Aqualillies for Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Eye And Cheek Palette

"Make a splash with this palette inspired by America’s most glamorous synchronized swimming group! Aqualillies reinvent the classic art of water ballet and mesmerize audiences with their modern strength and vintage beauty. "

Tarte recently released a new collection for Spring/Summer entitled Aqualillies containing several different water/splash proof products.  I decided to picked up the limited edition Amazonian Clay Waterproof Eye and Cheek palette. The Amazonian clay-infused palette contains six new eye shadows, a bronzer, a highlighter, and a limited-edition blush all tucked inside a classically elegant, mirrored compact. It's powered by skin-balancing Amazonian clay and skin-softening mineral pigments to create a splash proof look. 

L to R: Champagne, Park Ave Princess, Captivating

First let's talk about the face and cheeks products in this adorable palette.  Amazonian Clay Shimmering Powder in Champagne is a shimmering pressed powder infused with Amazonian clay that adds a customizable, luminous glow to cheeks, brow bones and décolletage. This powder is super soft and buttery and adds a light angelic glow to the skin. Amazonian Clay Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Ave Princess (which is one of tarte's top selling products) is a long wearing mineral-based bronzing powder infused with Amazonian clay for a healthy, natural looking glow.  This bronzer is a light yellow gold bronzer with subtle sheen that applies like a dream.   Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Captivating is limited edition to this palette. It's a matte warm peach that adds a perfect pop of color to the cheeks. All three powders are highly pigmented and last all day on the skin. 

L to R: Hammock, Bikini, Barefoot, Parasol, Sun Deck, Poolside

Now on to the eyeshadows.  This palette contains six limited edition shades exclusive to the Aqualillies palette; five of which are neutral shades and one pop of color shade.  Hammock is a matte chocolate brown that can be used as a shadow or a liner. Bikini is a golden peach satin duo chrome, Barefoot is a golden nude shimmer, Parasol is a rosy champagne shimmer, Sun Deck is a matte light brown and Poolside is a bright shimmery turquoise.  All of the shadows are soft to the touch and apply/blend perfectly on the lid. The shadows work really great together to great all sorts of looks.  Below is the look card that was included with the palette, both are really stunning. Overall I love this palette and will probably be reaching for it the majority of the summer because all the products I need are there! It will be great  to take on those summer vacation as well!

Sleek Makeup Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette

Sleek Makeup describes their Face Form palette ($12.49) as “the ultimate contouring compact and definitive accessory for nailing that chiseled supermodel look.” Face Form is available in four shades: Fair, Light, Medium and Dark each containing a contouring powder, highlighter and blush.  I ordered the palette in fair, which happens to work just perfectly on my pale winter skin. 

L to R: contour, highlighter, blush

All three powder products have great color payoff and have a soft texture, which is not chalky. All are easy to apply and blend and when used together, the product make it easy to achieve that beautiful sculpted look  The contouring powder is a matte tan shade that adds the right amount of color without looking muddy on the skin. Be warned though, this product needs to be used with a light hand as it is super pigmented. I learned that the hard way the first time I applied. Hello 1980’s cheeks!! The highlighter is a cream shade with a shimmery pearl finish and provides a subtle glow to the upper cheekbones and anywhere else you would like to highlight. The blush in Rose Gold, a warm peachy pink shade with gold shimmer (similar to NARS Orgasm or theBalm Hot Mama), provides a pop of color to the cheeks.

Overall, a great all-in-one kit for the face/cheeks. You really can’t bet the price for such great product. Every item I have purchased from Sleek has always been amazing quality (I love the i-Divine eyeshadow palettes…Amazing!). Check out all of Sleek’s products at sleekmakeup.com.

Bobbi Brown Desert Twilight Collection: Bronzer/Blush Duo

 I picked up a few items from the Fall 2012 Desert Twilight Collection from Bobbi Brown. I was strolling through Macys and saw the collection displayed, I was immediately drawn to the Bronzer/Blush Duo ($36.) On one side of the split pan is Illuminating Bronzing Powder in Pink Peony and on the other side Shimmer Blush in Bahama Brown, Bobbi Brown describes it as “the perfect way to add a pop of color to the apples of cheeks. Simply use Bobbi's Blush Brush to create a beautifully blended 'late summer' glow."

This limited-edition Blush/ Bronzer Duo is naturally beautiful and different than any blush/bronzer combo I have used. At first glance you would think that Bahama Brown is the bronzer and Pink Peony is the blush, but it’s just the opposite. Bahama Brown Shimmer Blush is a neutral brown with just a hint of pink which prevents this shade from looking muddy on the skin. Pink Peony Illuminating Bronzer is a neutral pink that will suit almost anyone. It’s similar to Maui or Antigua Illuminating Bronzers in permanent collection. It’s a super soft and smooth powder that glides on evenly. Combined, these shades give a healthy glow to the face that would look beautiful on all skin tones. I have applied this product how Bobbi Brown said to use it, apply Pink Peony all over the face for a subtle glow and add Bahama Brown to the cheek for warmth. I think you could easily use it the reverse way to get a slightly different look. I’ll have to try that out next!

