Sparkled Beauty

Hi guys, it has been a while. My draft posts keep piling up but I was just distracted with many things in life. I am trying to return to regular posting scheduling now.

I have something pretty to show you today :) Sephora Ultra Shine lip gels have been out for a while then a few shades landed on the sale page and I jumped on the chance to grab them.

I got Mint and Blue Lagoon, 0.11oz, $16 reg., on sale $6 each, and 2 of the 4 (LE) Holographic shades - Pretty Princess (fuchsia) and Good Fairy (salmon pink), $18 reg., on sale for $9.

Ultra Shine lip gels are lip glosses with a light-reflecting plumped shine, inspired by gel nail polishes, with light and hydrating texture. The Holographic colours are with 3D shine and a shimmer formula meant for the holiday season.

Packaging is definitely eye catching, especially with the little "gems" on the top of the cap, with colour coordination and shade names printed on. The tubes are reasonably large, stand out in the stash for sure.

I do not notice a difference in finishes between the core shades and those from the Holographic collection. They sure give the lips the gorgeous shine with slightly sticky feel but do not last long enough on to have an impact on hydration, in my opinion. The scent is slightly minty and sweet, quite pleasant.

Now depending on the shade choices, some hardly have any pigmentation - case in point: Mint and Blue Lagoon, meant to be toppers. The tint is not enough to tell them apart, so you do not need both.

Pretty Princess and Good Fairy are very fun to wear, and the base is still light enough to let the lip colour show through. I wear them in the center of the lips for nightouts and will definitely have a lot of use over the holiday.

All in all, I love the lip gels as shine toppers and am happy with them for the price I paid. I might check out the opaque shades in the line another time.

If you have not noticed, Sephora Collection has introduced a lot more new lines lately besides the Rouge cream lipsticks (with shiny black tube).

I bought a representative item or two from each line to try out and am quite happy with them.

First brownie point for Sephora lipsticks is the packaging. Similar format of a long cap that comes down to the base of the tube with safe wrap along the length that carries the sticker with shade names, and colour indication at the bottom, but with different colour theme and material for each line.

The downside is once the wrap is removed, there is no direct way to find out the shade name. The sticker on the inside tube (under the cap) only has the shade number, not name, which I find is a huge inconvenience. Let's see how the lipsticks wear.

First off, a Rouge matte lipstick called Rebel Chic, in a black tube with matte cap, 0.1oz/ 3g, $15.50.

Enriched with shea butter and vitamin E derivative, Rouge matte lipsticks are supposed to be long lasting with intense ultra matte colours and up to 8 hours of continuous moisture.

Rebel Chic stays true to most of the claims but the wear. On my lips, it lasts for a few hours until a meal and half of it wears off.

I would have love to see a matte lipstick to hold on a bit better but I like the colour, pigmentation and the comfortable wear, so there's that.

The Rouge shine lipstick line has 2 different finishes, so of course I had to try both - Duchess (with shimmer finish) and Summer of Passion (high shine finish), with semi matte silver tube, 0.14oz/ 3.9g, $15.50 each.

The formula has the Hydra-Comfort complex blend of moisturizing oils and anti-oxidant vitamin E for comfort.

The shimmering and metallic formula (10 shades) is said to contain 3D shimmering particles and shea butter for radiance while the high shine finish (nearly 30 shades) includes clear pigments and carnauba wax for a wet-lip look.

Then there is the Rouge balm line, advertised with SPF20 in the US but not in Canada. I chose Soft Red, 0.12oz/ 3.5g, $15.50.

It is meant to be a balmy lipstick with a comfortable gel formula with yuzu extract and a vitamin E derivative that nurtures lips while adding a satin pop of color, spotting a red plastic cap instead of metal, with a slanted bullet.

What makes the Rouge balms different is the claim of having "vibrant color in one swipe" besides the light-reflecting pigments and juicy shine. As you might notice below, Soft Red shows up quite pigmented for a balm, although with a more messy swatch because of the slanted tip.

In order: Rouge shine in Duchess (shimmer) and Summer of Passion (high shine), Rouge matte in Rebel Chic and Rouge balm in Soft Red.

Rebel Chic sure wins the pigmentation game, while Duchess and Summer of Passion go for the slightly sheer and comfortable look, which I enjoy a lot more than I thought I would. Soft Red fits right in between these two lines for comfort and colour payoff.

There you have it, Sephora Collection caters to almost all of us with different lipsticks formula. There should be a line that suits your preference.

