Review: Le Metier De Beaute – Crème Fresh Tint for Lip and Cheek

Let me start by saying I am not a fan of crème cheek products. I think there is a learning curve for it and I don’t think I have quiet mastered it yet. I personally think powder products are easier to use. With that said I picked up 3 of the Le Metier De Beaute Crème Lip and Cheek stains (a while ago). Why? Because I love all things Le Metier, but really I was curious to see if you can actually use the product on your lips. I have very dry sensitive lips, so when people say you can use any crème product for your cheek on your lips, I find that to be untrue in most cases.

The packaging is the standard matte black LMDB plastic packaging. It is a twist off top, which I assume is to preserve the product. I had mine for months now and it has not dried out one bit.

Formula of the LMDB Crème Fresh Tint is very creamy. It is much creamier than YSL’s crème blush. It does not contain as fragrance (Yes!) and it does not have any chemical taste when used on the lips. As a blush, it is easy to blend out (even though I suck at doing it >.<). As a lip product, I don’t find it hydrating enough to wear on its own but on top of a creamy/hydrating lipstick it works pretty well.

The three colors I got are Coral Nymph, Mystique and Poppy/Coquelicot. I like Mystique the best, as I like cool toned pinks for cheek or lips. Poppy is a color in between Coral Nymph and Mystique. There weren’t much difference in terms of formula between the three.

For me, I like using these to change the color of some of my lipsticks. We all have lipsticks we bought that are either too bright or just doesn’t fit our skin tone; with LMDB’s Crème Tint you can alter the color of the lipstick fairly easily. Below is a before and after picture of Mystique on top of Tom Ford’s Adobe Pink lipstick.

Product Info:

$28 @ Nordstrom

NET WT. 0.17 fl oz. (5g)

Pro:

• Creamy formula
• Great color payoff

Con:

• Expensive
• Not hydrating enough to wear on lips alone (for me at least)

Bottom line: If you like crème check products, you will like this. A great multipurpose product.

Comparison: Chanel – Accessoire Le Vernis Nail Colour

Chanel’s Spring 2013 collection consisted of 3 new nail colours. Of course being a Chanel-fiend I picked up all three. The first thing I did when I got home was to see if I have any dupes for the three colors, however, I could only find similar colors for Accessoire. I find it very similar to Chanel’s Vamp, Rouge Noir and the recently released (holiday 2012 collection) Malice. I find the difference to be only noticeable under bright lighting (mostly sunlight).

Accessoire vs. Vamp

–          I find these two to be the most similar. Vamp is a shimmer polish while Accessoire is a crème polish. Accessoire has a bit more brown in the base color than Vamp but it is very similar.

Accessoire vs. Rouge Noir

–          The finish of the two polishes is the same. Rouge Noir is darker, almost black with a bit of red tone. The different between the two is very noticeable even in low lighting.

Accessoire vs. Malice

–          Malice has some red shimmer in it and the base color is darker, however, in low lighting it still appears to be very similar.

The above photo show how similar the polishes are.

It was interesting to see such a fall/winter color as part of the spring collection. It is an interesting color, definitely more on the brown side than red or plum or black. I am glad I have it as part of my nail polish collection, but I don’t see it as a must have.

Bottom line: If you have any of the above Chanel nail polish, you can pass on this polish. It is a permanent product, so you can always pick it up later.

Review: Le Metier de Beaute Limited-Edition Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss in Orange Juiced & Hibiskiss

I really liked the LMDB’s lip gloss formula; it’s one of my favorite formulas. So I decided to give the Sheer Brilliance Lip Gloss a try, to see if it’s as good as the regular lip gloss. Of course, they are limited editions, which is why I ended up picking up both colors.

The packaging is pretty basic and simple LMDB packaging. It is not the most fancy packaging out there. I like the packaging of the lip gloss much better from some of their other compacts (as much as I love matte black, it gets dirty very easy).

The formula is hydrating and non-drying, overall an excellent formula. As the product name indicated, this is a very sheer formula. It would most likely be used over a lipstick, if you want color. These are high shine glosses, with glitter in them. The glitter does not get grainy when on the lips.

