Sparkled Beauty

The last Yves Rocher LE holiday scent, Candied Orange, is a fun one, if you are a citrus fan. I am glad to find out that the brand goes an extra step and adds 2 different notes to the base orange scent, so we have Candied Orange & Cinnamon (dark amber tone on the packaging) and Candied Orange & Almond (gold tone).

Needless to say, both scents share the common sweet citrus note of orange. You know I am going to say that I prefer the typical citrus without the "candied" part but I also know that candied orange would answer to lots of sweet scent fans out there.

The end notes are not very far apart either.

From the Candied Orange & Cinnamon line, I received the liquid hand soap and enjoy it so far.

The packaging is basic with a pump, but I do like the short and chubby bottle on the side of my sink. The formula is enriched with organic cornflower water to gently clean your hands and leaves them with a slightly sweet and spicy scent.

Not much else to say about the product other than it having enough cleansing action while being kind to the hands and not drying.

Ingredients: Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Fragrance, Sodium Chloride, Cocamide Mipa, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Limonene, Tetrasodium Edta, etc.

The bottle is 6.7oz/ 200ml, $5.

The Candied Orange  & Almond is slightly more exciting because of this exfoliating bubble for bath.

The name is slightly misleading, as the product is mainly an exfoliating shower gel with subtle foaming action, not the kind to pour into bath water to create bubbles.

Also enriched with organic cornflower, this product has natural apricot and coconut kernel powder to exfoliate and gently cleanse the skin. I find the scrubbing action is not overwhelming, which might be a good thing to those who are looking for mild/ medium exfoliating work.

The scent is not strongly citrus but more zingy and creamy. I hope you can imagine how that smells :)

Ingredients: Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Acrylates Crosspolymer-4, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Fragrance, Cocamide Mipa, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, etc.

This little festive bottle is 8.4oz/ 250ml, $6.

The Candied Orange  & Almond scent also carries on with a hand cream and a lip balm.

The hand cream if light and absorbs quite fast. The skin feels soft, while smelling pretty good. Nothing extraordinary to write home about though.

Ingredients: Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Dimethicone, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, etc.

The tube is 2.5oz/ 75ml, $4.

The lip balm, with Sweet Almond oil and Shea butter, nourishes the lips as promised, for a few hours. The gorgeous packaging is a bonus.

Ingredients: Bis-diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Isopropyl Palmitate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cocoglycerides, Cera Alba/ Beeswax, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Caprylate/ Caprate, Synthetic Wax, Polybutene, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, etc.

This little guy has 0.17oz/ 4.8g of product, retails $4.

Another LE holiday scent from Yves Rocher this year is Apple Delight. I only received 2 products from the line so those are what I am going to review but feel free to check out others if you spot them in store.

I am not too big of a fan of fruity scents but most apple fragrances are easy to like, in my opinion. It is fresh and reminds people of Fall, hence the cozy warm feelings.

Yves Rocher Apple Delight still offers the freshness of apple but warmed up by vanilla notes. As mentioned in my review of Spicy Vanilla yesterday, I can take vanilla scents when they are spiced up with some other non-sweet notes. Apple Delight is the other way around when vanilla is the accent, and I don't mind it either.

The scented candle takes the subtle route in terms of scent, mostly due to its size.

I can only detect the notes when I come really close to the candle. The punch does not improve much when the candle is lit, so save it for small space like the bathroom or bedroom.

The brand claims 20 hours lasting power but I have not used the candle fully to confirm that.

The jar is 2.4oz/ 70g, $9.

The Eau de Toilette bottle is also tiny, great for your purse, and the scent sure is stronger than in the candle.

Like I said above, I actually enjoy the scent. It is mature enough to make me smell good without reminding others of a teenager. I do suggest to give the fragrance some time to "settle" and warm up your senses after the first strong punch as it comes out of the nozzle to avoid being overwhelmed by it.

If you are like me who wear a fragrance to bed (not just for daytime/ going out) to enjoy it fully, this EDT is good for that. It also does not take up much space in the purse so that I can touchup the scent when I am out and about.

I am glad that Yves Rocher picks warm notes for its holiday scents, as we know this side of the country does get cold through the winter months and I would take any warmth I can get. The bottle is 0.67oz/ 20ml, $7.

Continuing the tradition, besides the (LE) holiday nail polish, Yves Rocher also launches bath & body products in (LE) holiday scents this time of year.

I want to give the first spotlight to Spicy Vanilla because it is so not my type of scent at first glance. But with further testing, I realize I like it more than I thought.

I don't normally go for any sweet scents in my bath and body products, but the sweet note in Spicy Vanilla is very very subtle and the "spicy" note turns out to be warm and woodsy, which interests me a lot more.

