LIPPIE: My Only Red - Dior Rouge Podium

  I've never been one to seek out a red lipstick. I just don't ever have an occasion to wear it and if I did, I don't think I'd be able to pull the look off. I say this, yet I think every woman should have one red lipstick in their collection - you never know when you might need it! Whether it is just to feel a little more glamorous or just for a dinner party. Behold Rouge Podium - an entry level red.
  The packaging is bulkier than the original and taller. I used up my old Addict, so I cannot compare with pictures. 

 Dior released their revamped Addict line earlier this year and I have to say, I'm not a fan. Most of them have shimmer, which migrate and feel gritty on my lips. This is one of the few creme finishes, with no shimmer. Rouge Podium is a brown based red, making it extremely wearable. Worn alone, it is opaque and leaves a slight sheen. Worn layered with a pretty gloss, you can either amplify the shade or mute it out. 

 

 Here it is next to my mom's orchid planter in red.

This shade is not as nearly as drying as the ones with shimmer, it is comfortable on the lips - until it needs some sprucing up after a couple of hours. It fades nicely, a soft stain left behind on the lips. I probably will not be purchasing any more of these lipsticks in the future, I purchased this shade because of how easily the color can be adapted to different looks. Mind you, the only thing I change up is my blush and lip color most days. If you're in the market for a red, do check this one out. Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians!

Product: Dior Addict Lipstick - $31CAN.

LIPPIE: Even More Revlon

You're all probably thinking: WTH Julie, where's all the good stuff? I can't help it. I really enjoy my Revlon lippies! I will eventually get to the others but I just have not had luck with photos and lighting. If you live in the GTA, you know what I mean. It's been freaking cold, and the heater is still starting up in the house. I hope the weather realizes that it's MAY!

Mink is a limited edition color from the Suede Rhapsody collection back in 2010. I have been obsessed with brown-toned lipsticks for a while now, and I know it may sound and look dated but against my skin tone - these shades are exceptionally flattering. Mink is no exception.

 

The gloss I like to pair it with is another holy grail item. If Revlon ever discontinues this shade (like they recently have with Strawberry Suede - a matte), I'll go apesh*t. Pardon my language, but seriously. I will.

 

 

 In the swatches below, Mink looks straight-on brown and very, very boring. I swear it's not when applied onto the lips. It is quite brown, but there is a hint of pink in it that keeps it from looking completely flat. You just have to take my word for it. Nude Lustre is a medium brown with a slight orange base, shot through with very subtle golden shimmer. Love this gloss.

 

 L to R: Nude Lustre, Nude Lustre + Mink, Mink

I often wear Mink and Nude Lustre separately, but when I crave something with more impact - I layer them together and they are perfect. 

By the way, if you are planning on purchasing CHANEL Bronze Corail ($56CAN) or Dior Nude Glow in Aurora ($48CAN) (bronzers for the summer collections), get them NOW. My counters only had one of each left and they just hit counters this week. Holy smokes Batman, these two are life-changing. I am not a bronzer gal, but the finish these give to the skin is indescribable. Love. I hope to get my posts up about these soon, but Sabrina (thebeautylookbook) and Amy (CafeMakeup) are experts when it comes to swatches and lighting. Please check them out.

Product: Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick and lipgloss - $8.99-10.99CAN ($3.99 when on sale).

LIPPIE: More Revlon

Ok, seriously. I'm a horrible person, it's been a few weeks since my last post - which by the way, was completely useless. I don't really have a legit excuse either >_>. 

Anyway, Shoppers Drug Mart routinely holds a sale on Revlon lippies for $3.99. The last sale for this price was probably 2 months ago, and I picked up several new colors that I would like to share with you! I love them all =). 

 

Clockwise: Black Cherry, Mauvy Night, Smoky Rose, Ginger Rose & Rose Velvet.

   I previously made a post showing you Rose Velvet, so I'm not going to include it in here.

 

The above is Ginger Rose. GR is a very, very beautiful neutral pink. It's not too cool and it's not too warm. I love pairing this with the CHANEL Glossimer in Pink Pulsion - it creates the most gorgeous brightened pink which isn't garish at all. 

 

Smoky Rose is a pretty accurate name for this shade. This lipstick is in the Pearl finish (all the other ones shown are Creme), so it imparts a soft silver sheen. It sounds '90s, but it is quite flattering against my skin tone. 

