Beauty Bucketeer

Makeup

Colourpop Super Shock Cheek Review (Mochi, Between The Sheets, Early Bird, Clutch, Fruit Stand)

March 3, 2015

Hi again, dolls!

I’m on fire here! Two posts in less than 24 hours! I guess I just can’t contain my excitement. Both my Colourpop Cosmetics and Makeup Geek (view my review and swatches here) packages arrived on the same day. And another special package (stay tuned!) came too!

Read on for first impression reviews and swatches!

Makeup Geek Foiled Eyeshadows, Eyeshadows and Pigment Review

March 2, 2015

Stephanie Casidy

Hi again! If you follow me on Instagram you’d know that my Makeup Geek purchases just arrived and I can’t be more ecstatic. I’ve had a chance to play around with them a bit today, so I hope you enjoy my first impressions review and swatches.

Read on for my first impressions and swatches!

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Makeup

20 Beauty Questions

March 1, 2015

Stephanie Casidy

Hey guys!

So, I was surfing around Reddit (as usual) and found a fun tag that’s been going on for a while called the “20 Beauty Questions“ tag.

I had nothing productive to do this Sunday night so I thought, why not? 😉

I’ve tagged a few of my favorite bloggers to do this tag but if I didn’t tag you, please feel free to join in as well! (And tag me so I can see!)

Well, here it goes…

1. What is the one product you’d grab if your house was on fire?

My limited edition Cle de Peau Voyage palette. No brainer.

2. Which beauty vlogger would you want to do your makeover?

JACLYN HILL. PUH-LEASE!

3. What celeb do people think you look like?

A variety of Indonesian or Malaysian actresses. Haha.

4. What beauty product do you save for date night?

My brighter lipsticks! I normally wear nudes and MLBBs on a daily basis.

5. Which of your guy friends take longer than you to get ready?

None of them. I take aaaaages to prepare. LOL.

6. If you could create your own miracle beauty product, what would it be?

I’m still not sure, but it would definitely be travel-friendly-packaged makeup. Something that would make travelling with makeup so much easier (and lighter)!

My travel essentials! I’m a jetsetter so I need high quality travel-friendly makeup!

Image source: @beautybucketeer Instagram

7. What’s your best beauty tip?

I have so many up my sleeves! You can find my tips on how to make your makeup last longer in hot and humid weather here.

8. What beauty products do you love to splurge on?

I usually splurge on foundations, powders and skincare. I guess coz they’re usually the culprits behind breakouts, so I’m always a bit skeptical of drugstore face products.

Some of my favorite foundations!

Image Source: @beautybucketeer Instagram

9. Which beauty vloggers would you bring on a shopping spree?

#ESTELIA (Estee “Essie Button” and Amelia Liana). Definitely. I don’t care if I’m a thirdwheeler as long as I get to hang out with them! 😀

10. What is your signature scent?

Used to be jasmine – I love Dyptique’s Olene so much. Now I’m leaning more towards violets – I’m obsessed with Guerlain’s Insolence, featured on my February Favorites post here.

I basically smell like a huge tub of Guerlain Meteorites powder.

Guerlain Insolence
Original post here.

11. I am on an endless quest for the perfect…

CONCEALER! #MissionImpossible

12. How many beauty products does it take to get you ready?

Oh Gawd. Err… At least 12 including tools. LOL.

13. What lipstick/lipgloss is in your purse right now?

My currents obsessions are the ILIA Lipstick in “In My Room” and Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in “Pretty”. Both were featured in my February Favorites post too!

Some of my in-purse essentials include
ILIA Lipstick in “In My Room” and Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in “Pretty”.
Original post here.

Image Source: @beautybucketeer Instagram

14. Who is your celebrity beauty icon?

Honestly? Kylie Jenner. Her makeup is always on point, okay?! #DontJudge

15. Name the beauty brand you’d most love to be a spokesperson of.

This is so icky tricky! I’d love to be a spokesperson for Cle de Peau, but I guess it’s too far-fetched. It’s such a classy brand with an “untouchable”vibe. LOL. Kevyn Aucoin or NARS would be my next pick.

16. What’s your current nail polish?

OPI Fifty Shades of Grey which I reviewed here. I’m currently still in the process of observing its longevity. It’s been 17 days since I applied it and it still has minimal signs of wear, I can’t believe it! Pictures will be up soon 🙂

OPI Fifty Shade of Grey
Original post here.

17. Favorite mascara right now?

Too Faced Better Than Sex for volume, Maybelline Lash Sensational for length.

