A peek at the cheeks: Le Metier de Beaute's 'Radiance' Powder Rouge in Echo

I've been hitting the beach a bit too hard these past few weeks, but I don't stay all that long. Promise! Or else Scott would have to bring a human-sized spatula in order to scrape me off the beach. I love the sun, the way it feels on my skin (tho' I know my skin cells located within the hypodermis are screaming, "holy hell woman!") and I love the glow. Let's face it, me especially, the ozone is essentially depleted in this part of the world -- if I don't wear sunscreen I can guarantee you'll hear my skin go snap, crackle and pop! I protect my skin with SPF 30, but sometimes this particular level doesn't quite cut it; case in point, I got a wicked bad sunburn during the first week of January. It took my skin almost a week to recover and that's not counting the peeling which took place shortly thereafter.

The much-loved glow I referred to is something I don't want to shake, ever. Le Metier de Beaute's 'Radiance' Powder Rouge in Echo is how I go about getting sun-kissed cheeks.

Le Métier de Beauté 'Radiance' Powder Rouge in Echo

Before shouting "hold the phone, I've seen this colour before -- isn't that NARS' Orgasm?" While it has hints of gold and gives your cheeks that perfect flush, Echo leans red whereas Orgasm is pinker.

It's worth noting Echo is a build-able colour, applies smoothly and blends easily.

Wearing Echo on the apples of my cheeks

If Echo doesn't sing to you in the colour department, there are three other "universal" shades to consider, Fresh (pale pink with blue undertones), Rumor (plum/brown) and Whisper (pale peach). The compact is petite, rubbery (for klutzes like me) and includes a built-in mirror. I might have to swap out my goto blush; it'll save some room in my makeup bag and I'll get my sun-kissed cheeks too :)

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Le Metier de Beaute's 'Radiance' Powder Rouge in Echo:

• $30.00 USD - purchased from Nordstrom.

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 9 out of 10 bags – easy to use, effortless and natural looking.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• This 'Flawless Face' Kaleidoscope might be worth another look.

A glimpse at the lips: Burberry’s Lip Velvet in Fuchsia Pink No. 309

Burberry Lip Velvet in Fuchsia Pink No. 309

Burberry's Lip Velvet in Pink Amber was a tiny taste -- wearable, pretty, safe and should suit most skin tones. Fuchsia Pink ups the ante and begs for lippie lovers to throw caution to the wind.

For a moment I thought I misspelled "Fuchsia"

Swatch of Pink Fuchsia No. 309

At first glance, Pink Fuchsia looks like just another red lipstick, but don't let this baby fool you. This hidden gem needs to be tried on and thoughtfully considered -- for instance, which dress would you pair Pink Fuchsia with? Or, are you brave enough to wear such a bright shade to work?

I did and was asked, "which shade are you wearing?" Pink Fuchsia also has a super power, the power to make your pearly whites appear brighter; so throw those Crest White Strips away and hand your loved one(s) a pair of sunglasses.

Wearing Burberry Pink Fuchsia No. 309 on my lips

Still not sold? To help set things straight, I lined up several similar shades from my own stash in order to properly compare and contrast.

The lineup: Rouge d'Armani 400 (left), Pink Fuchsia (centre) and NARS' Flamenco (right)

Rouge d'Armani 400 is a true red with blue undertones, NARS' Mexican Rose was a wildcard I thought could pass (it doesn't) and NARS' Flamenco is perhaps a sheer version of Rouge d'Armani 400.

Have I convinced you yet?

Close up of Pink Fuchsia No. 309

Initially, Pink Fuchsia appears to have a glossy finish, but within an hour the glossiness will dry down to a matte finish. Wear time is optimal -- Pink Fuchsia stuck around all day and I ended up removing the remnants close to 10 hours after application.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Burberry’s Lip Velvet in Pink Fuchsia No. 309:

• $30.00 USD / $50.00 AUS

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 9 out of 10 bags – let your lips do the talking about this perfect conversation starter.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• I purchased Gold Pearl No. 26, it's sheer, subdued and perfect for the office. Review to follow!

Fashion Forward >> Fall

Fall

For me Fall doesn't mean you have to put the many colours of summer in storage. For those cooler days, just add a cute pair of socks, a soft cardigan or a striped blazer. Here are my personal picks / potential purchases to help spice up my wardrobe...

1. Keds + Kate Spade, $75.00 USD - all things are coming up Kate in March with the release of this joint venture and her new Saturday collection. My tootsies are smitten!

2. Rainbow Row Dress by Mod Cloth, $79.99 USD - the cute row houses conjure up happy memories from Amsterdam.

3. Half Circle Bag by Kate Spade Saturday, $160.00 USD - cheaper than Coach's Penny bag and to boot, you can wear Kate's bag three different ways. A limited-time offering of this collection is available over at Fab.com for a few more days.

4. Chillin' in Chi-town by BB Dakota, $59.99 USD - so pretty coming and going. And you can't knock chevron stripes -- Charlie Brown didn't.

5. Lace Me Up Wedge by Gorman, $249.00 AUS - it's a splurge, but I can't take my eyes off of these. Must.Maintain.Self-restraint.

6. 1969 Legging Skimmer jeans from Gap, $69.95 USD - prints and solids scream, "wear me and have a bit of fun!"

Psst, to the gals in the Northern Hemisphere: take heed for Spring too ;)

What are your Fall must-haves?

I saw an apparition of Lancome's Color Design Infinite 24H Eyeshadow in Electrifying Sparkle

Wearing Lancome's Electrifying Sparkle over Chanel's Apparition

Like a witch toiling away the time over her latest brew, I too got lost in time and space while playing with Lancome's Color Design Infinite 24H Eyeshadow in Electrifying Sparkle. Previously I shrugged this formula off because it seemed so similar to Armani's Eyes to Kill and L'Oreal's Infallible, but I decided to take a leap of faith with Electrifying Sparkle -- the colour was intriguing and hard to define. Is it gold? Silver? Pewter? Or, a shade of green? Your guess is as good as mine.

Lancome's Electrifying Sparkle

Swatches of Electrifying Sparkle without flash (left) and with flash (right)

Electrifying Sparkle is reminiscent of a freshly smothered cigarette -- the butt's scorched, crumbling ashes give away while the ashtray begs for more sustenance. Lancome describes this shade as a "sparkling green silver" and online I viewed this colour as a gateway to endless possibilities.

I found Electrifying Sparkle's formula to be soft yet gritty; the best way to awaken this eye shadow is by gently dabbing the brush onto your lid. Once the colour builds up to your liking, blend in a conservative sweeping motion; this method helped with minimising fall-out.

I created the look above by applying Chanel's Apparition on the outer half of my eye lid and then I blended Lancome's Electrifying Sparkle into Apparition. Originally I intended to create a gradient of hues, but I like how these opposing colours melded into one. In order to keep with the moody theme, I lined my eyes with NARS' Koala and finished with a coat of black mascara. Creasing hasn't been an issue thus far, but I've only been wearing this look for an hour or two; hopefully my trusty NARS' Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base will help to keep things in place.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Lancome's Color Design Infinite 24H Eyeshadow in Electrifying Sparkle:

• $24.50 USD - another acquisition via Sephora and Hop Shop Go.

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 8 out of 10 bags – fun, flirty and begging for a bit of alchemy.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• Lancome's video of Michelle Phan makes me want to buy this blush palette.