 

Mauvy Night. What a cute name. If you like MAC Up The Amp but find it too purple, this is a great alternative. It is a more tame version of it's grown up sister. It's not too purple, on my lips it looks great worn alone or topped off with a gloss.

 

Black Cherry looks like Hell in the tube. It reminds me of the classic CHANEL Rouge Noir lipstick. BC is a deepened red with purple undertones. It is quite dark, and I'm not confident enough to rock this alone but it is great worn as a stain. Swatches below:

 

L to R: Rose Velvet, Ginger Rose, Smoky Rose, Mauvy Night, Black Cherry.

 

I love the Super Lustrous line. They are so pigmented and so smooth. The best drugstore lipstick IMO. If you see these on sale, pick one up - you may just find a new favorite! 

I only wish we carried the same shades that are available in the U.S. The Shoppers around where I live carry the same ones, but Wal-Mart has a huge selection. What's up with that? 

Product: Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick - $8.99-10.99 (Lowest price I've seen - $3.99 when on sale at SDM).

RANDOM: Test

My blog seems to be filled with random posts. I came across this test on io9, it is disturbing on all levels. I don't know if it is legit, but it sure was shockingly accurate.

Oh, and the questions. I couldn't take them seriously the first time I took this because..well, they are quite humorous and don't make much sense. But then I realized the nature of this test and suddenly, they weren't so humorous. I love psychology.

The Pierley/Redford Dissociative Affect Diagnostic 

This vaguely reminds me of the Myers-Briggs personality quiz. Either that, or a cold read...or a complete con.

TOP 10: Manga Revisited

A while back, I dedicated a post solely on some of my favorite manga series. The list remains the same, but I have added quite a few more. Technically, one is an original anime series but...I'll include it in here as well. Like I mentioned before, many have an animated counterpart.  


 *SPOILER ALERT*


xxxHOLiC is now complete. An original animated video was released earlier this year entitled xxxHOLiC Rou Adayume, which wraps up some loose ends nicely. It has been long speculated that Doumeki and Watanuki shared a more than platonic relationship, and after much ambiguity, I think this OAV confirmed it. I'm not talking about a sexually heated relationship - if you have read the manga or watched the anime, you'll know what I'm talking about. I'm not going to rant any furthur, I'm a little sad to see this series go.

Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica - This is an anime. But it is hands down the best original series I've seen to date. I am going to go as far as saying that this is the best series for 2011...and 2011 just started. Gen Urobuchi is a genius. He took the magical girl genre and spun it upside down on its head, but I'm sure he didn't do it alone. It's a simple idea, but this series is loaded with symbolism in every single scene. I had to watch each episode twice in order to fully appreciate the things I missed the first time around. There is a Wiki site dedicated entirely to dissecting the series, featuring deciphered runes, speculations and theories - the works. And the music...oh, the music is just beautiful. A must watch.

The spring anime season has begun but I haven't found anything that sparked my interest yet. Sorry, another non-beauty related post!  

Due to the earthquake that occurred on March 11 in Japan, I believe all broadcasts are put on hold. My prayers and thoughts go to those affected, and I seriously hope that everyone remains safe. My heart sinks every time I read about the circumstances. Stay strong.  

LIPPIE: Just Swatchin'

L to R: Rouge Coco Shine in Monte Carlo (62), Aventure (57), Liberte (46), Boy (54).

 Beautiful. Hope you're having a great weekend!

Product: Rouge Coco Shine - $39CAN

RANDOM: Major Rant

So. My family and I were out and about today and what happens? Some fool decides to ram into the back of our car...on a residential street...AT A STOP SIGN. We weren't even moving. How was this even possible?! Incompetent loon was probably trying to multi-task-and-failed-miserably.  Luckily, no one was hurt.

End rant. 

Actually, this is the condensed version. The first time I typed this out, every other word was an expletive. In an act of civility, I decided to omit those. I'm still seething. 

This. Makes my pet peeve valid. I hope you had a great weekend. I swear, beauty posts will resume shortly. 

RANDOM: Copycat

Elise over at Blush is The New Black (who is, by the way, absolutely fabulous and gorgeous!) just did a tag video and I thought it would be fun to join.

