Category Archives: Reviews

Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion (Review + Swatches)

August 17, 2015Makeup, Reviews, SwatchesMake Up For EverChelle

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I don’t think I speak often about bronzers, although I’m not sure why, because I FREAKING LOVE THEM. If you’re a regular reader that goes through my “What’s On My Face” volumes, you’ll note that I’m always wearing some kind of bronzer. Even if I don’t have lipstick on, I’ve still go some kind of healthy glow going on my face. There’s something very, very satisfying about taking a big ole brush, swirling it in a compact and then dusting it onto your face in select areas!

Make Up For Ever recently launched a whole whack of new bronzers – Pro Fusion Bronze – that feature a shade range intended for everyone. And they didn’t half ass it either. Boasting six new compacts, the range of shades gives you the option to choose from two finishes – matte luminous or softly iridescent.

Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 30M

Made out of the same firm gelee type powder as the Sculpting Duos, the Pro Bronze Fusion bronzers promise “no trace, no powdery finish, only mistake-proof colour”.

Being the bronzer addict that I am, I was like “oh hell yes, bring on the darkest colour you’ve got, let’s see what this puppy can do!” So I opted for shade 30M, the deepest shade they had in a “matte luminous” finish.

Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 30M - swatches — Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 30M – swatches

And then I swatched it and it terrified me. I mean, holy shit, look at that! The underside of my arm might as well be alabaster to that intensely chocolately-bronze shade! The bronzer does promise to be “lightweight, [with] buildable coverage and effortless blendability”. So with that in mind, I went to town.

This is my face with only foundation on it for my comparison.

Wearing Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 30M

And here we are with the Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion bronzer in 30M. I applied this to the outer edges of my forehead, the very back, top area of my cheekbones, along my jaw line and on top of my nose (because hey, that’s where you tan right?).

With and without Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion in 30M (and with eyebrows, lol)

And you know what? It works, it really, really works. I have a relatively pale skintone and I can make the darkest of these bronzers work for me with little to no work at all! It is buildable, so even though it may look like I went lightly, rest assured that you can build this up and get a pretty intense bronzed look. For the sake of my own skin tone though, I kept it to how I would normally wear bronzer: apparent, but not overdone. (Or so I think, anyway!)

Final Thoughts

Due to the nature of the gelee powder, you don’t find yourself kicking up a lot of powder (and consequently getting WAY too much product on your face) which helps immensely with application. I love that the 30M shade has a slight reddish hint to it, which is something I *really* like a bronzer since I tend to look more red than orange when I get a natural tan.

This bronzer is highly foolproof. It doesn’t look powdery or unnatural at all. It claims to be waterproof, but I don’t ever wear makeup around water so I’d have no reason to test that. However, I have worn it on some ridiculously hot days here in Toronto (looking at you “feels like 37C”) and it’s neither faded nor worn away.

I also am hugely appreciative of the fact that there are a whopping SIX SHADES in this range. This gives everyone the opportunity to find something they love, or find something that they feel comfortable wearing. LOVE.

This post features a press sample sent for consideration.

Ombre Lips with Maybelline’s Color Blurs

August 10, 2015Makeup, Reviews, Swatches, TutorialsMaybellineChelle

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You may have noticed the Maybelline Color Blurs have started popping up at drugstores across Canada lately. It’s a lineup of fairly awesome bright matte colours.

Bright, matte colours? Take me now!

Currently available in ten shades; the Color Blurs range from several shades of pinks to some dark reds. There’s an orange and a plum thrown into the mix as well.

So what’s the deal with the Color Blurs? Well, it’s a twist up product (twist from the BOTTOM! It’s weird, but that’s how it works!) similar to the chubby lip crayons that have been popular for quite while now. Thankfully these are on the much thinner side which means they are a lot easier to apply to the lips (for me anyway) and you can get a much more precise line.

Maybelline Color Blurs - Smudger — Maybelline Color Blurs – Smudger

On the opposite end is a soft rubbery smudger intended to help give you a blown out/blurred look.

Maybelline Color Blur in Fast & Fuchsia and Berry Misbehaved

The colours are opaque on the lips in one swipe and pack one hell of a colour punch. I mean, look at the swatches – that’s a LOT of colour!

