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.

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.

Historically speaking, the Silk Road was pretty important for trade purposes, exploration and travel. With Le Metier de Beaute's Kaleidoscope in Silk Road, it's simply a rich contraption featuring four spicy hues. Despite Silk Road's release in late 2011, I still wanted to purchase it -- the chance to try a Kaleidoscope was what I was mainly after.

Four shades work harmoniously together -- a symphonic experience for the eyes.

Tapestry - shimmery plum

Damask - orange-y gold

Ikat - matte-like mauve

Brocade - chocolate brown with golden metallic flecks

Each colour is soft, but not powdery; colour payoff is almost immediate and the ease of layering and blending is high. Working with this palette was enjoyable and seamless.

Creasing and fading are a non-issue -- these shadows like to stick around.

In order to create the look seen above, follow these easy steps:

Start with an eyeshadow primer, apply all over your eyelid and blend out above your crease.
Apply a neutral satin shade from your lash line to your brow bone. I used MAC's Shroom.
Damask goes first, starting from your lash line and blended out slightly above the crease.
Focus Tapestry on the outer half of your eyelid and sweep a bit into your crease. Make sure to leave a halo of Damask.
Ikat should overlap a small amount of Tapesty and stop at the middle of your lid. Sweep and blend a small amount into your crease as well.
Line the outer half of your upper lash line with Brocade and flick out to create a subtle cat eye effect.
Finally, use a black liner to finish lining the upper lash line; I started at the inner corner of my eye and blended into Brocade. Liner of choice was UD's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero.
Oh shoot, don't forget mascara!

I think this look resembles a sangria at sunset ;) Cheers!

Some might think the price tag is a little hefty, but to help put things into perspective here -- you're pretty much getting four full priced shades in one nifty container. The thought of paying a boatload of money for "one" item can be a crippling thing; however, something tells me you won't regret this purchase :)

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Le Metier de Beaute's Kaleidoscope in Silk Road: