FOTN with Wet n Wild Lust, Laura Mercier and Le Metier de Beaute

Hi guys!! I'm doing a short post today to show you the makeup that I did last night for my father-in-law's dinner party :)

Without further ado, here are the pictures... Pardon my amateur blending skills LOL I used the beige colour in the WnW Lust palette to blend out the harsh edges, and while it is quite subtle in real life (certainly subtle in dim lighting, too), I had the flash firing for all my shots and so it looks quite stark.

The eyeshadows I have chosen for this look are very dark, but it hardly shows up in pictures because of my hooded eyelids :) For this reason, I usually tend to favour darker eyeshadows to define my eyes.

The picture below was taken by my niece on her phone. It shows how my makeup looked during dinner (no flash, artificial lighting).

 

Product Breakdown:

Le Metier de Beaute Peau Vierge in Shade 2

Laura Mercier Silk Creme in Sand Beige 

YSL Touche Eclat in #3

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder (on cheeks and T-zone)

Laura Mercier Canyon Sunset Blush

Wet n Wild Lust Palette

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Le Metier de Beaute Aurora Lip Kaleidoscope (tier 2)

Hope you enjoyed this short update.

xx Cindy

Le Metier de Beaute Giveaway!!!

I've been dying to host a giveaway for a while now, but I had to bide my time and accumulate enough awesome goodies to give my followers (old and new!)

Let's not waste anytime shall we?

Here are the prizes up for grabs:

1 x LMdB Daily Renew Cleanser (100 ml) BNIB

1 x LMdB Eye Makeup Remover sample

1 x LMdB Red Velvet Lip Creme BN (didn't come with a box)

1 x LMdB Chauvet Pont d'Arc Summer Kaleidoscope (BNIB) - Reviewed here

The prizes will be shipped to the winner using Airmail. Depending on where you are - this could take between 3 to 10 days. Please note that shipping from Australia is hideously expensive so I may have to split the prizes into two parcels if it means spending less money on my part.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love

Cindy

Dustin Lujan Exclusive Kaleidoscope Eye Kit : Pallid Incandescents - Review & Swatches

Ooooh! Ahhhh! OMG! 

Those were the words I said (read: screamed) when I opened a parcel from my dear friend Linda, who so very kindly purchased this palette on my behalf. I had not seen this in person but I trust her eyes and Dustin's extraordinary talent for making beautiful kaleidoscopes. I still yearn for Smoldering Embarkment. *sigh* I wish!

LMdB Kaleidoscope - First Look!

The shades from top to bottom are:

Flush, a matte pink

Lambent, a shimmery turquoise

Refulgent, satin coral

Ultraviolet, a sparkly lilac

L-R: Flush, Lambent, Refulgent, Ultraviolet

I love the neon pastels in this kit! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!! I layered the kit top to bottom and bottom to top in the following swatch picture (top two swatches). They don't look much different, if anything, the second Couches de Couleur (CdC) method (bottom to top) gives a more matte finish. This is because Flush is so pigmented that it overwhelms the bottom three tiers. If you were doing the bottom to top CdC, I strongly recommend using Flush only to highlight the brownbone or inner eyes.

I experimented with using some bases to bring out the colour further. I have LMdB's eye pencil in Champagne. In the next swatch, I smudged champagne all over my "lid" and layered the four shades top to bottom. The layered result is still quite light and subtle.

Next, I wanted to try the bottom to top CdC technique using a dark base. Bobbi Brown's Jet Creamy Eye Pencil seemed like the perfect colour. 

The layered result with a black smudged base brings out the purple most. Its more edgy but the only downside is that the coral tones are not noticable at all.

The following swatches are probably my favourite by far. I have used the Jet liner once again. Followed by the purple all over, the turquoise in the inner corner and the coral on the outer corner and on the crease. Flush can be used on the browbone to complete the look. With such a bright eye, what could be more appropriate than using Refulgent (coral) as your blush! I have yet to try this combination but I think it would go together very well.

Photos of each tier, from top to bottom are shown below.

Flush

Lambent

Refulgent

Ultraviolet

I have only done two eye looks with this palette so far, but I'm so excited to try out more. Please let me know your thoughts. (And, yes, I know something must be done about my eyebrows. Yikes...)

