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Make Up For Ever HD Blush Review, Photos, Swatches (Truth or Dare, Walk of Shame, Quickie)

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:12 GMT

Make Up For Ever HD Blush: Truth or Dare, Walk of Shame, Quickie

Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Blush ($25.00 for 0.33 oz.) is an incredibly lightweight, cream blush. The HD Blush really surprised me, because I wasn't quite sure whether this was going to be as amazing as the buzz over it already was. (Buzz makes me skeptical, I can't help it!)

Much anticipated, it is now available through Sephora. The blushes are reasonably priced, and I imagine one jar will last you quite awhile as you hardly need any for enough color on your cheeks. These are pigmented if you want them to be, so go easy on the amount you use if you want subtle color. They also dry down quickly, so work fast to blend the color out so it looks natural and luminous. I used my 188 brush to apply it to my cheeks, and I found it worked just right to apply and blend out the color. (I used #6 Quickie very lightly in this look!)

When I wore these to test (I worn #6 Quickie on one cheek, #4 Walk of Shame on the other!), they lasted a solid eight hours without fading or budging. I think these are going to be perfect for summer, particularly for those in more sticky and humid climates. What is particularly nice is there is a huge shade range of fourteen different shades.

#3 Truth or Dare is a vibrant fuchsia pink. Even when used lightly, it still packs plenty of color. It has a satin-y finish–slight sheen but not shimmer.
#4 Walk of Shame is a pretty bubblegum pink that can be applied very sheerly or built up for a more intense pink. On me, I find this color a little too light/pale — it's not a go-to shade for my medium, warm-toned skin, but it can work.
#6 Quickie is a coral-orange with a satiny feel. It can be sheered out nicely if you want just a light coral flush or used more generously (and still, by “more generously” I mean, use just the tiniest bit more) for a deeper flush.

I can't speak to the packaging, as the samples I received were in sample jars, but the packaging looks similar to other pump-jar packaging (but I imagine it might be smaller/shorter). The only thing I would be a little wary about is whether the pump pushes out too much, because you really need a tiny bit. Not even a pea-size amount!

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! :)

Product: 29/30
Value: 8/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 3/5

Recommendation: If you are a cream blush fiend, I think you'll like the newest ones from Make Up For Ever!

Availability: Sephora

See swatches!

Make Up For Ever #3 Truth or Dare HD Blush

Make Up For Ever #4 Walk of Shame HD Blush

Make Up For Ever #6 Quickie HD Blush

Make Up For Ever #4 Walk of Shame HD Blush

should you rent your next dress?

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:42 GMT

I have a wedding coming up this Saturday and as of right now I have no dress for it (and no shoes!), but I am not worried, and actually I'm pretty confident I'll be ok. And this is why:

A) I've been in touch with the folks at Rent the Runway, and I was able to obtain a free rental in exchange for a review of their service.

So far these are my first observations:

1) The idea behind Rent the Runway is great: renting a beautiful designer dress for only $50-$200 and feel like a princess for a day, without having to spend a lot more money only to have that dress rot in the closet (let's be honest, we love to wear a new dress for every new occasion).

2) RtR lets you rent the same dress in two different sizes for no additional cost, to make sure you get the size that will fit just right. This is an excellent idea, but unfortunately based on my experience it doesn't always work out since a lot of the dresses I liked didn't have both a size 0 and a size 2 (they had one or the other, sometimes neither).

And this is the one of the two issues I've found with Rent the Runway, not enough sizes, and what makes the issue more annoying is the fact that at times it waits for you to have the dress in the shopping cart to let you know that the size you had picked is no longer available, which can be a bit of a waste of time.

But I do understand that RtR is a new business and they might be still working out the kinks.

The other issue I had, which I believe can be easily fixed, was not enough "winter wedding" choices.

The website let's you narrow down the choices of dresses by selecting the occasion which can be a "date night", a "beach vacation", or a "corporate chic", or "prom", or "black tie affair" and a few others, but in reality, so far, the choices are mostly "short dresses" not formal enough for weddings nor black tie affairs.

Again, this can easily be fixed by adding fancier dresses in different lengths.

