YSL glossy stain #5 - rouge vintage

Last month as a surprise, my older sister gifted me a YSL Glossy Stain in a shade that I had been hemming and hawing about buying for myself: Rouge Vintage. I first tried this on in Sephora a couple years ago just for fun as it seemed like a color I would never be interested in (pink!). Turns out the joke was on me because I actually ended up enjoying the shade on myself.

I have talked over the other two shades I own before here on my blog (Rouge Laque HERE, Violet Edition HERE). If you read them you know I do like the glossy stains. I find them to be extremely comfortable to wear and the colors pack quite a punch. I do firmly believe, however, that the formula does not perform the same across the board. Each shade seems to have a mind of its own.

Violet Edition is prone to patchiness on its own and requires a careful 2-3 layer application. Rouge Laque is a breeze to apply and reaches full, even opacity with no problem at 2 coats. So how does Rouge Vintage fair?

Rouge Vintage appears to be a seemingly purpled raspberry in the tube and on the doe applicator. Applied to the lips, it develops and settles into its true color: a beautiful rosy raspberry that isn't overdone. Out of all the shades I own this is easily my favorite. It requires only one careful coat. Color me impressed!

I'M SORRY FOR THE DANG HAIR STRAND ALL UP IN MY FACE.

YSL claims for these to be long lasting and I only agree with that IF you don't eat/drink/touch it. It most definitely comes off the lips if touched. It also should be mentioned that I have never found the staining capabilities of any of the shades I own to be great. I never wear them as a stain as it colors the lips unevenly.

AGAIN WITH THE HAIR. So distracting, ugh.

I love this shade. I find it easy and flattering to wear. As purely a lip color item, I enjoy wearing the glossy stains. They are supremely comfortable and don't dry out my lips. The gloss isn't sticky, on the contrary, it is cushiony and lightweight. It lasts if it isn't messed with or touched.

At $34 USD each, they are most definitely luxury items and not an absolute must try. The L'Oreal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stains perform very similarly at a fraction of the price. Splurge if you are a YSL lover or are deeply moved by a color in the range. Save your money if you want a proper stain or are happy with the budget L'Oreal version.

Hopefully you'll forgive my hair strand atrocity. I'll end this post with a picture of a cat shirt I wore as a peace offering for you all.

tom ford wild ginger

I love me a good orange red. Not an orange, not a pastel, but full-bodied, head turning red with a fiery base. It was love at first sight for me when I ran across it on Laura's post which had me pining after a lipstick with a price tag made my eyeballs pop out of my skull. Despite the price I added it to my wishlist of expensive spoils to own someday.

Fast forward two years and my boyfriend ends up purchasing it for me as a Christmas gift. I was so happy to finally own it that I couldn't even wait to take pictures of its pristine initialed bullet before trying it on. Total blogger faux pas.

So did the color live up to my expectation? It certainly did. I have worn this multiple times and have loved every wear. It applies without tugging. The color is richly saturated not to mention flattering and bold. I do wish the color was matte though. It has the signature Tom Ford creaminess with a slightly glossy finish.

SWATCHES
L to R: NARS Heat Wave, TF Wild Ginger, TF Ginger Fawn, Revlon Really Red, Revlon Strawberry Suede

I was worried with all my lusting after Wild Ginger that it would end up being similar to shades I already own and make me look crazy. Luckily, it is quite unique. It is most similar to NARS Heat Wave but glossier and more vibrant. Tom Ford Ginger Fawn isn't as red and looks almost like a pastel in comparison.

I think Tom Ford lipsticks have a very nice texture and the colors I own are beautiful and worth admiring. However, I must mention that I don't think they are the most long lasting nor the most comfortable lipsticks I own. After a few hours of wear I find them to be incredibly drying and in need of a touch up. I think that is quite shameful for a lipstick that retails for a hefty $49 USD. I do think I am in the minority with this experience though, most reviews I have read have no issues. I'll enjoy the shades I own but I do not plan on adding anymore Tom Ford lipsticks to my collection.

Wild Ginger is a gorgeous shade that I wear with great joy but I do admit there are better formulas that would be worth of your money. But if luxury items are your soft spot and the color appeals to you, I say go for it. I certainly don't regret owning it and am extremely grateful to have it part of my collection if not for just the color alone.

erase your pores?

After my raving success with Bioderma Sebium Pore Refiner, I became a primer believer and convert. I had heard that Maybelline was coming out with a new face primer, Baby Skin Instant Pore Refiner, and set out to find it to try.