Top to Bottom, no base (taken with a camera phone so the colours are really washed out)

Shu Uemura P Beige cream shadow, Purple All Over, Coral in the crease, Turquoise on outer lid, Pink to highlight browbone

Le Metier de Beaute Current Favourites, Hits and Misses

This would be a very short post to review some of the new items I purchased or received as a GWP from Le Metier de Beaute. The Lip Creme on the left is called Red Velvet. Boy, I was so excited to receive this because 1.) Lip Cremes are my favourite liquid lipstick/lipgloss 2.) These babies run at 36 dollars per tube (expensive, no?), and 3.) Le Metier de Beaute makes my perfect red, the red lip I was sporting in this FOTN remains my one true red lipstick match.

Next up is another GWP, a liquid liner called Artemis. This is the only liquid liner that stays and stays. I literally have to use the strongest eye makeup remover at the end of the night.

Lastly, I just recently purchased an LMdB True Colour Eyeshadow in Water Sapphire. It arrived to me totally shattered and I took a photo of it before it was re-pressed.

Swatches are shown below. 

- Red Velvet is a tomato red. Its so glossy and richly pigmented. I haven't played with it long enough to make a decision whether or not this is a keeper. For now, I remain ambivalent. I feel a little like Bozo the Clown when I wear this. It should have come with a set of instructions LOL

- Artemis is a dark navy brown and its just so perfect. Long lasting, pigmented, everything I could ever want from a liquid liner. The brush takes a bit of getting used to, but its easy enough to use, even for me. I am a liquid liner novice, this was my first!

- Water Sapphire is a browned burgundy with hints of blue shimmer. This colour is gorgeous and quite unusual in my collection. When applied lightly on the lids, it is mostly the brown/burgundy that shines through.I quite like this colour as an everyday sheer wash.

Below is a simple look with Water Sapphire and Artemis Liquid Liner. I'm loving it. So easy and simple to do. I am using Chanel's Sable Rose lightly dusted on my cheeks.

Cindy

LMdB Chauvet Pont D'arc Kaleidoscope - Review & Swatches

Updated: I did take a myriad of other photos with my camera of each tier from top to bottom but alas, I did not have time to upload them today. I will update this feature tomorrow with those photos. New photos have been added! :D Enjoy <3
 
My Zuneta order came yesterday and I was so delighted to open up my new LMdB Kaleidoscope in Chauvet Pont D'arc . Here is the promo spiel from Zuneta if you haven't already seen it a gazillion times before:

The Chauvet Pont d'Arc Kaleidoscope Eye Kit, ($95, shown above), for Summer 2012 was inspired by the Chauvet Cave Paintings in France, the oldest in the world. The cave paintings, found in Chauvet Pont d'Arc, which is located in the south of France, are among the most significant prehistoric art sites known to mankind. The hues are richly pigmented - beautiful and intense. Painted by ancient artists wielding extraordinary skills, the images evoke the burgeoning life of centuries long past and, with protection, will last and be enjoyed for eternity.

The shades in Chauvet Pont d'Arc are:

• Umber - umber-toned satin mauve
• Ocher - shimmering sandstone ocher
• Madder - shimmering terracotta
• Crystalline - silky matte desert teal

Umber is a really lovely irridescent mauve. The texture of the shadow is soft and buttery with medium level pigmentation. If you really blend this shade out, it becomes a sparkling light mauve and I can see it being a gorgeous standalone shade for the office.

Ocher is a darkened dirty shimmering gold. This shade is again very soft and buttery and is the most pigmented shade in the kaleidoscope kit.

Madder is a gorgeous teracotta shade with small silver shimmers. Compared to the top two tiers, this shade is noticeably less shimmery but it is not matte either. The pigmentation level is medium.

Crystalline is a bright teal which is a little chalky and is probably the sheerest out of the four. However, I would never call this shade sheer. The pigmentation is definitely there, but the chalky texture makes it a little difficult to blend and there is some fallout when you apply this as a liner.

 

I took a crappy phone pic this morning before I rushed off to work and this is how Chauvet Pont D'arc looks on me. Its a little difficult to show the dimension and the intensity of the colours but I hope you get the picture.