Also new from Sephora Collection that I bought are the (Limited Edition) Wonderful Cushion Matte lip creams.

Claim to be pigmented and full coverage matte lip stains with shea butter for ultimate comfort, these lip creams follow the path of Too Faced Melted liquified lipsticks.

The tube packaging is quite similar too, and bonus that it comes with a safety wrap along the length of the tube.

The difference in packaging is at the applicator underneath the cap. It is a cushiony sponge but in a rounded shape instead of a slanted tip like that of Too Faced Melted. To me, the "ball" is easier with dabbing motions or layering to create a gradient effect but for a precise but high coverage effect, the angled tip works better.

Sneak peeks of the colours at the tip of the applicators: Wonderful Rosy and Wonderful Purple, which will look lighter when blended.

Talk about blending, these lip creams blend out quite easily and feel surprisingly light on the lips, which I appreciate. I sometimes forgot I had them on. However, each colour takes at least two layers to be opaque at the full-coverage level that it claims. The good thing is they layer well, no pulling or taking off pigmentation from the first layer. And not much of a scent that I detect.

Wonderful Rosy is a perfect pink but like I said, I need to layer it quite a bit to cover the natural pigmentation of my lips or I would just wear it on top of a lip liner. Wonderful Purple is darker, hence better coverage, but also due to the dark colour nature, it is uneven at certain spots and requires extra blending.

I enjoy these Wonderful Cushion Matte lip creams but colour selection is a bit limited. The other 2 shades in the line are Wonderful Red and Wonderful Magenta, both very bright. The tubes are 0.304oz/ 9ml, $10 each vs. Too Faced Melted 0.4oz, $25.

Oil and gel formula has got to be the new black in the makeup world lately. I have been loving Sephora Oil Infusion Color & Care for that particular comfortable wear, and now Sephora Rouge Gel lip liners offers a similar feel, with more intense pigmentation.

On the lips, the Rouge Gel lip liners feel and wear exactly like good lipsticks (say Maybelline Color Sensational line, hint hint the Loaded Bolds I just showed you).

Said to have long lasting gel cream texture for a smooth look without dullness, these liners are retractable inside a plastic tube, with a built in sharpener at the end. Bonus points!

The formula is softer than typical lip liners, comfortable and not particularly drying. They glide on the lips easily, and with pigmentation like you will see below, they could totally be worn alone and replace your lipsticks :)

I bought Rosewood, a matte mauve brown, mainly because of the trendy colour and matte finish, and I love it. Rose Wine turns out to be more of a matte mauvy pink than a pinkish brown as described, not what I expected but is flattering on.

The line has 18 shades currently, all matte. The sheen you see in the swatches is because of lighting, not from the colours themselves. The only factor that stops me from hauling more is the small amount of product in the tube (0.0176oz/ 0.5g vs. 0.1oz/ 3g in a Sephora Rouge lipstick), same $15 price tag.

Life has been very crazy at SB HQ in the last few weeks, but it is for the better. I didn't get to draft posts while I was out of town so the blog went quiet. But I am back :)

Noticed Sephora Skincare Boosters on the "new arrivals" page a few weeks ago, I decided to give 2 of them a go - a luminizing booster with vitamin C and a clarifying booster with zinc.

Said to be able to help compensate the impact of modern life on the skin in as little as 14 days, they remind me a little bit of Obagi Professional-C serum at a more gentle level.

Instructions: Use in 14-day cycles at each change of season. Apply 4-5 drops, morning and evening, before your usual moisturizer or mix it with your cream or makeup. Summer is not here yet, so I tested the boosters a bit early.

I was looking for a junior version of Obagi Professional-C serum in Sephora Skincare Booster in Luminizer.

Featuring a high concentration of vitamin C and citrus extracts of lemon, grapefruit and orange, the formula in this booster helps boost the appearance of radiance and refine skin's texture for a healthy looking glow.

Similar packaging format with a thin bottle and a dropper to dispense the product, but the texture of these boosters is more of a liquid than an oil in the Obagi version, which means they are more runny and require speedy rub-in action. The pro of this is they take a lot less time to absorb compared to the oil, which I enjoy.

Ultimately, this luminizing booster (I'm not sure the potency of vitamin C in the formula) definitely gives a more subtle effect to the skin compared to Obagi serum (15% vitamin C), ideal for younger skin - late 20's and up. I use it to prolong the effect of Obagi serum before I could get a new bottle (or find something as good but more affordable).

Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Saccharomyces/ Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Urea, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Citric Acid, etc.

Sephora Skincare Booster in Imperfection is supposed to help minimize the appearance of pores and imperfections, which in itself a harder task. I consider it a makeup item while the Luminizer booster above is more of a skin care item.

Featuring a high concentration of zinc, plus copper derivative and pistachio tree bark, the formula claims to tighten the appearance of pores, eliminate excess shine and clear oily zones for a matte complexion.

I notice a subtle effect on all these. The skin does look slightly more matte upon application, but that would not come through after moisturizer, foundation and/ or highlighter. I still have to use a pore minimizing foundation primer in the routine, so this booster does not do much for me in that aspect. It is not a stand-alone product for my skin.

Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Zinc PCA, Phenoxyethanol, Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Fragrance, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Pistacia Lentiscus (Mastic) Gum, Lecithin, Copper Gluconate, Tocopherol.

There is also a Tired Skin booster with high concentration of magnesium to increase skin luminosity and reduce signs of fatigue. Each booster is 0.67oz/ 20ml, $25 each, Limited Edition.

You might remember I reviewed Elf Glitter primer last month. Well, Sephora makes Glitterguard 24hr eyeshadow primer, a very similar product and I just have to buy it to compare the two. I thought another Sephora - Elf comparison post is appropriate to end this Sephora week :)

Not claiming to have any skin nourishing ingredients like Elf (however, note that Glycerin is higher up on the ingredient list below compared to Elf's), but smoothing peptides instead, Glitterguard is mainly to provide a grip for glitters, shimmer and loose pigments and extended wear (up to 24 hours, hmm...).

Packaging wise, Sephora's tube looks more classy and high end, with a fine tipped nozzle instead of a slanted tip with an opening in the Elf's tube.

I find the nozzle easier to use with the creamy finish of Glitterguard, great control on the very small amount of product you will need to come out of the tube with each use. I like it better than the runny finish of Elf Glitter primer.

Both primers blend out easily and turn clear on the lids. Glitterguard is slightly more tacky and grips the eyeshadows a bit better (not much fallout with glittery ones). Their lasting power, however, only gets me into mid afternoon, then creasing gradually happens, even with good quality eyeshadows. 

A closeup on the texture of Glitterguard (left) and Elf Glitter primer (right).

Ingredients: Water, Polybutene, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, PVP, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Phenoxyethanol, PVM/ MA Decadiene Crosspolymer, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), Ethylhexylglycerin, Talc, Aminomethyl Propanol, etc.

The tube has 0.33oz/ 10ml (slightly less product than Elf), retails $18 (a lot more than Elf's $2 price tag).

I can't say that I would recommend Glitterguard for those with oily lids like mine, but you might have better luck. I can't find it on Sephora website anymore but the stores might still carry it.

Gearing myself up for summer (if we ever get one), I grabbed more blotting papers, Sephora Shine Only from Within blotting paper compact this time.

Similar to Elf On the Spot Blot mattifying blotting papers, Sephora Shine Only from Within also comes in a case with a mirror, with an applicator puff with adhesives to grab a single sheet each time.

Sephora made these papers from charcoal bamboo, said to be highly porous, good for moisture and oil absorption without disturbing makeup. That said, I cannot tell the difference between them and the ones from Elf, to be honest. 

Sephora Shine Only from Within has 100 sheets for $10 while Elf On the Spot Blot is $5 with 25 sheets (just a bit longer in size), so Sephora version has the upper hand, price wise.

The sleek black compact is also more sturdy and the lid stays open where you leave it. The outer clear plastic box (shown underneath) is a nice touch.

The purple puff is of slightly better quality as well, but there is only one layer of adhesive sheet on it, which is not enough for the 100 sheets in the compact.

In fact, the stickiness wore off after the first use for me and the puff could not hold on to the sheet the second time I used it. I guess I can use the Elf puff on the Sephora papers but only until I use up the 8 adhesive sheets on it.

Overall, the Sephora blotting papers do the job for a decent price and the compact feels more luxurious, but the puff does not work well which defeats the purpose.

If Sephora Oil Infusion Color & Care is a fun treat for the lips, Sephora whipped cream body moisturizer is that for the body, just in time when the weather gets warmer.

I have a soft spot for that airy light whipped and creamy texture, could not resist buying this moisturizer, especially when it is watermelon scented :)

When it arrived, I was shocked to realize how much product was in the jar. This is how big a 15.8oz/ 470ml tub looks in comparison to a typical 1.69oz/ 50ml jar of moisturizer (in this case is Vichy Idealia Skin Sleep).