18. The last thing you bought at Sephora?

A backup of my favorite moisturizer, the Fresh Beauty Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream with Super 7 Complex, also featured in my February Favorites here.

Fresh LotusYouth Preserve Face Cream with Super 7 Complex
Original post here.

19. I try never to be seen without wearing…

Eyebrow pencil! Forget concealer, mascara, eyeliner, powder and everything else. I shall never be seen without my brows! (They’re non-existent).

20. What’s one beauty product you always recommend?

Cle de Peau concealer is my no. 1 recommended product of all time because the one question people ask me the most is “what’s your favorite concealer?”!

Hope that was fun!

If you decide to do this tag, please let me know once you’ve posted your answer by leaving the link in the comment section below or through email.

I’ll see you in my next post, loves!

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Favorites, Makeup, Skincare

February 2014 Beauty Favorites

February 27, 2015

Stephanie Casidy

Hey, dolls!

I can’t believe another month has passed by.

Time for another favorites round-up and I have tons to share with you all!

My favorites this month include new products I’ve just discovered, and products I rediscovered from my collection.

Read on for my mini reviews!

Enjoy!

Makeup

Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss “Pretty”

I’ve always wanted to try Chantecaille Brilliant Glosses because Amelia Liana just won’t stop raving about her favorite lipgloss of all time – the Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in Lucky. So I went in to Mecca Cosmetica earlier this month and swatched all of them in store.

Before swatching them, I was really keen on getting Lucky based on Amelia’s recommendation, but Pretty was actually the one I couldn’t take my eyes off of.

Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss “Pretty”

How pretty is “Pretty”? 🙂

Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss “Pretty”

It’s described as a “glistening strawberry pink” and has tiny specks of shimmer, but is very subtle. It adds a nice warmth to the lips and has the ability to brighten up my whole complexion. It is opaque enough to be worn alone, and I love that it doesn’t feel too sticky on the lips.

Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss “Pretty”

This has been an in-purse staple of mine ever since I got it.

It retails for US$34 on the Chantecaille website or Nordstrom, and AU$42 at Mecca Cosmetica.

US$34 currently equals to about AU$43 so it’s actually slightly cheaper in Australia (plus, our prices are already tax inclusive!).

Cle de Peau Beaute Rosy Frost Blush

I won’t get into much detail with this one because I’ve already raved about it here.

Cle de Peau Rosy Frost Blush

It’s a beautiful rosy pink cream blush, but the consistency is very thin, unlike other thick, creamy cream blushes in general. Once I start dabbing it on my skin it somehow feels a bit powdery, which makes it feel so smooth.

Cle de Peau Rosy Frost Blush

It has a subtle frosty finish which gives the skin a luminous glow.

It retails for US$55 in high-end department stores but is unfortunately a limited edition.

Keep an eye out for other shades though!

Guerlain Meteorites Perles de Blush “Angelic Radiance”

This is probably the only blush I’ve been wearing over the past few weeks.

It’s just so beautiful and it has that signature Guerlain Meteorites scent.

Guerlain Meteorites Perles de Blush “Angelic Radiance” & Guerlain Meteorites Pearls of Powder “02 Clair”

The pearls are significantly smaller than the Guerlain Meteorites, and a lot of bloggers have complained about this. I personally don’t have a problem with it though.

Here are the blush and meteorites powder side by side:

Guerlain Meteorites Perles de Blush “Angelic Radiance” & Guerlain Meteorites Pearls of Powder “02 Clair”

The pearls come in three different shades: a rosy medium pink for blush, a light baby pink for added luminosity, and a champagne white shade for highlight. When swirled together it creates the most beautiful, skin-brightening flush for the cheeks.

It truly gives an angelic radiance to the skin.

Sorry the swatch isn’t that clear!

Guerlain Meteorites Perles de Blush “Angelic Radiance”
L – R: Mixed swatch, blush shade, pink highlight shade, champagne highlight shade

I will be writing a full review on this blush soon.

It retails for US$53 in Sephora and high end department stores.

ILIA Lipstick “In My Room”

A lovely reader of mine recently got in contact with me. She read my previous Favorites post here and she also happened to love the Josie Maran Argan Infinity in Limitless Pink. She loves the shade so much but had trouble with the longevity of the product on her lips – it only lasted about 30 minutes before it faded. So she asked me whether I knew of a long-lasting lipstick that has the exact same shade as the Limitless Pink.

Josie Maran Argan Infinity “Limitless Pink”
January 2015 Favorites post here.

