Throwback Thurday with Estée Lauder

Estée Lauder used to package their Pure Color eyeshadows in little cubes that looked like ice cubes with color in the middle.  They also had a lip lacquer packaged the same way.

The adorable mini eyeshadow must have come from a free gift.

There is even a mirror in the cap.

I love the packaging of these, and I think it was quite unique.  The compacts the shadows come in now are chic and everything, but kind of predictable.

Formula X Cherry Blossom Effects Top Coat

I was perusing the new stuff section on the Sephora website (you know how you do) not too long ago, and I came across this adorable polish.

It's a top coat with a clear base with pink little, medium, and large circular-shaped particles, as well as flower "blossom" shaped particles (Sephora's website describes them as glitter, but they aren't sparkly).  It gives the effect of both polka dots and little blossoms on the nails.  So delightful!

I put two blossoms on my thumb.

Like any polish with little glitters or particles in it, you kind of have to fish them out of the bottle.  The "polka dots" came out easily, and I didn't actually have to double or triple dip for them.  I did have to go in a few times to find a flower, but once it was on the brush it was easy to dab it on and place it where I wanted.  I put a clear top coat (Essie's Good To Go) over the whole nail once the Cherry Blossom polish had dried to lock down any edges.  I haven't had any blossoms or polka dots peel off or catch on anything.  They all lie down flat really nicely.  I think the material is pliable enough that it molds to the curve of the nail.

I really like how the Sephora included photos of both the bottle of the polish and how it looks on real nails.

Formula X is exclusive to Sephora and the Cherry Blossom Top Coat is $12.50 USD.  (It is currently out of stock on the website as I write this...)

I think the Cherry Blossom Top Coat is charming!

Sonia Kashuk Brush Couture 5 Piece Brush Set Review

Have you seen Sonia Kashuk's summer collection?  There is an awesome set of brushes with colorful snakes that look kind of like mosaics on the handles.

Snakes!

Yeah, I had to have these.

The set comes with a powder/blush brush, foundation brush, all over eyeshadow brush, crease/blending eyeshadow brush, and a eyeliner brush.

The powder brush is not particularly large, and is just just the right size to use under the eyes to set concealer.  I also think it is a good size for contouring.  The foundation brush is a flat, non-fluffy, synthetic bristle brush.  I'm usually too lazy/impatient to use foundation brushes, so this brush has been getting the least amount of use.  I will say, it works nicely with concealer.  The all over eyeshadow brush is quite wide and very soft, and it's really great to use for a quick application of color on the entire lid.  The crease brush is somewhat small, narrow and slightly stiff (without being at all scratchy or prickly), and I like it for a good concentration of color in the crease, or for applying highlighter colors under the brow and in the inner corner by the tear duct.  The liner brush is nice and stiff, so it is excellent for use with a gel or cream eyeliner.  (My favorite gel eyeliner happens to be Sonia Kashuk's, actually.)

All of these brushes are wonderfully soft, do not shed, and, naturally, apply makeup beautifully.

Sonia Kashuk makes really great affordable brushes.  I have several eyeshadow brushes and a blush brush that I've owned for probably a decade, and they are some of my favorite brushes.  I would absolutely recommend them.

This set is $16.99 USD at Target.  There are also matching makeup/accessory bags of various sizes available with the same snake print.

Like this one:

Have you ever tried Sonia Kashuk's brushes?

Have a gorgeous day, friends!

May 2014 Favorites

Time for some favorites for the past month!  Let's get to it.

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning (review) -- I've been using this every other night to give me some color on my face and décolleté.  It's light and milky, and feels kind of refreshing.  A great, gradual self tanner.

