Which is Better?⎪Eyeshadows that Set like Tattoos

Today I want to do a little comparison post, comparing between some of the eyeshadows that completely set like tattoos on the eyelids. I was going to originally just introduce one of these as my recent favorite, but I thought, why not introduce a whole bunch that have similar formulation and finish?

To start off, the one I wanted to really talk about was the Stila Smudge Crayon in the shade "Antique". The color works perfect for my skin and for the lazy days, I find it so easy to smudge my eyelids with just this shade. Because these smudge crayons by Stila are quite "un-blendable" all I can really do it slap it on. These eyeshadows set completely, pretty much the moment you put it on. I find it almost impossible to blend it, even right after application. Because of that reason, it was something that I didn't quite reach for. But because it sets so completely, it sticks on the eyelids all day. I also love the shade "Antique" in particular because it is so natural but gives dimension at the same time. I find that I can get away with this single shadow across the lid and not needing other shadows in particular.

With that being said, one of the most popular Stila shades is the shade "kitten". If I were fair-skinned, I would have loved this for the all-over-the-lid application. I guess people love the shade "kitten" for the same reason I love "antique" - but the only difference is that "kitten" would look to white on my skin. So if you are medium-olive skin-toned, the "Antique" would be the perfect everyday shade, and if you are fair-light skin-toned, "Kitten" would be gorgeous! But of course there are no rules!

As I was swatching the Stila "Antique" I thought it looked quite similar to Maybelline's Color Tattoo in "Bad to the Bronze" - one of the most talked about shade in the beauty blog world. I delved into this pot as well, but I didn't like it so much. I have still yet to find out what the hype was. First off, the shade was too dark and dull for my skin. Unlike "Antique", which looks natural but gives dimension, I found "Bad to the Bronze" a shade that just darkened my overall features.

The Maybelline Color Tattoo, I found, was also a bit too chunky. This, like the Stila Smudge Crayons, is that it is so difficult to blend. Considering how dark the shade is, I wanted to blend it out. But it just made a bit of mess on my lids! It does set, and the shade has silver pigments in it. I might look pretty on more of the fair skin tones so that the color pops. Otherwise, for me - this was a bit of a no-no.

Now, going on to the high-end products: Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow and Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon. I've already blogged about the Chanel one. I love it, and I especially love it in the summer because the shade is so beautiful and it has a water-wet look. As for the Charlotte Tilbury one, I've blogged about this one as well. I love the shade, pigmentation, and blend ability - all of that! But I still haven't figured out how I can wear it to look nice on me. If you do have light green eyes, this would probably look amazing.

Ratings: (out of 5 points)

Setting Power

• Stila Smudge Crayons: 5/5
• Maybeline Color Tattoo: 4/5
• Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow: 4.5/5
• Charlotte Tilbury: 4.5/5

Blendability

• Stila Smudge Crayons: 1/5
• Maybeline Color Tattoo: 1/5
• Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow: 3.5/5
• Charlotte Tilbury: 5/5

Color/Pigmentation

• Stila Smudge Crayons: 4/5
• Maybeline Color Tattoo: 3/5
• Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow: 5/5
• Charlotte Tilbury: 5/5

Lasting Power

• Stila Smudge Crayons: 5/5
• Maybeline Color Tattoo: 4/5
• Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow: 4.5/5
• Charlotte Tilbury: 4/5

Leave a Comment antique, chanel, charlotte tilbury, eyeshadows, kitten, maybelline, stila

Share:

The Best of 2014 Beauty⎪Makeup & Skincare

Watch the video here! 
It's the end of 2014. How crazy is it that the year is almost over? I have a lot of things going on next year and I'm both nervous and excited for what's to come. Before I introduce my 2014 beauty favorites, I wanted to wish all of my dear readers a Happy New Year! I hope great blessings will come in 2015 and that you will be filled with happiness and joy :)


It's been awhile since I've uploaded a video on my Youtube channel. There a lot of reasons. After filming just two in front of the camera, I felt I wasn't really a Youtube-y person, and that I felt more comfortable communicating with readers on my blog. That being said though, I do at times still enjoy talking to a camera than typing away in front of a screen.

Since it is the last video of 2014, I thought it'd be easier for you to go through my beauty faves with my face actually on the screen than just my hands. So I've pulled out my camera and filmed in front of it. Please give the video a thumbs up if you've enjoyed it so I'll know this was a good idea or not! (ha!)

But for those of you who aren't fond of videos, I'm listing my faves here for you. Click on the names to read the reviews. I've linked it so it is easier to access them!

