Addiction Tuxedo Moon and Sugar Rusk Palettes (Jean-Michel Basquiat)

Hi all!

I hope everyone is well this morning. As of yesterday I received a lovely package from Japan!

Addiction Sugar Rusk on the left, Tuxedo Moon on the right

This is the summer collection I've been waiting for this year. I will give you a quick first impression and swatches since I'm literally running behind already and it's only 10 am :(

From the promo photos, Sugar Rusk's shades looked deeper and darker than what you actually have. I was a bit taken aback since I wanted to see some rich, deeper colors. 

Packaging: I stood there staring at my palettes for several minutes, oooh-ing and aaah-ing over the packaging. It's sleek, black packaging, square in shape, with neat graffiti type designs that Jean-Michel Basquiat was known for. Sadly from what it seems, that Ichibankao is sold out of the limited edition packaging. It's really a winner for me, especially since it hits close to my home (NYC) :).

Colors and Textures: Sugar Rusk was a bit of a surprise, but overall I am always won over by the complexity, smoothness of the non-matte shades. The mattes are easy to work with, apply and blend as well. Tuxedo Moon consists of three matte shades, and one satin type finish eyeshadow. The black isn't as intense as the pan makes it seem, but it has a small silver shimmer, and the other colors are quite lovely too. Both pictures are taken with natural lighting, no flash.

Sugar Rusk

Tuxedo Moon

Overall I'm really happy with my purchases, and I got them from Ichibankao for 8100 Yen, plus shipping.

By Terry Hyaluronic Blushes (Summer Splash Collection)

Hi !

So yesterday I saw a little piece of the By Terry Summer Collection, but only some of the products were there to be seen, so I grabbed the blushes, which were my main interest.

I was highly disappointed in last years collection because she released a lip stain, which was so patchy, uneven, and it would hardly show up on my lips. I'm relieved that she released products which are MUCH better for this summer. 

I can't speak much about them, but for those who were curious to see swatches...

Packaging: it comes in a tube, with the dispenser being similar to the Becca Beach Tints. Pretty self explanatory, the packaging is nice, since it looks like it could be a big lip balm (so it's not bulky to carry in your purse)

Formula: They're most reminiscent of Armani Blushing Fabrics, silicone in feel and slip, but Terry's is a bit thicker...well more like a mousse texture in comparison the Blushing Fabric. They apply well and glide on so easily. The two shades have a microshimmer, but Blushberry (#2) has more of a sheen and a shimmer, whereas Peach Posh is just a micro sparkle. They're both beautiful, with the sparkle not being overwhelming. 

Size and Price: $42 for 0.5 oz

Swatches: 

packaging

L to R: By Terry Peach Posh, Blushberry, Armani Blushing Fabric in 1, 4, 5

L to R: By Terry Amber Rose Sheer Liquid Blush, Peach Posh, Blushberry, Armani Blushing Fabric in 1, 4, 5

L to R: By Terry Amber Rose Sheer Liquid Blush, Peach Posh, Blushberry, Armani Blushing Fabric in 1, 4, 5

Haul in the past couple of months :D +

Videos!

Skincare:


Makeup! :D

Let me know if you prefer more videos or primarily sticking to just writing. I know for sure I want to do a video once I have my organization set up. 

Items in my current rotation +

Since I've been on a hiatus, I need to make up for lost time (oops). 

Okay, so items I have been using often are as follows -- FYI I got the RBR compact as a gift from Sethakins. It's not a sponsored post, nor am I getting paid to post it. 

Armani Precision Retouch Concealer: Now that the weather is getting warmer, it's time to lay off on the heavier texture face items...at least my skin prefers thinner formulas come the warmer months. This stuff is seriously high coverage, with an amazing thin brush to get in the under eye areas, as well as point conceal targeted areas. I'm shade 3.

Kilian Extreme Oud: you can read my a couple of posts down. It's so sensual...and delicious. :)

Addiction Damask Rose: It's time for me to break out the brighter pinks, and the easiest way for me to break into those shades is always with a nice bright blush. Not to mention the balmy texture and ease of application. :) 

Hourglass Vintage Lipstick: This one was hiding in my stash for a while. I had purchased it at a Sephora where Josh Collier (MUA) was working at. He showed me the newest lipstick shades, and picked out this color. Totally forgot I had it, until I was settling into the new place and saw it. It's such a gorgeous warm pink brown. 

Chantecaille Just Skin Foundation: Chantecaille is one of those lines that doesn't have an exact match for me in their foundations. I made Future Skin work as best as I could, but over time I found better matches and eventually stopped using it. It made me sad that I couldn't use their Future Skin, but I was determined to have a foundation from their line. Luckily their Just Skin shade in Glow is a semi close match, and it's forcing me to use lighter coverage foundations. I like it so far, but we'll see if it's an item I'll repurchase.

