Sunday, July 30, 2017

L'Oreal Color Riche Matte Lipliner



When was the last time you looked at a lipliner at the drugstore? I have to be honest , I can't even recall when.  Lipstick , yes. Liner, not so much.  My bad because it's time to check them out with this new release from L'Oreal. 

Color Riche Matte Lipliners are richly pigmented and very creamy on lips. Despite being matte they glide on without any tugging or drag and are not dry . The set to a longwearing matte finish and  could easily be used as lipcolor on their own , adding some balm on top. 


With all the new launches just out from L'Oreal including the Infallible Paints Matte Lipcolors, these are a perfect complement to them.  They are as good or better as many higher end liners I have and use.


There are eight shades available. Shown are Matte's It , a medium nude and Matte In Manhattan , a tomato red. 


L'Oreal Color Riche Matte Lipliner sugg. retail is $ 8.99






Tuesday, July 25, 2017

L'Oreal Infallible Lip Paints - Metallic




More hot metallics from L'Oreal. I looked at the new eyeshadows last week now it's  lips. 

These new lip paints in the Infallible line are well pigmented and go on easily with the doe foot applicator. You get full coverage with one pass. I did need to spread them around a little with my finger to blend  them out best .  The wand tends to pick up a lot of product too, so it needs swiped off a bit on the tube lip .



They feel comfy on lips, aren't dry and are yes metallic but not super metal  , more sparkle, very pearlescent shimmer and they have a slight sheen/gloss to them.

Wear time is average, I got 2 hours  before  a good bit of fading.

 Colors shown are : Galactic Foil, Moon Lust , Liquid Venom and Smoldering Eclipse.







Sunday, July 23, 2017

CeraVe Sunscreen SPF 50


CeraVe  has  great suncare alongside their skin products .  If strong SPF is what you're looking for they have you "covered".

These are the most strong  SPF blocks I've used.  After several hours outside both in the sun and in the pool I got almost no color. I actually wanted a little color but my arms looked the same as before. They are very water resistant too ( 40 minutes on the tube).  I did reapply on  some areas but not all and got little sun and no burn. 


The cream is fairly thick and takes some rubbing in but not a lot. It has very little white cast to it and that mostly disappears into skin quickly. The brand uses Invisible Zinc which they say is micro fine .  It feels lightweight on , you barely know it's there, that makes it nice not just for pool or beach but everyday wear.

There is a little moisture in the lotions but the stick feels more emollient( it has hyaluronic acid ) . They are oil free and have ceramides and niacinamide  for skincare. The lotions help " replenish the vital ceramides through a patented, controlled-release technology of 3 ceramides (called 1, 3 and 6-ll) that penetrates the skin’s surface and helps rebuild the barrier " according to the brand. 


Both face and body SPF 50  have 4.9% titanium dioxide and 4.7% zinc oxide. 

The SPF 50  stick has 6.9 % titanium dioxide and 4? 7 % zinc.

Price varies by store but at Target the 3oz Body Lotion is $ 13.49  and  2oz Face Lotion $ 13.59 . 





Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Gabrielle Chanel - The Fragrance



Gabrielle Chanel is here.  This beauty is a bouquet of white flowers and oh so pretty.

Gabrielle is front loaded with citrus ( grapefruit like) notes then  jasmine, There's soft orange blossom and tuberose from Grasse .  The tuberose to my nose is more subtle , it's a favorite note of mine so I would love even more but the floral combo is beautiful. Ylang Ylang is in there too. Sandalwood  and very light white musk  bring up the drydown.

It's very feminine scent with a clean feel alongside the floral.  It is light in it's way but has very good sillage, presence and lasts long.


While not as big and rich as we might have seen in the past from the brand, Gabrielle is nonetheless a lovely , elegant fragrance wearable any time but particularly suited to daytime.  And a spritz of Chanel to get the day started is a good thing.



Chanel Gabrielle is available  August 19 online @Chanel, September everywhere with  pre-sale online here 

1.7 oz $ 105.00
3.4 oz $ 135.00






Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Elizabeth Arden White Tea



Joining  Elizabeth Arden's perenially popular Green Tea  fragrance is new White Tea.

I have always loved the Green Tea scent and those types of fragrances in general. White Tea is similar to it in that it is light  and soft but it is also different . It's less tea , more musks and and green notes.

White  Tea begins with citrus and sage along with an aquatic note that gives it a slightly unisex feel. It's crisp and then becomes softer with rose and cool iris. As it dries down there are musks  , and  warm woods.


It's a great warm weather scent  with it's freshness and light sillage. Lasting power is light to medium   as it's an EDT  and it's the type of fragrance you can reapply midday or evening .


Elizabeth Arden White  Tea is $ 24 for 1 oz, 1.7 oz for $ 37 and $ 49 for 3.3 oz. along with body  cream , shower gel available also.





Sunday, July 16, 2017

L'Oreal Infallible Paints Metallics Eyeshadows




I am thrilled with the current metallic trend. I have always loved and used metallic colors in most of my makeup, trendy or not. Now with the look so popular that means lots more to love and try.


L'Oreal has new Infallible Paints Metallics Eyeshadows  for a molten gleam on your eyes. These shadows have great color payoff with little fallout. They are creamy and easy to blend. I've gotten  good wear time as well. With a primer shadow base,  4-5 hours, which  for me is really good. I melt off shadow very easily. If you don't you should get far better results . These seem to have a good "grip" on eyelids and don't crease/settle.


Shown are two of the five new shades- Caged ( rich taupe) and Brass Knuckles ( a gilded bronze-y gold ).



L'Oreal Infallible Paints Metallics Eyeshadows  are $ 9.99 and come in 5 shades.