The color may look scary, but since it’s so sheer you cannot really tell the color. Also, note in the pictures the Orange Juiced tube looks more yellow than in real life, I couldn’t get the color just right.  The color of the gloss would look different depending on your natural lip color (if used all natural with no base color). I have naturally pigmented lips, as you can see Orange Juiced comes out sheerer than Hibiskiss. If you are scared of how bright Hibiskiss is, I would suggest wearing it on top of a nude lipstick (very pretty).

The gloss has no noticeable fragrance or taste. It wears about 3 hours.

Hibiskiss

Orange Juiced

Product Info:

$32 @ Nieman Marcus or Nordstrom Counters

NET WT. 0.22 fl oz. (6.5ml)

Pro:

• Great Formula (hydrating)
• Wearable colors

Con:

• Expensive (It’s expensive for a sheer gloss)
• Limited Edition

Bottom line: The formula is great and colors are very ‘in’ this season. It would depend on personal preference if you think this is worth it or not.

Review: New Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick in #339 Silhouette

As I was wandering around Macy’s waiting for the Chanel SA to get freed up, I ended up at the Dior counter. I was initially checking out the new collection of nail polishes (since nail polish are my latest obsession). Then the Dior rep told me the nail polishes actually matched some of the new Addict Extreme lipstick shades. In general I am not a lipstick person; I like gloss as I find lipstick usually dry out my lips. This is my first Dior lipstick, so I do not have other Dior comparison for you.

The packaging is classic Dior. It is high quality plastic; it has a good weight to it but it is not heavy. The lipstick can be pulled out by the nob on top of the lipstick. The design is a bit awkward with the silver separation in the case, because it looks like you can pull that portion off. I am not a fan of the packaging design. As you can see in the pictures, the lipstick portion cannot stand by itself because of the round nob.

The formula of this lipstick is excellent; I think it is my new favorite lipstick formula. I recent got a Tom Ford lipstick (which I will review soon), I find this lipstick to be a great cheaper (I can’t believe I’m saying this about a Dior lipstick) alternative than the Tom Ford lipstick. The formula is sheer with a glossy finish. So don’t be scared of the really bright colors, they won’t go on that bright. It applies evenly and is not drying at all (feels like you are wearing lip balm).

The color I picked is #339 Silhouette, which is a light coral color. It’s a great neutral color; it is lighter color than my own lip color, so it looks more like a nude on me.  I think it is a great everyday lipstick.

There is no noticeable fragrance or taste, which is a big plus in my book. The wear time is about 3 hours, which is not bad for sheer lipstick.

 

Product Info:

$30 @ Dior Counters (Macy’s, Nordstrom, Neimans Marcus and Sephora)

3.5g Net WT 0.12 oz

Pro:

• Great Formula (for sheer glossy lipstick)
• Wide range of color (nude to bright)

Con:

• Expensive (Cheaper than Tom Ford)

Bottom line: If you like sheer glossy lipsticks you will love these. I would definitely give this lipstick a try. I highly recommend it.

Review: Part 2 Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain

(Continued from Part 1 Review of the YSL’s Glossy Stains) For review on the packaging and formulation please see Part 1 of the Review.

The three other colors I picked up were #7 Corail Aquatique, #10 Rouge Philtre, and #19 Beige Aquarelle.

#7 Corail Aquatique applied evenly and it’s very pigmented. It’s a pretty coral color, even similar to my own lip color. It’s a more neutral wearable shade that applies smooth.

#10 Rouge Philtre is a pretty bright pinkish red, and you can layer to make it more intense. I find that it went well with my yellow and cool undertone. It applied very smooth and is pigmented as well. I think it is a versatile color because you can make it intense or apply a thin layer with a nude color gloss to make it more neutral.

#19 Beige Aquarelle is similar in color to Part 1’s #18 Rose Pastelle. It is not as pink as Rose Pastelle. I find it to be more wearable than #18, because it has a beige undertone instead of white. It didn’t apply as smoothly as the other colors, but it’s better than #18. I think this is good to tone down your lip color but I would still wear a gloss over top, otherwise it can be quiet boring color.

