CHANEL Ultra Correction Lift Night Creme

$165.00 USD for 1.7 oz.

Well, back with a bang--a really big, expensive bang. When I first received a small sample size tube of this night cream a few weeks ago, I was expecting the same ultra-thick, super hydration that leaves me oily as I get from almost all other "night creams;" I was, however, totally mistaken.

On CHANEL's site, the description of this cream is "velvety," an apt word for the satin-smooth feel as it quickly absorbs into skin and leave no trace of heavy residue or oily moisture. I find this luxurious cream absolutely addictive, and frankly, couldn't resist purchase of it despite the ludicrous price point. I have owned expensive in the past, but this cream is outlandishly expensive.

That said, I purchased it last Monday...
And I love the cream as much as ever; the formula consistently leaves my skin smooth as silk, not clogging over time or diminishing after prolonged use. Sometimes I even layer this under my makeup during dry days, and I am not oily/slick by end of day. Miraculous! So why do I need to actually review this?

Simple. Packaging. Problems.

Look CHANEL, I get that luxurious means over-done for you more often than not, but please, think about the functionality of your packaging before saying "print" to the producers. I cannot stand the super-heavy square shaped rock that my cream comes in! My god, the gunmetal is a breeding ground for fingerprints and dust, slippery plastic that feels weightier than glass, and the lid is hard to align to close properly. The whole thing is just MASSIVE, cumbersome, and frustrating, so if I didn't love this product so much, I would return it and never think twice.

For something so expensive, I should not want to depot it into a cheap plastic container just so that it is less of a pain-in-my-butt. Final thoughts, WHY, CHANEL, WHY?! I'm going to have to put this in a different container...

Beauty Newb Rating: ★★★★☆

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara

$21.00 USD for approx. 0.4oz/11g

Totally fabulous. Simply, elegantly, totally fabulous. The formula of Sumptuous Bold is particularly awesome because it is smooth without being runny or too thin to give you definition. The thickness is just enough to gently coat and re-coat lashes sans clumping together, so it's about as good to me as a "tubing" mascara. Sumptuous bold can be layered throughout the day, but one application lasts me through a 12 hour day...layering would easily get you through the rest of the night. For me, one of the best parts about this mascara is how naturally it looks (and holds on) and how easily it comes off with remover; no raccoon eyes the next morning!

No under-eye black in the morning, Sparky, none!

Beauty Newb Rating:✪✪✪✪✪
Available online and at Estée Lauder counters in retail stores such as Saks, Macy's, and Nordstrom.

Dior Dior Addict Lipstick in Basic

 $30.00 for 0.12oz

While the photo above that tries to capture the beauty of this packaging may be sub-par, the product inside is anything but! Dior Dior Addict Lipstick is about as smooth and buttery as lipsticks can get, and since it is Dior and they do promise shine, you get incredible, flawless, luminous shine from this little (albeit very expensive tube).

Dior Addict Lipstick in Basic 253; daylight

 I lost my tube of Basic for about a month after a haphazard purse change, missing it almost daily, and can't really think of a more comfortable thing to wear on my lips. I think I like this even more than balm! ::shouts of For Shame in the air:: However, I won't be starting a collection of hundreds of colors in this formula because the price-point is steep, even for my junkie standards.

Dior Addict Lipstick in Basic 253; daylight

Estee Lauder Automatic Brow Pencil Duo in 05 Soft Brown

$23.50 for Brow Duo (includes 2 pencil ends) and $12.50 for refill

It's unfair that I've been using this for nearly two months (without needing my refill yet) and have not mentioned a word about it, but really, this replaced my Dior BrowStyler after it ran out and I no longer wanted to use straight eyeshadow. Estee Lauder Automatic Brow Pencil Duo is comparable to the Brow Styler from Dior in it's shape, use, etc. and the color 05 Soft Brown is very nearly identical, but there are several big differences.

Wearing Estee Lauder Brow Duo in Soft Brown 05, MAC Sweet Sunrise Lipstick, Hard Candy Tiki on lids, Covergirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara, Nars Douceur Blush, and MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in N3

Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara in 10 Black

$30.00 for 0.21 oz/6g

We all know mascara goes bad rather quickly compared to a lot of other cosmetics, but really, when you are trying to get your money's worth out of a particularly expensive one (cosmetic or mascara)---well, just don't choose this one.

Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara was seriously a wonderful mascara. When I first got it, I could not get myself to use any other; however, less than three months after I purchased this beautiful little tube, what started out as very mild eye-irritation at the strong scent became tears everytime I put it on. That's right, halfway into the shelf life this extremely expensive and highly rated product went BAD, and I do mean bad.

Serum Saturday: Dior HydraLife Skin Energizer Pro-Youth Hydrating Serum

$73.00 for 1.7 oz.

Pledge One: I may be a brand-junkie, but I know when to admit that something is not worth the price.

Pledge Two: I may love Dior and the DiorDiva Program, but I know when it's not worth my money or the points to get next to no effect.

Dior Hydra Life Skin Energizer Pro-Youth Hydrating Serum has me all in a tizzy of confusion and frustration. Perhaps my oily/combo skin does not need the extra hydration, but personally that already sounds like an excuse. The pure description of this serum is a yellowish-orange thin consistency gel that goes on to skin non-sticky but non-smooth in texture. I saw and felt no improvement in the very top layers of my skin, much less deeper down, and I didn't think my skin felt very nice after use (again not sticky, but perhaps just less soft and harder to keep from oiling over).

Even if my skin had become more hydrated, the nastiness of how my skin felt made me self-conscious and uncomfortable throughout the day. It wouldn't be worth $1 for that kind of result, so I pass entirely on this product. If you've had success with this, please let me know if you have a different skin type or a certain situation in which you use it; I genuinely what to know when this product works and who for!

Beauty Newb Rating:✪✩✩✩✩
Available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy's, and other fine retailers.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY!!! I may not be able to tell anyone your age, but I can tell them how much I love you! I would give up every single thing I own and person I know to have you by my side forever, and I hope you know just how much your baby girl loves you on such a special day. XOXO I hope I can visit you soon!

Dior '5 Couleurs Iridescent' Eyeshadow Palette in Tropical Lights

$58.00 for 0.21oz/6g

Dior eyeshadows are some of the best I have ever come across in my life, but the point stands that they are pretty darn expensive. As always I am not a shimmer- or glitter-lover on an everyday (or occasional) basis; however, on holidays, such as last X-mas vacation to my mom's house, I felt very inclined to "shine" in holiday spirit--which is easy to do around good company. This is the only eyeshadow I brought with me on my trip down south--Dior "5 Couleurs Iridescent" Eyeshadow Palette in 409 Tropical Lights--because contrary to the name it makes me feel a little more like going to a New Year's party than wearing this to a beach. Personally, I would go more for the sun-kissed, golden glow at the beach rather than shimmery eyelids; that just seems overdone to me.

Counter clockwise then center of Dior Tropical Lights with flash

A lot of the holiday collections from last year and this year have heavier gold tones which is a lovely thought but on someone as light/pale as me is just really fake looking. The frosty taupe and the shimmering brown in Tropical lights makes for a really flattering and gently smoky effect at night and the pale pink and green make nice color accents on their own or with the others, plus the frosty, pure white brightens the inner corner of eyes and the brow bone flawlessly. Do you think this has a winter or a summer holiday feel? I just can't tell whether I have a good or bad gage of this!

Dior Put Me In Extase with DiorShow Extase Mascara

$28.00 USD for 0.33oz

I have family visiting, so I will make this a blitz-post if there ever was one! I first discovered this mascara last holiday season from a very expensive Dior palette which included six eyeshadows, a blush, a sheer powder, a beautiful lipgloss called Flash (seriously can't get over that gloss), and this little mascara. I'm excited to use the palette for the coming holiday season, because hey! it's still good stuff, right? and I look forward to buying a full-sized version of this mascara some day far from now when I no longer worry about spreading my resources across many, many mascaras....

