Rocaille Writes

When it comes to make-up with a lot of color variation like eyeshadows, liners, blushes and lip products, I do own a significant collection and I'm always looking for new interesting shades to add on to my stash. But when it comes to real basics, I have only a few and use even fewer; in the morning hustle and bustle I prefer to take the guesswork out of my make-up routine and go with a selection of tried and true products. I thought it'd be fun to show you what is on my face 90% of the time when I'm wearing make-up so we can compare our notes!

First off, prep and prime: I'm sure you're tired of me talking about this Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+, but I do wear it under make-up (or alone!) every single day. I tend to skip make-up primers as I haven't found one I really liked yet, although I nearly always prime my oily eyelids with NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, my absolute favorite and Holy Grail eyeshadow primer. I also like to dab a bit of Jack Black lip balm SPF 25 on my lips and let it sink in before I apply any lipstick.

Now for the base: on a day-to-day basis, I prefer wearing mineral foundation over liquid and my favorite for the past couple of months has been Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15, reviewed in detail here. For a quick perfecting base, I first apply the Rimmel Match Perfection concealer under my eyes and blend with a finger, then buff on some Laura Mercier powder foundation with a kabuki brush, concentrating on the areas that need more coverage. In the summer, I enjoy using The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in Fair Matte (unfortunately, the lid of mine completely broke off!) on the high points of my face for a bit of a sculpting glow; this bronzer is my favorite for a quick, subtle and natural look on fair skin.

Lastly, I spot conceal with Becca Dual Coverage Compact Concealer in the shade Sherbet - I think I've never talked about this product before even though I use it every single day! It's a thicker cream with a medium coverage and opaque coverage concealers in the same split pan; honestly, I find that both sides work almost the same for me but possibly the left (medium coverage) is slightly easier to blend. It does a good job of covering unsightly blemishes and pigmentation although it can appear cakey on the skin; I think that all in all I prefer the performance to price ratio of MAC Studio Finish concealer.

For the eyes, I always have to have an eyebrow pencil on hand; I'm currently using the ybf Automatic Universal Eyebrow Pencil I received in a Birchbox a long time ago. I'm not sure how truly universal this shade is, but for my eyebrows it works like a charm and is nearly undetectable. I usually apply a little bit in short strokes mostly to my arches and then brush out with the included spoolie for a softer look. When in a time crush, I always reach for my favorite simple yet defining eye combo: Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze all over the lid and blended into the crease with some smudged dark eyeliner at the lashline - either GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink or Annabelle Smudge Liner in Chocolate. I think both of them are slightly dried out now and not as creamy as they used to be, but I'm determined to use them all up.

Now for some swatches, left to right: Rimmel Match Perfection concealer in Ivory is slightly darker and more yellow than my skintone but still blends in nicely under the eyes. Becca Compact Concealer in Sherbet is a quite good match albeit a bit on the yellow side, and Laura Merciel Mineral Powder in Tender Rose blends right into my skin. The Body Shop Honey Bronze powder in Fair Matte is great for a sunkissed look on fair cool-toned skin although it does have a tinge of orange to it.

Eye products, left to right: Maybelline Bad to the Bronze (again!), Annabelle Smudge liner in Chocolate, GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink (umm... maybe more of a dark charcoal) and ybf Universal Eyebrow Pencil. Below, this is how it all works together on my face, obviously with the addition of mascara (Bobbi Brown Everything Mascara in Black), blush (NYX Mauve) and lipstick (Revlon Superlustrous Shine in Kissable Pink).

I hope you enjoyed this quick look at my current make-up staples - I think it'd be fun to do another one in maybe a year to see which products will stay and which will change. Do you tend to use the same basics for everyday looks or do you prefer to rotate them? What are your everyday staples?

I'm back from vacation, lovelies! I bet you didn't even know I was gone - yes, I'm really proud of my post scheduling skillz this time. I haven't been very active on the social media front recently due to a family visit, and ensuing travels: we went to Portland for a couple of days, and then took a trip to Whidbey Island, both of which were spent lounging about, taking long leisurely walks, eating well and generally having fun. Here are some holiday snaps captured by yours truly and my sister-in-law's phone lenses:

Portland's Pearl District/ Favorite coffee shop/ Powell's Books/ Vodoo Donuts at night/ Deception Pass, WA/ Deception Pass bridge/ Walking on the beach at Whidbey Island/ And some more walking.../The mist coming in from the ocean made for beautiful photos/ Oak Harbor, WA/ Fort Ebey State Park/ Back at home, playing Monopoly

While I was gone, Rocaille Writes was featured on Karen's Make-up And Beauty Blog - if you haven't checked out my interview and a guest post on my favorite eyeshadows, you can do so here and here. I also mention some books I really recommend reading, if you're a fellow bookworm!