I honestly couldn’t think of any – I didn’t have any lipstick with the exact same shade and tone in my collection. The YSL Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain in 12 Coral Fauve, which I’ve got in my collection, is actually a verrry close dupe – but I’m not a fan of the formula.

Long story short – I came across the ILIA cosmetics range when I was at Mecca Cosmetica getting my Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss, a brand new organic cosmetics brand.

ILIA Lipstick “In My Room”

I was so surprised and ecstatic when I swatched the shade – it’s a full-on dupe, except it’s in lipstick formula. It’s described as a muted pinky brown, and I love that the undertone is warm-neutral (not too warm/orange, and not too cool/blue either).

It’s the perfect MLBB (my lips but better) shade!

Here are ILIA Lipstick “In My Room” and Josie Maran Argan Infinity “Limitless Pink” swatched side by side:

L – R: ILIA Lipstick “In My Room” & Josie Maran Argan Infinity “Limitless Pink”

The texture is quite creamy with amazing color payoff. The finish is definitely not matte, but it’s not overly shiny either. It lasted for over 6 hours without touch up. The packaging is beautiful and lux-looking (texture feels like the Fresh SUGAR balms). And the scent isn’t overbearing. It’s moisturizing too, without that heavy/thick feeling. I’m so happy that this doesn’t chap my oversensitive lips.

The shade seems paler in the following swatch. Just imagine it to be slightly pinker.

ILIA Lipstick “In My Room”

I found my new “favorite lipstick of all time” and I can’t be happier.

In the US, it retails for US$26 before tax on the ILIA website, and AU$34 at Mecca Cosmetica in Australia. Again, I’m impressed that it’s actually cheaper in Australia.

Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer “Bisque”

This has been the only base product that I’ve been wearing over the past few weeks, and it’s been a favorite of mine for years.

I’ve been testing out so many different foundations over the past few months, but I somehow miss this so much. I decided to start wearing it again earlier this month and fell right back in love with it.

Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer

I reviewed this in my “Holy Grail Products I Keep Repurchasing” post here.

It retails for US$44 in Sephora and AU$59 (approx. US$45) in David Jones and Myer.

Paul & Joe Eyeshadow Duo “Gingerbread”

Back in December 2013, I purchased the Paul & Joe Eye & Cheek Color Set in the shade 002 Gingerbread at Harrods in London. It’s part of Paul & Joe’s Christmas Collection.

It came with a makeup bag, an eyeshadow duo, a cat-head shaped lipstick/blush stick, and an eyeshadow “top coat”.

I’ve just been loving the eyeshadow duo so much lately. I haven’t been able to have too much free time lately, so my makeup routine has been very simple. I don’t have time to blend eyeshadows!

So I’ve just been wearing the pink shade on the lids and the darker reddish brown shade on the outer corners using only my fingers for my everyday eye look.

Paul & Joe Eyeshadow Duo 002 Gingerbread

The shadows are very creamy and blendable! The slightly frosty finish highlights the eyelids beautifully. And it never creased on my lids. (I never wear this without primer so I won’t know how it’ll hold up without it).

This set is currently sold out but other Paul & Joe eyeshadows are just as amazing!

Body & Skin Care

Crabtree & Evelyn “Summer Hill” Collection

Summer Hill has always been my favorite scent from Crabtree & Evelyn, but I haven’t actually tried anything from the line except the powder and Eau de Toilette. The scent has very strong white flower tones like lillies, orange blossom, freesia and wildflowers. It has slight peach, grass and woodsy tones too.

The name “Summer Hill” fits this scent so well, doesn’t it!

Crabtree & Evelyn “Summer Hill” Collection

I recently received a $15 voucher from them for my birthday, so I decided to splurge on the line!

I love this scent so much I even got their drawer liners!! My clothes now smell like green pastures in the summer 🙂

I also got the body lotion and bar soap, and I’ve been loving them so much.

The body lotion has a lightweight, silky-smooth finish that isn’t tacky or sticky at all. I love wearing this at night because when my legs touch, they don’t feel tacky at all, which often happens when I use other body lotions.

The soap is also lovely because the scent lingers for a few hours after I finish showering. It makes the skin feel squeaky clean and soft!

Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure Mud Mask

This has been the only mask I’ve been using ever since I ran out of my Glam Glow Supermud (my all-time favorite!) and I’ve just been loving this just as much. It’s just not as easy to remove as the Glam Glow, but the effect on the skin is just as good.

Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure Mud Mask

My skin’s been acting up a bit lately ever since I returned from Indonesia. Climate changes, I guess? So I’ve been getting a bit of congestions/clogged pores here and there – and this mask has helped in getting rid of the bumps.

This is so affordable and I highly recommend this!

A 100 ml bottle retails for US$5.99 at Ulta and AU$8.99 (currently on sale for AU$6.99!) at Priceline.

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream with Super 7 Complex

I will be reserving my full thoughts on this for a separate post on this moisturizer!

All you need to know is that this moisturizer aims to prevent signs of aging, provide significant moisture, and boost radiance.

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream with Super 7 Complex

I got this moisturizer in the States and fell right in love with it. It has a lovely, fresh cucumber scent and has a lightweight lotion texture that goes on so smoothly on the skin.

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream with Super 7 Complex

It’s the perfect moisturizer for drier climates (like Australia and the States!) and I love how it keeps my skin moisturized without that sticky, heavy feel on the skin. I notice that my skin’s much brighter too, although it could be the effect of other skincare products I’ve been using.

I love this so much that I got a back up of it already.

A 50 ml tub retails for US$42 in Sephora. Unfortunately, I don’t think Fresh Beauty products are readily available in Australia.

Guerlain Insolence Eau de Parfum

I walked into a Guerlain counter asking whether they had a perfume with the scent of the Guerlain Meteorites earlier this month. I don’t know why I waited so long to finally ask that question! I’ve always loved the scent of Guerlain Meteorites powders.

Well, the SA introduced me to the Guerlain Insolence fragrances (there’s an Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum) and it basically smells like the Guerlain Meteorites – it just smells less powdery.

Guerlain Insolence Eau de Parfum

It starts off smelling a bit too sweet and strong, like berries and candies. However, after about 10 minutes, the nauseating sweetness slowly fades and it starts smelling more like the Guerlain Meteorites – the smell of powdery violets.

Guerlain Insolence Eau de Parfum

With the Eau de Parfum, I find that the longer you wear it, the better the scent gets! This lasted the whole day on me. I’m so in love.

I’ve found my new signature scent.

I smell like a huge tub of Guerlain Meteorites.

I’m so in love.

A 50 ml bottle retails for AU$122 in David Jones and Myer.

Sorry for the painfully long post. I just had too many favorites to share!

Hope you enjoyed the post, and hope you had a lovely February!

See you in my next post.

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Makeup

Review: Revlon Ultra HD Lipsticks & Lip Lacquers

February 26, 2015

Stephanie Casidy

Hi again, dolls!

My review today will be on the new Revlon Ultra HD Lipsticks and Lipglosses. I purchased two lipsticks (HD Peony and HD Azalea) and two lip lacquers (HD Pink Sapphire and HD Pink Ruby) at a CVS (I had some Extra Bucks to spend and they were on Buy 1 Get 1 50% Off, so why not!) and I gotta say, these looked very alluring on display.

Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquer HD Pink Ruby, Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquer HD Pink Sapphire, Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick HD Peony, Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick HD Azalea

L – R: Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquers “HD Pink Ruby” & “HD Pink Sapphire”,
Revlon Ultra HD Lipsticks “HD Peony” & “HD Azalea”.

When I first encountered them, I literally itched to give these a try. Too bad there weren’t any testers, as usual. The term “Ultra HD” really got to me, even though I really had no idea what it meant in relation to lipstick.

In fact, I still don’t.

I’ve searched for reviews on these on the Internet and not one person knows what the term “Ultra HD” meant in this case – Revlon never really explained too! They simply described these as having “true color clarity without the heavy feel”. I’m just going to assume that “Ultra HD” meant that these lippies are extra vibrant, vivid, and high-resolution-looking on the lips.

So, did these live up to their “Ultra HD” claims?

Read on to find out!

Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick

Shades & Color Payoff

The Revlon Ultra HD Lipsticks come in 20 shades. I picked up one light shade, and one darker shade.

These retail for US$9.99 at CVS, but AU$23.95 in Priceline. Ooh my goodness.

I am so thankful to the Lord I got mine at CVS for Buy 1 Get 1 50%!

HD Azalea

HD Azalea is a rich, medium berry pink. It’s on the brighter side and is very flattering on my warm-neutral skin tone.

Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick “HD Azalea”

HD Azalea has an amazing color payoff. Just a few pats on the lips will create a beautiful red wine stain, and one full heavy-handed swipe will create a completely opaque look.