Thursday, July 13, 2017

Elizabeth Arden Sheer Kiss Lip Oil






Have you  explored Elizabeth Arden lately?  They've got you covered for easy, pretty Summer makeup with their new Sheer Kiss Lip Oils and Cooling Cheek Gel.  Let's take a look at the lip oils, a hot category right now.

Sheer Kiss Lip Oils are lightweight but very moisturizing sheer tints of color. The moisture lasts literally for hours with shea and mango seed butters along with oils and they don't feel tacky or sticky on lips.


The color is less lasting , not unexpected with a balm / oil type of product. They have a shine on lips , not quite a gloss but glossy-ish  and no shimmer. It's a pretty wash of color that can also be layered with lipstick or over a pencil.

For Summer, it's swipe and go kind of thing. Easy but looks  great.


I love the packaging here too, the round lucite like container with the color in the middle ( which is soft and squeezable). It makes for a little difficulty applying though. The tip is angled for your lip but it's still easier to use a finger or brush.

Keep in mind that when the cold temps roll around again these will still be  great to use. All that moisture  is just what you need when wind chills start whipping.


Elizabeth Arden Sheer Kiss Lip Oil comes in six shades for $ 19.50 each

Shown in Nude and Coral.







Tuesday, July 11, 2017

Instagram Perfume Project


Love perfume? Over on Insta I am sharing pics of my large perfume collection. It's  been fun picking out ones to highlight ( and sometimes revisit) .

If you're interested I'll be posting one at least once a week, hopefully more and using #BeautyAlchemistPerfumes . I kicked it off with a group of my favorite Summer  scents.

Monday, July 10, 2017

Gabrielle Chanel Fragrance- First Look



The new Gabrielle fragrance from Chanel is getting closer. It's due to launch in September and I can't wait to smell it .

Right now we have images of the bottle and a scent description . I am all over the tuberose note.  The perfume sounds very white floral and feminine.


Chanel calls the fragrance " A passionate floral featuring four key white flowers
that radiate throughout — Jasmine, Orange Blossom, Ylang-Ylang and for the first time in a new Chanel scent, Grasse Tuberose.

Available on Chanel.com in August and department and specialty stores in September.

Thursday, July 6, 2017

L'Oreal Pure Clay Cleanser- Detox Brightener



When Summer rolls around, or even Spring for that matter, the oil in my skin starts to ramp up.  Plus it gets hot and humid. I am always ready for a good cleanser to get all the grime and grease off . I need something tough but I also don't want something that will strip or dry out my skin.  As I get older I need to find the balance between deep cleansing and good skincare.


This new Pure Clay Cleanser from L'Oreal seems to be meeting both those things. It gets my skin clean including pores, wipes off all the makeup and oil but leaves skin feeling soft and smooth .

The clay is  a gel to mousse  mousse out of the tube and a little is all you need. It foams and expands some, rinses clean and has a nice  green tea like scent. Charcoal powder is an ingredient but you don't get that harsh smell, thankfully.


There are two other varieties in the Pure Clay Cleanser line , one with red algae, the other eucalyptus.

If you're normal to oily and  your skin is feeling the heat , these are well worth a try.


L'Oreal Pure Clay Cleansers are $ 6.99




Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Sweat Cosmetics Mineral Foundation



Easy to use , long wear and mineral powder based, that's Sweat Cosmetics Mineral Foundation, developed by pro and Olympic level athletes. While I am not the most active person, I still sweat , am oily and wear makeup off fast so this might just be for me.
The loose powder foundation comes in a small tub and that tub gets placed inside the twist up brush tube.  It has an end cap making it very portable.  And that's the idea, for those on the go , whether travel or active, this can be carried , used and put away very easily . 


The foundation itself is a nice, finely milled powder that looks and feels light on skin.  There is no oil or moisturizers . It has good coverage , medium  I would say  with a smooth, perfected look due to the powder.  It also gives skin just a touch of a glow.  It is  buildable too, with the brand's instructions saying two applications are best. 

I found this covered and filled my pores really well, which is something I really need and look for.  It wore well, all day without fading and  light oil breakthrough on the T Zone.  I haven't tested it in water yet or a lot of sweat,  but it is said to be 80 minute water resistant . 


It has SPF with zinc oxide  at 16.0 %  so it makes a very effective sunscreen too .  No white cast, no heaviness. Touch ups during the day over makeup are something I sometimes use it for instead of my pressed matte powders. 

The brush attached to this is not bad, but it's not the best. It's not as soft as it could be , not stiff  just not great.   You could use your own brush for times when you are home and have one handy. 

This is refillable also, with the small tubs being sold individually along with the full kit. 


Sweat Cosmetics Mineral Foundation is $ 42 and comes in 5 shades. 
Refills are $ 24 . Both at Sephora 



Sunday, July 2, 2017

Sally Hansen Insta Dri x Crayola Collection



 Directly inspired by shades of beloved Crayola crayons and sporting the logo on the caps,  these new Sally Hansen nail colors bring an extra dose of fun .

I love the Insta Dri formula , it truly dries fast with good color payoff and I rarely allow enough time to do my nails  . Using this gets them done quickly and without worrying about smudges ,dings etc.  Great for quick polish changes too.


The 12 shades are bold and bright . They are called a Back To School Collection  but really they will look great for Summer against bronzed skin and with sandals not to mention a fun distraction for the kids to try out. Crayola speaks to the kid in all of us .

These are available now wherever Sally Hansen is sold.


Wild Strawberry

Sunset Orange

Carnation Pink

Dandelion

Granny Smith Apple

Cerulean

Vivid Violet

White

Razzmatazz

Scarlet

Denim

Purple Heart