Spring is in the air with latest makeup shades from Au Naturale Cosmetics. Warm corals, nudes, pinks and rose golds creates a color story that reflects the upcoming season.
Continue reading “New in from Au Naturale Cosmetics and the “Clean Beauty Standard””
These hot and humid summer months have me streamlining my makeup routine for quick and easy options that outperform. Multi-tasking cream products are definite must, there is no way I am applying powders to an already tacky face. Add in “luminous”, “fool-proof” and a “healthy skin formula” and you have W3LL PEOPLE’s ingenious Universalist Multi-Use Colorsticks. These color sticks are multi-tasking makeup at its finest, with an exceptionally dreamy cream formula.
With the nourishing organic oils of grape seed, olive, camellia and safflower, along with the added benefits of antioxidants and soothing aloe, the Universalist Sticks coat your skin in a layer of skin-healthy ingredients along with vibrant color. These Colorsticks from W3LL PEOPLE are a definite stand-out for their formula and exceptional wear. A little goes a long way, as they blend seamlessly to create a healthy glowing finish that is “your skin but better”. They also layer beautifully for a more intense color payoff. The universal formula works well wherever you may place it, be it on the cheeks, eyes, or lips. The newest shade from the Universalist Multi-Use Colorstick range #9 Nude Flush, is a shade that you will actually want to apply all over.
Nude Flush #9 is a warm brown shade with touches of orange and pink. The formula is from the matte range, although it does have a subtle luminosity. It is a divinely flattering shade for warmer skin tones, that adds the most natural healthy flush to cheeks. I’m over the moon for this new shade addition, and have been wearing it daily (all over) paired with a self-tan.
W3LL PEOPLE Universalist Multi-Stick Colorstick $34.50
La Bella Figura Beauty is ‘more than makeup’. It’s skin care first, with the added element of color. The Radiant Crème blush from LBF is brimming with an exquisite selection of nourishes oils and waxes, and anti-aging antioxidants. As you apply your blush, you can be certain that your treating your skin with the finest all-natural and organic ingredients.
The Radiant Crème blush in Disco Queen Gloria has a sublime creamy texture that blends out beautifully. It adds moisture to the skin, as well as a healthy dose of radiance. Disco Queen Gloria is a stunning rose shade with subtle golden shimmer. The blush easily builds for a more dramatic effect. The textural result is natural with luminous pigment. With a combination of natural essential oils, the Cream blush has a lovely calming fragrance that smells, of well, skin care. Feel free to apply the cream blush anywhere. It wears beautifully on eyes and lips as well.
Disco Queen Gloria is my first indulgence into the world of La Bella Figura Beauty and will certainly not be my last. The Cream blush is a pure gem.
Disco Queen Gloria $36
The popular Multiples from NARS are now available in a matte version and its about time. I wasn’t a big fan of the original multiples and their heavy shimmer. The sticks were alright for the eyes but not something I would put anywhere on my face. So, the sound of a new Matte version had me intrigued. Not to mention, three of the seven newly released shades held promise as a creamy bronze contour.
The Matte Multiples are a multi-use cream color stick for eyes, lips, and cheeks. I find the new mattes to be more slick and softer than the original. I suggest not to apply directly from the tube, but to rather build the color using fingertips or a brush. They can be used both wet or dry. When using the multiples dry, it is necessary to be careful to blend well to avoid uneven appearance. Bad application could read muddy. When applied with a damp brush the formula applies beautifully with a sheer finish. I must also mention that while the new Mattes are the same price as the original, they are nearly half the size.
Altai is described as a rosy-bronze. It’s a great bronze tone for lighter skin tones and contains a good amount of red-tones to keep it from looking to orange. Altai does remind me a bit of Chanel’s Universal Bronzing Makeup Base in both texture and color. Altai is more brown/red and Chanel is more orange, a plus for NARS. Chanel’s texture blends better.
I do recommend the Matte Multiples in the bronze tones for a gorgeous creamy contour. A good cream contour is hard to come by and Altai is a beautiful shade. I don’t think I will be picking up any of the bright shades to use as a blush. I find there are just too many cream blush formulas out there that are perform better.
NARS Matte Multiple in Altai $39
Kjaer Weis is a brand that was born out of a desire to bridge the gap between the quality and performance of green cosmetics and their chemical-laden counterparts. Over eight years of extensive research, founder Kirsten Kjaer Weis created a line where quality, luxury, and aesthetics bring a uncompromisable standard to the green beauty industry.
As the layers of packaging are revealed, you are met with an undeniable quality each time. All starting with the red lacquered, grain textured box, resembling leather. Onto the compact itself, it’s unique and innovative design is considerably pure luxury. The reflective silver compact is weighty and substantial and swings open sideways with a flick of the thumb. Refills are available so as nothing gets wasted.
