Makeup Mavens

This week we've got a fabulous selection of posts on skincare, makeup and nails so all bases covered. Add to that brands like Ellis Faas, Chanel, Chantecaille and Le Metier de Beaute along with a special giveaway, there is sure to be something you'll enjoy. Have a great weekend!

The Black Panties has a new favourite in her life, in the form of Ellis Faas Skin Veil Foundation. Read her excellent review to see if it could be your own 'photoshop in a bottle'!

Lovesong For My Lipgloss shares with us her skincare version of a cashmere sweater, Chantecaille Vital Essence. Her comprehensive review explains why it works so well.
Lipstick Luvvies tried out the latest limited edition nail shades, Les Jeans de Chanel, and searched her collection for similar colours. See how she got on and swatches of the trio here.

If you've always wanted to try Liz Earle's famous Cleanse and Polish, check out Raspberry Rouge's Liz Earle Giveaway and you could be a winner!

Mookie on the Bench tempts us with more Chanel, this time sharing her favourite shade of Chanel Le Crayon Yeux, the beautiful Berry.

Product Doctor's post on her bespoke Le Metier EOTD by Dustin featuring the latest Kaleidoscope, Silk Road, once again makes me green with envy (no Le Metier in Europe) and consider moving to New York!

Giveaway Winner

As my very first giveaway wrapped up yesterday, I have picked the winner today.  With the help of random.org and the lovely Joeybunny, the winner is:

Dalaluz!!!

I have contacted Apothica with your information and you should hear from them shortly :) 

As I have had so much fun with this giveaway, I am thinking of doing another when my blog reaches 100 followers.  This means, if you read and don't follow yet, be sure to follow so we can get this second giveaway up and going!  

Oscar Blandi Olio de Jasmine

Dear Birchbox,

Thank you for including a sample of Oscar Blandi Olio de Jasmine in my Birchbox.  I'm sorry I don't remember what month it was, but it has been a while.  This stuff is probably the best thing to happen to my long, frizzy, wavy hair.  It doesn't feel siliconey, just like a light oil.  I squeeze a small amount from this sample bottle, rub it between my palms and apply to the ends of my hair up to midshaft.  It leaves my poor hair looking shiny but never greasy.  It smells divine as well, although I do have quite a love of Jasmine scented things.  It's not subtle at first, but fades to a nice lull as time passes.

A little goes a long way, basically just the amount shown above for my hair that reaches to mid back by now.  The sample bottle I received was tiny, a bit larger than the last knuckle of my thumb, but it has lasted me for several months.  Granted, I don't use it every day, but I do use it at least twice per week.

At Sephora, 1.69 oz will set you back $35 and 0.5oz will cost you $16.  Really, the small size would probably last me at least half a year.  The oil can also be found at Apothica.com and Birchbox.com.

I just want to thank you again Birchbox, for introducing me to this wonderful product!

Christina

This product can be purchased here

This product was acquired through my Birchbox which I pay $10 per month for. Also, this post contains an affiliate link.

Deep Skincare, and Why You Need to Know What That Means

Image from Deep Skincare

A few months ago, I was offered the opportunity to trial a newer skincare brand, Deep Skincare.  Deep skincare was developed by Dr. Douglas Hamilton, a dermatologist from Beverly Hills.  The premise of Deep skincare is to induce products to reach lower levels of the dermis in order to act on more than just the top layer of the skin.  According to Deep, this is where collagen is produced an when long lasting effects can be enacted.  This is done through Deep's unique product, the Delivery Enhancer.

The Delivery Enhancer is a powder that turns to a lotion when mixed in your palm.  You apply it after cleansing but before treatment products, such as the Deep Cell Activate.  It is formulated to help products applied after it to absorb in to deeper levels of the skin.

My opinion:  I am skeptical of the whole powder turning to lotion claim.  I did notice it turned creamier, but I found it very difficult to spread on my combination skin.  I also found it left a matte finish, so I am not sure this product would be ideal for those with dry skin.  I was sent a very small amount so it could have been that I was just not using enough to get it to fully turn into a lotion.  While I think the claims are definitely interesting and something I would love to explore further, my sample was just not enough to formulate definitive opinions.  This product is $145 for 22gms.

The second product I was provided for testing was the Deep Cell Activate.  This is a treatment cream meant to be applied after the Delivery Enhancer.  It is full of anti-oxidants and ceramides which help keep skin looking youthful.

My opinion:  I really loved this product.  It feels like a rich cream but wasn't too much for my combination skin.  Also, as you may or may not know, I am insanely acne prone.  I did not experience any adverse reaction to this product.  In fact, I actually noticed less breakouts when I was using it.  I also noticed that my scarring seemed to diminish while using this cream (yay!!).  I think this would be ideal for normal to combination skins.  I do not think it would be moisturizing enough for very dry skins.  I also cannot comment on the anti-aging benefits of this cream as I am only 21 and do not yet suffer from fine lines or wrinkles (thank you to my grandma for teaching me proper skincare very young).  This product is $95 for 30mls.