About Me Questions:
1.Do you have a middle name? No, I do not.  
2. What was your favourite subject in school? Art and English. 
3. What's your favourite drink? Water, coffee, water.  
4. Favourite song at the moment? Don't have one.  
5. What would you name your children? Too Much Work. 
6. Do you participate in any sports? In high school, but not right now.  
7. Favourite Book? House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski and It by Stephen King.  
8. Favourite Colour? Don't really have one, any color makes me happy. 
9. Favourite Animal? DOGS! 
10. Favourite perfume? Anything with Vanilla in it.  
11. Favourite holiday? The days up to and after Christmas are my favorite.  
12. Have you graduated High School? I wish I were still young enough to say I haven't.  
13. Have you been out of the Country? Yes.  
14. Do you speak any other Languages? Conversational Vietnamese and fluent Cantonese.  
15. Do you have any siblings? Yes, one younger sister. She's 17. 
16. What's your favourite store? The Bay hands down. Such a vast space full of lippies... 
17. Favourite Restaurant? Don't have one.  
18. Do you like school? I've graduated from university, I had my dislikes and likes.   
19. Favourite YouTubers? You can check out my Top 10 Youtubers post if you'd like. 
20. Favourite Movie? I have a post on this as well.  
21. Favourite Tv show? More like channels. The Food Network, Discovery and HGTV.  
22. Pc or Mac? PC. 
23. What phone do you have? Currently, a Samsung one. I'm old school. 
24. How tall are you? 5'3.
 
13 Personal Questions:
1. What do you order at Starbucks? Usually a Venti 1 pump, nonfat Caramel Latte or the Pick of The Day. And I'm not trying to be fancy with that order. A Venti normally has 5 pumps which is obscene, and 2% milk makes me...very gassy. 
2. One thing in your closet you cannot live without. My collection of jackets/coats.
3. What's one thing most people probably don't know about you? I have a short fuse, I rage.
4. Name one thing you want to do before you die. Bungee jumping. 
5. What's one food you cannot live without? Food.  
6. What quote/phrase do you live by? None, really.  
7. What do you like/dislike about the YouTube community? Hm, never really thought about this before.  
8. What's your most listened to song on itunes? Ash Like Snow by The Brilliant Green, a J-pop group. I believe this is the OP song for Gundam 00.  
9. What kind of style would you define yourself as having? Colored Casual, I own a lot of basic items with bright pops of color.  
10. Favourite number? I don't really have one.  
11. Two Hobbies? Sketching/Artwork/Crafts. Shopping for new lip stuff. Is that considered a hobby?  
12. Two Pet Peeves? People who can't drive...people who drive that should not be driving. The long-ass lines at Asian grocers. Don't even get me started.  
13. Guilty Pleasures? I'm not telling =). 

Please feel free to complete this tag, I'd love to read about you!

RANDOM: 'Member Me?

I'm not dead. I have been living at work for the past 2 months. Well, not literally.

 

 

 

Just a sneak at what's to come in the next few weeks.
I have accumulated much more than this but I could not fit them all into one shot. Horrible.
P.S. Do you like the obnoxious background? Somehow, it makes me so happy/trippy looking at it...

LIPPIE: Estee Lauder GWP II

  Okay, it's Sunday. I am a little behind in publishing a post. I'm sorry. I do not have a legit excuse, other than the fact that I have been tired and lazy. Hey, at least I'm honest =). I have a few backlogged posts that I need to finish start, please bear with me! I hope everyone has been doing well! 
  As the name suggests, this is a continuation of some GWP items I received. Normally, I do not particularly enjoy the lipsticks or lipglosses that come with GWPs, just because I feel as though they are mediocre in quality and do not speak to or reflect the real product at all. However, this combination is love. 

   I went and swatched the real Hydra Lustre Lipstick in Tender Mauve...and it was completely different than the GWP one. It was a strange thing. The GWP is a beautiful warm pink with silver shimmers but the shimmers are insanely gritty if worn alone. The actual product is deeper in tone and the grit is non-existent. The Pure Color Gloss in Berry is still available I believe, and it is a pretty pink with silver shimmer. Just from reading the descriptions, you can tell that they make a great pair. The gloss greatly smooths out the gritty texture of the lipstick. 

  They are both quite sheer but I rather like them this way. I do not look like I have a lot of lip product on my lips, great if you want a low-maintenance lip color. Here is a swatch of them layered together:

Pretty, right? 

I have purchased some items from Guerlain's Spring 2011 collection, and an item from CHANEL's Spring 2011 Collection. I have also purchased the new Revlon Colorburst lipgloss, which by far, is the best drugstore gloss in my opinion. It is so much better than the Super Lustrous formula. I will have posts on these once I am satisfied with the photos. By the time I get home from work, it is complete darkness outside so I am having a hard time...finding time =_='.  An item I am anticipating is the new Rouge Coco Shine by CHANEL, which is set to launch worldwide in April. 

