Getting my daily dose of Vitamin D
Here's a look at what I'm wearing this evening.
Oh and I'm testing Laura Mercier's Silk Creme Foundation and Mineral Primer, too.
Got any special plans on this fine weekend?
The idea of them makes me happy, yet in terms of execution they all fell flat and have left me feeling uninspired. So much that I've been putting off writing about them.
This blog, after all, is about the good, the bad and the downright ugly and I'd be doing you a huge disservice by not highlighting the misses I've recently come across.
Clinique's Chubby Stick Intense in Curviest Caramel
Swatch of Curviest Caramel
Here we have Clinique's Chubby Stick Intense in Curviest Caramel ($35 AUS / $17 USD), it's not awe inducing, but on first swatch I thought it'd do for an everyday lipstick. I'll give Curviest Caramel props for its pigmentation and creamy texture, but I couldn't shake how much it aged me. In a moment of weakness I chopped my hair off back in January -- that cut made me look older than I felt. Applying Curviest Caramel was equivalent to pouring salt onto my self-induced wounded situation.
Napoleon Perdis' Nymphe
Swatch of Nymphe
Have you ever bought something because you saw someone else wearing it? Yeah, I did that. It was at a beauty expo held in Melbourne back in March when I regrettably picked up Napoleon Perdis' Nymphe ($35 AUS / $25 USD). If you're looking to magnify dry lips (thanks to winter) and fine lines, then pick up Nymphe - she'll knock it out of the park. Sorry V, this wasn't for me.
NARS Schiap
Swatch of Schiap
Truth be told I'm on the fence about Schiap. It's so bright I need to wear shades -- Francois should've put a warning label on the tube.
Warning: Contents Inside Are Hot. Handle With Care.
I wore Schiap ($39 AUS / $26 USD), named for Italian couturier Elsa Schiaparelli, on Friday and I have serious misgivings about my timing or lack thereof. I'm all for wearing a bright shade of lipstick, but for whatever reason I felt a hyper degree of self-consciousness. I'm not bagging on Schiap, I just don't think I'm confident enough at this moment in time.
Clinique's Lash Power Mascara
My lashes might not be as beautiful as my husband's or even my brother Richard's. While we're on the topic, why do guys get long, luscious lashes? Enquiring minds want to know.
Alas.
When it's time to go shopping for a mascara, here's what I look for:
The formula I can always count on to accomplish all these things is tubing mascara. Kevyn Aucoin's The Mascara Volume sucked me in with its petite wand and lash hugging ways. Tubing mascara is hands down the jam to my peanut butter. Now that I know what I like, I'm on the hunt to find the best performing tubing mascara out there.
Clinique, good start with your pretty little wand
Clinique's Lash Power Mascara in Black Onyx ticks almost all my boxes. The Aussie price tag is a major drawback, if mascara only lasted longer and didn't have the potential to give you pink eye. Second, it sometimes clumps my lashes together which creates more work for me after application -- I just want to swipe and go. The trick to avoid clumping is to remove excess product from the bristles prior to applying.
It's also worth mentioning that Lash Power Mascara loves to be layered...
One coat for daytime
Two coats for evening
Top and bottom lashes fully covered for that extra edge
The Bagful breakdown:
Total amount for Clinique's Lash Power Mascara:
Value for money spent (performance and quality):
Would another purchase be on the horizon?:
Clinique's Cheek Pop in Peach Pop
The Gerbera Daisy is perhaps my favourite flower. A handful of people can attest to this fact.
Spring is blooming in Clinique's world and there's a bouquet on offer for every gal.
Swatch of Peach Pop
Of the four colours available for the taking (Ginger, Peach, Berry and Plum), I picked Peach Pop -- it's really difficult not being pun-y here. Peach Pop is a coral pink infused with rose gold light reflecting particles. The rose gold is undetectable in the pan, but it comes to life as soon as the light dances across your cheeks.
Tickling the petals with your finger tips or blush brush pulls away enough colour to give your cheeks that just been pinched rosy hue. If you desire the colour as seen in the swatch above, simply brush on a tiny bit more. The finish was luminous and never appeared powdery.
At first glance: NARS Gilda (left) and Clinique's Peach Pop (right)
Comparison swatches from Left to Right: NARS Gilda, Clinique Peach Pop and NARS Orgasm
Peach Pop in the pan closely resembled Gilda, but upon seeing the colours side by side on the inside of my arm it is evident Gilda is a matte orange-y peach. Orgasm, however, is on the sheerer side and the gold shimmer is easily detected in both the pan and the swatch.
Wearing Peach Pop on my cheeks
Christine of Temptalia put together yet another amazing round-up of all four Clinique Cheek Pop colours. Her rave review of Peach Pop is what swayed me to put it on my must-buy list.
The Bagful breakdown:
Total amount for Clinique's Cheek Pop in Peach Pop:
Value for money spent (performance and quality):
Would another purchase be on the horizon?:
Nicole is a Melbourne (Australia) based beauty blogger who has a lifetime of experience admiring all things bright and beautiful in the world of fashion, makeup, handbags and more. She moved to Australia with her husband Scott in October of 2010 and has brought with her a passion for polka-dots, a mania for manicures, and a hankering for handbags. Bagful of Notions is dedicated to Nicole's adventures in these colourful worlds as she shares with you top beauty tips and delicious discoveries she's sure you'll enjoy!
A Melbourne-based beauty blogger and personal makeup shopper who considers herself as a local guinea pig, litmus tester, makeup cheater and your friend who will tell you when something is stuck between your teeth. Here's a toothpick.