Product Info:

$32 @ Sephora and Nordstrom (They both have exclusive shades, Sephora has most of them)

Net Wt 0.2 oz 6ml

Pro:

• Great Formula
• Great Pigmentation
• Great Color Range

Con:

• Lighter color is a bit streaky
• Expensive

Bottom line: If the price doesn’t scare you off (which is not outrageous compared to other high end lip products), this is an excellent product to have and invest in.

Review: Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscope Eye Kit in Northern Lights (Aurora)

Since the Cherry Blossom Kaleidoscope was coming out the same time as the Northern Lights, I ended up picking up both. By initial look at the Cherry Blossom and Northern Lights, color wise I thought I was going to like Northern Lights better. I usually don’t like brown colors; I find it makes my eyes look more tired.  After swatching them both, I think both are worth getting. The Cherry Blossom comes out to be a more unique color though.

[Same as Cherry Blossom Kaleidoscope Review] The packaging is good quality, although not the best for the price, or compared to other high end brands. The configuration is fun, but it would be improved on if you can detach the eye shadow individually.

[Same as Cherry Blossom Kaleidoscope Review] The formulation is fantastic; very finely milled and easy to blend. I find the matte shades to be smooth, as well. The pigmentation is also fantastic, including the lighter shades. I had reservations about how good the formulation would be, since this is a very expensive item, but it lives up to the hype.

I am not sure if the colors in this Kaleidoscope match the actual Northern Lights, since I have never seen it in person. It does come with a pink-beige shimmer shade, a light blue shimmer shade, a copper-gold shimmer shade, and a matte purple shade. The layered effect of this Kaleidoscope comes out to this purple with silver and gold shimmer. I used even amounts of each individual shade. It was harder to capture on camera the shimmer than the Cherry Blossom Kaleidoscope, which to me makes it a little bit less unique that Cherry Blossom.

I did use this Kaleidoscope and it truly is fool proof (as Sunny from Neiman Marcus put it). I think the Kaleidoscopes would be great for a beginner to use. You would layer the color from the bottom of the Kaleidoscope up, rising the next shade little bit higher than over the previous one (to create that gradient effect). It was probably the easiest for me to create day-time smoky eye (for day-time just make sure you don’t overdo the darkest shade), because layering means less blending.

Product Info:

$95 @ Neimanmarcus.com

Net Wt 0.49 fl oz. (14 gms)

Pro:

• Great formulation
• Unique layered colors
• Size of product (The high price tag comes with good size product. Here are some comparisons: Tom Ford Quad $7.5 per gram, Chanel Quads $8.53 per gram, Le Metier de Beaute $6.79 per gram)

Con:

• Limited edition (This will go quickly like all their Kaleidoscopes)
• Expensive for a single item

Bottom line: If you are debating between Northern Lights and Cherry Blossom, I would say Cherry Blossom is more unique, but Northern Lights works better on cooler skin tones. Hurry though, they are definitely not going to be in stock for long.

Review: Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscope Eye Kit in Cherry Blossom

Le Metier de Beaute has finally released their Cherry Blossom Kaleidoscope, which is exclusive at the Neiman Marcus in Washington, DC. This (and the Northern Lights Kaleidoscope) is my first Kaleidoscope… I always miss the releases.

The packaging is good quality, although not the best for the price, or compared to other high end brands. The configuration is fun, but it would be improved on if you can detach the eye shadow individually.

The formulation is fantastic; very finely milled and easy to blend. I find the matte shades to be smooth, as well. The pigmentation is also fantastic, including the lighter shades. I had reservations about how good the formulation would be, since this is a very expensive item, but it lives up to the hype.

I found the colors in this Kaleidoscope to match Cherry Blossom dead on, with a light beige shimmer shade, a green with golden shimmer shade, a light pink with slight shimmer (almost matte) shade, and a matte dark espresso shade. Individual shades aside, the layered color of all four shades is absolutely breathtaking. It comes out to this light brown with a duo-chrome effect. I used even amounts of each individual shade. You will be able to create many looks with this Kaleidoscope.

