Rouge Bunny Rouge Sea of Tranquility

 Highlighter  11 Responses »
Jun 012011
 

Previously, I introduced the Rouge Bunny Rouge brand (see here) and today I’m looking at the line’s Seas of Illumination Highlighting Liquid in Sea of Tranquility (approximately $70 for 1 ounce, available for shipping to the U.S. from Zuneta.com).  This liquid highlighter is a refined version that gives a smooth glow without any sparkle or heavy metallics.

Sea of Tranquility has a decided pink cast, which shows up with a fair amount of drama on my pale warm skintone.  Those will cooler skin tones will love this color–the pink is believable, healthy and beautiful.  If you like Benefit Highbeam or Nars Liquid Illuminator in Copacabana (reviewed here), you will find that Sea of Tranquility is a slightly pinker, more refined version of either.  The texture of Rouge Bunny Rouge’s offering is more natural and less thick compared to High Beam.  Rouge Bunny Rouge’s Sea of Tranquility is less sparkly compared with Nars Copacabana.  One might expect this from the different price points–Benefit’s High Beam is $24 for .45 ounces, and Nars Copacabana is $29 for 1.2 ounces.

Comparisons:

The Black Panties makeup blog has done this comparison between Rouge Bunny Rouge Sea of Tranquility and Giorgio Armani’s Fluid Sheer #7.

Bottom line: You don’t need all three, but if I had to choose one I’d go with Rouge Bunny Rouge’s Sea of Tranquility because the texture is the most refined.  I find that wearing a color that stands out on my skin tone is really apparent, and softer textures look more natural.  (Thanks to Liz for letting me borrow her Benefit High Beam and Nars Copacabana for the comparison.)

Guerlain Serie Noir Blush G

 Blush, Guerlain  18 Responses »
Jan 112011
 

Guerlain’s Spring 2011 “Sur Mes Levres” includes a limited edition blush, Guerlain Blush G Serie Noir–Secret to a Healthy Glow ($67).  This is a highly saturated blush infused with gold shimmers that melt into a highlight glow on on your cheeks.  This gasp-worthy palette is a stunning combination of finely milled powder, a versatile choice of colors, and the ability to blend colors that allows you to customize your look.

The colors are arranged in horizontal stripes:

  • The top stripe is a rich coral;
  • The second stripe is a deep pink fuchsia, which coordinates nicely with the fuchsia tone in the Rue de Rivoli Ecrin 6 eyeshadow palette;
  • The third is a soft, glowing peach; and
  • The bottom is a very light golden pink with a hint of peach.

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Holiday Makeup for the Rest of Us, Part 1

 Dior, Giorgio Armani, Highlighter, MAC  2 Responses »
Dec 182009
 

Picture 5 I love the idea of fantastic makeup looks, like this one at the left from Sephora.  It’s so artistic and glamorous!  But to be honest, I’m not confident in my ability to pull off something so dramatic.  Even so, there are evenings when we all want to have a special look.  Here are a few ideas that can give you a little glamour and glow, without going over the top.

First, sometimes I line the eye area with a bright metallic using a very thin brush.  In this picture, I’m using Shu Uemura’s 2R, which sells for $14.  The brush is so tiny that it’s easy to draw a very thin line  that doesn’t overwhelm.  One can draw a soft line under the eye, or dab a bit near the inner corner.  Another look is to add a line of silver or gold just above a black liquid liner on the upper lashline.  I dampen the brush first, to intensify the color.Platinum 3

Second, one can add some sparkle to the shoulders using a product like MAC Reflects Glitter. This product has the same effect as the fairy dust — it catches the light in a very dramatic way.  For that reason, it can look over the top when applied to the face.  It’s sort of fun to wear sprinkled on the shoulders or decolletage for  New Year’s Eve.  The product is a little unusual and hard to control–it seems to jump around, well, like fairy dust.  To make it “stick,” it should be placed over a thin layer of something emollient, such as Vaseline or MAC’s cream color base (Pearl and Hush are nice choices).  Keep in mind that the MAC Reflects are not considered eye safe, you really don’t want one of these glitter bits to get into your eye.  Pictured here is MAC Reflects Silver.  The product comes in a variety of colors, sells for $19.50.  There are a very few colors on MAC’s online site, although more colors are available at MAC’s Pro Stores (there is a list of these on MAC’s website) or by calling  1-800-588-0070 (U.S.).

Mac Reflects Silver 5 Mac Reflects Silver 3

Third, especially if MAC’s Reflects seem a little too dramatic, there are a lot of beautiful highlighters that provide glamour without the glitter.  My favorites include Dior’s Star Shimmer Powders ($43), Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfectors ($41) and Armani’s Fluid Sheers in #1 or #7 ($58).  Highlighters add light and a glowy texture to the skin. Any of these can confidently be worn on the face or body without concern that one is going over the top.  A touch of the Armani can be added to foundation for a little extra subtle glow.

More about this topic in the days that follow…. In the meantime, enjoy every moment that you can this season!