No, you say? It will never happen, you say? Well, sweethearts, for this one, it might just happen!

without makeup

wearing Kirkland Mineral Loose Eyeshadows, e.l.f. Coffee Eyeliner, and DiorShow Extase Mascara

Dior DiorShow Extase Mascara is a lengthening mascara whose wearable comfort is unparalleled--at least in my experience. Since I started wearing mascara almost a decade ago, I've never had a product that caused no irritation upon application--zero around the eyes, in the corners after blinking, in my nose because the product smell is so strong, on the lashes because I have to apply so thickly--no irritation, I repeat!

I also find that this formula has the best results with the least fuss, i.e. a few sweeps and you're done really. I can see why this was included in a holiday palette, easy on/easy off and all. On that note, I don't particularly like waterproof mascaras because they are murder to remove; being the heavy, lusty lover of sleep that I am, I don't take kindly to things that make me stay awake longer, and waterproof formulas of anything really stay on far too long after scrubbing them for my tastes!

Mood Boost: Dior '5 Couleurs' Eyeshadow Palette in Incongnito

$58.00 for 0.21oz/6g

There is really nothing like an *amazing* designer palette to put even the most frustrated makeup junkie in a good mood. Seriously, there is something about Incognito that just speaks to the simple beauty we crave and the bombshell within! As this palette shows, however, it will end up being a bit out of the range for darker skin, i.e. the colors are light enough to be super natural only on--you guessed it!--lighter skin. That may be a look you particularly enjoy; it may not.

Dior Incognito is my ultimate "goof-proof" palette because all of the colors blend together so smoothly, flawlessly, and just flat-out naturally no matter which combination of shape I put them down in. All five, even the warm, medium brown on the bottom left, brighten up my eyes and lighten my face, so I feel rested and as if I look relaxed (even when I'm not).

Shadows from left to right: (pan position)Bottom right, bottom left, center, top left, top right

The warm beige, light pink, and brown really flatter the natural color of most light to medium skinned eyelids, making this a versatile combination. There is also a special place in my heart for the cooler combo of shimmering white and an utterly drool-worthy grey (almost taupey) purple. I almost want to call it a lavender color, but I would rather describe it as a muted purple because I think of a brighter pop of color when I think of lavender.

I Hit Pan! But will I buy again...?

Well, folks, besides being silent for about three months, I have been doing something with makeup; using it! And what I have to show for it is three products that I am officially running low on: Dior Gel-Creme Foundation, Burberry Powder Foundation, and the Dior Brow Styler.

First, if you haven't read the whole review for any of these products, I recommend it not just for the sake of reading my blog (wink wink) but also so that you know what I'm talking about.

Second, am I going to be reinvesting in these three rather high-end and high-priced products? Two yeses, one no.

Mask of the Month: Dior HydraLife Beauty Awakening Rehydrating Mask

$37.00 for 2.5 oz.

First thing I noticed about this product is a very fresh and refreshing scent, similar to other HydraLife products but more potent for this mask. Second, this feels fresh and hydrating on the skin, and I don't get that thick, goopy, could-be-greasy, heavy mask feeling. (For example, this is a better choice for me in general than the Chanel mask from January because of it's lower cost and this doesn't feel as though it's sucking the life out of my skin. Purity doesn't always mean taking things out!)

Second, if this is rehydrating to skin than it is quite subtle and stealthy in doing so; I don't feel any dryness--that's for sure--but neither am I noticing a distinction between my skin before and my skin after use. Did it help lessen the itchy dryness around my nostril after cold-weather allergies? A little. Did it help heal that dryness? Not so much...at all. Maybe I am taking the name too literally though. Perhaps "Beauty Awakening" is supposed to mean "if there is moisture in your skin then this will bring it forward to be seen in the outer layers." In that case you'd have to do a lot of extra work to deliver the benefits to your skin. As far as I can tell, this mask is a nice experience while it's on, but don't expect much, if any, difference when you take it off.

Who might this work better for than me? Drier skin types. Since my skin is oily/combination, it may have been that the mask was designed to get skin to the level of hydration my skin is already at, hence I saw no results. It's not exactly a cost-effective way to see if it works at all, but keep in mind that products really do work differently (dramatically differently) across skin types.

Beauty Newb Rating:✪✪✩✩✩
Available at fine cosmetics retailers, Dior.com, and Sephora. Ask for a sample where available, too! I got my sample at Macy's.
 