Product Info:

$95 @ Mezza Gallerie (202) 966-9700 ext 2265 Sunny Choi Noble (she’s awesome)

Net Wt 0.49 fl oz. (14 gms)

Pro:

• Great formulation
• Unique layered colors
• Size of product (The high price tag comes with good size product. Here are some comparisons: Tom Ford Quad $7.5 per gram, Chanel Quads $8.53 per gram, Le Metier de Beaute $6.79 per gram)

Con:

• Limited edition (This will go quickly like all their Kaleidoscopes)
• Expensive for a single item

Bottom line: If you are a lover of high quality cosmetics, I would pick this up ASAP. They are definitely not going to be in stock for long.

Review: Part 1 Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain

There has been many raves on the blog world about these YSL Glossy Stain. This is more the initial look at it, since these two colors did not work for me (I ordered it blind from Sephora). I did end up returning these two color and picking up another three other colors, which will be reviewed next.

The packaging is very high quality plastic, and I like that it is not all gold, like other YSL products. The part I think that’s especially well done is the see through strip in the tube. It makes it easy to see what color it is without looking at the label. The applicator is like Lancome’s Fever Gloss, which is fatter than the normal doe foot applicator. Personally, I like the applicator a lot – very easy for quick application.

The formula is truly great, both hydrating and pigmented. When first put on, there is a glossiness, but it fades over time and becomes more of a matte color. I wont lie, it does makes my lips feel tight (almost a dry feel) after the glossiness goes away. It doesn’t make my lips peel over time at all, but I do think you need to apply a lip balm over it to keep your lips hydrated.

The two colors I chose were #15 Rose Vinyl and #18 Rose Pastelle. #15 Rose Vinyl applied like a dream, it was really pigmented and applied evenly. #18 Rose Pastelle is another story, it applied really streaky and it seemed light (white) on my lips instead of pink.

Product Info:

$32 @ Sephora and Nordstrom (They both have exclusive shades, Sephora has most of them)

Net Wt 0.2 oz 6ml

Pro:

• Great Formula
• Great Pigmentation
• Great Color Range

Con:

• Lighter color is a bit streaky
• Expensive

Bottom line: If the price doesn’t scare you off (which is not outrageous compared to other high end lip products), this is an excellent product to have and invest in.

Review: Bobbi Brown Neiman Marcus Exclusive Rose Gold Set

The Rose Gold Set includes:

• Black Ink Caviar Ink Long-Wear Gel Eye Liner. (There was a mistake on the NM website)
• Rose Gold Long-Wear Cream Shadow.
• Black Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara.
• Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover, 30mL.
• EXTRA Repair Eye Cream, 7mL.
• Mini Dual Ended Ultra Fine Eyeliner/Cream Shadow Brush.
• Accessory. <- Rose Gold Cosmetics Bag

The whole set is $85. So here’s the breakdown of the cost per product…

Product	Price
Long-Wear Gel Eye Liner	$22.00
Long-Wear Cream Shadow	$24.00
Black Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara	$24.00
Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover, 30mL	~$7.00 ($24/100mL)
EXTRA Repair Eye Cream, 7mL	~$ 31.73 ($68/15mL)
Mini Dual Ended Ultra Fine Eyeliner/Cream Shadow Brush	$25.00 Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush$28.00 Cream Shadow Brush
Accessory	–

As you can see just the Gel Eye Liner, Cream Shadow and Mascara together is $70, so this set is a really good value for Bobbi Brown lovers and those who want to try out some of the Bobbi Brown products.

The Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner works great, I do own Black Ink, so it was good the color didn’t repeat. Caviar Ink is this smoky black color, although it’s not as dark as Black Ink. I get about 8 hours of wear before it starts to smudge, but I do have a bit of hooded eye so it might last longer on others. It smudges on my lower lash line faster, which is normal for me. The formula is very creamy and applies easily. I did use the Dual Ended Brush that came with the set and it worked fine.