What's new with you? 

Products: 1. Estee Lauder Hydra Lustre Lipstick - $24CAN  2. Estee Lauder High Gloss - $18CAN

RANDOM: I'm Going Into Hibernation

   Not literally, but work has taken over and I just cannot commit to this blog as regularly as I would like. I have many products to feature, but I just have not gotten around to uploading the photos...which are currently sitting in the SD card...in the camera...stashed away in my closet. I hope to have a post within a week or so. I thank you for stopping by to check out my blog, it means a lot =D. See you in a bit!

TOP 10: YouTubers

  I love YouTube. It is a vast plethora of knowledge, you can find just about anything on there. Although, I have come across some disturbing videos that I curse to high heavens and flag...
  I am going to reiterate - I love reading user comments. Useful, offensive, hilarious, pious, crude - I read 'em all. I wanted to share with you some of the channels I frequent, some of them are beauty related while others I watch solely for entertainment. 

1. lisaeldridgedotcom - One of my favorite beauty channels by far. Incredibly beautiful and helpful, Lisa is a true makeup connoisseur. She has been in the industry for a long time, much of her work has been featured all over the globe. She is also the creative director for the brand Boots No.7. Since her channel is devoted to makeup in the purest form, her techniques and looks are a joy to watch.

2. dustyohunter - I love dusty's channel, he is so creative and offers innovative and interesting ideas on how to use certain products. He also has a comprehensive guide for MAC foundations and concealers. It also helps that he is very easy on the eyes and extremely humorous =).

3. cookingwithdog - Of course I had to include an obligatory food channel. cookingwithdog focuses on Japanese cuisine, the videos are easy to follow and delectably delicious. The chefs' skills are enviable, I wish I could handle a knife as effortlessly as her! 

4. theRSAorg - An excerpt from their website explains that the RSA "seeks to develop and promote new ways of thinking about human fulfilment and social progress"(thersa.org). In a serendipitous moment, I found this channel and it has been a delight watching their videos, especially the animate ones. It is extraordinarily enlightening, even if I do not agree with all the points made. If you are a visual learner, like myself, you will enjoy them. Note: only certain lectures are animated.

5. Raeview - I adore Rae and her amazing videos. She focuses mainly on high end, luxury cosmetics which I personally, am most interested in. Well versed, articulate and highly intelligent, Rae's reviews deliver. I highly encourage you to stop by and take a peek! Jesus, I make it sound like a store...

6. machinima - This is such an entertaining channel if you are interested in video games and the like. It offers trailers, gameplay and some original videos for your viewing pleasure. I am not fond of all the videos, but I have found some great ones in the massive volume of media. They also have a site, machinima.com, if you prefer that instead.

7. freddiew - In another trip through YouTube, I stumbled upon Freddie's channel, who utilizes some great FX. He also has a sister site, freddiew2, which he uses as a mule to show tutorials on how these FX were created. It is all too complex for my small, meager mind so I am satisfied with only watching. I particularly enjoyed his "Future FPS" vid.

8. russianbabe1981 - If you are a MAC fan, this is the channel to visit. Ameera is gorgeous, and she often purchases many pieces from each collection that is released (some entirely) and is gracious enough to do swatches and reviews on them. She also has videos with swatches of all the MAC lipglasses, lipsticks etc. that she has in her possession. Love her. 

EDIT 26/03/11 
9. blushisthenewblack - I stumbled upon this lovely blog a couple of months ago while MIA. I have come to thoroughly enjoy every single one of her posts. She is beautiful and has great style, sharing the same passion for lip products as I. I highly suggest you check out her channel and blog.

10 - Not Applicable. 

P.S. By no means am I stating that I have the right to judge who's "top 10" and who's not. I thoroughly enjoy the lovely channels mentioned above, and I am not affiliated with any!  

LIPPIE: Revlon Super Lustrous - Rose Velvet

   I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! The Body Shop and Bath & Body Works still has their crazy sale going on, so I stocked up on some items =). Today, I wanted to share with you another lippie favorite. 
   I still believe that Revlon makes the best lip products when it comes to the drugstore. My very first Revlons were from the Super Lustrous lipstick line. In my opinion, the SL Creme formula beats the living hell out of the Colorburst formula. I mean, major beatdown. They are creamy, smooth and do not skimp on pigment. 