Maybelline Color Blur Berry Misbehaved - Smudged Application — Maybelline Color Blur Berry Misbehaved – Smudged Application

In keeping with Maybelline‘s recommendation with these products, I applied a little bit of the Color Blur in Berry Misbehaved to the inside edge of my lips. I then used the smudger to blur out the edges towards the outside of my lips. It’s a bit on the high maintenance side, but it actually produces quite a beautiful effect. I looked into it a bit more and it seems to be a lip trend that started in Korea last year (2014) and it’s started to seep into North America trends recently. It’s supposed to give you that “been eating a popsicle” look. It’s a reverse ombre in my eyes, and I think that makes this trend fairly unique.

Maybelline Color Blur Berry Misbehaved - Full On Application — Maybelline Color Blur Berry Misbehaved – Full On Application

Of course, if you want full colour impact, you can absolutely achieve that with this product. And my god how it delivers.

Maybelline Color Blur Fast & Fuchsia - Smudged Application — Maybelline Color Blur Fast & Fuchsia – Smudged Application

Here’s how the second shade (Fast & Fuchsia) looks blurred out. It’s a slight bit softer than Berry Misbehaved, but I personally don’t notice much of a colour difference when it’s applied this way.

Maybelline Color Blur Fast & Fuchsia - Full On Application — Maybelline Color Blur Fast & Fuchsia – Full On Application

However, with a full application, you can definitely see the difference between the two shades.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re looking for the blurred effect that Maybelline suggests, or are just seekingr a new vibrant matte colour for your lips, these Color Blurs absolutely deliver. They are smooth and feel soft on the lips. They don’t drag or feel chalky which is an absolute blessing in a matte lip products. They also provide full colour opacity in one swipe. The Color Blurs are scent-free, so if you’re not a fan of Maybelline‘s traditional sweet scent these will absolutely make you happy!

And the smudger? I totally scoffed at it when I first saw it thinking I could produce a better result with my fingertip. I was wrong – that smudger is golden for getting that soft blurred out line. Be sure to wipe it off between uses so you have a clean smudger every time you start blurring out your edges for that ombre look.

In case you hadn’t guessed, I give the Color Blurs two very enthusiastic thumbs up!

This post features press samples sent for consideration.

Becca x Jaclyn Hill – Champagne Pop (Review & Swatches)

July 29, 2015Makeup, Reviews, SwatchesBECCA, Jaclyn HillChelle

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Becca. Jaclyn Hill. Champagne Pop. For the last two weeks, those have been the most repeated words in the beauty community.

And it’s not hard to see why. Jaclyn Hill is a YouTube beauty phenomenon, that has stayed truly devoted to makeup tutorials over the years. (Something I appreciate since a lot of beauty gurus have become lifestyle vloggers instead.)

And then there’s Becca Cosmetics. A makeup brand known for creating gorgeous highlighters formally known as Shimmering Skin Perfectors – Pressed.

Combine them and suddenly the internet’s beauty lovers explode with product lust.

Becca - Champagne Pop box — Becca – Champagne Pop box

The gist of this story is that Jaclyn Hill has been a devotee of Becca highlighters (and blushes) for years. She got the opportunity to work with Becca recently and created Champagne Pop – a limited edition Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed (aka a highlighter) that is intended to work on any shade of skin.

I’m not usually one for box packaging, but it’s hard not to love this one – it was designed to look like champagne bubbles! I don’t keep the boxes for my products, but man was I ever a bit remorseful when I finally threw it out last night!

Becca - Champagne Pop compact — Becca – Champagne Pop compact

As with all Becca highlighters, Champagne Pop comes in a clam shell compact and contains 8 grams of product. It also set me back a whopping $46 CAD – easily the most money I have ever paid for a highlighter. (Even when I take into consideration Charlotte Tilbury‘s Bronze & Glow!)

Becca - Champagne Pop with Jaclyn Hill signature overlay — Becca – Champagne Pop with Jaclyn Hill signature overlay

However, like everyone else out there, I wasn’t to be deterred by the price point! As a regular viewer of Jaclyn Hill’s videos I wanted to support her creation, and I *had* been meaning to bite the bullet on purchasing a Becca highlighter, I just hadn’t gotten around to it.

Becca - Champagne Pop — Becca – Champagne Pop

When I first opened the compact I was absolutely dazzled. Champagne Pop is a champagne shade with a peach undertone and a golden reflect. It is *beautiful*. The powder has this insane reflect to it that is near impossible to capture in pictures.

Having never used a Becca product before, I need to mention that I was happy with the packaging. It’s sturdy, compact and snaps shut with a click. It has a solidity to it that I really appreciate, especially when I’m paying $50 for it!

Becca - Champagne Pop swatches — Becca – Champagne Pop swatches

From the swatch above, you can see that there’s almost a duochrome iridescence to it as it curves around the outer edges of my arm. It goes from a champagne/gold to a peach gold on the bottom edge. While I don’t necessarily see that on my face, I do feel like it gives the product a lot of dimension.