Given, the whipped texture makes the cream more fluffy and takes up more space in the jar, but still, there is a lot of product. I barely made a dent on the surface after two weeks of use so this jar will last me months.

Happy to report that the whipped cream is light, absorbs quickly into the skin and stays hydrating for hours. I am not sure about the "all day" claim, but I like to reapply after shower or before bed anyway.

It does not feel sticky nor heavy, plus the delightfully light watermelon scent, definitely a summer moisturizer for me this year.

Ingredients: Water, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Fragrance, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Caprylyl Glycol, 1.2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Fruit Extract.

Check out that fluffiness of the whipped cream moisturizer next to the lotion-like texture of Vichy Idealia Skin Sleep. You can tell which one I appreciate for this time of year, but if it lasts through the summer, I'd still be using it when it gets cold out.

Note that this moisturizer is limited edition, suitable for sensitive skin. Check it out if you see it in store. Again, the size is 15.8oz/ 470ml, retail price $31.

It is very unlike me to try translucent lip products, but Sephora Oil Infusion color & care line, being compared to YSL Tint in Oil, got me curious.

With a balm-in-oil formula, enriched with kendi oil and shea butter, the Oil Infusion color & care is supposed to nourish and moisturize the lips with a translucent color and a wet shine look. Sound like liquid tinted lip balms to me.

I went for the extremes and bought the lightest and darkest shades in the range - Iced Coffee and Fresh Berries.

The packaging is not exactly ideal for me, personally. The test tube-like elongated tube is cute and different, but the wand, as a result, is also long, hard to control.

Not a big deal, especially for nude/ lighter shades where precise application is not required, but I still prefer short wands.

I love the light, non sticky/oily and comfortable texture of these. They feel like nothing on, but there is also a con to that: short wear time (an hour or two), just like a gloss or lip balm. There is a very faint vanilla scent to these, hardly noticeable.

The colours are much less intense on the lips than what you see in the tube, being translucent in nature. Iced Coffee has practically no colour on me, a lipstick topper. Fresh Berries shows up as a natural berry pink, can be worn alone on no-makeup days.

Ingredients: Polybutene, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Octyldodecanol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Squalane, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Styrene/ Isoprene Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, etc.

The tube is 0.18oz, $18. Definitely more affordable than the YSL version but is still pricy for what it does, especially for the length of time it is on your lips. Other than the price tag, I enjoy them and don't mind reapplying through the day.

Second case of satin finish, not matte. To be fair, Sephora calls them Luster Matte :)

I was quick enough to order the Sephora Luster Matte long wear lip colour quad when it made a quick appearance online.

A set of four full-sized Luster Matte shades (reg. $20 each) for $40, like 50% off, why not right?

I tried Mulberry Luster before. The formula is said to be infused with rose hip seed oil which hydrates the lips and offers plush, pigmented colour. I do enjoy the good coverage with a lightweight feel and reasonable lasting power.

It does carry a sheen, a change from all the matte liquid lipsticks we see.

This set includes Lilac Luster, Electra Pink Luster, Magenta Luster and Scarlet Luster.

Sold as a quad, so they came in a plastic bag with a new bar code, while their individual bar codes were crossed off (see the pic).

Except for Lilac Luster (far left, very blue toned on me but is fine pairing with a strong lip liner), the other 3 are bold colours, as I told you, and festive :)

Electra Pink Luster also has a blue undertone but does not clash with my skin tone. And needless to say, I have no regrets toward Magenta Luster and Scarlet Luster other than I couldn't wear them to work lol.

The quad is no longer available online (check the store) but I hope the swatches are helpful if you want to decide on a shade or two.

Ombre has been a trend everywhere, on the nails, eyes and face!

Sephora Ombre Obsession face palette definitely caught my eyes with 4 ombre shades and 4 single shades in matte and shimmery finishes, to be used separately or mixed together, plus a luminizer in the center.

Beautiful festive packaging. The shades look slightly less intense IRL, don't freak out :) Light hand is the key with this palette. The colours sure are pigmented but blend out very nicely.

The palette is HUGE. Its diameter fits the length of my hand and I have to stretch my fingers fully to hold on to both sides. A lot of product to last you a long time, and the mirror is big too.