   The SL lipsticks come in three finishes: Creme, I forget and I forget. I don't care much for the other ones. Rose Velvet is beautiful:

In sunlight, you can see the pink tone this lipstick has.

  I describe this shade as a brown based pink-rose. On my lips, it goes on true to color and is another "my-lips-but-better" for me. It has a slight sheen as you can see in the swatches, and if I were to compare this to a finish within the inventory of MAC, it would be the Amplified. This is less drying than the Colorburst lipsticks, but I still wear a balm underneath. Again, 3-4 hours of wear is expected and you can find these at any drugstore. I purchased mine for $2.99 when Shoppers Drug Mart was having a sale last summer. 

  If you do not wear lipstick but want to, this is a product that you can experiment with and not have to invest too much money as it is relatively inexpensive. 

Product: Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick - $7.99-10.99.

RANDOM: Just Because

I was catching up and perusing through Kotaku posts and this is what I found: 

The Portable Laptop... 

Didn't see this coming at all *nudge*. Nonetheless, the guy was so intense in the beginning that I will be severely disappointed if this fails big time whenever it is released.  It's an interesting concept but I'm questioning the functionality. This isn't a rant, so I'll stop here.

Anyways, just thought some of you would care to take a look. I'm off to enjoy my weekend now! =)

EDIT: The things we come up with - Cocaine Vaccine. No comment.

CHEEK: NARS Mata Hari

  I enjoy NARS blushers, I do. But I have a question Monsieur Nars, why do you name your products this way? I'm not sure whether it is just a means to seek and be attention grabbing or whether it is due to some psychological attachment.

 Julie, it's just a blush. Get over it. 

   Sephora describes this as a "rose petal pink". I disagree, it is more of a blue based lilac pink. I don't find it rosy at all, at least on my NC30 cheeks it isn't. I did not expect this to be as cool as it is, most swatches I have seen present this as a warm pink. However, I still love the way it perks my skin up, it contrasts nicely. 

   If you would like a more detailed description on what the finish is like, I have a post on Exhibit A, my favorite NARS product so far. The powder is very fine and smooth and chalk factor is nonexistent with these blushers.  They are also extremely long wearing, I had this on from 6am to 6pm and it looked pristine for those 12 hours. 

  Sorry, I'm not flicking you off. Thanks to Wikipedia and my ignorance, I discovered that Mata Hari was the moniker of an exotic dancer and courtesan. She was accused of being a spy and was executed during WWI. Yes...it's only slightly depressing.

  Have a great weekend everyone! 

P.S. I went in to see CHANEL's Spring collection and was seriously underwhelmed. Jersey Rose and Peregrina were too light for me; Nakkar and Aragonite were uneventful; but I may end up purchasing Coquette Rouge Allure. It was the only one that showed up! =(.

Product: NARS Blush - $29CAN

LIPPIE: MAC is Dreamy

   I detest the Lipglass formula that MAC has created, to the point where it is a little misanthropic. Okay, maybe not that extreme but I'm sure some of you feel the same. I say this, yet a month ago I found this little gem hidden, unopened, deep in my cosmetic abyss:

    I do not remember when I purchased this. In fact, I can't remember the last time I went to MAC with the intention of looking at their Lipglass section. It has somehow eluded me for this long. Do not fear, this tube was manufactured in 2010. Dreamy is very icy and ethereal.

   A very cool pink-based lilac with gold shimmer, I normally cannot pull off such a shade because I am so warm. It is showing a tad washed out, it is more pink and lilac in real life. Worn alone, it pales me far too much but when layered over a (any) lipstick, it is gorgeous. Layering also detracts the utter stickiness of the gloss, it becomes comfortable to wear. I get around 5-6 hours of wear with this.

   I do not know if this is a common occurrence, but every time I try to wear a shade that is lighter than my natural lip color - it drains the all the pigment out of my lips. It 'sets' after 30 minutes or so and transforms itself into a completely different shade. This is also why I prefer to layer because it salvages the color of the product without interference. Am I making any sense? Probably not...

   This was another item included in my December 2010 favorites, it is just perfect for the current season. It reminds me of a cool, winters night - accompanied by light snowfall. It is a permanent shade, do pay this shade a visit the next time you are looking for a pink lippie!

Product: MAC Lipglass - $17.50