Maybelline claims this primer visibly smooths out the skin to give a pore-less appearance. They suggest to wear it under makeup for better application or even to wear alone to make the skin look smoother. The product is held inside a mint tube with a screw cap and holds 20 mL of product. I bought this for a little over $5 USD.

This primer is a clear gel with a consistency similar to a thin petroleum jelly. It has no scent. I usually apply an amount about the size shown above and smooth all over my face, concentrating on my pore heavy areas (inner cheeks and nose). The feeling is quite strange, it feels a bit oily and slippery once smoothed over. My guess is because of its heavy silicone base.

INGREDIENTS:
Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Stearyl Heptanoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica Silylate, Propylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Prunus Cerasus Extract / Bitter Cherry Extract.

You can see it does a pretty good job smoothing out lines I have on my dehydrated hands. But enough of the hand test, you want to see it on the face, right?

LEFT SIDE: no primer, RIGHT SIDE: primer

In the picture above I applied the primer onto the left side of my face (your right) and my right side (your left) I kept primer free. Can you tell the difference? In person the effect is a little more apparent. I do notice this make my pores blur out and my skin seem a bit smoother. I am wearing foundation in this picture as the effect wasn't very noticeable on bare skin for me to show you.

I don't like this product. For a few reasons: the first being I don't like the way it feels. Applying it feels greasy and like I just put on a layer of invisible gunk that sits on top of the skin. It does not even compare to the soothing, coolness of Bioderma's product. Even though Maybelline suggests this could be worn alone just to smooth out the skin, I would never wear it that way because I dislike the feeling of it and don't find it makes my bare skin look noticeably different.

Secondly, I feel like the overall effect isn't very noticeable, unless you are the type of person that judges skin at a microscopical level. I won't say it is ineffective at smoothing out the skin as that would be untruthful, but after I end up applying concealer, powder, bronzer and blush, I could not see a huge difference between the two sides of my face.

And finally, I found this primer made me hideously oily. In all fairness, Maybelline does not claim this product to control oil but I did not expect it to push my sebum production into overdrive. About three hours in and I was very slick. Not good.

OVERALL:
All in all, this product was a dud for me and I wouldn't recommend it. It doesn't break me out and it does blur out my pores but after I follow through with my normal makeup application the effect is practically unnoticeable. The NARS Light Reflecting Powder gives me a similar effect without the extra oil production. You may like it if you have normal to dry skin and all you expect from a primer is to perfect your skin's texture. If you are looking for oil control or longevity, this is not for you.

Next time I won't be so hasty in giving in to newly released products and instead go for something that would better cater to my needs. Perhaps something like La Roche Posay Effaclar Matte or Vichy Normaderm Total Mat Anti-Shine Mattifier...

milani bella rosa blush - spring 2014

There I was, just innocently perusing the beauty aisle of my local store, when I noticed a serious upgrade in the Milani section. I nodded in appreciation at the change as it was a sorry sight before and I was about to walk away when my eye caught something. A new blush shade I have never heard about? Curious, I released a compact from its lineup and noticed two things: 1. the color was vivid 2. the plastic protection had the words "NEW MATTE SHADE" printed on the side. I needed no more prodding, Milani Bella Rosa was coming home with me.

I have previously reviewed the normal baked blush line and while I do think they are excellent choices for drugstore, I find them too shimmery for my skin texture, which I touched on briefly HERE. Seeing they added a matte color in such a bold shade really was a good executive decision on Milani's part.

This blush is extremely pigmented. If you appreciate bold blushes you will love this. If you can't be bothered in careful blush application, you will want to skip this. Being that I do not discriminate against any blush ever despite its maintenance (or so it seems), I love this.

It does require extra work on my part, light dabs into the pan with a MAC 129 or NARS Yachiyo, careful placement on the cheeks, and extra buffing out with my MAC 150 powder brush. But the results are worth it. I am a sucker for bold pinks like this, they liven the face with such minimal product.

COMPARISON

The bold pink reminded me of a few other shades I already own that pack a punch. Did I need to add Bella Rosa to my stash? Truthfully, not really. I could achieve very similar rosy cheeks with what I already own. But I will say I don't have any dupe to the color.

SWATCHES

FROM L TO R: MAC SALSA ROSE, CARGO KEY LARGO, MILANI BELLA ROSA, ROCK & REPUBLIC X-RATED

Texture is smooth, pigmentation isn't a problem, price is cheap. Lasting power isn't the best I have experienced, I get maybe 4-5 hours of wear time out of this. I still recommend it if you are into shades like these and enjoy cheap thrills. I wouldn't recommend it if you are a swirl and go type of person. Swirling is not advised with this one, you might be mistaken in having a bout of rosacea.