I have a big backlog of beauty bits to write about now, and can't wait to get around to it, so be on the lookout for lots more posts coming your way in September. A huge thanks for your lovely comments, tweets and general awesomeness in the past few weeks - you guys rock! Let me know what you've been up to in the comments, I love hearing from you :)

A couple of you were very kind to notice my 'Bambi' lashes on the Revlon Super Lustrous Shine lipstick post a few weeks ago, so I thought I'd share my, umm, not-so-new discovery - LiLash, an eyelash-growing serum I've been using for almost 6 months now.

I have to admit that, stupidly enough, I forgot to take the before pictures, so I can't really show you a side-by-side comparison; but believe me, my lashes are very noticeably longer and thicker now - I even had a friend comment on them yesterday and ask what I was using! For some background information, LiLash is a thickish, clear gel/serum that can be applied morning and/or night to stimulate lash growth. The actual hair-growing ingredient is the same active as in prescription-only Latisse, only in smaller concentration so that it can be sold over-the-counter.

Now, because it IS the same active ingredient, the makers of Latisse successfully sued the manufacturers of LiLash and as far as I've heard on the grapevine, LiLash is no more - although the retailers should have enough of a supply to last another 1.5-2 years, and then it's going to be gone for good - and I shall cry (and/or, desperately try to find something else that really works). But anyway - get it while you can, I already have my back-up!

As far as the results, you can see the first changes within the 6-8 week mark. I would say that for me, the changes were the most noticeable after 2 to 3 months of applying it every other day (it is recommended you apply it every day at first, but I tended to forget). At that point, which is when my lashes achieved their top length and thickness, I started applying the serum about 1-2 times a week for maintenance, which I still do. Naturally, I have quite full lashes but they're not very thick or super long, and I think with LiLash, the individual hairs got much stronger and they grow a lot longer now before they fall out. Another nice thing is that my lashes grow especially long in the outer corners while remaining shorter on the inner corners of the eye, which gives a more natural and lifted look. My lashes also retained their natural curl with the use of the serum.

For downsides, I do get a bit of redness on my upper lids after application, but it's easily concealed with make-up anyway. Also, after a few months of using the stuff now, I do occasionally get a weird gathering of lashes (like 6 lashes growing almost in the same spot, which is very troublesome when trying to separate them with mascara) or a very strange, crooked lash that curls in a different direction than all the other ones. I've recently also had a few of the very long lashes fall out in the same area, and now that spot looks a bit bald - but I suppose it's all to be expected and I can already see the baby lashes growing in there.

LiLash is definitely on the pricey side: a full size retails for $139.95, and I hear you can get the half-size for about $70-$80. Luckily, I have a friend with a cosmetologist licence, who's able to purchase the smaller size for me at a 50% discount. But even at full price retail, it's still significantly cheaper than Latisse prescription, or even lash extensions - and let me tell you, with a good brushing of mascara, my lashes can rival the more natural eyelash extensions now (or if you're lash-obsessed, you could even use LiLash together with your extensions). My smaller size has been lasting me 6 months now and I think I'm just starting to see the end of my tube.

All in all, I really love my LiLash and would recommend it in a heartbeat to anyone who's trying to grow thicker, longer lashes (that would just mean everyone in the world, right?). It's going to be a really sad day when I won't be able to repurchase it anymore... and then the quest shall continue :)

Another housekeeping post - so if you're only interested in ohmahgerd, lipstick swatches, you can safely skip this - otherwise, it's pretty amazing stuff, if I dare say so myself. You might have noticed my posting has been a bit sketchy these past couple of weeks, and the simple reason is this: we're moving to NYC.

An old photo from an NYC trip we took two years ago - hence the short do!

Yes, I know, NYC!!! This past week we just came back from a short trip to the city we took in order to find and rent an apartment, which was very successful (you can follow my exploits from the trip on Instagram, if you wish), and by the end of next week, our stuff is going to be professionally packed up and driven across the country to Manhattan. It's all very exciting, maybe except for the part when we'll be living in our current apartment without any furniture and just a couple of suitcases - but ya know, you gotta do what you gotta do.

All this madness means that blogging is a bit challenging these days, but fear not, I'm planning to make it up to you once we settle in a bit. The biggest reason we're moving is because of Mr's awesome new career opportunity, but for me, due to some visa restrictions, it means no job for quite some time - but all the more time for blogging, right?

Big hugs to all of you and let me know in the comments if you have any recommendations for must-see places in New York or anything we should absolutely know, since we're pretty new to all of this :) Thank you for reading!

Hullo, long time no see! I'm really sorry about the posting hiatus, lovelies - I had every intention (meaning, product shots taken, uploaded and ready to be edited) to update the blog, but you know... life gets in the way, as it would. The main obstacle, as you might know from Twitter, is that the screen on my blogging laptop has been damaged when flying into NYC; the lesson learnt is that when the airline tries to take your carry-on bag at the gate to throw in with the rest of checked-in luggage, you should pout, cry, and stomp your feet until they let you keep it (that, or just take the damn laptop out...). The result is that it'll still take a while to repair my ailing Dell with all the saved photos, and we shall try and make do in the meantime.