First, how the 4 pink shades swatch (clock wise from 10-11 o'clock, with an eyeshadow brush for colour intensity) - True Rose, Ombre Plum, Bright Yellow Pink and Ombre Hot Pink. It's hard to tell but the ombre shades have tiny shimmers which luckily are not very visible on the cheeks.

Only a tap is enough to get enough product on the brush (and no kickup/ fallout). Blend away and no clown face!

The other 4 colours are more subtle - Light Warm Nude, Ombre Golden Peach, Golden Bronze and Ombre Warm Bronze. Visible shimmers still (except for maybe Light Warm Nude) but they do not create too much of a scene on, with light hand of course.

The Pearly Pink highlighter swatch rounds up the bottom here, slightly sheer but the sheen is pretty and works on my skin tone.

No super long lasting power, as light fading starts mid afternoon, like most blushes on me. I do recommend this palette, if you don't mind the size and the round shape of it (hard to store) or the lack of true matte contouring/ bronzing shades.

Individual sizes vary: 0.15oz/ 4.19g (ombres), 0.14oz/4.08g (other 4 shades) and 0.13oz/ 3.68g (highlighter). The palette retails $43 ($190 value).

Not knowing anything about Jem & the Holograms, I had my eyes on the eyeshadow palette in the Sephora collection (inspired by the movie) just for the colourful look of it.

But the star of the show is actually this (LE) Truly Outrageous liquid lip set, and I am so glad I bought it the day it went live on the Canadian site.

The packaging is glam, with the signature JEM lightning bolt and hot pink glittery box, a little young for my taste but I am not complaining. The tubes are of decent quality but are quite small. Excuse my greediness wishing they were bigger, as they are that good!

The 5 liquid lipsticks in the set, from L-R: Fashion and Fame, Like a Dream, Music is Magic, To the Rescue and She's Got the Power.

The 3 in the middle are great on their own with completely full coverage, I could not have enough! Like a Dream is described as a mauve (supposed to be a dupe of Sephora Marvelous Mauve), Music is Magic a bright pink (dupe of KvD Backstage Bambi) and To the Rescue a berry, great for any time of year.

Fashion and Fame, with that gorgeous milky pink holographic look, is meant to be layered over the others in the set or other lipsticks/ liners. The effect is visible, fun to play around with.

She's Got the Power is a sheer blue-tinted purple, takes a few swipes for opacity. Not for daily wear, but I can pull it off with a pink or red lip liner underneath (you know my jam by now lol).

The 4 coloured liquid lipsticks feel so nice and light on, dry quickly to a matte finish (left: freshly applied, right: after a minute). They are not completely transfer resistant (leave some colour on a mug or finger) and need light touchup after a meal but I don't mind that.

I am also glad to see them fade gradually (from the inside of the lips out), no flaking/ crusting, not drying. I find these liquid lipsticks are similar to the Lustre Matte formula, with slightly better colour payoff and feel.

For the size (0.083oz/ 2.38ml each) being more than half of a Lustre Matte (0.14oz/ reg. $20), the set is quite reasonably priced at $31. Definitely recommend it!

Bite Beauty has recently release 2 LE 5-piece collections of matte creme lipsticks (0.15oz/ 4.35g each).

The Frozen Berries collection (inspired by the depth and luster of flash frozen wild berries) is exclusive to the US, $24 each.

This feels like a winter collection, both the theme and the colours. No note of a scent on Sephora site. I do want a shade or two, but will have to resort to a US friend for those.

Canada gets the Maple collection (inspired by the changing colours of the Canadian maple), maple scented, CAD28 each. The shades have more of a summer/ fall feel.

I certainly cannot miss out on this collection, and decided on two shades - Warmed Maple and Braised Maple.

To be infused with organic fruit butters and enriched with a mix of pigments, powders and Japanese silica, the Maple matte cremes stay quite true to the claims - pigmented, creamy, non drying and long wearing.

I find Braised Maple, a darker red, is slightly more pigmented, almost takes only one swipe for full coverage, while Warmed Maple, a bright orange, needs more layering. But the end result is equally awesome (see below).

They glide on so smooth, and that maple scent makes me think of pancakes and bacon all the time. It is more noticeable on application than during wear, which helps :)

The matte creme finish is not completely matte as the swatches show a bit of a sheen even in natural lighting (left) and stronger shine under flash (right).

Among the other 3 shades, Candied Maple seems to be similar to Maybelline Siren in Scarlet, and Mulled Maple looks uneven in swatches I have seen, so Sugared Maple is the only one left that I want. Have you caved?