Wearing Champagne Pop in some random restaurant's bathroom - I was trying to capture the glow! — Wearing Champagne Pop in some random restaurant’s bathroom – I was trying to capture the glow!

Trying to capture the effect a highlighter gives your face is difficult. It’s one of those products that you catch a glimpse out of the corner of your eye as you turn your head towards a mirror, but never one that you see when you look at yourself straight on. However, if you see it on someone else (and I have, because everyone I know is wearing it!) holy god does it ever look gorgeous. It pops your cheekbones like nobody’s business.

There was a lot of concern from lighter skinned people that this shade would verge on being too dark. The shot above is my relatively pale skin in daylight (thanks Julie!) with Champagne Pop on the tops of my cheekbones. I think it’s gorgeous and it is definitely light enough for me.

Final Thoughts

If you can afford Champagne Pop (and can still find it!), I think it’s worth the price tag. This is the only highlighter I’ve used since I purchased it which I think speaks volumes for any makeup obsessor out there. There’s a luminosity to Becca‘s Champagne Pop that I haven’t been able to find in other highlighters. It’s also pigmented as all hell so while you don’t need a ton of product to get that glow to your face, you may find yourself loving it so much that you decide to bathe your face in it like I do!

The Body Shop – Honey Bronze Collection (Review, Swatches & Look)

July 27, 2015Makeup, Reviews, Reviews, Skincare, SwatchesThe Body ShopChelle

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The Body Shop launched (somewhat) recently several additions to their already popular Honey Bronze lineup (made famous by their Honey Bronzer I believe). With these new additions they’re staying true to the golden goddess look that I’m looking for when when it gets sunny outside. Except, you know, without the added sun damage that comes along with looking tanned!

The Body Shop - Honey Bronze Highlighting Domes — The Body Shop – Honey Bronze Highlighting Domes

These were the absolute highlight (GET IT?!) of the collection to me. They’re labelled as the Honey Bronze Highlighting Domes, but they come in three colours that are very clearly suited towards traditional bronzer, blush and highlighter shades.

Shade 3 is the bronzer of the group. It has a red tint on top of the usual golden shade of a bronzer. I appreciate this because I like that edge of “I got slightly burned” without actually being in pain. (I realize that sounds like an odd description, but a bit of red in a bronzing shade is far more believable that outright orange.)
Shade 3 is a pink blush shade with a hint of golden sheen. This is STUNNING on the cheeks. I could wear this shade every day and be perfectly happy.
Shade 1 is a traditional champagne highlight shade.

As I was shooting my photos, Nemo wanted a cuddle. And I wasn’t going to say no to that face!

Annnnd back to the Highlighting Domes. Although the packaging is quite bulky, it makes them look absolutely adorable. The product inside each of them is just incredible. Each dome has the same consistency: they’re a hard cream-like formula with a faint sheen. Since they do have that harder consistency, I use a firm brush to pick up the product and blend them into the skin.

I really can’t rave about Highlighting Domes enough. I love the finished look on my skin. The bronzer looks natural, the highlighter is doing its shiny thang and the blush… oh my god the blush. I can’t get over that blush shade. I love, love, LOVE how that looks on my face and I swear it’ll match any eye look I come up with too. LOVE!

Also part of the collection is the Tinted Face Gel. I was excited, but a little bit nervous, to try this one out. I’ve never really done any kind of self tanning before (aside from actually laying out IN the sun) so this was a whole new world to me.

The gel is really, really dark when you first squeeze it out of the tube. Frighteningly so. Thankfully it spreads out to be a far more subtle shade once it’s blended into the skin.

The Body Shop Tinted Face Gel - Before and After — The Body Shop Tinted Face Gel – Before and After

But… I’m not sold on it. In the above shot, I applied it directly to my face and rubbed it in like a moisturizer. It applied evenly and didn’t streak. However, now that I’m sitting here writing about it, I’m feeling kind of stupid – maybe I should’ve mixed it with my foundation and applied it to my face that way? Perhaps that’d give me a more natural look? I’m too distracted by the fact that my face looks like a completely different colour from my neck. Alright people, how do YOU wear tinted face gels? Give me your advice!

During the summer I often end up with a fairly annoying sock and shin pad tan lines from running and soccer, and they look pretty darn stupid when I’m wearing a dress and have bright white feet or shins. While my tan lines haven’t been extreme this year, I’d still really like to be able to add some colour to my legs while also covering up my usual mishmash of tan lines. The Tinted Leg Mist could be a possible solution to this.