MAC Hey Sailor Pro Longwear Bronzer in Nude on Board

The last product that I picked up from the MAC Hey, Sailor! collection is Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Nude on Board ($28).  MAC describes the new Pro Longwear Bronzer formula as “Combining comfort, flawless sheer-low transparent coverage and long wear; this is bronze with a fully dimensional yet natural finish.” Both shades of Pro Longwear Bronzer are limited edition. 

Nude on Board is described as bronzy, yellow tone on the MAC website.  When swatched on my skin (NC15/20) it is a soft medium tan with a very subtle sheen.  It gives warmth to my skin without looking too orange or overly bronze.  This shade is perfect for light to medium skin tones.  The formula is soft and smooth to the touch, not chalky or dry.  I find that this bronzer is more pigmented than other MAC bronzers that I own.  Even though it is richly pigmented, it can be applied lightly for a soft glow or heavier for a contoured bronze look. I did find that this formula is in fact quite long wearing.  I normally have to touch up my face mid-day but when I used this bronzer, I felt the color last much longer.  I am excited about using this product more over the next couple of weeks when the weather warms up to really test its staying power. 

BECCA Mineral Bronzing/Highlighter Duo

BECCA Mineral Bronzer/ Illuminator, in Serrana, gives my skin a bronzy, candle lit glow.  This bronzer & highlighter duo is matte light bronze on one side and a soft flesh-toned shimmer on the other. BECCA describes this product as a “lightweight bronzing and illuminating duo adds luminous polish and radiance to the complexion, minimizes flaws by deflecting unflattering light and sculpts and defines features with sun kissed warmth.”  It can be used separately or together to give a natural, not orange, bronze glow that is perfect for light to medium skin tones. 

The formula is oil-free and contains mineral pigments.  I find the color pretty long lasting and it applies smoothly and evenly.  It comes packaged in a classic BECCA mirrored compact for on-the-go applications.  I also like to use the highlighter on my eyes, placing a little on the inner corner and on the brow bone.  Yet another lovely product from BECCA, might be my new favorite cosmetics line!

Chanel Summer 2011: Bronze Rose Soliel Tan De Chanel

Chanel Bronze Rose Soliel Tan De Chanel ($50) is my absolute favorite product from the summer 2011 collection from Chanel. This is a limited edition product that also comes in a deeper coral shade. Me being the fair one that I am, I opted for the lighter of the two.

Both shades come with 4 different stripes of colors that are super soft in texture. There is a slight shimmer/sheen to all the shades, which blended together gives a beautiful glow. The top color is a soft medium tan color with soft shimmer, the second a peach with pink iridescence, the third is a deep coopery bronze and the fourth is a bright pink rose color with a soft sheen. When blended all together the bright pink shade gets mixed well with the bronze shades to great a great natural tan glow, not orangey at all. Almost no need for a blush on top. When I got my makeup done this past Saturday at the Chanel event, the MA blended the first three shades together to contour and bronze and then used the pink rose color has a pop of color on the apple of the cheeks. The result was beautiful. Overall LOVE this new addition to my makeup collection and plan on using it all the time!

Laura Geller Baked Beginnings Kit

I picked up the Baked Beginnings Kit from Laura Geller because I wanted to try out two other products of hers, Bronze-N-Brighten and Blush-N-Brighten. This kit comes with three mini sized products and a mini kabuki brush. The products include:

• Balance-N-Brighten in Regular
• Bronze-N-Brighten in Regular
• Blush-N-Brighten in Berry


All together this is a nice to kit if you want to try out all of the popular baked face products. It was nice to get the Balance-N-Brighten in Regular to use in the warmer months instead of the fair I already have. It’s not too much deeper than the fair and will be perfect when I get a little color from the sun. I love this powder because it doesn’t feel heavy on my skin.

Bronze-N-Brighten is a matte baked bronzer with bronze, cream and pink rosy colors swirled throughout. I do have to say that this product in this color applies a little heavy and dark for me right now. With a light hand I am able to apply lightly to add some color. This product will be great when I am tan and I can easily pop it into my purse to take anywhere with me.

The only product I was a little leery about was the Blush-N-Brighten in the color berry. In the product photos it looked deeper berry and I thought it might not be a good color for me. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the color I received had more pink in it than berry. Swirls of shimmery pink, berry and gold mix together to give a healthy glow to the cheeks. Really love the color and is easy to apply with the mini kabuki brush in the kit.

Overall, I am happy with the Laura Geller products I have purchased and can’t wait to see if she introduces some new things for summer.

