Lush Coalface Cleanser ($10.95 for 3.5 oz.) is a solid bar that has licorice root as its main ingredient (supposed to help the skin “heal naturally”) and powdered charcoal to exfoliate the skin. The first noticeable characteristic of this product is it has a distinct smell. I couldn’t quite tell you what it is, but I know some find it unpleasant–it’s kind of like out in the woods, around the campfire kind of scent. I’m not one of them, but it’s not a scent that I’m going ga-ga over either! Regardless, the scent doesn’t linger–it rinses off as soon as the product does.
I find Coalface to work really well at reducing acne breakouts. It’s great for oily skin, especially because it can be a little drying on the skin. If you find it drying, make sure to follow-up with a good moisturizer or try a toner. Coalface gives me that “squeaky clean” feeling at the end, which is not really my bag, but often I follow with Sweet Japanese Girl so that “squeaky clean” feeling is minimal. The product lathers up really well, and the gritty charcoal powder bits are rough enough to really get your scrub on.
Overall, I really like this product, and it’s definitely part of my shower time routine! Have you tried Coalface?
Here’s the ingredient list… Continue reading →
POP Beauty’s Cat Eyes ($16.00) is an eye crayon that’s angled and shaped to help streamline the cat eye lining process. It comes in three colors: Black Onyx, Black Dahlia, and Black Olive. I tried out Black Onyx, because it’s a classic cat eye color, so how could I lose? I really liked the intensity of the black–it wasn’t super, super black (which I do love when the mood strikes), but for my upper lash line, sometimes a black that’s pigmented and dark, but not ultra rich is much better. I often want the shadows to stand out, not my liner, so it’s a nice option to have at your disposal.
When it came to actual application, I did find that it helped make the process easier, because of the way the liner was shaped. It is angled just right, and because it is crayon, you don’t have to worry about dipping a brush into gel liner or going back for more liquid liner. It’s right there! I didn’t feel like it went on as smooth as I would like (I had a little skipping), but perhaps if I had warmed the pencil up a bit more, it would have worked better.
If you want a really thin line, this product is probably not for that. The crayon is thick enough to generate a good cat eye, but you won’t be able to get a very thin and precise line with it, just because it is designed to be a certain thickness. Otherwise, I think this is a nice way to introduce yourself to the motions of getting the cat eye down pat. It’s a lot more forgiving than liquid liner, that’s for sure!
In comparison to MAC’s Penultimate Liner, which is supposed to help make lining easier as well, I find this easier to do than Penultimate. Penultimate is much more like a liquid liner than a pencil liner, so the two have different finishes and will look different in the end. Penultimate is not as forgiving, and I find it’s all too easy to make an “oops” with it. But like I said, POP’s is a crayon, so it gives you the look of pencil liner, whereas Penultimate is similar to liquid liner.
See more product photos… Continue reading →
A little late, but better than never, right? Here are photos and swatches of Laura Mercier’s Master Tool Box ($68.00) that came out for the holiday season. But guess what? You can save 25% with code HOL25 now through January 10th, 2009. So hey, maybe being late WAS a good thing after all 
The lip palette has Tea Rose, Pink Champagne, Cinnamon, Amaretto and Garnet Lip Colours. The eyeshadow palette contains Morning Dew, Rose, Fresco, Chocolate, Twilight Grey, a mini Black Violet Kohl Eye Pencil.
The palette is very universal–I can see it working on everyone, which is always a good thing to see. I hate when a palette is pretty, but I can’t get it to work for my skin tone! The shadows are smooth, buttery, and the pigmentation is there. The colors look just like they do in the pan; it’s a huge pet peeve of mine when a shadow looks one way in the pan and totally different on the skin or during application. The lip colors are pretty tame, but there is a nice berry shade for holiday parties and winter outings.
See the eyeshadows & swatches! Continue reading →
Yes to Carrots Frosty Loves C Holiday Set contains three of Yes to Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butters in Mint, Carrot, and Berry. There are two other flavors (not included), which are Citrus and Melon. I couldn’t actually find a retailer online which sold the holiday trio, but each of the lip butters retails for $3.69 at major drugstores/retailers (drugstore.com, Target, Walgreens, etc.). If you can snatch a few up on sale, even better! My favorite flavors are Berry, Carrot, and Citrus–Citrus probably being my numero uno (I adore lemony-scented products).
I love these tubes of lip moisturizing delight because they’re–duh–incredibly moisturizing, but they smell delicious. I also feel like I don’t have to reapply all the time, because my lips stay soft for quite awhile. As far as natural and organic products go, I’m pleased to be able to tell you that this product is certified as USDA organic. The brand doesn’t practice animal testing, nor do they use parabens, petroleums, or phthalates.
See another product photo… Continue reading →
I got a chance to get an early sneak peek at some of YSL’s Spring 2009 treats comin’ at us this February! 
I played with Palette d’Artiste for the Complexion ($62.00), Gloss Pur #4 (Pure Raspberry), Rouge Pur #146 (Romantic Pink), and Nail Touch #5 (Tender Pink Touch).
I’m really lovin’ the Gloss Pur formula–it’s creamy, pigmented, and not sticky at all. I love me a good pigmented gloss! I’m not positive whether all of the Gloss Purs have no shimmer, but it’s nice to see a gloss that’s just gloss and shine without the shimmer. The creaminess of the lipstick is lovely, and the shade is a more wearable shade of bubblegum pink.
The Nail Touch #5 is an interesting product, as it was my first time trying out a nail polish pen. I liked the experience, and it makes for a great on-the-go nail polish. This shade in particular is incredibly sheer, coming out mostly as a sheer pink–nice for the office or for those looking for something super subtle.
I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the rest of this collection when it launches this spring!
Check out product photos and swatches… Continue reading →
Chromaline is described by MAC as:
A waterproof gel/cream liner that provides all the smooth graphic benefits of a liquid liner. Creates precise, long-lasting lines of intense colour with dense matte coverage. Versatile palette offers both vibrantly bright and blackened shades. Applies smoothly, sets quickly. Waterproof and smudge-proof. Best when used with professional tools and brushes.
Chromaline is available in the following shades:
- Landscape Green Lust bright green
- Bright Red Primary red
- Black Black Deep black
- Genuine Orange Bright orange
- Pure White Whitest white
- Marine Ultra Bright naval blue
- Primary Yellow Bright clean yellow
- Rich Purple Dense purple
What IS Chromaline? While the MAC PRO site described it as a gel/cream liner, I suppose you might think then it’s meant to be used as an eyeliner, much like fluidline. Well, you’d be mostly wrong, since the majority of the colors are not eye safe (and some aren’t lip safe, either). So then you’re left wondering, “What ARE these for, then?” I was chatting with Elessa from Pursebuzz about them, and she mentioned body art and body painting, which were both ideas I also pondered over. I think the only reason why it seems odd to use these for body is because both chromacakes and paintsticks are great for body art/painting and you get more product–these are the size of paint pots! Imagine using that to cover up a leg But I have heard that these are an extension of the chromacake/paintsticks line, which definitely means they are meant for body and painting rather than regular consumer day-to-day use–doesn’t mean you can’t try ‘em out, though!
When I called up Los Angeles PRO to get Dame Edna stuff early, I figured I’d try a few of these to see how their texture/payoff/etc. was like. The texture is creamy, and all of the colors I tried were very rich and pigmented–all good things. As I mentioned, most of these are not eye safe, which is a bummer and kind of leaves me with no real usage for these. You can speculate on why they are or are not eye safe, but some reasons are staining or irritation from dyes (like red dyes).
Check out swatches and more product photos… Continue reading →
