Go Tropicoral kit by Benefit

Well, many times intentions do not translate to actual actions, at least the way we plan them, especially if you are a Gemini that weights pros and cons and alternatives from day to night, and then decides to improvise, lol!

So, I intended to buy Benefit's Coralista blush (30€).

Instead, I got the Go Tropicoral kit (it includes a mini Coralista) (29€).

High Beam, Cha Cha, Coralista blush and the lipgloss underneath

The reasons I didn't get the blush are:

• I can not see myself hit pan on a blush, so I didn't want to commit to it for a life time.
• I don't like the packaging of Benefit's blushes, I find them bulky and a pain to store.
• I could depot it in a palette but my previous experiment with Bella Bamba didn't go very well, meaning that it cracked a tiny bit. It didn't crack all the way to the bottom, just a chip on the upper right corner but it scared the %#%$£ out of me and I swore, never again!

On the other and, the kit offered me more options for the same money:

• A deluxe sample version of Coralista, that even if I wore it daily it would probably take months to hit pan.
• A deluxe sample o High Beam illuminator
• A deluxe sample of Cha Cha tint
• A deluxe sample of the Coralista lipgloss

The truth is that I was never drawn towards kits. I don't know why, the idea never seemed appealing to me.

So, when I went to Sephora with a 25% coupon off, I went straight to Coralista. A young SA was standing a few meters away and when she saw me lingering over Benefit's stand, asked if she could help.

Most of the times I don't ask for help from SAs because i usually buy stuff on a plan, meaning that I already know what I want and what it does so I don't need somebody to inform me about the product.

This time, I don't know why, (probably because it was early on a Saturday morning and I didn't function on full throttle, lol!) I told her that I wanted Coralsta but I was not so sure anymore. She asked me if I had any more blushes (well, duh!) or if I would solely wear this (do you imagine having to wear Coralista - or an blush for that matter - for months without end? And then I would toss it disgusted in the garbage, and then it would magically reappear on my vanity and then I would call a priest to perform exorcism, and the blush would speak to me in a tiny voice but totally scaring, saying "no, you have to wear only me, with rain or sun, winter or summer, day or night, I'm the only blush you'll wear until there's no more left of me in the pan! )

Are you still reading? If yes, let's get back to the Sephora SA. I told here I have other blushes as well and then she suggested buying the kit instead because it was almost the same price as the blush but I could try more products and if, in the end, I totally loved Coralista I could come back and buy the full product.

It made total sense and at almost 21€ (after the 25% off) it was not that expensive considering that the "deluxe sample" actually contains a considerable amount of product.

So, do I like it?

I love it!

• Coralista blush: I can totally understand why it is so popular. It's a lovely peachy coral shimmery shade (to me it seems like something in between Nars's Orgasm and Benefit's Bella Bamba), very easy to wear and the shimmer actually gives a gorgeous sheen to the cheeks.
• High Beam illuminator: a cult favorite as well and now that I have it I love it too! It's the first liquid highlighter I buy and I find it easier to wear than powders because it melts into the skin and it can be as natural as you want it. The color is lovely as well, it's a pinky white that looks very flattering.
• Cha Cha tint: well, in the past I had some not so happy experience with Benefit's tints. I had purchased a mini version of Benetint but the first times I used it I was left with red blotches on my cheeks, because the product sets in too quickly and I didn't have time to blend it properly. And it goes without saying that i burried it in a drawer and never reached for it again. So, when I saw the deluxe sample of the Cha Cha in the kit I was very intrigued by the lovely color but at the same time I was very sceptical if I could make it work. And I did! What I do is that as soon as I have applied my foundation I put two stripes on my cheek and with a larger brush (like the Real Techniques Multitasking Brush) I pat it on my cheeks. This way, it sort of spreads and mingles seamlessly with my foundation and the result is a beautiful, semi transparent tint on my cheek. If I want it a little more saturated, I repeat the process with a dot or two more and after blending it's flawless. I don't swirl the brush, I just pat pat pat. Also, I do one cheek at a time. And it lasts on my cheeks for hours.
• Coralista lipgloss: it does give a pretty shine and a bit of tint on my lips, but, as most lip products, it does't stay on my lips for more than a few minutes. I keep it in my purse, just in case I want to ump it up a bit.
• I already removed them from the box (I put the blush in my blush palette) and as a bonus I can use the pretty box to store jewelry or other bits and bobs.

So, that's my opinion on the Go Tropicoral kit, I'm so pleased with it because they arevlovely products and I got the chance to try more products before committing to a full sized one.