L – R: Chanel Glossimer #169, Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquer “HD Pink Ruby”,
Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick “HD Azalea”,
“HD Azalea” + Chanel Glossimer #169,
“HD Azalea” + “HD Pink Ruby”

I love pairing this with Chanel’s Glossimer in 169, which is a very similar to the Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquer in HD Pink Ruby, except it’s a bit sheerer because it’s a lipgloss, not a lacquer.

If I pair HD Azalea with HD Pink Ruby, it’s a bit too intense for my liking.

HD Peony

HD Peony is a cool-toned pale, baby pink. It’s definitely not opaque, though.

Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick “HD Peony”

No matter how many layers I try to apply, the color just won’t become opaque. I guess this is supposed to be one of the sheerer ones? It definitely doesn’t look HD to me.

If anything, it’s “Ultra HD” because it emphasizes my lines!

They apply very unevenly, settles into lines and dry patches, and the color looks pasty. Not good.

However, when swatched on my hand, it looks so pretty. Do keep in mind that I had to layer the hand swatch to about five or six layers to make it that opaque.

L – R: Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick “HD Peony”,
“HD Peony” + “HD Pink Sapphire”,
Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquer “Pink Sapphire”

The only way I’ve been wearing this is when it’s paired with the Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquer in Pink Sapphire, which I will review below. The gloss and shimmers from the lip lacquer somehow smooths out all the patchiness from the lipstick.

Formula & Finish

Here’s Revlon’s official description of the lipsticks:

“Revolutionary wax-free gel technology for true color clarity in one smooth swipe.”

These lipsticks feel rather balmy, and I’m not surprised. It’s because of the gel formula that it feels rather slick and balm-like. But the color intensity of HD Azalea is far from that of a balm! 🙂

The finish of these definitely aren’t matte, but they’re not shiny too – so they’re somewhere in between. They actually have a very nice, silky finish and a lightweight feel. The shades that I picked up don’t have shimmers in it.

I didn’t expect these to be moisturizing, but they actually turn out to be pretty darn moisturizing. Not as moisturizing as the Revlon Lip Butters, but still good enough that my lips never chapped from wearing them.

Oh, they also have a strong scent and flavor, which I personally dislike. They remind me of fruit flavored cough syrup. Yuck. The scent is so strong that I can taste it whenever I’m wearing the lipsticks. They actually fade after a few hours but it still bothers me.

I do notice that a lot of people like the scent though, so it’s a matter of personal preference.

Longevity

The HD Peony only lasted a few hours on me, not even 4 or 5. Maybe because it’s one of the sheerer ones. Gosh I really dislike this shade.

However, HD Azalea lasted for about 8 hours – gradually becoming more of a stain from the 5th or 6th hour mark. I never touched up because I liked the look of the stain. It’s an effortless “red wine” stain on the lips.

Packaging

OH MY GOODNESS.

THE PACKAGING.

GAH.

L – R: Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick “HD Peony” & Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick “HD Azalea”

I loathe it.

The lipstick bullet doesn’t completely twist all the way down. The tip of the bullet actually peeks out from the barrel. So you have to be extra cautious when putting the cap back on. I chipped off my Peony lipstick just after my first try! How ridiculous is that.

Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick “HD Peony”

And the cap is also very dirty now.

Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick “HD Peony”

The Wet n Wild Mega Last lipsticks also have a similar type of packaging where it has a clear cap and a lipstick bullet that doesn’t completely swivel down, but I find that I never had much drama with it. I think it’s because the Revlon ones have a taller cap, so it’s much more difficult to control.

So this isn’t a lipstick I would want to carry around in my purse and apply when in a hurry, it’s just going to create one big mess.

The clear plastic cap and silver barrel makes them look modern and futuristic, though, which kinda goes with the whole “Ultra HD” theme, but it somehow looks cheap.

Not a big fan of the packaging.

Final Verdict

PROS:

HD Azalea has amazing color payoff and longevity

Great formula

Moisturizing

CONS:

PACKAGING. OH MY GOSH. *smh*

This may not be a “con” for some, but I personally dislike the scent and flavor!

HD Peony applies very unevenly and is too sheer.

Rating (HD Peony):

Sorry, Peony. You only get a 1 from me. ‘Nuff sed.

Rating (HD Azalea):

On the other hand, HD Azalea deserves a 3.5/5.

One chunk of point off for the horrendous packaging, and half off for the overwhelming scent and flavor. Otherwise, it’s perfect. I love the shade and formula.

Repurchase?

I definitely would like to try out other shades, but I will be steering away from the lighter shades as I think they might end up being just as bad as HD Peony!