On the left side, I’ve applied several coats of the Tinted Leg Mist. On the right, nothing at all. The difference is subtle, but it is definitely there. I like how natural it is – it really does look like I’d gotten a tan and not like I’d covered myself in self tanner. I will say though, I’m not sure how well this will hold up if you’re sitting down. I would recommend this on nights when you know you’re going to be standing up a lot – at bars, dancing, or an event with a lot of mingling. I don’t feel like this would sweat off, but it does feel like you could rub it off on furniture, etc.

Nemo was all up in these products!

Final Thoughts

The Highlighting Domes knocked it completely out of the park for me! I love how they applied to my skin – all three shades worked well together to create beautiful glowing face makeup. I’m curious to see if The Body Shop will release more shades in this formula – I think it’d be a win for a lot of people.

The Tinted Face Gel was too far off the beaten path for me – although I am going to try mixing it with a foundation the next time I try it to see if I get better results.

The Tinted Leg Mist is very cool, but it’s kind of a take it or leave it product. If you’re in the market for a leg mist, this might be your jam. Unfortunately I can’t compare the longevity of it to anything else on the market as I’ve not tried anything else. But, I do love the natural looking colour it added to my legs.

If nothing else, you need to check out those Highlighting Domes. Serious winners in my book.

This review features press samples sent for consideration.

Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss (Review + Swatches)

July 25, 2015Makeup, Reviews, SwatchesMaybellineChelle

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One of the most interesting things I saw on Swatch and Review‘s event recap of Maybelline‘s 100th birthday was the brand new Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Glosses. Although I had never actually purchased a Baby Lips before (shock, horror!), it was hard to resist how tempting these Baby Lips Glosses look. They look downright juicy, fun and come in a multitude of colours.

There are three finishes – shimmers, creams and jellies – and feature a lightweight texture with a refreshing fruity scent that isn’t overpowering. They are non-sticky (yay!) and are predominantly translucent when applied to the lips.

Let’s take a look!

Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss - Tickled Pink — Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss – Tickled Pink

Tickled Pink is a soft pink with a cream finish.

Tickled Pink goes on the lips with a somewhat milky texture, but spreads out to be a sheer wash. It’s very easy to wear – slap it on your lips and you’re good to go. Not a lot of fuss with this one – it’s the perfect topper to any lipstick if you need just a hint more pink or really want that glossy feel.

Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss - Fuchsia Flicker — Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss – Fuchsia Flicker

Fuchsia Flicker is a shimmer gloss with flecks of hot pink sparkles.

Fuchsia Flicker is great to ramp up the sparkle and shine on your lips. Use it alone and you get a faint hint of sparkle on your lips, or use it over a lipstick to get some additional shimmer. It’s not opaque, so you’re mostly going to get the sparkle on your lips and not the colour from the tube. The sparkles are finely cut so that they don’t give your lips a gritty texture.

Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss - Berry Chic — Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Gloss – Berry Chic

Berry Chic is a red-orange tinted jelly gloss.

Out of the three, Berry Chic is definitely the most pigmented. I’ve worn this one the most because it definitely puts more colour on my lips than the rest of them.

Final Thoughts

The Maybelline Baby Lips Moisturizing Lip Glosses have a wide range of colours with enough textures to keep everyone happy. They are a primarily translucent gloss that are intended to moisturize your lips, so you won’t find a ton of colour payoff in most of the shades (out of the ones I tried anyway!). From my perspective, I look for more colour in my lip products, so these aren’t something I will personally reach for very often.

Wear time is average for a gloss for me – I tend to reapply every 90 minutes or so just to keep the texture going on my lips. They are smooth feeling and easy to wear. Due to the nature of the translucency of the pigment, I experienced no bleed out of my lip line which is highly appreciated! They are completely comfortable on the lips and you definitely do not need a mirror to touch up!

Aside from their moisturizing properties (which heaven knows everyone needs!), one of the things I thought of while wearing these is how much they would appeal to teens who are just starting to get into makeup. The Baby Lips Glosses are a perfect transition item from chapstick to actual lipstick for younger generations. They’re a highly popular item right now so you get the feeling of being “on trend” without going over the top. Just some food for thought from my end of things. (Says the woman with no kids, granted!)

The glosses retail for roughly $6 CAD and are starting to show up in drugstores across Canada right now. I can see these being a huge hit and I anticipate limited edition releases later on!

This review features press samples sent for consideration.