Basic but necessary is the shower & bath gel, representing with that warm amber colour tone of the line. I did not use the product in the bath, only shower, but I am happy with how it performs, no bells & whistles. I like the scent so I wouldn't mind having all products in the same line.

Ingredients: Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Fragrance, Sodium Chloride, Cocamide Mipa, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Edta, Limonene, Caramel, etc.

Quite a large bottle with 6.7oz/ 200ml, only $4.

To accompany the shower and bath gel is the shimmering body lotion, in the same bottle design with much lighter colour tone, $6

The formula features sweet Almond oil and organic Cornflower water to leave the skin soft, with a light pearly effect (glittery/ overly shimmery). Not extremely long lasting moisturization but I use it after the shower gel to help the scent linger longer.

Ingredient: Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, etc.

Something different for your shower routine: a perfumed bath oil.

A holiday treat for sure, as that is probably the only time I can slow down and take a bath instead of shower. It is supposed to turn into a milky veil when in contact with water, scent the water while you are soaking and then wrap the skin with that veil when you get out.

Definitely a different experience if you never tried a bath oil before, but a hug of the scent you like is nice. And it's a bonus when you don't have to follow up with a moisturizer after the bath.

Ingredients: Paraffinum Liquidum/ Mineral Oil, Zea Mays (Corn) Germ Oil, Laureth-4, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Fragrance, Tocopheryl Acetate, Limonene, Tocopherol.

The cute little round bottle is 5oz/ 150ml, retails $8. I recommend you check it out if you have a chance.

A super quick post today, as I am still recovering from jetlag.

Following the master post of Yves Rocher holiday nail polish is Pearly Midnight Blue. It is deep with beautiful shimmers that brighten up the base when the light hits. And this shade of blue works great on my skin tone. One coat to full opacity.

The accent nail is with the Silver Glitter top coat, also only one coat on top of Pearly Midnight Blue. I love that the glitters are dense and I don't have to layer them to get the full effect. If you only get one thing from the holiday nail polish collection, pick the glitter top coats.

The bottles, again, are 0.16 oz/ 5ml, $3.50 each.

Specialized anti-aging time! Don't turn away if you are under 35 though, cause there is certainly a product for everyone :) Prevention is key, right?

I was introduced to Yves Rocher Serum Vegetal products more than a month ago, glad to see the brand targets different skin care concerns people might have.

The center of the Serum Vegetal line is the Ice Plant (Life Plant), originated in the South African desert, supposedly the natural anti-wrinkle active easily assimilated by the skin and can adapt to extreme condition.

The products I am talking about today are from 2 different lines - Wrinkles & Radiance Express beauty vials (with coral themed packaging) and Wrinkles & Firmness Resurfacing botanical care - Night (red themed packaging). Both products have a subtle floral scent.

These Wrinkles & Radiance Express beauty vials are interesting. They are ultimately an express moisturizer to give the skin a radiant boost and prep it for makeup, not meant to be taken orally.

Instructions say to shake the vial thoroughly, break the top, pour into palm then smooth onto face before day cream or directly under makeup. The texture is like a thicker gel. A vital is enough for 2 uses, for my face.

I come to use this product anticipating a very short-term effect, meant for those special occasions (like a holiday party) when you need that dullness on the skin to go away temporarily. I consider it a serum and enjoy using it that way, but don't expect a miracle nor think it is a must.

Ingredients: Water, Methylpropanediol, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Aminomethyl Propanol, Oleth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Extract, Acacia Senegal Gum, Inositol, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Edta, Fragrance, etc.

With more than 94% ingredients from natural origin, the set of 4 vials of 0.05oz/ 1.5ml each retails for $16 (on sale for $8.80 now).

The Wrinkles & Firmness Resurfacing botanical care - Night offers longer effects for 40+, right about what I am looking for.

It is quite a neat product. The oil gel texture (like a thicker serum) is fun to use, and it does both moisturizing and gently exfoliating work (with no scrubbing particles) while helping to smooth out skin texture.

I follow the instructions to the T: apply a few drops all over cleansed face in the evening 2 times a week, no rinse. The skin feels fresh and smooth after, no negative after feeling at all. I do follow it up with a moisturizer or a sleeping mask.

The warning not to use the product on irritated skin kinda concerns me a little. My skin is almost always irritated, can't be helped, but I use it anyway.

Ingredients: Glycerin, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Seed Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate, Water, Octyldodecanol, Alcohol, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Salicylic Acid, Aphloia Theiformis Leaf Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/ Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Fragrance, etc.

The product has more than 98% ingredients from natural origin, with recyclable glass jar, cardboard from sustainably managed forests, silicone/ mineral oil/ paraben free. The 1oz/ 30ml jar is $58 (on sale for $31, much more affordable).

I am not one who wears fragrances very often during the week ("scent free" policy at work), so I like a spritz of fun scent for the weekend and before bed.