That's it for now, I hope you're all well and thriving!

 

Δημοσιεύτηκε με το Blogsy

Guerlain Meteorites: Perles du Dragon and Teint Rose 01

I decided to kick off 2013 with a spectacular product and I'm wishing you all to have a spectacular year!

Meteorites Perles: created by Guerlain, they're supposed to create an even, flawless and radiant complexion due to light manipulation "technology".

They can be used as a highlight on the high planes of the cheeks etc, or as a setting powder for all over glow.

They also come in various formats (compact, in loose form, with more or less fine shimmer) and color combinations.

It's a fact that I've been lusting over the Meteorites by Guerlain for a very long time but never actually visited a Guerlain counter to even see them in person, mainly because:

• I thought they were exuberantly expensive and also because
• I was very skeptical about the actual result of this product, thinking that it probably was just the emperor's new clothes.

But, life works in mysterious ways and now I'm happy to own not one but two of these little containers of mirth.

Meteorites Perles du Dragon: I came across these online, while browsing the new (holiday 2012) collections and I immediately loved the black tin with the brushed gold rosette on top. But that was about it.

A few days later, at work, we exchanged christmas gifts with my immediate colleagues the way we do it for a few years now: we collect money all year long (delivery change etc) and coming Christmas we add a little sum and each one of us gets an "unexpected" Christmas present, usually something fun and totally unnecessary!

So imagine my surprise when I opened a little sephora bag and saw this! I did the happy dance on the spot! After a second I started complaining that they shouldn't gift me something so expensive but the colleague that actually went to the store reassured me that it wasn't that expensive because there was a 35% off sales!

The biggest surprise came later on, when I actually used it all over my face: I was smitten!

Although I couldn't see anything (apart from a sparse extra tiny soft iridescence in very close inspection, like 2 cm from the mirror) my face looked like it was lit, like I was in the shadow and stepped into the light! It looked brighter, fresher, softer, my (moderate) imperfections were somehow blurred, it worked in a way that I had never seen before, with any product.

It goes without saying that I was mightily impressed and I wore it every night during the holidays, either for family gatherings or for going out and regardless the occasion, I got more compliments than before!

The facts: Perles du Dragon are from the holiday 2012 LE Liu collection by Guerlain. The actual product is named after the current chinese year of the dragon. The whole collection was inspired by Liu, a famous oriental fragrance by Guerlain.

Meteorites Perles in 01 Teint Rose: it took me just one day (after receiving the Perles du Dragon) to run to the store and buy the "everyday" form (meaning less iridescent and more appropriate for daylight) of the Meteorites. I was lucky to find them still on 35% off sales, so I (think) i paid 36€. It's definitely not cheap but I still believe this is the best makeup splurge of my life (so far, lol!).

The effect is the same as with the Perles du Dragon but more subtle and undetectable to the eye. It's like a transparent veil of light, blurring imperfections, softening lines and giving a fresh radiance and glow to my - otherwise - dull complexion. It also works perfectly as a setting powder and I also think that it keeps my makeup from oxidizing, even during long working days (8+ hours).

 

The facts: Meteorites Perles come it three shade variations:

• 01 Teint Rose is the lightest one and it is supposed to brighten the complexion,
• 02 Teint Beige is supposed to give a warm glow to the skin and
• 03 Teint Dore is supposed to brighten golden complexions

The tin comes with 30g of product, meaning that they will last for years, even with everyday use.

How I use it: I turn it once upside down (with the lid on of course, lol!) so that any loose powder will come on top of the beads. Then I take a large brush and swirl it into them and I dust the powder all over my face. I repeat once more (or twice), it never gets cakey although my skin is dry. I use it on top of liquid foundation, on top of powder foundation, on bare skin, it works any way. I also use it to set my under eye concealer.It doesn't fade, it doesn't oxidize or alter in any way, it just stays put all day long.

One last thing: inside the tin there is a latex sponge. It's there so as to keep the beads snugly into the tin. I don't use it to apply the powder on my face not only because it would be unsanitary but also because it will compromise the product in the long run.

To me this is a very impressive product. Be cautious though because what works for one person may not work for another. So, in case you got tempted, before you spend your money on it, got to a Guerlain counter and ask the SA to apply it on you. Don't decide on the spot. Continue with your day plan, just check yourself in the mirror a few times (lol!). If you like what you see, in sunlight, in the shadow, in store lights, then this product is for you!

 

That's all for now, hope you're all well and thriving!