MAKEUP
Foundation: Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover
Primers: Mario Badescu Special Healing Powder, Benefit Porefessional
Concealers: Collection 2000 concealer, Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer
Eyebrow: Hourglass Arch Sculpting Brow
Eyeliner: Jouer Shimmering Liquid Eyeliner in Leopard
Blush: Nars The Multiple in Rivera
Lips: Giorgio Armani lip liner in No.6, YSL Rouge Shine Volupte
Eyeshadows: MAC Soba, Laura Mercier Gilded Rosegold
Mascara: Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes
Contour and Highlight: Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow
Nails: Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow, Essie Fishnet Stockings

SKINCARE
Dr. Jart+ Cermidin Liquid and Cream
ISOI Bulgarian Rose Blemish Serum 

2 comments benefit, charlotte tilbury, collection 2000, deborah lippmann, dr. jart, essie, estee lauder, favorites, giorgio armani, hypnose, isoi, lancome, laura mercier, MAC, mario badescu, Nars, rosegold, the multiple, YSL

Share:

Wishlist #6⎪beauty & others

There is something lovely about putting wish list products in a visual collage. These are some of the things that I've been dreaming about :)

1. Tom Ford Wild Ginger
2. Chanel Les Bieges
3. Longchamp Le Pilage Backpack
4. Pashley Cycles Britannia 
5. Charlotte Tilbury Golden Goddess eye palette

Leave a Comment chanel, charlotte tilbury, longchamp, tom ford, wishlist

Share:

JULY FAVORITES

It's a little late, but I thought I'd show you some of my July favorites. This time, it's mainly full of makeup. I actually enjoyed so much different kinds of makeup, especially since I've been on vacation. There were things that just made me happy, like the Benefit Porefessional, that I didn't feature in this post because I've been going on about it ever since I purchased it. So, I decided to keep some old things out and tell you about rediscoveries or new products I've never mentioned on my blog before! Read about the Benefit Porefessional here: http://etherealellie.blogspot.com/2014/06/battle-of-primers-benefit-porefessional.html

The first newbie is the Guerlain Terracotta Sun in the City Illuminator. I've had this for months in fact, but I've never really reached for it. I did try it a couple of times, but I didn't think I was giving it a fair chance especially since I was using it at times when my skin was acting very well. But I've been dusting this on the tops of my cheeks, tip of my nose, and the inner corners of my eyes to give my face a little shine and it's been wonderful. It is a very super creamy pigmented highlighter. The color is on the yellow side of things, I guess very well fit for its name SUN in the city. It is quite yellow as the sun, which I feel you'd have to be a little careful with. It is super pigmented so a little will go a long way, and the packaging is huge! The packaging is just beautifuuuuul but seriously, when will I ever finish it all?! 

Another product that I've been loving is the Lancome Hypnose Star mascara. If you don't know already, I love getting mascara in small sample sizes. They are the best, since a regular-sized mascara is supposed to only last about six months. I find I never completely use them up before they expire, so I like to have multiple sample mascaras. This particular one has been my absolute fave recently.  I've never tried any of Lancome's mascara, but this one I swoon over! The brush has the perfect sized bristles. I find that they really elongate and curl up my eyelashes. Because the bristles are close to each other, I also feel that it really thickens and voluminizes my eyelashes. Perfect doll eyes effect! The brush is very think at the tip, which the picture didn't quite capture, but I like the way it goes from wide to very thin. 

For face, I've been back to my Nars Sheer Glow foundation. Can't point my finger as to why I love this foundation, but I just do! The Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer is a great concealer no doubt, but I'm still struggling with the color! The lady at the Nars counter told me I definitely should get vanilla. My mind was set on Custard. After a bit of dilly-dallying I ended up getting the vanilla, only to find that it is way to light for me! But still, I can tell how amazing this concealer is. So super long-lasting, and gives the smoothest skin-perfecting concealing effect. I'm still missing my Collection 2000 concealer that I recently used up last month! :(

Besides these, the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar bronzer and highlighter duo is just marvelous. Perfect bronzing shade! The highlighter is great as well, with a subtle natural shade glow! I love this palette to pieces and if there is anything you should pick up from Charlotte Tilbury it is this very palette! Read more here: http://etherealellie.blogspot.com/2014/01/charlotte-tilburys-makeup-part-i.html

It seems I've been going on glow-y themed because the Benefit Coralista blush has been back in my makeup pouch. I love the shade, but what I love more is the slight gleam it has. With this blush, you don't even need a highlighter. It has that perfect amount of pearl to give you a fresh lovely face! 

The Hourglass brow sculpting pencil is super lovely! I've used it every day and I love it to pieces. Another eye product is the Jouer liquid eyeliner that I've spoke about previously. I'm almost done with it and I definitely want to get the full-size. Gives me the really natural cat eye like! Read about them here: http://etherealellie.blogspot.com/2014/04/april-favorites-giveaway.html

Besides makeup, I've been loving the Rebecca Minkoff cosmetic bag I got for $20. TWENTY-DOLLARS, can you believe that? It was sale after sale, and by the time I got to the counter, it was $20. Heck yeah! I've also opened a new Diptyque candle that I've bought Christmas season last year. It's smelling very fir-tree like, but I love that freshness. 