I received Yves Rocher So Elixir Bois Sensuel (Sensual Woods) collection last month and it turned out to be my favorite scent Yves Rocher has done so far!

Described as a feminine scent with precious wood and smooth balms interlacing - Patchouli essence (woody/ earthy), vanilla absolute (fullness and harmony of subtle facets - milky, caramelized, honey, woody and spicy) and iris absolute (woody with powdery tone), the scent definitely speaks volume to me. And it is a plus that it has the lightest hint of sweetness, just the way I like it.

This perfumed shower gel is creamy with good foaming action. The scent is warm and not overpowering, which is nice.

Ingredients: Water, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Fragrance, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Edta, Cocamide Mipa, Sodium Chloride, Bht, Salicylic Acid, etc.

Since it is my favorite scent, I want the whole routine starts with the shower gel. The bottle is 6.7oz/ 200ml, $21 (on sale for $11.50 at the moment).

Since the scent lingers after shower, I normally wait until before bed time to follow up with the perfumed body lotion. It is meant to prolong the effect of the Eau de Parfum (see below), but I think it is powerful enough on its own.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Coco-caprylate/ Caprate, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/ Stearate, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Fragrance, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, etc.

Same size bottle - 6.7oz/ 200ml, regularly $26 ($14.40 now).

I assume the EDP was meant to be the star of the collection. Just look at the packaging and the ombre amber bottle. Nice decoration piece on your vanity!

All the notes in the body products above are enhanced quite a bit in this bottle, being an EDP, so it is a little overwhelming for me. So the trick is to try not to take a close sniff when you first spray it on :)

After a few minutes, it calms down to a nice hint of warm scent, definitely more of a night scent than for daytime.

The bottle is 1.6oz/ 50ml, $61 (on sale for $33.80).

I recommend the line, if you prefer this type of woodsy scent like me :)

It is soon the busy time of the year for me with a trip home to see my family. The blog might suffer a little bit but I'll keep the festive mood going :)

Up today is Yves Rocher holiday makeup collection.

If you recall Yves Rocher shimmery holiday collection last year with 2 festive eye pencils in Green and Silver, the trend continues this year with 4 more - Frosted Pink Champagne, Frosted Blue, Frosted Green and Antique Purple.

I mentioned the trend, because the first 3 shades have similar iridescent finish, not full-on pigmentation as the summer shades. Antique Purple is semi-matte with slightly better colour payoff, but still sheer.

I was a little surprised that the brand repeats a green shade from last year, wish they chose a different one so my little eye pencil collection looks more diverse :)

The pencils are 0.11oz/ 3.25g, $5.95.

I told you about Yves Rocher Radiant lip crayons last time I review their Summer collection. For the holiday, they release a new shade called Shimmering Purple.

Definitely a darker tone compared to the bright and cheerful summer shades, but I wouldn't call it purple :) And it is also slightly sheer like the first 4 shades launched.

The lip crayon is 0.08oz/ 2.5g, $7.

Swatches of the 4 eye pencils and the lip crayon. Like I said, the finish is iridescent.

I am more of the bolder type with these types of products, but if you like light makeup, check them out when you have a chance. The holiday collection this year also includes a Vanity makeup palette (with portable compact), top coat for eye makeup, etc.

I have a few shades from Yves Rocher LE holiday nail polish collection to show you today. More to come next week. Don't mind the inconsistent nail length here, one nail kept breaking on me and I refused to shorten them all.

I am excited to find out Yves Rocher had jumped on the textured polish wagon, with chunkier glitters in the mix (Pixie Dust style). The first shade is Frosted Green, one and a half coats. One coat would give the sheer look that is more visible under certain lighting.

And the colour can look more mint (left) or more turquoise (right), also depending on the light. The same situation continues with Frosted Blue below, I can't tell exactly what colour it is :) It is also slightly more sheer than Frosted Green.

The third texture shade in the collection is Frosted Pink Champagne. I am glad it is not a mannequin hand type of colour thanks to the light pink tint. My kind of neutral :)

The accent nail is Pearly Charcoal Grey, with the light metallic sheen. Dark and pretty, but nothing out of the ordinary.

With the same finish, Pearly Purple turns out to be a dark cranberry red (not purple), darker than it looks here, great Christmas Eve colour.

Pearly Pink Champagne has the same colour base as Frosted Pink Champagne above, but the finish makes it an accent nail type of colour for me. Don't think I can wear it as a full mani.

The bottles are 0.16 oz/ 5ml, $3.50 each.

So I showed you last week a series of Yves Rocher Botanical Color nail polish where I was happy with the formula and application.

Well, one specific colour was left out, because it was the outlier. It's Melon (a cream).

The colour is pretty but, for some reason, Melon goes on quite thick and pools into a puddle at the corner of 2 of my nails after 2 coats. To be fair, it happens on my non-dominant hand (which is not shown here), so it might partly be my application skill, but none other shades do this.