This appears to be part of Milani's Spring 2014 lineup. There was another shade, Delizioso, but none were left so I couldn't peek what it looked like or if it was also matte.

the lipstick tag

I was tagged by Lena, the blogger behind the brainchild Sleep and Water, to do this really fun lipstick tag. For someone like myself who realistically reaches for lipstick maybe once a week, I have quite a bloated collection. Regardless, owning many choices in color, brand and finish makes me happy.

1. How many lipsticks do you own?
I was proud at first to count up a decent number of 27 from my drawer but then I remembered my Box of Neglect lurking in the corner and guiltily tallied up a grand total of 39. This does not include stains, glosses, or balms.

Box of Neglect lipsticks
I should probably do an update of this series, eh?

2. What was the first lipstick you owned?
I know when I was younger I loved getting all the flavors of Lip Smackers but as for an actual lipstick with color, I can't be too sure! I have a terrible memory. Perhaps it was Revlon Just Enough Buff or Estee Lauder Pinkberry, which was a free GWP.

3. What is your favorite lipstick brand?
I had to really think about this and I'm going to say NARS. I say this because 2 out of the 3 lipsticks I own by the brand are my absolute favorite out of my entire lipstick collection. Revlon is a close second.

4. What is your most worn lipstick?
I would say this is a tie between Burberry Copper Lip Mist and NARS Dolce Vita. Can we all just take a moment to stare in horror at the state of that lip mist? Great formula on the lips but such a soft, slippery mess in the tube.

5. What is your favorite finish?
For natural lip shades I prefer lustre or glossy. For bold colors I prefer matte.

6. What was the last lipstick you bought?
That would be Milani Flamingo Pose, which I have yet to try on. I was THIS close to buying NARS Manhunt and MAC Ruby Woo the other day though so perhaps that will change soon.

7. How many lip products do you currently have in your bag?
Only three. A gloss, balm, and lipstick. Revlon Peach Petal, a mini Fresh Sugar clear balm, and Revlon Really Red.

8. What is your favorite red lip color?
I had to pick two because both always wow me once applied and the formulas are fantastic: Revlon Strawberry Suede and NARS Heat Wave.

9. How do you store your lipsticks?
I keep them tucked away in a little plastic drawer insert that sits inside my IKEA Malm dressing table. Not my ideal way but it works for now.

10. Which lipsticks are you currently lusting after?
Mac Ruby Woo, NARS Red Lizard, Illamasqua Box have all been on my mind. And I will forever have Burberry Blueberry Lip Mist on my wishlist.

This tag was a fun way to look at my collection and to reflect on how much my tastes have changed. I remember when I was in love with MAC, which you can tell by how many lipsticks I own by them. Funnily enough, even though I own many MAC lipsticks I rarely ever reach for them. Not because I dislike the quality but because of the color palette I own. I mostly own washed out nudes, something I was really into when I was an undergrad. If I could swap out a few of those pesky nudes for say Plumful, Patisserie, or Lady Danger I would probably be reaching for them more often.

I tag Elise, Jessica, Julie, Aleeza, Jenny, Jessica, and anyone else who wants to!

006 what I'm eating

I haven't done a "what I'm eating" post in quite some time. I have been trying out some new recipes that have been tasty while also trying to be semi healthy so I thought I'd share what I've been consuming for my fellow foodies to enjoy.

SNACKS

1. A bit of a twist to the traditional Vietnamese style Do Chua. I made mine with white vinegar, fish sauce, and added some leeks, garlic and chilies. I have been obsessed with this; it is crunchy, sour, and can be added to many dishes. I eat it plain, add it in soups or sandwiches, and even rolled some up in a simple spicy tuna sushi roll.

2. Another obsession, mini crunchy peanut butter and banana sandwiches. I saw on a Pinterest post that someone added a couple dark chocolate chips in the middle, genius!

3. I made a batch of kimchi for my mother for Christmas and I saved a bit for myself as well. I followed this recipe. It isn't the best kimchi I have ever had (not sour enough for me) but still, it is better than store bought! Another versatile item to use: by itself, in soups, with eggs, in fried rice, etc.

GREEN

4. A twist on lettuce wraps. I normally use chicken but I felt like pork that day. Saute ground pork, carrot, and green onion. Season with salt and pepper, fish sauce, lime. After the heat has been turned off, add in fresh cilantro (I do this to preserve the zingy freshness of the herb. Cooking it wilts it and demeans that flavor). Pile on leafy romaine hearts and chomp away!