Chanel Mat Lumiere Long Lasting Soft Foundation SPF 15

Build-A-Look Part One: Bold Lip and Concealer

$54.00 for 1.0 fl oz. of foundation

Thank goodness I got a sample size of this foundation. I really hate that for a long while I have heard nothing but good things about Chanel....everything and yet have been unable to be truly satisfied with any products. Not to say or suggest that some aren't good, but for their price-tags, I'm not in for the life-long haul of the brand.

In my continued quest to find a few good foundations that serve different purposes throughout the seasons, I had to pick up at least one from Chanel's counter at my local Nordstrom. The SA picked out the right color for me and, in theory, the right formula, but alas, I'm still not sold. Mat Lumiere, as it's name may blatantly yell, is formulated to reduce shine and the appearance of oil on the skin throughout the day.

My first bone to pick is that no matter how thinly or thickly or layered I apply this, my skin never looks matte. It looks natural finish with a bit or glow around the tip of the chin, at the cheekbones, and right between the brow, but the say that this mattifies my skin without or before the use of powder is a bold-faced lie. My second frustration is that after my favorite and wonderful primer from Smashbox and a setting powder, Chanel Mat Lumiere still manages to make my skin turn "natural" finish within maximum of 2 hours and starts pilling around oil after 4-5 hours. I don't know what foundations you've ever used, but for me and my oily skin, that's still unacceptable and frankly BAD.

Dior DiorShow Brow Styler in Universal Brown--Universally Friggin' Awesome

Part Four for Build*A*Look #1: Backlit Beauty
This item's review was followed up with these comments!

$28.00 for ...4-5 months of brows...

I've had some trouble accepting the fact that even though I am in school to be a beauty professional that I am not allowed to shave or pluck until we learn waxing (because we need to have something to wax on each other). This, in general, makes me feel...not so beautiful and makes getting ready in the morning even more of a fight to cover up the unwanted and define the good. Since my eyebrows are getting a bit out of control, and frankly out of shape, DiorShow Brow Styler is my super savior for what could be the defining feature on my face (depending on opinion).

Brows defined by DiorShow Brow Styler in Universal Brown

Dior DiorSkin Nude Skin Perfecting Hydrating Concealer in 001 Ivory

Part Two for Build*A*Look #1: Backlit Beauty

$29.00 for 0.33 oz

Alrighty-then! As a part of my continued commitment to getting the most out of my education, I have promised myself to get an A) better night's sleep, B) a longer night's sleep, and in order to do that C) go to bed earlier. Two in the morning is not a good time to try for 6-8 hours of sleep when class starts at 9am, is it? Yeah, I'm noticing that too... But this little life-saver tube has helped me look rested and ready, even when I'm not.

DiorSkin Nude is part of the family of very natural, radiance enhancing (or revealing) products from the powerhouse designer brand, of which I've previously reviewed a cream-to-powder foundation and a liquid foundation. This concealer is not what I would call full coverage because I can still see a smidge of darker color beneath my eyes and some bright red spots show up as very muted pink under this. In reality, it's medium to full coverage, meaning it could be built much heavier than I personally do my makeup; however, it's possible.

DiorSkin Nude Concealer (enough for my whole face)

The formula is creamy, so I have great success and ease with blending but the coverage gets thinner that way. I think I would need much more practice to layer for absolute coverage, and I don't want to do such precision work everyday. DiorSkin Nude Concealer never has a heavy feeling or gets cakey on me and wears a long time with setting powder. I do mess with my face a lot during the day and notice that I looks like my concealer is gone at day's end, but again, I don't use much and only in one, maybe two thin layers.

Dior DiorSkin Nude Foundation in 010 Ivory

Part One for Build*A*Look #1: Backlit Beauty

DiorSkin Nude is a great line of products, so if you're interested in certain texture (you like powder over cream or liquid, etc.) you can pick and choose what best appeals to you. This is the one that strongly appealed to me a few months ago, and became my only foundation over Christmas break at my Mom's. This foundation has light to medium coverage and neutral undertone. In fact, this was the only Dior liquid foundation I could get because it comes in this ultra-light, fair tone.