Deep skincare offers quite a few other products.  You can get more information from their website.   I think this is definitely something to check out!

Another note, both products are Peta certified cruelty-free!

all images from Deep Skincares own website

Makeup Mavens

Searching for a tinted moisturizer? Check out Lipstick Luvvies review on Liz Earle Sheer Skin tint and see how it comapres to Laura Merciers. Liz Earle's might be an even better option for you.

Now that the summer is coming to a close, Lovesong for My Lipgloss has been inspired to create the perfect eye for fall and it's something definitely helpful for autumn makeup looks.

Mookie On The Bench's highlight of the week is Elie Saab's "Le Parfum". The orange blossom and jasmine are the primary notes and even though you may not like florals, don't totally dislike it, because it's soft and seamless effect on the skin.

Check out Product Doctor's blog on meeting Oscar de la Renta for Fashion and her overall thoughts on the Face of Fashion Kaleidoscope. You get to see her lovely face with Oscar de la Renta in an epic photo :) 

Raspberry Rouge discusses Cliniques Black Honey Lipgloss/Lipstick Duo. 10 years ago she thought it was a bit too dark for her liking, go check to see how she feels about it now.

Always hunting for an awesome blush brush? Stop on over to The Black Panties blog to see the differences are between Shu Uemura's #17 and #14 blush brushes, so you can see which one would be a perfect fit for you :)

Chantecaille Vital Essence, My Cashmere Sweater Serum

Now I do feel it necessary to qualify that I do not own a cashmere sweater, but I'm sure you understand the analogy.  This is my go-to serum.  It feels amazing, soothing, hydrating, everything those of us with sensitive skin yearn for.

The basic elements of this serum is rosewater, seaweed and vitamin C.  The vitamin C is what you can see snaking its way through the clear serum in a new bottle.  The one shown above is the Vital Essence with addition of Arbutin, which has a slightly different bottle.  The serum also contains ingredients that draw moisture to the skin, that brighten, improve skin tone and elasticity and lessen fine lines.  Perhaps my favorite addition is Aloe Vera, which heals and reduces inflammation.  For those who don't know, I have very sensitive skin that is prone to redness and a burning sensation if it touches something it doesn't like.

The version containing Arbutin is supposed to, according to Cari, my Chantecaille artist, protect hyperpigmentation areas and keep them from becoming darker in the sun.  I have tried both versions and, I must say, that I do not think the Arbutin version is worth the extra $8.  I didn't notice much of a difference.  Although, I probably wouldn't really notice if my hyperpigmentation (in the form of acne scarring) was not getting darker.  I just notice it is still present.

This is one pump.  The milky coloring can be attributed to the vitamin C.  I usually use two pumps and smooth it all over my face right after cleansing.  It spreads very easily and calms any irritation from washing my face.  The texture is not liquidy in a runny sense but feel somewhat liquidy or gel-like in application.  It sinks in quickly and leaves my face looking brightened.  I have noticed that from continued use, my face is more hydrated, produces less sebum and has an overall brighter appearance.  I don't have any wrinkles (nope, none at all) yet, so I cannot comment on it's fine line fighting capabilities (and I am not willing to let me boyfriend try it just for the purposes of reviewing.  Plus, he wouldn't use it regularly enough to show any results anyways.)

Overall, I would highly recommend this to anyone really (except anyone who must avoid soy or estrogen because it does contain soy and estrogen derivatives).  At $106, which is an $8 price increase from when I first purchased it, is quite pricey, but I still think it is worth every penny.

This product can be purchased at Neiman Marcus

Note: this post contains an affiliate link

Sunday Stuff You Can't Have

Today's item you can't have is Lancome's Le Rouge Absolu in Chiffon Blush.  This color is kind of a summer wrap up because it is a really bright pinky orange with glowy shimmer.

Mine doesn't have any scent but I think most Lancome lipsticks do (it must have lost its scent).  The texture is soft and moisturizing but not thick like a Lip Chic.  It is just comfortable on the lips.  This is a sheer formula, as has been on trend lately.  I don't wear this often because I find it is a little off with my coloring.  I am warm-toned and probably nc25-30 at the moment. 

I did look and Lancome makes a lipstick I deem to be a similar formula, L'Absolu Rouge, but they did not have the shade Chiffon Blush.  Therefore, you will have to scour Ebay and swap sites to find this color if you so desire. 

And the question of the week:

What is/are you favorite fall scents? (perfume, candles, etc)