1 comment charlotte tilbury, favorites, guerlain, lancome

Share:

Charlotte Tilbury Makeup Part #2. Colour Chameleon Eyeshadow Pencil

Before further ado, Charlotte Tilbury makeup is now available to the US. So damn exciting! This product can be found here: http://www.charlottetilbury.com/colour-chameleon-smoky-emerald.html

image from their website!

I bought this Colour Chameleon Eyeshadow Pencil back in December when I was in London. Since then, I thought long and hard about how to wear this and actually look good. It's not a new kind of beauty product. It's one of the eyeshadow chubby pencils that are creamy and glides over the lid. You get an instantly smokey look by smudging it after gliding it on the lids. I'm assuming for those with really deep sockets, this could be the best thing ever. Just rub it carelessly, take a buffing brush (something like MAC 217) and smoke it out. But for the less socketed people (me), you could end looking a bit goth if you spread this out too much.

w/ flash

under intense light

without flash

The color I chose was the shade "Smokey Emerald". It was gorgeous, and I have a thing for green eye makeup. It was the first thing I picked up, and after swatching it, I knew it was something I was going to get.

Totally smooth, creamy, and the color? INTENSITY. A dark emerald green with golden specks, that are super deep. It looks two-dimensional. I absolutely love the shade. And once you smudge it, it won't budge.

So, how do I wear this? I haven't been brave enough to rub it intensely all over my lid. But I have attempted to just dab it right above my eyelash line and smudge it upward from there. You can see the slight green when I open my eyes in the picture below:

It's 19 pounds, so around 30-40 dollars in the US? Not bad, considering how expensive luxe brands are! And Charlotte Tilbury's entire range is uber luxe and I feel so stylish when I use her makeup!

4 comments charlotte tilbury, emerald, eyeshadow, green, london, review, selfridges, smokey, smokey green

Share:

Charlotte Tilbury's Makeup, Part I. Bronzer & Glow Duo

My mind was set on picking up some Charlotte Tilbury makeup when I went to the UK. I was in London for about four days, and on the third day, I went to Selfridges to check them out. I was so thrilled to finally go to Selfridges that I even took a picture of the Charlotte Tilbury section! 

Unfortunately, I didn't get to meet Charlotte Tilbury herself but I absolutely adore her and watch most of her videos on Youtube. Anyway, there was so many things to check out and because the products are on the pricer bit, I knew I couldn't get everything I wanted. What I ended up buying was three products: The Filmstar Bronze & Glow, Full Fat Lashes Mascara, and Eyeshadow Pencil in Smokey Emerald. Today, I'm going to be talking to you about the The FilmStar Bronze & Glow bronzer and highlighter duo. 

As a start, let me put it out there that this gets a full fat FIVE OUT OF FIVE. Six stars, if I could. 

The Packaging: 

Charlotte Tilbury got it right on the mark. As someone who is so passionate about makeup, you can only assume that she'd do everything just right when it comes to packaging. The duo bronzer and highlighter comes in this luxurious gold sleek packaging. Right in the middle is her logo CT, which is ever so elegant. You do feel like a Filmstar goddess with this in your hands. The size and look of the packaging is en pointe and just so beautiful!

The Actual:

On the left is the bronzer and on the right is the highlighter. 

The Bronzer:
The color doesn't look as scary as say the Nars Laguna bronzer, and so I thought it might be too "un-dramatic" for what I look for in bronzers. I wasn't first to use this product. I had put it off, but while I did, my sisters took a share in trying out this duo. They raved so much about it, that I finally decided to see for myself. After washing my brushes clean, I took a gentle sweep of the bronzer and swept it lightly on my face. Let me tell you, it was a WOWza kind of effect. It was prominent and there, but it definitely wasn't an unnatural look. It instantly shaded in your face like a natural shadow, but it also sculpted the face in such an easy way! 

I wanted to do a swatch for you to see the color, but the pictures didn't come out true to the color, and I want to really say that what you swatch and how it actually looks on your face is very different. Swatching the bronzer, I didn't think it looks as prominent as it did on my face. 

The Highlighter:
The highlighter was also a WOWza. It's just so easy to use and you don't have to be afraid to use it relentlessly. It's so finely milled that when you sweep it down your nose, on the top of checks, and wherever else, the glow looks so natural and so you. The glow, even in the harshest truest sunlight, does not look like cake on the skin. It sits so peacefully on the skin and makes you look radiant without looking glittery or forced. It's natural and it gives you a true GLOW. 

Unfortunately, you can't get them in the US yet. But I'm sure with such a huge fan-base and the amazing reviews that are pouring out, Charlotte Tilbury will soon launch worldwide. At least I'm waiting for that day! Meanwhile, if you're ever heading to London anytime soon, make sure you head over to Selfridges and check them out!

2 comments bronzer, charlotte tilbury, filmstar, highlighter, london, selfridges

Share: