Dior Fusion Mono Eyeshadows

November 23, 2016 in Makeup

I tend not to be a huge eyeshadow-wearer actually, but there's a new (to me) formula I've fallen head over heels for. I tried out a Dior Fusion Mono Eyeshadow on a whim a few months ago and it became my go-to for everyday. Recently I just had to pick up two more shades, so I figured it was time to write up a more complete review.

Although they're housed in glass pots like a cream eyeshadow typically would be, these are not creams. They're powder eyeshadows, but the product has a bit of give/bounce to it - almost spongey or mousse-y, but not quite. They're quite shimmery, but it's that chic shimmer if you know what I mean - it's not chunky, but finely-milled and perfect for drawing light to the eyes. If you love super pigmented eyeshadow and bold eye looks, these probably won't be for you. They give more of a sheer wash of color - you'd have to build up a few layers to get a really pigmented punch. I really love that in an eyeshadow though, especially one that I'm reaching for on a daily basis. Even the darker shade pictured works for an everyday office environment without looking too smokey or dramatic.

Since they're that spongey, sheer texture, they feel so lightweight on the eyelids. Does anyone else have an issue that sometimes eyeshadows can feel too heavy, or is that just me? You can't feel these on the lids, and when I use a primer underneath, they last all day long. I always just pat them in with my finger too, so they're easy and blend well.

The shades I have are Meteore, the most perfect everyday bronze, Chimere, a beautiful pale pink champagne that's great as an inner corner highlight or all over the lid to add brightness, and Fahrenheit, a new shade that's a deeper brown with plum and pink shimmer. It's a perfect fall shade that adds just the right amount of definition to the eyes, again without being too dramatic.

Have you tried the Dior Fusion Mono Eyeshadows? I don't hear much about them, but they really are quite lovely, and they're quickly becoming my go-tos for a quick and easy single eyeshadow look.

"No Blush" Blush

November 22, 2016 in Makeup

I've been getting really into blush lately, though there's a catch - it's more of a "no blush" blush look. My cheeks tend to get super rosy throughout the day (thanks to those Irish genes), so I'm afraid beautiful bold blush will never be for me. I've instead been going for nude shades and a mauve or two - they don't add anything to my natural rosiness, but rather add some definition and just make the rosiness look intentional when it does pop up.

Clinique Cheek Pop, 'Nude Pop' | This is the blush that started my obsession with this look. I had been really into neutral pink blushes, but once I got this baby my eyes were opened to the world of truly nude blushes. It's a warm brown shade with just a hint of pink that keeps it out of bronzer territory, but it really warms up the skin like a bronzer would. It's just gorgeous.

Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer + Blush Duo | So this really does fit into the "no blush" look, as it's not a blush at all. It's a bronzer with a small sliver of blush, but I figured it could fit here because when I wear this, I swirl both colors together to give more of a rosy bronze look. This is just beautiful - I can tell now why the Terracotta Bronzers are so hyped up.

Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush, 'Earthy Blush No. 7' | I finally gave in to the Earthy Blush, and it's what inspired me to write this post. Burberry has the most beautiful powder products, and this lives up to the other products I've tried. It's a perfect nude color that adds the best hint of definition to the cheeks that I've found. If you're super pale like me, this makes for a great bronzer/contour as well depending on your placement.

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic, 'First Love' | This is one of my favorite ever blushes because it's truly the perfect neutral pink. When swirled together, the two shades create the loveliest nude pink that adds the most perfect flush that doesn't actually make me look too red. It's basically magic.

NARS Blush, 'Impassioned' | Impassioned is truly a beautiful blush shade, and I'm really glad that NARS brought it back. It's a pale mauve that doesn't look like much when swatched, but it really brings the skin to life. It goes with absolutely any look, and is a pretty good alternative to the sadly discontinued Douceur - it's just a tad cooler in tone.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush, 'Mood Exposure' | This is the deepest shade of the blushes here when swatched, so I need to tread lightly for my fair skin. But this nude mauve color is simply stunning. These Hourglass blushes are some of my favorites as well - they're perfect for adding a soft radiance to the skin that isn't overloaded with shimmer.

What's your favorite "no blush" blush? Or do you like a bolder cheek color?

The Brighter Skin Guide

November 18, 2016 in Skincare

One of my biggest struggles with my skin is dullness. No matter how much water I drink or how much sleep I get, it still always looks a little lackluster to me. As a result, I've become quite the collector of brightening skincare, so I thought I'd put together a handy little guide of my favorite products from different categories, depending on what step of your skincare routine you'd like to get your brightening from.