I am not writing Melon off, just think it needs some extra care with application.

The accent shade, Sparkling Silver (a glitter), is no trouble though. It is dense and easy to apply, just like its friend Sparkling Gold in the series post I linked above.

Again, the bottles are 0.16 oz/ 5ml, $6 each (on sale for $3.50). There are also nail care, French manicure items, special effect top coats launched at the same time, if you want to check them out.

Yves Rocher has just released the brand new Botanical Color nail polish line with 50 shades - 4 glitters, 6 pearls and 30 creams. The formula is enriched with Elemi resin for shiny and resistant colour, paired with a wider brush.

From the shades I received, I am not surprised by the smooth application and shiny look after, without a top coat. Also appreciate the variety of finishes and some unique shades in the mix.

The first two shades: Pearly Wood (pearl finish, left) has micro silver glitters which give it a subtle duochrome sheen, and Agave Green (cream, right), a dusty green that is quite classic. 

Don't mind Radiant Beige (from the Gel Effect line) on the pinky finger, I was testing wear time between the 2 formulas, which turned out to be about the same.

Next: Iris (cream) and Sparkling Gold (glitter, layered on accent nail) on the left, Heavenly Blue (cream) with Violet Blue (cream, accent nail) on the right. Beautiful pairings, I have to say and I can't pick a favorite here.

Lastly, Brown (cream) with Mahogany (cream, accent nail) on the left, lots of red undertone in both shades, and Artemisia Grey (cream) on the right.

I am quite happy with this bunch. They last pass the 2 day mark on me, which is typical, and no troubles with application. I do recommend this line, so pick one or a few shades that call your name :)

The bottle is 0.16 oz/ 5ml, reg. $6 (on sale for $3.50 at the moment).

This NOTD was supposed to be for last Thursday but I posted something else instead, so this week we'll have 2 NOTD posts back to back :) I am still trying to work the new camera, whose flash does not want to do the job, a huge headache.

Another new line at Yves Rocher this year: Gel Effect lacquers, enriched with Elemi resin (to create a film that reflects light and provides shine) with a gel-like finish.

Here are Dark Eggplant, with Exquisite Burgundy on the accent nail, one coat each, no top coat.

I enjoy this formula. The colours glide on the nails so smoothly and dry quickly with the shine that lasts a few days, even without a top coat. However, tip wear happens on day 2 with a top coat or the next day without, and chipping starts on day 2-3.

The next pair: Blood Orange, with Radiant Beige on the ring finger.

Removal takes slightly longer than with regular nail polish, not a big deal.

Over all, I enjoy the easy application and shine of the Gel Effect polish but the lasting power does not exceed that of other nail polish lines out there.

The bottles are 0.16 oz/ 5ml with silver cap, 10 shades in total, $15 (on sale for $8.30 at the moment). I do wish they were a bit more affordable, considering the size.

We were blessed with a super warm Thanksgiving yesterday but that didn't last. The rain comes back today and everything is grey. At least my eyeliners are colourful.

I was recently sent the brand new product at Yves Rocher this year - the Botanical Color eye pencils, enriched with Carnauba wax, 100% from botanical origin. With traditional pen format that needs sharpening, creamy texture and 14 quite pigmented colours, the line has a lot to offer.

The first 7: Black, Artemisia Grey, Brown, Peony Plum, Iris Purple, Berry Nude and Violet Blue.

The 3 basic shades are not basic after all: Black is quite intense, with micro silver glitters, Artemisia Grey is quite metallic while Brown fits in between, slightly metallic with gold glitters.

Peony Plum is a great Fall shade, strong plum base with similar metallic sheen as seen in Brown. Iris Purple is a lilac, with a bit harder texture and a satin finish. Berry Nude is a very light nude with glitters which I opt to use in the inner corner, and Violet Blue is not violet but a darkened navy with aqua shimmers.

On to the rainbow 7: Heavenly Blue, Paradise Blue, Eucalyptus, Bamboo, Agave Blue, Lemon and Orangey-red.

First 5 shades share the satin finish: Heavenly Blue is a teal, Paradise Blue a royal blue with slightly harder texture and more more sheer finish, Eucalyptus a teal green, Bamboo a light green and Agave Blue a mint.

The last 2 are matte: Lemon is that beautiful matte yellow that I always wanted, and Orangey-red (wish it had a more creative name) is a slightly-burnt orange.

These liners do not claim to be waterproof but have very long staying power and require wet wipes (and some scrubbing) or makeup remover to come off. Most shades go on smoothly and do not tug, not as creamy as Avon SuperShock gel eye liner pencils but quite close.

The pencils are 0.04oz/ 1.2g, $15 each (on sale for $8.30 at the moment).