A Beauty to Behold ~ Guerlain Cruel Gardenia Meteorites

When I first saw pictures of Guerlain's Cruel Gardenia floating about last year October, the artistry and design of the powder really captured my attention (and heart). I had missed out on getting Laura Mercier's Rose Rendezvous and based on a number of reviews I've read, it is supposed to be a little similar to Cruel Gardenia. I enlisted the service of my high-end makeup Secret Agent to get me one as soon as or even before it hits the counters.

It is such a delight to view Cruel Gardenia in person. The raised 3D floral design emerging from the pan is absolutely beautiful. I'm not terribly familiar with plant species so I can't say for sure if the flower is a gardenia but honestly, who cares when it's so pretty.

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer a.k.a. The Luminizer

Hello, all! How was your Christmas and can you believe we are almost into a New Year already? Time certainly flies! I am back from sunny ol' Penang and have had a really wonderful celebration with my family :-)

In recent months, I have started to incorporate highlighters into my routine. I don't use them every single day but during times when I want a little something to liven up my overall complexion and make me look less tired.

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer is an all-over highlighter, which can double up as a shimmery eyeshadow. And can I say again how much I like theBalm's packaging and actually think they are quite adorable. Instead of the usual cardboard packaging, it comes in a solid metal compact with a mirror. Mary-Lou is part of the "Manizer" duo, with Betty-Lou being her bronzing counterpart. I don't know why theBalm likes to name their products after "Boys" and "Men" but it's sort of cheeky.

theBalm describes Mary-Lou as a honey-hued luminizer and to me, it's a soft, sparkling champagne with a hint of gold and pink tones. It is a really beautiful shade! Like most other theBalm products, this highlighter is very pigmented but it is not heavy or glittery. I really think this highlighter will be a nice touch for that New Year party and will help your complexion look a bit more special and glowy.

* swatch *

The texture is soft and buttery, which is typical of most of theBalm's powdered cosmetics. I only need to tap my brush in a couple of times and lightly dust the highlighter all over my face and maybe adding a touch more across my cheekbones. It really does work as an all-over eyeshadow wash too and is very pretty.

All in all, I would say kudos to theBalm for producing yet another fantastic product. I purchased Mary-Lou Manizer for RM72 at our local Sasa stores. Each compact weighs 8.5g and trust me, that is a lot of product so it is pretty value for money.


more of theBalm products previously reviewed:
• Eye Combo from theBalm Shady Lady vol. 2
• theBalm Hot Mama! Shadow / Blush
• theBalm Cabana Boy Shadow / Blush
• theBalm Down Boy Shadow / Blush
• theBalm Frat Boy Shadow / Blush

Clarins Colour Definition 3D Radiance Face Powder

We have seen quite a number of beautiful Fall makeup releases this year and another stunning product of Autumn/Fall 2011 is definitely the gorgeous Clarins 3D Radiance Face Powder. The first time I saw this embossed, pixelated beauty making its rounds on the internet, I knew I had to have it. There's just something about it that appeals to my inner geek!

The powder comes in Clarins' typical red box and is housed within a lovely red velvet pouch. The light gold compact is so beautiful to look at but is very prone to finger prints and smudges. I find myself wiping the compact after using it each time. ^_^

Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen in Rose Glow

I came across a review on the Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen on My Women Stuff's blog some time back and decided that I had to get one for myself too. Seriously, our dear Ms. ParisB has created some gaping holes in my wallet ever since I got to know her personally.

I don't actually have many highlighter products because my t-zone is oily and I was afraid that overly shimmery products will enhance the greasiness on my face. I have since learned that when applied carefully and only to certain parts of the face, a highlighter can help brighten my overall appearance and make me look a bit more radiant.

So I trotted off to Dior and picked up a Radiance Booster Pen in 001 Rose Glow because I really liked the pale, pinky-beige pearl shade.

But... here's the catch... I don't really know what it's supposed to do. The first time I used it, I clicked the product out, dabbed and patted some under my eyes but it made them appear really pale and pink. The reverse panda look is not flattering, people! It also enhanced the fine lines and made me look even more tired. It was better in my second attempt, when I dabbed and patted some product across my cheekbones and below my brows.

There's been a bit of trial and error before discovering a suitable method to use the Radiance Booster Pen. Instead of applying the product directly to my face, I now dispense some onto the back of my hand and use a paddle shaped foundation brush to gently pat on my cheekbones, down the center of my nose and onto my cupid's bow (the 'M' above one's lips).

So far, this method has worked quite well on me but I am still experimenting with different ways of using it. The pinkish pearlescent shade does add a pretty sheen to my face without looking over the top. Maybe that's why it's called a Radiance Booster Pen, and not Concealer or Highlighter Pen. It's designed to give one's complexion a perked-up, radiant glow.

The Beauty Cabinet Tip "When using a cream or liquid highlighter, it would be best to apply onto unpowdered skin to avoid caking."