CLEANSER | I typically don't look to my cleansers to do any brightening for me, so I only actually have one at the moment that would fall into this category. The Farmacy New Day Gentle Exfoliating Grains* is a powder that you can mix with water (or another cleanser - I love mixing it with the Glossier Milky Jelly) to create a mild scrub that gently polishes away dead skin. It feels so refreshing in the morning and leaves my skin glowing, but not red. If your skin is typically too sensitive for manual scrubs but you've been wanting to try one anyway, I'd start here.

TONER | I couldn't talk about my favorite brightening products without mentioning the Pixi Glow Tonic, now could I? I've been through countless bottles of the stuff, and I can always tell a difference when I go a few days without it. I typically use this at night and wake up to super glowy and peppy skin. When used consistently, I've definitely noticed it evening out my skintone and clearing up old acne marks.

ESSENCE | While the concept of essences is no longer new to me, I'm only just getting around to using them consistently in my routine. They're meant to be used after a toner to help drive other products into the skin better and will help hydrate (and usually brighten) the skin over time. I love the Cremorlab Mineral Treatment Essence - it's a cult product for a reason. I've really noticed it helping how hydrated my skin stays throughout the day. This one is specifically a favorite because it's so effective and yet so gentle. It uses thermal mineral water to hydrate and nourish the skin as well as floral extracts and niacinamide to brighten.

MASKS | Masks are where I do the bulk of my brightening, so this is going to be the beefiest paragraph of this post. I typically go for some kind of AHA or enzyme mask to chemically exfoliate and brighten the skin. For nighttime I'll go for more heavy-duty masks - they can leave my skin a little flushed, so I'd prefer to give my skin the night to recover. My favorite heavyweights are the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask (review) and The Godmother Mask* from Complex Beauty (review). They're both pretty similar - they smell like pumpkin pie and really pack a punch is sloughing off dead skin. I still love using effective products in the morning, but they're usually a bit gentler. They're perfect for a morning after a late night. For a rushed morning I'll use the Blithe Energy Yellow Citrus & Honey Patting Water Pack (review) - it literally takes 15 seconds in the shower, so there's really no excuse not to use it. It instantly smooths out the skin. I also love the Rose Glow Mask* from Complex Beauty - it's a cooling gel mask that mixes the gentle hydration of rosewater with the brightening prowess of glycolic acid. This feels pretty gentle on my skin because of the rosewater, so I can use it in the morning without redness. I also really really love the Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask. I use this one interchangeably in the morning and at night, but it really shines in the morning. This will give you an instant "just had a facial" glow - this would be my first choice before a big event.

VITAMIN C SERUM | One of my skin's favorite brightening ingredients is Vitamin C. Maybe it's because it just makes my skin feel like the equivalent of drinking a big glass of orange juice in the morning, but I think I definitely see a difference in the brightness and radiance of my skin. When I need the big guns, I go directly for the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum. This stuff is seriously amazing and I'd recommend it to anyone. I don't typically use it every morning but rather alternate it with the Glossier Super Glow Serum* (review), which is a gentler option. This also has magnesium to energize and brighten. As long as I use one of these in my morning routine, I know I'll be looking glowy and bright all day long.

MOISTURIZER | I usually go for glow-inducing moisturizers rather than actual brightening ones (although Sunday Riley's Tidal* is a perfect one for that - I unfortunately totally forgot to include it in the photo). My two favorites as of late have been the Glossier Priming Moisturizer (shocker, I know) and the Tata Harper Illuminating Moisturizer. I won't harp on about the Glossier one because I mention it in as many posts as possible and it truly is my favorite daytime moisturizer. But if you're looking for a glow without shimmer, you need it. The Tata Harper is a newer addition and I'm absolutely loving it. It has actual diamond dust infused into it and has a soft warm golden tone to it - it really works to add an incredible radiance to the skin. I will say though that it has a rather strong herbal smell that lingers, so be wary of that. It doesn't bother me though, and while it's not knocking my Glossier off the top spot, it's still my go-to when I wake up to really dull and lackluster skin.

Thanks for sticking around if you're still here - I love me some brightening skincare, so I couldn't really help but write a novel here. I wouldn't use all these products at once, but I thought going through my favorites from each category would be helpful so I could have suggestions whether you wanted to get your brightening in with a mask or moisturizer.

What products do you reach for on dull skin days?

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*Some products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information.