5. I am not a fan of shakes as meals and rarely do it. This one pictured had avocado, spinach, kiwi, almond milk, and banana. It was ok, mostly because of the avocado. I have yet to try a shake mix that I truly enjoy. I mostly make them to see if I will get an "Aha!" combo that will convert me.

6. Tomato & arugula were meant to be together forever. Super simple crostini that I just made up on a whim based on my cravings. Soak a medley of tomato types, red onion, and arugula in salt and balsamic vinegar for about 15-20 minutes. While it soaks cut some crusty bread, rub olive oil and a nub of garlic all over the surface and finish off with a sprinkle of mozzarella. Broil until brown and toasted. Add your vegetable mix on top and eat immediately to avoid soggy bread.

SEMI UNHEALTHY

7. I have been wanting to try out cauliflower replacement recipes and my first attempt was making pizza. I followed Tasty Kitchen's take on it. It is a tasty recipe but don't be fooled, real pizza is superior. I still recommend you try it though, especially if you are craving pizza, are gluten intolerant, or just want to trick someone into eating more vegetables (kids, eh?)

8. Beer! Ah how I love beer. Everyone has their calorie cheat preference, mine is beer. Empty calories but I prefer it over sweets any day. My boyfriend and I recently found a neat local place with a vast variety in stock. Recent tries have been Bell's Hopslam, Victory Golden Monkey, and Southern Tier Oat Imperial Oatmeal Stout.

9. This has become a breakfast staple. Adapted from The Londoner, but I made a few changes. I added spinach and white onion to bulk up on vegetables, ditched the chorizo for pepperoni instead since that was all I had on hand, and skipped the bread for dipping. Still ended up superb. Highly recommend you try it. Not only is it flavorful and filling, it looks quite beautiful.

I've also been obsessed with guacamole with Wasa crackers. Easy, healthy snack to whip up. And nothing can stop me from getting my fix of Greek yogurt combos. I either do my favorite of pineapple, slivered almonds with honey or a newly discovered mix of frozen berries, half of a smashed up Nature's Valley maple brown sugar granola bar, and honey. Funny, I used to hate Greek yogurt but now I prefer it over the regular stuff.

What has been on your plate lately? Any Greek yogurt combos that you love that I should try? Or shall we discuss beer favorites instead...

fruit face

The REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask is arguably one of the most popular and highly reviewed face masks in the beauty blogger world. I tried not to follow the hype when it was at its peak but during my face mask obsession I bit the bullet and ended up purchasing it. I have been using it on and off for about a year and I finally feel ready giving my thoughts.

The box contains the product itself as well as a little muslin cloth. I appreciate the effort and inclusion of the cloth but it is a bit unsubstantial and thin. Pai's muslin cloth is superior.

The claim of this mask is to improve tone, texture and radiance of the skin. What first attracted me to this product was its impressive content of chemical exfoliants; it has lactic, glycolic, AND citric acid. It also has no parabens and sulfates if you care about that sort of thing (I am indifferent).

The mask is dispensed out of a nozzle that has a little doodad attached to it for covering after use. I would imagine this is so dessication is avoided. I use about a pump and a half for each application spread in a thin layer all over my face and upper neck.

The consistency and smell is much like marmalade jam. I enjoy the scent; it is sweet and citrusy yet not overpowering. I leave it on for about 20 minutes, or until the prickling sensation subsides completely, and then rinse it off with warm water and the provided cloth. The tingly sensation is noticeable but it isn't supremely irritating. I do, however, find myself unable to stop myself from itching some places that are more sensitive to the feeling during the process (nose, around the lips).

INGREDIENTS

Most of the reviews I read raved about the immediate radiance they saw in their skin after using this. As for me, I didn't see it. I did notice a certain added softness to my skin and it didn't break me out or feel congesting. I think this is an okay product but certainly nothing I hold with high esteem. Especially with its whopping $55 USD price tag. With a price like that, I expected better results. I even waited to use this with time to check if the results needed it but it made no difference. Almost a year later and still lacking.

While I don't think this is a terrible product, I do believe it is overhyped and overpriced. I wouldn't recommend it unless you are insatiably curious about it. I much prefer Ole Henriksen Blue/Black Berry Enzyme Mask, it is cheaper and gives immediately pleasing results.

ulta run

For Christmas I was given an Ulta gift card. I debated back and forth whether to use it on practical items that I was running low on (nail polish remover, top coat, eye liner) or on dreamy items that I have been lusting after. In the end, I decided to balance out my needs and wants by getting a bit of both.

