MAC Extra Dimension Blush in Blazing Haute & At Dusk

Blazing Haute, At Dusk

At last the MAC Extra Dimension blushes along with the whole new In Extra Dimension collection has landed.

What surprised me about these blushes were they weren't as boldly pigmented as I somehow expected nor as deep as they look in the pan.  That's not bad  , mind you , but I thought they'd be pigment powerhouses , I guess like the Skin Finishes.  Instead they are more of a medium pigment, a medium flush of pretty color,  which makes them very wearable for those of us who are paler and without  a lot of blending. That's  more than one layer in my swatches .

There is plenty of color just not super bold.  They have very light  shimmer but nothing like the Extra Dimension Skin Finish and MAC calls them satin. 

Shown are Blazing Haute which is a  peachy, dusky orange ,  and At Dusk, a face brightening rose.  There are more shades - Flaming Chic which is described as a bright blue pink and Fiery Impact ,a  burnt red bronze and Bareness, a rose beige.

I haven't had a lot of time to play with these but I like them so far. I am a huge fan of Extra Dimension Skin Finish ( new ones to come in  separate post) so these totally appeal to me. They apply easily, no streaks and I have a feeling will wear well, since MAC blushes pretty much always  do.

MAC Extra Dimension Blush is $25 and available now.

Dial Skin Therapy & Coconut Water Body Wash

Dial  continues to surprise me with their line of body washes.  First was the super good Cranberry, then NutriSkin.  New are Skin Therapy  and Coconut Water shower gels.

Coconut Water is a typical shower gel. It's lightly scented with a hint of coconut , not too much lather and washes clean fast.  The fresh scent and feel make it great for those who don't like heavy moisturizing gels and for the warmer weather ahead.

According to Dial , Coconut Waters has five electrolytes  including sodium , magnesium and calcium for replenishment.

Skin Therapy Body Wash  is the more hydrating gel. The Exfoliating one shown has small beads to help slough off dead skin , a good bit of lather and  adds  moisture to skin. I almost felt as if I didn't need lotion after.  The scent is light with a little bit of a floral feel.

Skin Therapy also comes in a Replenishing version and both have the Himalayan Pink Salt also found in the new 7 Day Moisturizing Lotion I reviewed here.

Dial's new body washes are available now and retail for $ 4.99 for a 16 oz bottle.

Birchbox Home: From The Garden Box

Spring cleaning,  changing beauty routines, Earth Day, Mothers Day . The newest box from Birchbox has you potentially covered for all of the above.

Home: From the Garden is the 2nd LE home box from the company and includes   a  Core Bamboo Radish Print Utility Knife, Sarabeth’s Legendary Spreadable Fruit,  Tocca Crema da Mano Luxe, a preview of the new L'Occitane Jasmine & Bergamot ,  Baggu shopping bag, Lafco mini candle tin  ,  and  more.


From the Garden will be available on April 11th for  $32 ( value of $87)

www.birchbox.com

Chanel UV Essentiel- 2013

Back in 2009 when  the first  Chanel UV Essentiel  came out it there wasn't much in the way of SPF for us oily skinned gals, to my knowledge. This was a ray of sunshine to protect from said sunshine for me. Finally I had a sunscreen that I could use in hotter weather  that wouldn't make me oilier or break out. It mattified and dried down to an imperceptible finish.

SPF 20, 30, 50

Since then many companies have thankfully brought out light, matte , high SPFs for face. And now Chanel has updated their product  as well as releasing three SPF levels of protection instead of one.  It seems though with the update this has gotten a little more moisturizing and less mattifying. Good news for normal skinned ladies , a little less so for us oilies.

In SPF 30 and 50 the  new formula has glycerin as opposed to the castor oil of the original, the SPF 20 has none.  So the SPF 20 seems closest  in feel to the older formula and is slightly matte.   SPF 30 and 50  go on with   more of a  dewy feel/finish.

SPF 20, 30,50

UV Essentiel is still very light  and blends in easily . To use you need to shake the container well . It's a very thin  white liquid you then use under makeup  or on it's own. It makes a great makeup base  and adds no color or tint, but does have a slight white cast that needs blended.  All three SPF levels use physical blocker titanium dioxide in varying strengths. SPF 50 also has  zinc oxide,  while  20 and 30 have ensulizole and octinoxate. Licorice root extract is also in there to help prevent hyperpigmentation.

The bottle is a  thin  chic one  measuring  4 x 1- 1/2 inches that easily stashes in a bag or pocket for daytime touch ups.

 Chanel UV Essentiel SPF 20, 30 or 50 is $ 55  for 1 oz and available now.