Yves Rocher Flawless Skin Concealer Review

 

I was sent the new face makeup for Yves Rocher to review. For some reason, they sent me this concealer in pinky medium instead of pinky light. Unlike the foundations that are the perfect shade for me, this concealer is too dark. But as long as I don't use it under my eyes I can make it work.

And to give you an idea of its shade, I put it next to my benefit boi-ing concealer in 01 and my time balm concealer in lighter than light.

And its a PERFECT time to try out a concealer since my face has bee a pimply, broken out, red and irritated mess for the last week. Ever since my makeover last Friday! So here is my scary before pic.

As you can see its far too dark but it does have excellent coverage you could build up to cover pretty much everything if it matched well. Its creamy and soft and feels nice on.

And here it is blended as well as I could. I would have tried to build it up more if the shade was a better match.

The concealer retails for $16 but its on sale on the Yves Rocher website HERE for $9 right now. I think I may have to pick it up in the lightest pink shade Light Pinky.

February 2015 Birchbox Unboxing

So this is my third birchbox and my 3rd and 4th Harvey Prince samples. That means more than 20% of my samples have come from this brand. Which would be obnoxious even if I enjoyed the brand, but seeing as I don't its simply angering. A bottle of shampoo and conditioner are two pieces of the box. Each tube is almost 75% empty and the mere 15ml volume gives each tube a value of $1,10.

The anti wrinkle scrub is not really in keeping with my beauty profile with birchbox nor is it something I am excited to try. That being said, its at least a new brand (the only product from a brand I have not previously gotten in my first two boxes) and it has a value of $3.38.

Now the lip stain from Cynthia Rowley is NOT a stain. Its at best a lacquer but more factually a pigmented gloss. If you go by the values of the box its a $10 value. They call the brand a Birchbox exclusive brand and price this at over $20. But this is a brand often found at TJ Maxx, Winners and other discount stores and when found there its $5.99-$7.99. So I will call this a $5 value and to be truthful, I think I am being over generous with that.

The Cindy-Lou Manizer is a great product to try (though again, not a new brand since I had a product in my first box) but its TINY. Like beyond tiny. It has a value of $1.74. And I actually am happy to try this product. Its the only product I am happy to try in the box.

That being said, its TINY. Did I mention TINY? Compared to a the cap from a soda pop bottle. And that makes it near impossible to comfortably get a highlighting brush in the cardboard packaging.

Overall, I really disliked this box. I know that was hard to tell from my review, but this is box number three and the only new brand I get to try is from an anti aging product. Yay me. The box costs $15 and has a value of $17.32 if you go with the insane value they give for the lipstain, and truthfully its more like a $10-$12 value. For a $15 box. So at BEST you are getting a $2 profit on your box if you LOVE every product.

If by some insane fluke this box makes you want to run out and get a bircbox, you can sign up here. I will try one more box and if it doesnt get better (though I cant see how it wont get at least a LITTLE better) I will cancel. 

MONT BALM & LA BALMBA Mont Balm & La Bamba Quads From the Balm

These two new palettes are super cute and if they are anything like the rest of the eyeshadow offerings from the Balm, they are going to be top notch! Right now only at Kohls (not sure I will be near a Kohls in my upcoming US trips) I am kinda hoping they show up on the Birchbox website! I would love to get my hands on BOTH of these! 

the Balm Mr Write Now Eyeliners

As you all are well aware, I have started to obsess a bit over eyeliners. So imagine my excitement when I saw that the Balm is coming out with a line of them! the Balm Mr Write Now Eyeliners will be $17USD and should be up on their website now! Shades include: Brian B. (Beige) Jac B. (Bronze) Bill B. (Mocha) Scott B. (Bordeaux) Wayne B. (Khaki) Vince B. (Charcoal) Raj B. (Navy) and Dean B. (Onyx) .