The formula is easily on par with the design aesthetic. Comprised of 95% organic ingredients, including caster seed oil, beeswax, jojoba seed oil, rosa rubiginosa Seed Oil, and gardenia florida fruit extract, Kjaer Weis Cream Blushes nourish and protect the skin. Its creamy, yet firm texture is best applied across the cheeks using a tapping motion with your fingertips. If you wish you can continue to blend the product using a synthetic brush. The blush provides a natural finish that wears incredibly well throughout the day.
Abundance is a plummy taupe with and an iridescent finish. The shade clearly shows an amount of iridescence when photographed using a flash. When applied to the face, its translates more to a luminous, healthy-skin finish. I like to apply Abundance in more concentration under the cheekbones for a more contoured look. The shade works perfectly to create a more defined look as the texture helps to deliver color more concentrated to one area. Abundance also works beautifully as an eye shadow.
Kjaer Weis is a Green Beauty brand to know. Their Cream Blush is one to try, whether you’re seeking a natural makeup alternative or not. I certainly look forward to discovering more from the brand.
Kjaer Weiss Cream Blush in Abundance $54 (for blush and compact) $16 (refill only)
Any thoughts on Kjaer Weis?
Powder blushes? Meh, not happening, at least not for now with the incredible heat and humidity we have been experiencing. The idea of a powder product being applied to dampened (sweaty) skin doesn’t seem like the wise thing to do, athough it does sounds like the right recipe for concocting some sort of paste
So, in come the cream blush variety. In the market for a new one, with the Chanel Le Blush Creme in mind, I just so happened upon a Youngblood display at a local boutique. It was a serendipitous moment as the Luminous Creme Blushes was a product I have been wanting to try for a very long time. Upon sampling Pink Cashmere, I purchased it instantly, it was exactly what I was in search of.
The Youngblood Luminous Crème Blush is a creamy textured blush with a sheer finish. The oil-free formula can be used as a blush, highlighter, or layered for ‘extra-vibrancy’. The blush is packaged in a clear plastic pot with a black twist-off lid, similar to the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge. Youngblood suggests to apply using your fingertips. This technique works perfectly to apply the formula which spreads with ease.
The shade Pink Cashmere is a coral-pink and has a satin finish. The blush is highly pigmented and will brighten your complexion with the tiniest amount of product. The texture is just the right amount of creamy to make application incredibly easy, while it sets to a powder-finish. It is actually quite similar to the new Chanel cream blushes, but slighty more creamy and a bit easier to blend. The product blends beautifully into the skin mimicking its texture, while delivering a flattering amount of natural looking radiance. The blush lasted incredibly well throughout the day and through all of the sweat and ick. Youngblood Creme Blush is exactly what I have been looking for!
Youngblood Luminous Crème Blush is $27 at YBSkin.com and other online retailers.
Have you tried the Youngblood Creme blushes? What is your favorite cream blush?
Korres Cheek Butter’s are an extension of their iconic lip butters. “Cheek Butters deliver a radiant and hydrating flush of long-lasting color to your complexion. Natural Shea Butter restore’s skins suppleness and increases moisture with guava extract, rich in vitamin C, provides antioxidant benefits.”
Korres Cheek Butter in Philia Rose (a warm pink)
Korres Cheek Butters are cream blushes loaded with healthy skin ingredients. They are free of parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances and dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMO’s and Triclosan. As like most products that wear the Korres label and feature the word “butter” you can expect an ample amount of natural and moisturizing ingredients. The plastic pan with decorated lid is lovely. It takes some pressure for the product to be warmed up enough to apply. This blush is not creamy enough to glide across your cheeks but preferably applied in a dabbing motion.
The blush, once applied, comes on bright but instantly diminishes in intensity. I find myself applying this blush in about 3-4 layers to get the desired amount of color that I prefer. The texture is lovely and sits comfortably on the skin. The look is a sheer wash of color, creating a warm healthy glow. The color Philia Rose is a gorgeous warm pink tone. I loved the color and formulation of this product, but it failed for me in it’s lack of lasting ability. After I have layered and set the product with powder I can only get about a good 2-3 hours out of it, which is not long at all. I love Korres and I wanted to love this, but I cannot be concerned about reapplying a cream blush every 2-3 hours.
wearing Korres Cheek Butter in Philia Rose on cheeks and lips
Korres Cheek Butter’s are availible in 3 Shades:
Philia Rose – a warm pink (shown here)
Eros Coral – a rosy pink
Chara Crimson – a berry pink
get it here