After much thinking, sorting and debating I was able to pick a few dresses that would be appropriate for the occasion:

One of the first dresses I liked was this one from DvF. It was the right color and the right length. Unfortunately, they didn't have it in my size. :(

I also loved this dress from Christian Siriano except the color would have made me look too pale.

I finally settled on these two dresses:

I am not one to wear leopard prints, and maybe that is why (for a change of pace) I picked this one from Tuleh. There is something about the cut of this dress that is just adorable.

But I also picked a safer choice in case I don't like how the leopard will look: this royal blue dress from Nicole Miller.

The dresses are scheduled to arrive on Thursday March 18th, and I will write another post to complete the review on RtR.

B) As in back-up plan.

Yestarday I stopped by Ann Taylor and found a dress I loved online and even more at the store. I couldn't buy it because I forgot my credit card at home (age and a little baby will do that to you!), but I asked the sales girl to put it aside for me. I also bought the shoes from this picture, which are simply gorgeous and comfortable, so I think I am set no matter what. :)

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WHAT TO WEAR: EASY WAYS TO GO FROM WORK TO PLAY

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:01 GMT

The weather is starting to break. Yes, I see it, spring! With warmers temps comes more social events. And don't many of them seem to fall during the work week? If your calendar calls for you to fly from work to dinner or to a networking event, keep your wardrobe changes to a minimum. It's enough to juggle traffic from one place to another without worrying about what you should wear. Here are some simple tips for taking your look from work to play. Take off your jacket or cardigan These items can scream stuffy or cubicle. Which is not...

Lunasol Summer 2010 Collection

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:45 GMT

(images/info from www.nikkei.co.jp)

Lunasol will release its summer 2010 makeup collection in Japan on May 14th. The collection continues the theme of Scenic Purification, and the new items include:

- Nature Color Eyes (2 new variations)
- Shining Water Eyes (2 new shades)
- Full Glamour Lips G (2 new shades)
- Full Glamour Gloss N (2 new shades)
- Nail Finish (3 new shades)
- Modeling Face Color (1 shade)
- Control Makeup Base (SPF 25, PA++, with gold-toned pearly shimmer)

(Modeling Face Color)

All the items in this collection are limited editions.

Aube Couture Summer 2010 Collection

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:10 GMT

(images/info from www.cosme.net)

Sofina's Aube Couture will release its summer 2010 makeup collection in Japan on April 13th. The collection includes:

- Designing Premium Rouge (above, 4 new shades)

- Designing Mascara (1 shade)

Product Review: Biore Dual Fusion Moisture Lotion + SPF 30

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:13 GMT

Reviewer: Suziesaurus Brand: Biore Name: : Dual Fusion Moisture Lotion + SPF 30 Price: $20.00 CAD From Bioré’s website: "Bioré dual fusion™ moisturizer + SPF 30 delivers a unique blend of weightless hydration to nourish transitional skin and includes UV protection to help prevent sunburn. The special double-chambered package preserves the efficacy and potency of both the SPF protection and the silky, non-greasy moisturization properties. Featuring Bioré Botanamide technology, a...

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Addiction Summer 2010 Collection

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:10 GMT

(images/info from www.joseishi.net/voce)

Addiction will release its summer 2010 makeup collection in Japan on April 23rd. The collection features:

- Limited Compact Le Mépris* (above, with two eyeshadows and a blusher)

- Eyeshadow (1 new shade)

- Eyeliner Pencil (1 new shade)

- Lipstick (1 new shade)

- Lip Gloss (1 new shade)

- Blush (1 new shade)

All the items in this collection are limited editions.

(*I am guessing that the name Le Mépris is based on the 1963 French film Le Mépris (Contempt), starring Brigitte Bardot. Have a look at the movie poster, which might possibly be part of the inspiration of the palette.)

Related posts on Addiction:

New Japanese Beauty Brand: Addiction

Spring 2010 Collection

Product Swatch Galore

4 Hot Spring Fashion Trends

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00 GMT

It’s time to shed the sweaters and ditch the coats and while an entire wardrobe overhaul may not be in the cards, here are the four hottest trends that we’ll be sure to follow this season. 1. Bright Colour Turquoise, sunny yellow, emerald green and magenta are touted as the must-have colours for spring (and summer) 2010. [...]