SKIN

I am finally the owner of the Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant. This has been three years in the making people! I remember first hearing about it from Lisa Eldridge when she made her skincare video series. Out of all the products she mentioned (there are a lot!) this was the one item that made such an impression on me that I slotted it away onto my mental "to try" list.

The rest of the items pictured are a few samples that arrived at my doorstep with a SkinStore order I recently purchased for my sister. She isn't as passionate (i.e. obsessed) about skincare as me so I just asked her what her skin concerns and goals were and picked a few items for her. She is a fan of Ole Henriksen Three Little Wonder Set. She also requested an anti aging eye product so I chose the Ole Henriksen Truth is in the Eyes for her to try since she is such a fan of the brand.

HAIR & NAILS

I was browsing the hair aisle with no real expectations when I came across Orofluido Hair Elixir. Has this always been at Ulta? I remember one of my favorite youtubers BlushingPixie (where did she go? D:) raved about this back in the day and seeing as she has amazing hair, I have high hopes. This also reminded me that I am about finished with my Moroccan Oil and needed a replacement. While I do enjoy Moroccan Oil, I felt like trying something new. This seemed like a nice alternative; it smells great, has similar benefits as Moroccan Oil, and is cheaper.

My Ulta finally had some Seche Vite Restore in stock so I threw that in my pile as well. I am in desperate need of it since my current Seche Vite is quite thick. I plan to try out a different top coat once my bottle is finished though, ain't nobody got time for that. Perhaps Sally Hansen Insta-Dri...

Lastly is Luke of the Draw polish by Nicole for OPI. I actually had my eye on this shade ever since seeing it on Into The Gloss but by the time I started searching for it the collection was phased out. I spotted it in the sale section for only $2, not bad!

Close up of the color. Black jelly base with a plethora of differently shaped silver glitter particles. I am already cringing thinking about removal. It will be worth it, right?!? Gunmetal polishes are a weakness to me and that is what this reminds me of, albeit a bit more glamorous.

winter skin woes

Just when I thought I had escaped my bouts of dry skin that seems to happen annually right at the start of winter, my skin issued a cruel reminder that I was a fool to hold such high hopes. My seasonal dry skin has made its comeback with the tell tale symptoms of uncomfortably tight skin and the unsightly dry patches during foundation application. As this is the third year in a row I have started experiencing this, I am starting to get an idea of what techniques to implement and what products work best for me.

LAY OFF THE ACIDS
When my skin starts feeling uncomfortably dry, I start off first by limiting my AHA and salicylic acid use. In my normal oily conditions, my skin responds very well to the gentle acidic effects. When my skin is dry, I notice they just irritate and worsen my condition. Lately I have been only spot treating and even skipping out on using my normal picks of La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo and La Roche-Posay Mela-D Pigment Control Serum. I also have been sparingly using the Kiehl Clarity Activating toner I mentioned in my last post and instead rely solely on Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner which is much more soothing.

RELY ON THE POWER OF CLEANSING OILS
I always had a feeling cleansing oils dramatically impacted the moisture content of my skin but now I have confirmation. When I visited my parents for the holidays for over a week, I went without a cleansing oil for the whole trip. Big mistake. I think that is what kick started this dry spell. I almost kissed my bottle of Boscia Cleansing Oil when I returned home.

BRING ON THE MECHANICAL EXFOLIATION
I don't overcompensate and scrub my face raw but I do prefer mild mechanical exfoliation over chemical exfoliation when I start seeing dry patches. Physically buffing away flakes gives me no irritation and smooth results. I like using my Clarasonic Mia paired with a non drying cleanser. This year was the first time I was able to use a hydrating, cream cleanser: Pai Camellia and Rose Hydrating Cleanser. This cleanser is proving to be such a great SOS response to my skin extremes. I still rinse off with the provided muslin cloth for good measure since it isn't severely abrasive.

RESTORE YOUR MOISTURIZE BARRIER
Okay this next part might be surprising to those who have kept up with my opinion on Avene Soothing Moisture Mask (if not see THIS post as well as THIS one). As predicted in the footnotes of my original review, this did indeed work very well in repairing my skin's moisture barrier. I still think it feels unnecessarily greasy so next time I use it I will only slather onto my dry areas (forehead, around the nose) and reserve it for overnight use so the product has time to really seep into the epidermis. It did help but I still wouldn't recommend it to the oily skinned. There has to be a better option on the market for a non-greasy yet moisturizing mask.