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation -- True story: I needed a new foundation to match my newly self-tanned face, and I didn't want to spend too much money on one because I wasn't sure how often I was going to self-tan, or even if I was going to like doing it.  So, I went to CVS and looked for the cheapest (or close to it) foundation and discovered this one for $6, plus I had some Extra Bucks, so it cost me $2.  I hadn't done any "homework" on it, so I was buying it with only having read the ingredients on the back (I liked the fact it has titanium dioxide for sunscreen).  I took it home and immediately slapped it on my face, and discovered it was a light, liquidy, comfortable foundation with light to medium coverage.  It was a win!  I've been wearing it almost everyday, and think it is rather great.  The packaging, however, leaves something to be desired.  It is a glass bottle with no pump that is narrower at the bottom than the top, so it is quite tippy.  Chance of me spilling it: near 100%.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder -- I have already repurchased this powder.  It gives a nice finish to the skin, doesn't look powdery, and it isn't drying.  Inelegant packaging, but whatever.  It works.

Too Faced à la mode Eyes -- This palette has nothing but shimmery shadows, so I have to supplement it with matte shadow from somewhere else, but I don't mind.  The colors are so springy/summery and just feel right for this time of year.  My favorite colors: Jardin (shimmery peach), Cannes (shimmery and sparkly copper), and Soleil (shimmery plummy brown).  De La Mer (shimmery navy blue) makes a great liner color.

MAC Lipglass in Water Deities from the Alluring Aquatics Collection -- This is a very shimmery "light bronzy pink" (according to MAC). It has the signature Lipglass vanilla scent and tacky texture that makes it long-wearing.  Gorgeous color.  Pretty packaging doesn't hurt either.

This is only a small part of the garden!

My Garden! -- The garden is looking lush and full now that all the plants are up.  Plenty of spring flowers have been blooming over the past month, and it's really fun to see what blooms when, what starts growing when, and where I need to add more plants!

I'd love to hear about some of your recent favorites!

Late May/Early June 2014 Garden (Lots of Pics)

Ahh, the spring garden.  So wonderful.

First the close-ups of various plants:

'Black Parrot' Tulip -- My parents brought back a bag of these for me from the Netherlands.

'Cummins' Tulip

'Cummins' and 'Black Parrot' Tulips together

Bleeding Heart

Lily of the Valley

Solomon's Seal and Hosta

Peony

Couple of different colors of Dianthus

Spiderwort

'Southern Comfort' Heuchera

'Fire and Ice' Hosta

Some sort of wildflower that showed up in my sun garden

Tiarella (aka Foamflower)

And now, some garden overviews:

Those Allium on the right are about to pop!

Ohhh I just love my garden.

Thanks for taking today's rather long garden tour with me!

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning Quick Review

I can't tell you why this isn't called Self Tanner instead of Self Tanning.  Maybe it's the translation from French.  In any case, I love this stuff.

I've never been one to self-tan my face because I've always been concerned that it would be all blotchy and weird because I use a BHA (salicylic acid) or AHA (glycolic acid) or a retinoid on my face almost every night.  I figured if it didn't work for my face I could always use it on my body somewhere.  My legs usually need a little help in the color department after a long winter.  But, I love it on my face, neck, and chest!

I've found that this self tanner is gradual and subtle enough that I can switch it with my regular skincare every other night and it gives me a nice glow and color.  It also claims to soften the skin, and I feel like maybe it does, so it kind of works as skincare, too.

It is a milky liquid that feels wonderfully light and dries quickly.  It has a herbal-y plant-y scent on application that at first I wasn't too fond of, but have grown to really like.  It doesn't have the signature self tan gross smell (I can't smell it at all!), and it is buildable, so for more color, I just apply it every day instead of every other day.  It also seems light enough in texture that it could be worn during the day. I just choose to use it at night.

As with any self tanner, be sure to wash your hands after application.  Even though this is a gradual tanner, it will stain the palms (I learned this after waking up with a tan palm one morning).  You can apply this with a cotton pad because it is liquid-y enough, but I don't bother with one, and I just use my hands.

I love the color this gives me, and the light, refreshing feeling of it on the skin.  Plus, no self tan smell?  Big thumbs up from me!

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning is $36 USD for 4.2 oz.

P.S.  Is it self tanner or self-tanner?  To hyphenate or not to hyphenate...