L to R: Balance-N-Brighten in Regular, Bronze-N-Brighten in Regular, Blush-N-Brighten in Berry

Edward Bess Daydream Ultra Luminous Bronzer Review:

After reading many rave reviews about Edward Bess bronzers, I decided to give it a try. Since I am a smitten kitten about the other products I have purchased from the Edward Bess line, I hoped to fall instantly in love with this bronzer. And I did! If you already didn’t know, I am a bit bronzer picky. Some are too orange, some too shimmery, some too chalky but this bronzer my friends is none of those things. It is perfection!

Daydream ($48) is a beautiful soft bronze. The finish is between a matte and a shimmer. If you look at it hard enough in the compact you will see the subtle sheen. Once applied the sheen comes out and gives you the luminous glow you want. Daydream would look beautiful on pale to light to medium skin tones.

My Bronzers

I have always had a strong affection for bronzers. I have always been on the search for the perfect one or ones I should say. I get a moderately good tan in the summer but in the winter I lose all color I had. I am trying to stay away from the tanning bed considering how awful it is for your skin. So I have turned to self tanning at home. (Review to come on my new self tanners I recently purchased.) When it comes to bronzers I want to achieve that beautiful warm glow that you would get from being on vacation. I definitely stay away from anything too orange or too brown. I am cool with shimmer as long as it is not overboard. Here is a list of some of my current bronzer favorites!

Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzer in Bahama ($33) is my go to bronzer when I am really tan. It is describe as a deep golden bronze and that is exactly what you get. This color would really be more suited for medium to tan skin than my light to medium, but it works nicely when I do have a lot of color. It's very pigmented but blendable, so you can make it very light on the skin.

Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzer in Bahama

Guerlain Terracotta bronzer ($47) has been a cult favorite for years when it comes to bronzing. The Terracotta line is known for creating the perfect bronze look. I own Terracotta 01 bronzing powder which is a soft matte bronze with subtle sheen. This color is usually my go to in the winter when I have less color. It’s goes on lightly but can be layered for more intensity.

Guerlain Terracotta 01 Bronzer

Chanel Soliel Tan de Chanel 4 Facettes is a limited edition bronzer ($65) from the Summer 2009 collection. It is amazing! The four colors blend together to create a soft shimmery peach bronze that looks heavenly on your skin. It’s definitely not overly shimmer, just a perfect amount. What I also like about this bronzer is that it can double as a highlighter using the two lightest shades. Chanel always comes up with an incredible bronzer for their summer collection and this is by far my favorite.

Chanel Soliel Tan de Chanel 4 Facettes Bronzer

MAC Blush Ombre in Springshine ($25) is a limited edition from the 2010 Spring Forecast collection. This was released as a blush but to me it definitely seems more like a bronzer. Springshine has a gradient that fades from one lighter color to the next which is a soft bronze. Swirled together you get a nice peachy bronze effect. It has a soft texture with subtle shimmer and blends wonderfully.

MAC Springshine Blush Ombre

MAC To the Beach Cream Bronzer in Beach Bronze ($25) is the first cream bronzer I have ever owned. I have just recently within the past year gotten into using cream blushers. So when I saw that MAC was releasing a cream bronzer I had to give it a try. I am glad I did because it is great! Beach Bronze is a beautiful sheer warm tan with shimmer. When applied it is lightweight and non-greasy. It leaves you with a warm shimmery glow that lasts all day. Beach Bronze is perfect for light to medium skin tones. However, darker skin tones may find this too light for them. For my first cream bronzer, I was quite happy with this purchase.

MAC Beach Bronze cream bronzer

Left to Right: BB Bahama, Guerlain Terracotta 01, Chanel, MAC Springshine & MAC Beach Bronze

Illamasqua Haul and Review

The British beauty brand Illamasqua has been available at Sephora for some time now but I haven’t really had a chance to check it out because it is only available in select Sephora stores and on-line. I have read several rave reviews of their products so I decide to try a few products that struck my fancy. I purchased two products to start out, Bronzing Duo in Glint/Burnish ($30) and Sheer lip gloss in Provoke ($20).

I love a good bronzer and this duo is a hit for me. It may be a bit shimmery for some but I think it is lovely. The packaging is black and glossy with a big mirror inside. The duo comes with two colors, Glint (soft luminous peach highlighter) and Burnish (soft golden bronze). Together these colors work beautiful together for a soft bronze sheen. Normally I stick to matte bronzer or ones with a very subtle shimmer, but I am quite smitten with this duo.

Left to Right:Glint & Burnish

I also purchased a sheer lip gloss in Provoke which is a warm caramel nude shimmer. There is a slight bubblegum smell to the gloss which I love. The packaging is sleek and light which makes it easy to tote around in a small bag or even your pocket. This color is beautiful, not only because it’s nude (which I love) but it just enhances my lip color with a lovely soft sheen. Definitely a gloss I could just throw on whenever.

Lip gloss in Provoke

Overall, I am very happy with my first Illamasqua purchase. I will most certainly buy more products in this line in the future, so stay tuned. Bye!