Give Me Lip: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté in 29 (Opera Rose)

(An hour after application)

My relationship with this lipstick has pretty much been an emotional roller-coaster (dramatic, I know). At first I hated it, mostly because initially it smelled like a mix of pickles and perfume-- a scent that doesn't really do it for me. However, after a few uses, the "pickle" scent went away and I was left with that faint fruity/tropical scent that YSL uses with their lip products. 

The color was a little more orange than the pictures Sephora had posted of it which was disappointing at first but I'm actually really attached to it now. It feels so silky and light on your lips-- a trait that is really hard to find in a pigmented lipstick. When compared to the Rouge Volupté Shine (RVS) collection, these are silkier but do not smell quite as nice. I think they're both equally comfortable to wear but I think I prefer RVS, only because it doesn't settle into creases at all. 

If you're looking for a luxurious product, I highly recommend these. Lastly, the packaging is to die for! Even applying it at work makes me feel a little glamorous... and that feeling is exactly why I love makeup so much. 

Sleek Guipure vs. NARS Orgasm

Nars Orgasm

Sleek Guipure

Left: Guipure, Right: Orgasm

Left: Guipure, Right: Orgasm

Sleek Makeup Blush by 3 Palette in Lace: The middle shade in this palette is called Guipure and is striking similar to NARS Orgasm. Unfortunately, the set in "Lace" available in the States doesn't include the same color combination ($12.49 from Sleek online)

NARS Blush in Orgasm: A cult classic, described as a peachy pink with shimmer. It's fairly sheer, very finely milled, gives a natural looking flush, and feels so soft on the skin. ($29 at Sephora)

Final Thoughts: Once on the face, I doubt most people would be able to tell them apart-- especially if Guipure was applied with a light hand. The Sleek palette is a great value for a good product... but ultimately you get what you pay for in the formula. Orgasm is a little easier to apply because of it's sheerness and appears less gold than Guipure. I feel like getting NARS Orgasm is somewhat of a rite of passage in the makeup world, but that may not justify the cost. Either way, I'm personally glad I own them both.  

Oops!... I Did it Again: Shopa-Haul-It

No, I didn't play with your heart. What I did do, was go to Sephora. I initially went to return the Origins Super Spot Remover which effectively removed my top layer of skin and left the pimple, but one thing led to another (again) and here we are...

Too Faced, Better than False Lashes:

Every time I go to Sephora I look this over but I'm too much of a germaphobe to put any of the store samples on my eye, so I went for it. I know this has a lot of mixed reviews but I figured I would give it a try and I'm really glad I did. I know this isn't going to be for everyone and it does run the risk of looking "spidery" but if you only apply the fibers to the lash tips the results are actually pretty good. The mascara that it comes with is a really wet formula and won't be winning any awards for length or volume but when paired with the fibers... some sort of magic happens. I'll give this a few weeks and if I'm still liking it, I'll do a separate post on it.

Fresh Gift Set:

This included the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Berry, Fresh Lip Polish, Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, and the Fresh Mascara. Had I seen that online they have this gift set I probably would have gotten it instead. I love all of the Lip Treatments and mentioned one in The Used post. The lip polish feels really similar to the DIY ones with brown sugar and olive oil. I'm glad I tried it but probably won't be repurchasing. The Fresh Soy Face Cleanser promises to hydrate (yes) and firm (I have no idea). It's a really gentle cleanser and works perfectly with a Clarisonic. I'd say the mascara is fair, but nothing worth rushing to the store to get.




L'Occitane, Hand Cream in Vanilla:

Simply put, I love this. Super moisturizing, not sticky, and smells delicious.

Clarisonic, Sensitive Brush Head Replacement:

They recommend changing the brush head every three months... doubtful. The other one was looking a little rough but I'll still use it for small areas or a mani/pedi.

Twistband, Hair Tie:

I got the headband in my Birchbox and decided to get another.

Samples: Generally, I don't really care about the samples that people haul but these two are both worth mentioning. First, Origins VitaZing Energy-Boosting Moisturizer with Mangosteen (which is slightly tinted) and both light and moisturizing. I would definitely think about purchasing in the future. Second, I got the Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream in Light/Medium. This could hardly pass as a "light" shade but it is really nice. It's more pigmented and yellow than my Smashbox BB Cream but still lets your skin breathe and look like skin. Again, definitely something I would think about purchasing.

Urban Decay, Naked Basics:

You could throw a cat in a crowded room and it would land on someone who owned this palette. I'm a little late to the party on this one but I'm so glad I broke down and got it. I've used this palette exclusively since I bought it. I love neutral and primarily matte looks so this was perfect for me. The shimmer in the cool-toned "Virgin" shade is really subtle and perfect for your inner corner. It's pretty difficult to find pigmented and non-powdery matte shades and this palette definitely delivers. I can see myself repurchasing this (which would be a first for an eye shadow palette). If they made another version with ever more matte neutral shades it would definitely be a HG product for me.

Chloé Eau de Parfum:

Another scent that may not appeal to everyone, but I really love it. To me it smells like a powdery rose. I mentioned this in my first Shopa-Haul-It posting and I used the voucher from the Scent Sampler for this. 

NeoStrata Oily Skin Solution AHA 8 (Purchased on Amazon):

I've wanted to try the Alpha H Liquid Gold but this one has a stronger concentration of AHA. I've heard it takes a while to see the full effects of it but so far, it hasn't taken my skin off, which is an improvement from the Origins Super Spot Remover. I use this as a toner at night after cleansing and before a few spritzes of the Caudalie Beauty Elixir.

Bath & Body Works:

This kind of stuff doesn't particularly thrill me to read about on other blogs but nonetheless I thought it deserved to be included. They had hand soaps on offer for 5 for $25 and mini-candles were 3 for $10. The antibacterial hand soaps are in Kitchen Lemon, Japanese Cherry Blossom, and Wildberry Dahlia. The candles are in Tiki Beach (smells like coconuts) and Beach Cabana (sweet & clean smelling).