You know Guerlain is another line that I don't have a match in? And they too make nice foundations. 

By Terry Hyaluronic Sheer Rouge in #9 Dare to Bare: It's a lipcolor that makes a statement in of itself, a pink with some mauve in it. It darkens my lipcolor, while providing a soft sheen. It's my favorite shade from the new Sheer Rouge line. 

By Terry Laque de Rose in #8: I'm running out of this shade, and I think I have backup somewhere. It pains my little soul that this shade is forever gone. It's that gloss that I use after a lipstick fades because it's just so easy to apply, not to mention just beautiful.

Skinceuticals Sport UV Defense SPF 45: With the sun being out more, and yours truly being sensitive to the sun, I have to use a higher SPF sunscreen. I've bought several of these, and have yet to find something better that works for my skintype. It's a thick cream that blends quickly, doesn't leave a white cast and it wears like iron. You can see in the photo how much I love this sunscreen.

Rouge Bunny Rouge mirror compact: I got this as a present from Sethakins himself, and little did he know I had a worn down mirror that I used since middle school. LOL I refuse to post a picture of the old mirror. I'm glad I have something more polished and functional. Thank you for the awesome present. 

:)

Rouge Bunny Rouge Time Defying Foundation +

Hi and I'm back ! :D

FYI: The review on the product I received as a gift from a friend. It's not a sponsored post, nor did I purchase it (although I was planning to). 

I've been busy settling into my new apartment. It's still a barren place (still almost no furniture), but all of my stuff is in the current residence. The downside is that all of my makeup is in bags/boxes. I threw out my old organizational scheme, since I want something that looks more like furniture, than plastic bins. I think I know what I want to get, but it will have to wait until I get it with a coffee table. 

During my little hiatus, as some of you may know, I met Sethakins7 in his area. I consider myself one of his newer fans of his channel and we have always discussed meeting up at some point. It actually happened on St. Patricks Day weekend. He had asked me what I had thought of my samples of the Time Defying foundation, and as much as I loved it, I had to put off on buying it since I was afraid it would be lost in transit since I was moving. Not to mention I was spending a lot of money on my new place. 

To those who are wondering, I have curbed down on my makeup spending by a lot. Even after I get all of my new furniture, I just need to slow my roll. 

So back to the sex machine that is Seth, it was a wonderful time :). It's funny because I had a present from him, which I wasn't expecting. Maybe because I just considered our meet something casual. 

One of my awesome gifts was a full sized bottle of the Time Defying Foundation!! :D :D Since we are similar in skin tone, he knew my shade. 

Now that I've been wearing this foundation for a couple of weeks, I do have some thoughts. 

Packaging: It's in the standard Rouge Bunny Rouge packaging. To those of you who don't own any liquid RBR products, they seriously take the cake when it comes to luxury packaging. The pump is easy to use, although I'm sure there are some people who don't like glass bottles since it's not travel friendly, I love them since you can sit them on a vanity. 

Formula: It's definitely a medium coverage foundation. I do think the name and the skintype it's supposed to be designated for (mature skin) is a bit misleading. Maybe it's my assumption that with mature skin, that the foundation would be luminous in finish. So before I had my hands on it, I was imagining the foundation being something more along the lines of Bobbi Brown Luminous Foundation or a luminous version of Laura Mercier Silk Creme. 

When I actually applied it, I was like "oh". It's a velvet finish, which I actually prefer, but not the finish I had imagined. I've read reviews that it looks cakey, which I don't agree with. I do think it's a foundation that you have to take your time in blending, because it does set pretty quickly. If you don't blend well, you can see the lines of foundation demarcation (even if the foundation is an exact match) since it's a slightly thicker foundation formula. Just because a foundation is slightly thicker, does not mean it's cakey. I've seen thinner formulations of foundation look cakey. It doesn't look like a mask, it covers pores and redness really well, and it looks like your skin, but better. I can't speak how well it applies when the person has wrinkles.  

If the Time Defying Foundation coverage is too high, it's relatively easy to sheer out with a moisturizer. With this foundation I do like to prep my skin with a thicker moisturizer since it helps me apply the foundation with a thin layer for a more "slap and go" application for my everyday rushed routine. 

The biggest win when it comes to this foundation is that it's far longer lasting than Milk Aquarelle. I'm curious to see how this fares over the summer when the temperatures are over 100 degrees. Over a span of 8 hours, the foundation wears into a very slightly satin finish, which I enjoy, with ever so slight fading. 

