Chromatics Palette in 12 is a holiday/neutral lovers dream! 

The main reason I love this palette so much is the unbelievable versatility of it.  On first glance it looks like your standard shimmer/smokey combo with too much glitter.  The beauty of these shadows is that they can be used wet or dry.  When used dry, the effect is sheer and easily wearable for day or subtle looks.  Add a bit of water and WOWZA! The shadows are instantly transformed to intensely pigmented shades with a metallic sheen and a bit of sparkle!  When worn wet these shades depict the essence of holiday glamour.  The formula is truly remarkable.  

***Pictures obviously not taken in natural light, but the photos are not retouched and the color is depicted accurately.  I wanted to get this post up soon while the collection was still available.  I will try to update with daylight pictures this weekend.

With flash

I was shocked by how beautiful the colors applied when dry.  I find the first shade to be a neutral gray taupe, a staple in my opinion.  One surprise to me was that the lower left shade appears gold in the pan, but when swatched takes on a cooler gunmetal tone.  I looked and swatched in several different lights and I don't see any gold when applied.  The silver and gunmetal shades are more glittery but smooth.  The application is easy and without fallout.  The darker shade is a brownish black with the slightest bit of glitter but not overdone.  I've worn the gunmetal shade, wet, with a dark vampy lip for a glamour night out, but I've also used the light gray taupe dry in the crease with a classic red lip.  Both gorgeous holiday looks.

Dry

Wet

Dry, with flash

Wet, with flash

L to R: dry, wet

L to R: dry, wet with flash

This is a gorgeous holiday offering from YSL.  The colors are versatile and easy to wear.  If you love color, then I would suggest the other holiday release which features some gorgeous blues.  The YSL Pure Chromatics 12 Palette retails for $55 and is available now at counters. I also picked up the nail polish top coat with the aurora borealis glitter, which is another stunner!  I definitely recommend you check this collection out!

'Tis The Season: A Sephora Haul

Sorry about the blogging break these past couple weeks! As much as I love reading blogs and watching You Tube videos, sometimes I just can not get the inspiration to write yet another product review.  I feel like so many others do it so much better, so rather than try to keep up I am trying to find another way to talk about all my beauty obsessions!  

Believe it or not, this is the first year that I really took part in the Sephora VIB sale!  This year I happened to need a few products because I was out of several things.  Perfect timing!  The Sephora VIB sale is a great time to stock up on necessities or purchase large ticket items that never go on sale.  

I stocked up on some Shiseido Facial Cotton, the holy grail of cotton.  I was out for about a month and I definitely missed these plush babies!  I also bought some Clarisonic brush heads because it was time to change it up anyway. I've recently got into exfoliating my skin pre-shave and what a difference it makes!  My skin is super sensitive and dry, and exfoliating really helps prevent razor burn and other issues.  I love my current Kheils scrub, but I decided to try the Philosophy Gingerbread Man scrub. It smells divine!  To go with it I decided to try the new Origins Ginger Body Oil which comes in a handy spray bottle for easy application. I'm hoping this will be a fast way to moisturize at 6 am before I rush out the door for work.

Speaking of dry sensitive skin, I was in desperate need of something ultra hydrating for face and body.  I went with the FAB Ultra Repair Cream because it contains no harsh ingredients and has soothing oatmeal for dry, itchy skin.  I am irrationally excited about this product.  However anyone with dry, itchy skin understands that!  

On to the fun stuff- the makeup! I picked up the Dior Hydra Life BB Cream after using the sample I got a few weeks ago.  It is a little light for me, but easily warmed up when mixed with a darker foundation or with bronzer.  The coverage is fantastic, and I love how hydrating it is on my skin throughout the day.  I also picked up the Giorgio Armani Master Primer because when I tested this out, it seriously made my skin so soft and luminous like nothing I have ever felt before.  Probably the best primer for dry skin that I have ever used.  I also purchased a refill of the Armani Master Corrector in Peach, and a YSL Sheer Candy in #9, and the Dior Lip Maximizer.  This last one was a total impulse buy, but I liked the way it felt, and it did seem to smooth out the texture of my lips.  

All in all, very excited to have all my goodies!  I have already dug in to most of them!  What did you buy from the sale?

Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad in Cocoa Mirage

I have been trying to move towards a more minimalistic, "no makeup" makeup look for everyday.  In my search for more neutral eyeshadows, I went to Tom Ford since his eyeshadow quad in Cognac Sable is one of my all time favorite palettes.  I found Cocoa Mirage, a beautiful selection of neutrals and picked it up without hesitation.  

Cocoa Mirage is one of those eyeshadow quads that you can wear anywhere, anytime and use everyday.  The colors are simple, and matte.  My favorite shade is the lightest brown, because it is not too warm, and matches my skin tone well.  I can apply this all over the lid and into the crease to even out the skin on my lids and create a subtle contour in the crease.  The texture of Tom Ford's shadows is excellent, and very rich and buttery to make application a breeze. Matte shadows are not always easy to work with, but this palette is amazing!  This is a quad I will use everyday, and to the last drop!

If you are looking for a solid, neutral eyeshadow quad for everyday wear than I highly recommend Cocoa Mirage by Tom Ford.  It's luxurious, but worth it!