The Long-Wear Cream Shadow in Rose Gold is not a color I would normally wear. I think it works best on those with pink undertone and lighter skin tone or darker skin tone than me (I’m about NC 25-30). It looked a bit orange on me instead of a rose gold color, I was wearing an orange shirt, so not sure if that affected it. I got the same wear as the Eye Liner in terms of length, 8 hours. I did not use a primer underneath, so it has good wear time. Again, I used the brush that came with it, and it applied fine. I did use my finger to blend it out a bit.

Being Asian, I am very picky when it comes to Mascara. I only use Waterproof formulas since it’s the only one that holds my curls. The Black Lash Glamour Extreme Lengthening Mascara has a wet formula, which does not hold curls. I find it average in terms of lengthening, the Japanese fiber Mascaras does a better job. It does nothing for volume, but it is a very black and does not flake. The wand of this Mascara is very similar to the Bare Escentuals Flawless Definition Mascara. I like this wand best for my lower lashes, which is likely the only use I have for this particular Mascara.

Personally, I just use a facial cleanser to take my make up off, and really cannot use make up removers with oil in it because I find it blurs my contact lenses. I don’t feel like there is too much oil in this Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover though. It doesn’t leave that greasiness on my skin, and, surprisingly, this make up remover did not blur my contact lenses either.

I have not tried the eye cream yet. I know I do not like any skincare products packaged in a pot/jar instead of pump or tube.

I have always been a fan of Bobbi Brown’s brushes. I recently picked up the Bobbi Brown’s Party Collection Deluxe Travel Brush Set, which is exclusive to Neiman Marcus, as well. I was told by the Bobbi Brown Sales Associate that the travel size brushes were regular size brushes put on shorter handle. I disagree; the regular size brushes are denser and bigger than the travel size brushes. I found the travel brushes are just as soft as the regular size brushes. The travel size brushes perform well, but they are not exactly the same as the full size.

Lastly, the rose gold bag is actually really cute. Since it has a strap on it I think I will use it as a purse at some point.

Product Info:

$85 @ Neimanmarcus.com

It is a limited edition product.

Pro:

• Great Value
• Great Products (Cream Eyeshadow, Eyeliner, Makeup Remover, brush and bag)

Con:

• Not all products are winners (Mascara)
• Cream Shadow might not work for all skin tone
• Limited Edition (I believe the Rose Gold Cream Shadow is exclusive to this set)

Bottom line: If the color (for the Rose Gold Cream Shadow) works for you, I think this is a great set to get, especially if you don’t have any duplicated products or you want to try some of their products.

Review/Comparison: Las Vegas De Chanel Collection – Le Vernis Gold Fingers Nail Polish

The Gold Fingers Nail Polish is a pale gold nail polish with a gold, green and pink shimmer under the sun. It reminds me of Chanel’s Graphite from the Fall 2011 collection, although not quite as unique and shimmery as Graphite.

I compared it to a couple of gold nail polishes in my stash: The first being L’Oreal’s Project Runway Colors Take Flight collection nail polish in Amazon’s Flash #695,and then also the Hello Kitty’s 2011 Holiday collection Liquid Nail Art in Gold Sparkle.

As you can see Gold Fingers is much paler than Amazon’s Flash (which is a horrible watery nail polish that does not apply evenly). Gold Finger’s gold tone is similar to the HK’s Gold Sparkle, except Gold Sparkle has more noticeable glitter in green, silver and red. Out of the three, I have to say HK’s Gold Sparkle is the most unique.

The Gold Fingers applies smooth and does not streak. However, out of all of my Chanel nail polishes this one chips the worst. I applied 2 coats with Chanel’s base coat and Deborah Lippmann’s Addicted to Speed top coat. I have used that combination with other Chanel nail polishes and have never seen this result. It chipped on the same day as applied (on my birthday, how sad).  I am not talking about small chips either, big chunks fell out. To top that, one of my toe nails chipped completely, that has never happened to me before.

Product Info:

$28 @ Chanel.com or or Vegas Boutique in Borgata

0.04 fl oz

Pro:

• Beautiful color
• None Streaking

Con:

• Chips easily
• Expensive

Bottom line: It is a pretty gold, and I hate to say this about Chanel products, but I would avoid this nail polish and look for a dupe that performs better.