Price and Size: 48.50 Euros, for 1.01 oz or 30mL

onto the photos to see how it compares to my other foundations:

Left to Right from most luminous to least: 

1. Ellis Faas Skin Veil 103. This doesn't look as pink (it's actually more peach in real life) when blended on the skin. 

2. Rouge Bunny Rouge  Milk Aquarelle in Chestnut

3. Rouge Bunny Rouge Time Defying Foundation in Wheat

4. By Terry Cover Expert in #8 (again, not as pink when blended).

click to enlarge

an important update and Kilian Extreme Oud +

Hi everyone!

I've been a bit quiet when it has come to blogging / reviews...

I can somewhat explain the silence: for the past few weeks I've been in the process of finding an apartment. 

[rewind]

Many years ago, when I came to this city...I found a room to rent. It was cheap, walking distance to my temporary job at the time (so I didn't have to spend $ on transportation). As time progressed, my living situation wasn't ideal for my current work commute, but the people I lived with were literally like my family. The memories I shared with them...I never considered leaving my residence because I felt like I was leaving my siblings and parents. Plus I had no complaints over money, living habits, etc. 

I think subconsciously I always had the idea of moving back home, so I didn't want to get caught up in a lease that I would have to end prematurely. 

[fast forward] 

In recent months, I've realized that I wanted to have my own place, have my friends visit, and not have a long commute to work and other places. Of course the offset of being closer to everything means reconsidering my finances and priorities. Long story short, I now will be living in a wonderful part of Manhattan. I didn't think it would actually happen (anxiety and always assuming the worst). It's seriously a new chapter in my life and I feel like I'm becoming an adult.

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be moving and visiting family (which means I'll be out of town). Forgive me for the infrequency of writing. 

Also, with the new priorities, I don't know how often I'll be writing reviews. Reason being, my budget will be less for makeup and more on my current residence. I literally have no furniture (no couch, tables, etc).  

To the few people who knew what has been happening, thank you for your support and kind words. It means the world to me. 


and can we discuss my new Valentines Day gift to myself? 

I know someone who works for Kilian, and when I just happened to arrive to say hi, he told me that he had one more bottle of this. He said he was thinking about me because he knows I love the concept of Oud, but all Ouds are too heavy (on me). He stated that I could definitely wear this, since it's Cambodian Oud and not overwhelming with amber/musk. He tried contacting me, but I had changed my number so he couldn't tell me about it. Talk about fate. Of course after smelling it on myself...I had no choice. What makes me sad is that it's limited edition, and no chance of getting it refilled. *sigh*

I'm no fragrance expert, but when I wear this, the smell of Saffron, Oud, maybe Rose? and Vetiver just sing a beautiful song all meshed together in this bottle of deliciousness. 

this will be my last luxury purchase for a while. This will sit right next to my other 3-4 fragrances (including Le Labo Gaiac 10, FM Carnal Flower, Cartier...) 

Happy Valentines Day and may you all be among loved ones, friends, and (or) family. 

I got tagged :)

Which book has made the most profound impact on your life?

The Stranger by Albert Camus. I read it in high school and it basically determined the outcome when it comes to my relationship with my mom. I even have a tattoo of Mersault on my back.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I actually enjoy New York City. If I could live anywhere else, London or Barcelona (but not forever). I've visited Barcelona and it's so visually beautiful and the nightlife lured me in :) London because it's a city, plus all the things I love makeup wise are more easily accessible there. 

What is your favorite movie of all time ?

I don't think I have one. :| I barely watch movies.

Name 3 makeup brushes you cannot live without .

Shu Natural 10, Suqqu L, Chikuhodo Z8

What is your dream job ?

Marketing or PR in the beauty industry, I think. 

Who is your biggest makeup inspiration ?

Aesthetic wise, Monica Bellucci. Her makeup is always so perfect, effortless, with some drama. Makeup artist wise: Terry de Gunzberg. I love her vision of colors -- part of me thinks she has me in mind when she makes collections, because they're the most flattering. (ha ha).

Name your favorite red lipstick of all time.

Shu RD 190 (discontinued). As for current: Le Metier de Beaute In the Know Bordeaux lip creme. I reach for this really often.

If you could make one limited edition product permanent, which one would it be  ?

The Giorgio Armani limited edition eye pencils. Those things are amazing. 

What is your signature scent ?

Le Labo Gaiac 10. I think this will change soon.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years ?

I have no idea. I would like to be married and have a better job, so I can own a house. That's all I can really think of at the moment.

What fulfills you ? 

Seeing my friends happy.

by the way, I'll be a bit MIA since I'm going through a transition at this moment in time. I'll update about it once it's all over. :)  

whoever would like to answer these, that would be fun :D or if you have any questions for me, feel free to ask.

Dolce and Gabbana Luminous Cheek Color Swatches +

I've gotten a lot of questions about the Dolce and Gabbana blush shades, so basically I arrived at Saks today on a mission: swatching some blushes. 