The Balm Nude Dude Eyeshadow Palette Volume 2

Shades in this palette are:

1. Fearless
2. Flawless
3. Firm
4. Flirty
5. Friendly
6. Fierce
7. Fabulous
8. Faithful
9. Fit
10. Feisty
11. Funny
12. Fine

I have to say, I love the first one and am super excited to try this one! What do you think?

New Read My Lips Lipglosses From theBalm

These are now available on theBalm's website!

Read My Lips lip glosses feature a wide range of shades that make a statement without saying a word. “Smart-mouthed” takes on a new meaning with this unique formula fortified with ginseng, a powerful antioxidant known for its mentally stimulating properties. Features: Read My Lips have a non-tacky, medium to high pay off. They contain Ginseng and Green Tea extracts, known for their energizing properties. They are also formulated with Aloe, a powerful moisture-binding humectant.

The Balm CUSTOM Palettes!

Thats right! The Balm is coming out with build your own palettes!! Insert crowds cheering and people screaming now! I LOVE eyeshadows from The Balm! The only problem I really have is that the palettes in general either have cream products (the Bon Jovi palette for instance. GRR!!) or like the Meet Matte palettes I only like half the shades. I am ALWAYS a fan of the build your own system, and with the price point of these, I am an even bigger fan!

The palette are either 9 pan or 16 pan palettes and cost $8 or $10 each (obviously the 9 pan is the cheaper one). The top image is of the nine pan palettes and the lower picture are the 16 pan options.

Now, obnoxiously, the shades are only numbered. Just like Inglot. And just like Inglot, I fricken HATE when shadows are only numbered. But I guess you cant have it all. Each shadow retails for $6.50 but you get a MAJOR discount if you fill a pan when you buy it. If you buy a filled 9 pan, the cost is $44 instead of $66.50 and if you buy a filled 16 pan you only pay $64 instead of $116! Talk about great deals for a palette that you know is 100% shades YOU love.

So what do you guys think? Are you as excited about this as I am? I love palettes as I find they are just easier to use and as much as I buy singles thinking I will use them, I ALWAYS end up neglecting them. The downside of palettes is you are almost guaranteed to have shades in them that you don't like or don't use. Build your own palettes are to me the PERFECT option. When they don't cost you $100 for a build your own quad like Urban Decay ones do! Seriously, why would I pay ONE HUNDRED FRICKEN DOLLARS for an Urban Decay quad? At that price, you can buy a Le Metier De Beaute kaleidoscope or buy a Dior or Chanel quint and have money left over. But I am off topic. I will end the UD rant here!

Please, let me know what you think. Are you feeling these?

Packing For a 10 Day Trip. What Do You Take?

So I leave tomorrow for ten days. And that means packing. But for me, its not just ten casual days. I have 11 events/dinners/shows that I have to go to. And that makes packing light oh so very stressful. I am actually quite proud of myself for how I much I am taking. I think its quite reasonable for such a trip!

It starts with two bags. Both are Dior. The white one I love, but the black one. OH. MY. The BEST BEST BEST gift with purchase I have EVER received. I love this thing. It is about hte size of a 3 inch binder. But its brilliant.

This is what it looks like when you open it up.

Notice it folds open to a full mirror (the size of a standard sheet of loose leaf).

And under that is a place for makeup brushes. Which means when I take this bag I dont have to take my travel brushes. I can take full sized brushes!

I have two Hakuhodo Face Brushes, My new Lise Watier foundation brush (which I like far more than my Bobbi Brown one) and my chanel concealer bursh (I dont love).

And 5 eye brushes

Also, the one makeup bag detaches from the case.

Here is what is in the mesh bag. My Clarisonic Mia and charger, the little clear bottles are my Clinique Acne Solutions Toner x3 (each one is tiny and holds about 3-4 days worth) and the pink liquid is astringent which is good to have for days I feel I need it. Also I have cotton pads, a travel size of my moisture surge moisturizer (I save this jar and then refill it when I travel), a very generous size of philosophy eye cream, a small travel size of my purity cleanser, and a deluxe sample of the clinique roller ball for under eye circles.