Now, I feel the need to address the packaging. I dislike liquid products that come in clicky brush pens and should have thought about it more before grabbing one in my excitement. It can be difficult to control the amount to dispense. Although I can more or less estimate the number of clicks, there's always some product left on the brush which will dry up and cake. I would have preferred if it came in a squeeze tube or a doe-foot applicator. Also, the pen is metal and completely opaque, which means I cannot tell how much product is left.

Overall, the Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen in itself is a fairly decent product but I find the packaging to be an annoyance. For me, it sucks the fun out of making up because I have a bit too many things to worry about when using it. But if you're not as particular as me, you would probably enjoy this product more.

Pros:

• Pretty pearly shades.

• Lightweight consistency.

• Good balance of shimmer.

• Provides a nice radiant glow.

Cons:

• Cumbersome clicky pen packaging.

• Not an easy product to use for first timers.

• Limited shades available.

• May not suit many skin tones.

• Can settle into fine lines and appear cakey.

• Expensive.

The Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen is sold at Dior counters nationwide for RM120. Each pen consists of 1.5ml of product. Yes, it has a hefty price tag but if it works for you, you'd probably find it to be a worth while investment.

Bananas for Bronzers ~ A Recent Collection

I have never purchased a bronzer in all my life... that is, until I started watching a few many YouTube videos on how to contour one's face. By the way, I think I'm addicted to YouTube of late and have discovered quite a number of really fab "beauty gurus".

You see, I have stuffed chipmunk cheeks. The kind of cheeks that are fat and round and wide. I didn't get around to looking at bronzers or contouring powders before because my cheeks used to really ruddy and splotchy, and I was afraid bronzers would emphasise the redness. However, my face redness has somewhat lessened after using Clarisonic Mia and several skincare products that seemed to help even out my skin tone. This makes me so happy because I can finally use cheek and face colours without looking like a clown.

The Body Shop Honey Powder Bronzer in #001 Light Matte

I got this after reading SkinDeco's review and I really liked the fact that it's a very subtle bronzer and it's matte. As a first timer with bronzing, it's probably safer to start out with something subtle and not too pigmented. This bronzer looks very natural in person and quite honestly, hardly shows up so I find myself dipping my brush in a few more times. I have used it as a face powder and it warms my complexion slightly without looking too obvious.

Bloom Aloha Bronzer

The Bloom bronzer may look rather dark in the pan but when applied with a light hand, it shades my face in a rather subtle manner. I use it as a blush or a contouring powder, to shade the shadowy areas beneath my cheekbones and on my jawline. It is mostly matte and not too orange or muddy but I'd need to be quite careful to not use too much because it can appear a little dark on my skin. I switch between a MAC 209 and a MAC 187 brush to blend.

Essence Bronzing Compact Powder Matt in Love to be Matt

That's right, it's spelt without the "e". I got this from Watson's for only RM13.90 and it is probably the most budget-friendly bronzer available in our local market. I am quite pleased with this product although it is rather powdery and requires a bit of blending to smoothen it out. I use it as a contouring powder and it performs quite well. I don't think it's very lasting though but for the price, I cannot complain.

Essence Bronzing Compact Powder Shimmer in Bronzing Queen

I got this together with Matt. As it has subtle shimmers in it, I only use it as a blush and not so much a contouring powder or bronzer. The colour is really nice and creates a light, healthy flush against my skin tone. The shimmer is not noticeable and adds enough shine without making me look oily. Like Matt, the texture is powdery however it seems to stay on longer than it's matte counterpart.

Paul & Joe Blue Horizon Bronzer in Siren

This is limited edition and may be hard to find these days. The girlie and pretty packaging is typical of Paul & Joe. It is a really nice and versatile product. When swirled together, it creates a subtle allover glow applied lightly and the peachy-pink shade works beautifully as a blush too. The white decorative overspray on the etched fish comes off after a couple of uses.

Etude House Aloha V-Line Slim Maker in #02

Don't you just love the name "slim maker"? I really need something that can tone my fat face down and am hoping that this product will work as claimed. I have not used it yet as I just got it yesterday. I like that it's a two-in-one product (good for travel) with a contouring shade (Cherry Wood) and highlighter (Sun Pink) packaged together in a slim, pretty compact. I tested at the counter and the texture is smooth and soft.

theBalm Bahama Mama Bronzer

This is the darkest bronzer shade I now own but I have not used it yet because I just bought this yesterday. I did test it over the counter and it appears as a matte, bark brown when swatched heavily. When used with a fluffy blender brush, it adds some depth to my face, making it look a bit more defined but I need to use very little otherwise it will be too dark on my skin tone. The texture is very silky and smooth, really lovely stuff.

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I now use bronzers to add a bit of warmth and to shade parts of my face. A couple of them can be used as blush to achieve that healthy flush of colour that looks a bit more natural than bright pink blushes. Admittedly, I'm not that accomplished at applying them yet and am still experimenting with different brushes and techniques.

So, I'm really interested to know... What are your favourite bronzing or contouring products and why do you like them?