The best lighting I could do of the physical swatches is outside, with flash. It's a cold, cloudy day. 19 degree weather to be exact. I had to be in a tank top outside of Saks. Yea, you get the idea. The things I do for this blog. :)

I hope these are helpful.

top to bottom: nude, sole, peach, tan, caramel, apricot, mocha, and rose

top to bottom: rosebud, delight, muave diamond, provocative, and warm 

The biggest surprise in terms of color: Apricot. It's not even pretty in the pan, but whoa what a GORGEOUS shade. 

A Special Thank You to Rouge Bunny Rouge

A little backstory...

I'm no stranger to the Rouge Bunny Rouge line, I do love their products, but of course I'm a person who tends to go through phases when it comes to makeup. For a while, I'll be into Suqqu or say, By Terry. Then I'll change to something like Dolce and Gabbana, and so on. They're all great brands, but I'm just a creature of phases I guess. 

I was curious about their new Skin Sanctuary Foundation and asked what shade would be my match. I was told a couple of different answers, and given someone like myself who buys RBR sight unseen...I wanted to make sure I had the right shade. Long story short, I asked for a sample of two shades that seemed like my coloring. 

I'm not one who asks for free things, a big reason is I feel awkward in asking. I'm not a big blogger (as in having a big audience), compared to a few others. Who am I to ask for free things? 

I get a package...honestly I was only expecting two foundation samples. 

This arrived instead:

um...

courtesy of http://memegenerator.net

I just wanted to say thank you to the Rouge Bunny Rouge team for sending me these items!

I've figured out my shade, which is Wheat Cream. I can give you some preliminary thoughts on this foundation:

texture: It's a thicker gel cream compared to Milk Aquarelle, and it's a medium to full coverage foundation. The viscosity is higher in Skin Sanctuary than Chantecaille Future Skin. It's definitely a velvet-matte finish. The finish is slightly less matte than my beloved By Terry Lumiere Veloutee, but the coverage is very similar. 

A couple of things to keep in mind when it comes to Skin Sanctuary is that if you have dry/flaky skin, I do suggest wearing a thick moisturizer if you desire a more luminous finish, or to help with the flaky spots. I also think that you have to blend the foundation, because even though it's a natural finish, when you're wearing a higher coverage foundation, I do recommend blending it a bit past the jawline so it's a seamless finish.

longevity: I wore it yesterday and it lasted me 8 hours with no primer. Granted I didn't take it out for a full test run, I do think it's a pretty stellar when it comes to longevity.

The biggest advantage it has over Milk Aquarelle is that there's minimal to no transfer at all. Milk Aquarelle has a bit of transfer, which isn't a dealbreaker, but the biggest con to Milk Aquarelle is that it didn't last an entire day, unless you wore a primer. Skin Sanctuary is definitely a winner so far. I'm really enjoying it and am seriously considering buying the full size. 

Thank you again, RBR. You're definitely the gold platinum standard when it comes to customer service and communication. I've already been a fan of your line, now I'm a lover. <3 You've seriously made my week. 

Random Post +

Hi everyone!

I hope things are going well for everyone now that January is seemingly coming to a quick close...

My end makeup-wise, nothing much is happening, so you may not see many posts. Reason being a lot of the new items that are being released aren't that interesting (to me). Spring and Summer collections are the ones that I buy the least from, since I tend to favor dark, deeper colors. 

For those of you who are like me and don't tend to buy stuff from Spring/Summer collections, this would be a good time to either buy items you normally don't buy...such as makeup brushes, lashes, blushes you never had the opportunity of getting.

What I have been watching are a lot of youtube videos :D

Faves of the moment:

I've been reading more CafeMakeup and her blog has been inspiring me to think about having more variety when it comes to posts. Instead of just reviews, just writing about things that I like in general. A good example is her Taupe Blush post.

I recently have spoken to IcegirlVentura on twitter, and OMG WHERE HAS SHE BEEN ALL MY LIFE !?!?!? Granted some of you may not speak/read spanish, her videos are so fun to watch. Or, you can see what she has to say on her blog here.

I've been watching brush videos (not surprising), but at the same time, I'm not really in the market to buy a lot of brushes at the moment. Odd, I know.

Then there's my future wife, er, friend Karima with her lovely Rouge Bunny Rouge tutorial.

Then we have MakeupMLC giving her first impressions of her newest Suqqu brush pretties:

Then there's always my fellow luxury makeupjunkie friend Debbick1 with her first Haul of 2013 :D

and my small haul:

A backup of Suqqu #4

Suqqu Cheek Brush (I know some of you may be surprised I didn't have this before). It's a brush I've avoided buying since I already have Chikuhodo Z4, but it was only a matter of time that I was curious enough to see how this brush compares.

Suqqu eyeliner brush

Suqqu loose powder

:)