I find this liquid neutralizing; as opposed to looking unlike your skin tone it makes your skin look more neutral, naturally. It is this lovely quality which helps me pull off cooler colors when I want to try new things without looking like I don't know what fits my skin tone. Since I really want a good product like this in my kit as a makeup artist, I will probably be investing in the whole range as I can.

DiorSkin Nude Foundation SPF 10 in 010 Ivory

Beautiful in Every Way - Burberry Sheer Compact Foundation

This product review was later updated/expanded in this post.

$55.00 for 0.28 oz.

Well, I'm exhausted. I have officially completed my first grueling week at the Aveda Institute Columbus, and the most difficult thing about it was having to wake up so early. I could already tell by this morning that I am slowly adapting; by the end of next week I probably won't even notice because my internal clock will be correct. However, the most unfortunate part of the schedule has to be that all daylight hours are over on campus in class, so taking pictures in good light for different products is impossible. The dusk is spreading when I open the door to walk to my car--there's no way around that (hence crappy product picture above). For these next five, now four, weeks I will thus have severe difficulties trying to do a post a day. Instead I will try to put together looks over the weekend that involve multiple products to review and then write during the week. Sorry, though, I will give up an entry or two to catch some zzzz every now and again. I think you'll survive! :)

To kickstart a return to blogging, I get to tell you all about a particular gem from my favorite designer, Burberry! As you know, I heart Dior somtin' fierce, but I am more attracted to plaid than any normal human should be. "Pretty colors" is what generally goes through my head, and the Nova Check just plain speaks to me, saying "Anie, you look and feel beautiful today" with wavy, gypsy hands of hypnosis. Since Burberry put an embossed check are every piece of the packaging for the Compact Foundation in today's post. Simply put, I love it, but read on for specific details.

NewsFlash: Dior Skinflash Could Double As A Highlighter and Concealer!

$36.00 Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen

Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen could be described as something I was extremely skeptical about purchasing; truth be told I was ready to return this is an instant should it not meet my every expectation. Maybe it did, maybe it didn't in terms of my original hopes, but it's proved to be quite useful in other ways too.

I purchased Candlelight (I have no idea why because the colors are so vague on every site) first with the intention of finding an easy highlighter for the brow and cheek bones. Instead, I found something infinitely better that I hadn't really noticed I was looking for: undereye brightener and concealer.

Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen in Candlelight

CHANEL Gets Another Chance with Le Vernis Rouge Noir

Rouge Noir in direct sunlight

Ok guys, I'm not gonna sugar coat this: Chanel has not wowed me yet. However, this does not mean I'm not still looking forward to trying many more products (granted there is a good return policy in place) and finding a few key pieces that I adore.

Which brings me to my current polish... Before all the holiday bustle, since we are on the subject, I took the opportunity to buy a nail polish trio containing Gold Lamé, Coromandel, and Rouge Noir. I had been lusting after Gold Lamé for a few months by that time, so I jumped at the chance to own it. Alas, the Gold was a disaster, Coromandel was an unexpected win  of a bright red, but Rouge Noir was the real prize from the purchase. At $23 a pop for a Le Vernis, it better be a smash hit, and at least this one is!

I Give You...Sir Sparks-A-Lot!!!

Sparky is modeling with Chanel Rouge Allure in Libertine

Sparky is not for sale because he is mine and I will never let him go, much to his dismay.

My review on four shades of Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick (Libertine, Emotion, Remarkable, and Passion) will, with any luck, be posted tomorrow!

Happy Thursday!

Dior Addict Lipcolor in Pink Bustier- Hint: New Fav Lipstick!

$26.00 for

This lippie goes on like a luxurious satin with some hydration but mostly gentle, flattering color. Where Rouge Dior Lipcolor can feel dry but not drying, this feels like a cozy blanket of comfort for my lips. I thought the shade would be too bright but it really takes my lip color and pinks it up rather than putting the color in the tube over my lips, if you catch my meaning. My lips but pinker, MLBP, and in my humble opinion, gorgeous color.

Dior Addict Lipcolor in Pink Bustier, Dior Brow Styler, Dior 5 Color Palette in Incognito, e.l.f. Gunmetal liner, MAC Play It Proper Powder, DiorSkin Nude Creme Gel Foundation