 

Δημοσιεύτηκε με το Blogsy

November Favorites: Part 1

November is gone (what happened to 2011? It vanished in thin air!) and here are my favorites.

Sigma F84 Angled Top Kabuki Brush: It's been a while since I got this excited over a brush, but I just love this one:

• Excellent quality: exremely soft but at the same time firm and dense, no shedding, sturdy construction.
• It applies my foundation (Mac Face & Body) flawlessly and quickly. I just stipple it on my face and because of the size and the density of the brush the result is lovely in no time!
• The shape makes it also perfect for small nooks, for example arround my nose etc.
• It applies my foundation a little heavier than my Mac 187, but, F&B is quite sheer, so I actually prefer it this way. 
• Sooo affordable (at least compared to a Mac face brush)! 
• The only disadvantage is that it requires two times washing to get clean and it takes almost 2 days to dry.

I love it so much that I've already ordered the Round Top Synthetic Kabuki - F82 and the Precision Tapered - P86 (using the Black Friday free shipping, it took me quite a while to manage to make that order, the site was up, then down, then up, then down, LOL!), as soon as I receive them I'll let you know what I think of them!

Mac Prep+Prime highlighter in Radiant Rose (€22, I got it €15,40, at 30% off, with the Glamour card).

I got frustrated with the Erase Paste by Benefit because of its texture, I felt that it added ages to my eyes because it is quite thick and dense, although soft and creamy. I tried it on top of a silicone primer and it was better this way, more manageable, but too much work for everyday application. So when I visited my local Mac, I decided to try this, although my prior experience with a similar (?) product a few years ago (YSL's Touche Eclat) wasn't very satisfactory (maybe I didn't know how to use it back then?). 

So I just got this one out of pure curiosity, without expecting too much. Imagine my surprise when this little thing actually worked! Of course I have to clarify that I don't have really dark circles, but my under eye area is darker than the rest of my face, and after using this product I realized that I didn't need cover that much as I needed a highlighter.

I love it because:

• it does light up the under eye area
• it has a pinkish shade so the result is very natural (I don't really like white stripes under my eyes, LOL!) 
• it can also be used on the bridge of the nose or anywhere else I want to highlight in a discreet way (without using a shimmering product etc)
• a little goes a long way
• it lasts all day without a setting powder.
• The only con is that it is a bit on the dry side, but nothing that I can't handle (with a little more moisturizer underneath it).

Wet 'n Wild Idol Eyes shadow pencil in Pixie: it's a smooth champagne eyeshadow, no great lasting power though, so I mainly use it under a powder eyeshadow, especially when I want to make the eyeshadow color less vibrant, more muted. If I want to use it alone, I just add a tiny bit of translucent setting powder on top.

Korres #5 Olive Green eyeliner pencil: I got it mainly because I love the color and thought I could use it as an eyeshadow, but it is a little hard to apply it since it's not very soft. What I do is that I rub it on my hand, so as to warm it a little bit. I also wear it on top of the Wet 'n Wild Pixie pencil, because it is easier to apply it this way and it also turns into a gorgeous grey-silverish-frost light green color!

Swatches: Wet 'n Wild Pixie, Korres #5 Olive Green, Olive Green on top of Pixie.

Mac Smolder Eye Khol: I love this pencil for the upper waterline because it is dark and buttery soft. I wouldn's use it anywhere else though because it smudges a bit (I prefer gel eyeliners, Mac's Avenue is my favorite).

Mac Sheertone Blush in Breath Of Plum: I got this blush a while back because I didn't have anything in the plum family, but I didn't use it that much, until November, when it became my (almost) everyday blush. I use my Mac 187 with it because it gives my cheeks the subtle, a little muted and sophisticated result I'm looking for when I'm going a little heavier on the eyes, especially with smokey looks.

Mac matte lipstick in Ruby Woo and Love Alert Dazzleglass: Ruby Woo is my first (and only one so far) red lipstick and I chose this shade because it has a retro appeal, especially if used light handed over a lip balm, it's sooo pretty that I don't need anything else (apart from mascara, defined brows and a smidgen of blush, to be accurate, LOL!). If I want to spice it up, I use a tiny bit of the Love Alert dazzleglass on top. There is one major default though, it is verrrry dry, but I never wear full red lips, I always layer this on top of a bit of lip balm, so I don't mind. Although, if used without the lip balm, it would probably stay on my lips ALL day long!

Swatches: Ruby Woo (blended out on the right), Love Alert, Love Alert on top of a little of Ruby Woo.

I have a few more favorites but since I don't want this post to go on for ever, a part 2 will follow!