Safety pins (just because), tweezers, scissors,  a file, a light, a magnifying glass and more and a mini deodorant.

Then in the small pouch are 2 weeks worth of my pills/vitamins, q-tips, advil, toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, perfume samples, and hand sanitizer.

And here it is all folded up.

And the makeup bag. This was hard. I want options for different things, but I dont want to take 1000 items.

For the face:

1. Clarins Cotton Flower Face Palette to set my makeup
2. Edward Bess Kabuki Brush
3. NARS Deep Throat Blush
4. NARS Penny Lane Cream Blush
5. NARS Pro Prime Skin Smoothing Face Prep Base
6. The Balm Time Balm Concealer
7. Foundation (originally little tester samples that I now refill with my Dior Foundation)
8. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Brightener
9. Laura Mercier Deluxe Sample Foundation Primer

For The Eyes

1. Dior Sunset Cafe Quint
2. Chantecaille Sea Turtles Palette
3. Estee Lauder Lash Primer Plus Deluxe Sample (I have about 12 backups of these! Obsessed!)
4. Deluxe Mascara Sample
5. Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in 82 Emerveille
6. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion
7. Urban Decay Eyeliner in Mildew
8. Urban Decay double sided eyeliner in Zero and Whiskey
9. Anabelle Eyeliner Pencils in Auburn and Blonde

And for Lips:

1. Givenchy Rouge Interdit in Secret Pink
2. Clarins  Joli Rouge Lipstick in Hawiian Coral
3. Loreal Colour Riche Balms in Caring Coral and Plush Plum

So what do you think? Is this way too much? Let me know what you would do in the comments.

Also, with the eminent end of Google Friend Connect approaching I would love if you could take two seconds and click on the link in the top of the sideabar to add me on blog lovin!

My Stash - The Shadows!!!

So while I was working on my Inglot post, someone asked me to post my eyeshadow stash. I was not aware of quite how INSANE it was until doing this. I hereby solemnly swear to stick by my self imposed eyeshadow NO BUY from now through the end of 2013. 

All my shadows are kept on top of my tall dresser. (the majority of my makeup is on my shorter wider dresser). The shadow is housed in four of the 6 plastic drawers as well as three palettes that are too large which sit between the drawers. On the top of my shadows are all my perfumes. I am quite happy to say that I am working my way through the perfumes and just finished off a bottle last week! Yay for USING up what I already have!

Here are my too big to fit in the drawers palettes as well as a metro card? I have no idea why I keep it there, but I always end up with a balance on it since they did away with the unlimited DAILY fee. Why oh why did they get rid of that?!! Anyways, I'm getting WAY off topic. Here are my Le Metier De Beaute Roopal Patel Runway Palette, my Naked Palette and my nude tude palette. All have been previously reviewed on my blog.

In the drawers, only four of the six are eyeshadow. One of them is lip glosses and balms, and the other is my hair accessories and apparently my Hakuhodo travel brush set (not sure why thats in there!).

Now on to the actual eyeshadow stash. The top drawer on the right houses my Urban Decay 15 year anniversary palette, two Too Faced creme shadows and a Tarantino eyeshadow single.

The bottom drawer on the left hand side contains my By Terry shadows, my kaleidescope, Lancome, Estee Lauder, Laura Mercier, Elizabeth Arden, Bobbi Brown, Clarins and Korres shadows. 

The middle drawer on the left houses my Chanel, Dior and Charlotte Ronson shadows. 

And the last drawer houses my Inglot, Chantecaille, Stilla and Quo. I have not ever used the Quo shadows before. They were on clearance for a ridiculous price and I succumbed. I shouldnt have, but all I can say is lesson learned. 

 

And here is the insanity all together. See what I mean? I DEFINITELY need to stick to my no buy!! And start wearing eyeshadow more than just on the weekends!