Couches de Couleur #1: Top three tiers layered, fourth tier added as a liner

Couches de Couleur #2 : Madder all over, Crystalline dabbed over that, concentrating on lower lashline, Ocher applied on the middle of the eyelid, and Umber to blend out edges

The photo above was taken four hours after application, and it was late at night after my anniversary dinner with the hubby so please forgive the photo quality :)

Couches de Couleur #3 : Umber all over the mobile lid and slightly past the crease, Crystalline lightly dusted over Umber, Crystalline used as liner

This photo was taken 4 hours after application, using Couches de Couleur #2

Bottom Line: This is one of the best kaleidoscopes from the recent releases of kaleidoscopes in my opinion. The one kaleidoscope which possibly tops Chauvet in terms of usefulness, creativity, and quality would be the Blush Kaleidoscope. I do suggest that you run to your nearest LMdB counter or Zuneta to purchase this kit. For reference, my skintone is Sand Beige in Laura Mercier Silk Creme, which is about NC37 (Mac).

Have a good start of week!

xx Cindy

Mix & Match with Le Metier de Beaute

I have been experimenting lately with my current stash of LMdB's lip products and my very first try of mixing ended up so successful, i just had to share it with you!

L-R: LMdB Summerland, LMdB Fraise Creme

L-R: LMdB Fraise Creme, LMdB Summerland, Fraise Creme + Summerland

L-R: LMdB Fraise Creme, LMdB Summerland, Fraise Creme + Summerland

Here is a terrible photo of me wearing this lip combo. Sorry folks! I will try and do better and update this post when I can :)

If you already have these two lip products, please do give it a try.

xx

Cindy

The Chauvet Pont D'arc Kaleidoscope is now available on Zuneta.com!!

Hurry international shoppers!! Here is your chance to grab Le Metier de Beaute's Summer Kaleidoscope for 2012.

I have seen the swatches of this and it will not disappoint. 

Here is the link, and use the code ZBEAUTYBIBLE for an extra 10% off. If you pay with your credit card, Zuneta automatically takes out the tax (its a bit more difficult with Paypal). I paid roughly 60 pounds for mine :)

GO lovelies!!

ETA: The blush kaleidoscope is also available again here. 

xx Cindy

LMdB Autumn Embers Kaleidoscope (Vintage): A Kaleidoscope A Day...

Hello!!

I feel like I haven't been blogging in a looong time, and its time for me to rectify that. Forgive me, but I have been feeling a little under the weather lately and posting just seemed like too much effort.

This is the last installment of my A Kaleidoscope A Day post. It is with great pleasure that I present... *DRUM ROLL*... Autumn Embers!

The top tier is a translucent peachy pink gloss, the second tier is a sheer berry gloss, the third tier is a pigmented khaki gold lip creme and the bottom tier is a beautiful blue-red lip creme. For anyone who is interested, yes, the last tier is a dupe of the red lip creme in the Empress Kaleidoscope lip kit. Lucky I love this shade! ;)

 

Since Autumn Embers is a relatively old kaleidoscope, I noticed that the texture is a little bit harder than a fresh kaleidoscope. So if anyone out there is hoarding lip kaleidoscopes and not using them - WHY?? Creams, lotions, gels etc have a use by date. I plan to make this kaleidoscope a necessity in the fall just so I don't waste any cream products :)

I have recently updated my blogsale with new items. Please head on over and see if you like anything from my list :).

FNO Oscar De La Renta "Ready to Wear" Kaleidoscope - Another Le Métier de Beauté Winner!

 

Last week, I managed to swatch my beloved and very hard to find Oscar De La Renta palette from Le Métier de Beauté. I had to sell a kidney to be able to afford this but you know, at least I get to be pretty!

The kit consists of:

• Red Chiffon Lip Crème Lip Gloss, a high shine scarlet lip creme (which is a repeat shade from the Empress Kaleidoscope Lip Kit)
• Pink Suede, beautiful shimmering eye and cheek highlighter
• Teal Tweed, a gorgeous shimmering teal
• Champagne Silk, nude/brown/flesh pink eyeshadow with a hint of shimmer

L-R: Red Chiffon, Pink Suede, Teal Tweed, Champagne Silk

I feel a little bit dubious about the names of these shades but what do I care? I love this kit! If you did miss out on this kit, you may want to troll Ebay for it. You never know, I have seen some vintage kaleidoscopes pop up from time to time. Be warned though - you will probably pay through the nose for this. I was lucky enough to purchase mine second hand through a friend for less than the retail price ;).

The kit retailed for US$ 150 dollars and a fraction goes towards NYC Aids Funds.