These steps might not be for everyone but I have found this to yield immediate results that restore my skin back to normal. If you have oily/combo skin that tends to get seasonal dryness, I hope these tips help. Dry skin be gone!

Let me tell you, I want to give perpetually dry skinned ladies and gents a monument, shrine, and/or any other beacon of a structure to commemorate how you deal with this ALL THE TIME. Although perhaps they would feel the same way about us oily skinned folks if they had to deal with a short spell of excess sebum...

006 vain rambling

**This post contains one item provided by an outside company for trial.

First things first, I hope you all had a happy holiday and a great start to your new year so far. I planned to do a year in favorites round up like I have done in the past (2012 post HERE and 2011 HERE) but as luck would have it I accidentally left my fancy SLR behind with my parents. Since it will be a few weeks time until I am reunited with it, I figured it would be a perfect time for a vain rambling post.

If you are new here, my vain ramblings are brief snippets of beauty products I want to mention but I feel they don't need a full post all to themselves. For this post, it is more a dedication of showing what I have been loving, recent purchases, and a little preview of future in depth reviews. Also be warned, you are stuck with grainy iPhone 4S pictures for this one. Don't come at me with pitchforks.

Sonia Kashuk came out with a body care line which I spotted a display of at my local Target. There were four different scents all with varying types of body care (lotion, body butter, body oil, etc). I picked out two of the body lotions, one in Purple Seductia and Yellow Alluria. I almost picked out a body oil to try but I chickened out and went with the safe lotion option. Body oil worshippers, feel free to say your piece to convince me out of my fear. I have been using Purple Seductia with very pleasing results. It moisturizes well, sinks in rapidly, doesn't feel greasy, and the scent lasts most of the day and isn't overpowering.

Another recent pick up is something new from Maybelline; Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser. I have only tried it once and the texture felt quite bizarre to me but I will keep on testing it. I plan to do a comparison post with this and Bioderma Sebium Pore Refiner.

Also new to my beauty routine is Benefit Watts Up. This is the mini Sephora birthday version. I am quite taken aback on how much I like this. I say that because much of what I have tried from Benefit has been lackluster. I keep chiding myself to leave this little stick alone and use up MAC Hush Cream Color Base (pictured above in my daily makeup holder, haunting me with better-use-me-up looks) but I just can't seem to give up the glow it imparts.

I plan to dedicate individual posts for these new lip products. 2013 was definitely the year of me getting used to wearing lip color. I'm trying to contain myself to avoid a full blown out of control obsession with much difficulty. Must try all the lip products. I received Tom Ford Wild Ginger for Christmas. Spoiler alert: I have worn it many times since opening it. Waiting to photograph it in pristine condition for its review did not happen so feel free to slap me on the hand when its mangled TF imprint makes its appearance for its review post.

I was also gifted another YSL Glossy Stain, this shade is Rouge Vintage. The more shades I own the more it confirms my hypothesis that every glossy stain color performs differently and has a mind of its own. A little preview of my thoughts: might be my favorite shade I own and only requires 1 coat to give the signature substantial squishy pigmentation.

Milani Flamingo Pose is an older purchase but I have yet to wear it. That pink color scares me, but I will take bold lip chances for you all. Maybe 2014 will be the year I conquer pink.

I have had some skincare changes due to using things up. I'm back to using a Boscia Cleansing Oil I had hoarded up in my bathroom closet and I must say, I am really missing my former Shu Uemura oil. I have been using a new toner, Kiehl's Clarity Activating Toner. It smells of lavender and has a less fluid consistency. I will report back on if it delivers its claims to diminish scarring. I am also using a new cleanser that I really have been liking, *Sibu Balancing Facial Cleanser. I will give a full review of it with more details soon. I have also been trying out Lush Cosmetic Warrior Fresh Face Mask . A review will be up once I use it up to its entirety. If you can't wait for that, I will just say I liked Magnaminty better.

That's the end of this vain ramble. How did you celebrate your New Years? Also, I wasn't kidding with that body oil comment. If you are a lover of them, tell me why. I'm curious about them.

Thanks for sticking with me so far my dear readers. Once I get my camera back, would you still like me to post my 2013 favorites and beauty goals? I don't mind doing it but as it will be half way through Jan it might be a moot post for some of you. Let me know your thoughts.

++ A Sibu representative sent the Balancing Cleanser to me free to review. This post does NOT have any affiliate links.