Other than this minor unpleasantness, we're all settled in and unpacked now, and tentatively exploring the neighborhood (yes! walking distance to Whole Foods AND Stumptown Coffee Roasters! It feels like West Coast already :) My brother just flew in yesterday from Warsaw and he's keeping us company so that we don't miss Pacific Northwest too terribly.

In more beauty-related news, I couldn't stop myself from picking up a couple Fall/Winter nail polish shades before I left Bellevue. OPI has come out with some gorgeous autumnal shades in their San Francisco collection, and after careful deliberation, I chose Muir Muir on the Wall and Lost on Lombard. I'm wearing the latter on my nails right now and it's so gorgeous - deep red with some slight brown undertones, but not as warm as to clash with my pinkish skin.

Just a couple days before my last day on the job, we received a shipment with OPI Mariah Carey Holiday 2013 collection; although it feels crazy to be talking about the holidays already, I was glad to get my hands on two wintery colors: Ski Slope Sweetie and Kiss Me at Midnight, a second Liquid Sand texture polish in my personal collection. I haven't worn either yet, but some in-store swatching proved that Ski Slope Sweetie looks ah-mazing over white, and Kiss Me at Midnight... well, on its own - you know my weakness for blue nail polish; it's a bit more purple-y and periwinkle-y than in the photos.

I hope you're all doing well and enjoying some beautiful fall weather; we've been very lucky here in New York so far, it doesn't even feel like it's October yet. I've missed talking to you, dears! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or post requests, since I've been so MIA for the past month. Hugs!

Success, ladies: not only is my blogging laptop outfitted with a new screen and up and running, but I also have some overdue empties to show you today - woohoo! I was quite determined to use up as many products as possible before moving with the aim of having less beauty clutter in the new space... and, as it turns out, there's also definitely less space to clutter with beauty products now anyway. Will this mean more motivation to get rid of all the cosmetic excess? We'll see...

First up, body care items. I'd been trying to use up this massive 500ml L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil for a better part of the year, and it's just now been finished. I did like the delicate sweet floral scent of this shower oil and I found it left my skin soft and moisturized but I also think it's a bit of an overpriced treat; I might actually investigate drugstore shower oil options at some point in time. The Bath & Body Works Coconut Lime Breeze travel shower gel was ok - a bit drying and I found the scent bothersome after a couple uses, but I did like the cedarwood, patchouli & vetiver fragrance of the Elemis Spa @ Home Tranquil Touch Bath Elixir. For the price, I found the Pirouette Honey Jasmine bar soap pleasant but not outstanding; I had very high hopes for the fragrance but didn't find any discernible honey notes in it. I enjoyed using Yves Rocher Tiare Self-Tanner Moisturizing Lotion Face & Body but probably won't repurchase, and the Ahava Hand Cream (discontinued? I preferred the mineral one anyway) wasn't my favorite. The only product I will repurchase from this group is the CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion - it's amazingly hydrating and soothing for sensitive, eczema-prone skin on my hands, yet sinks in quickly without leaving a sticky residue. You may remember that I also enjoyed using their facial cream for PM; so far this brand gets a big thumbs up from me.

In the haircare department, two solid products I may repurchase at some point in the future: Enjoy Sulfate-Free Hydrating Shampoo is fantastic for slightly dry to normal color-treated hair, and the TIGI Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo is the best one I've tried so far (but I haven't tried that many): not too white, easily to work into hair, quite pleasant, grapefruity scent and it doesn't give a lot of product feel. The one product I wasn't super impressed with was Alterna Bamboo Style Boho Waves Tousled Texture Mist; I've tried a lot of different texturizing sprays over the past year (a separate post is in the works!) and this one was probably my least favorite.

As usual, some more skincare samples: I've spoken about how much I like the DDF Amplifying Elixirin this post - I suspect that my skin enjoys niacinamine, a key ingredient in this product, very much indeed - I'm testing another serum that contains it at the moment and I'm loving the results. A product that featured another ingredient my skin adores right now, Murad Complete Reform serum with glycolic acid, helped to refine my pores as well as minimized breakouts, but most importantly, led me to purchase another product with AHAs that I believe is an absolute game changer - review soon to come. I didn't like Tsukika's Lotion (well, a moisturizing toner, really) and the YSL Forever Youth Liberator Eye Cream was nice; but I have so many eye cream samples to go through!

Some make-up: Clinique High Impact, Lancome Hypnose Star and Bobbi Brown Everything mascaras; my favorite of the bunch was definitely the latter. I also completely used up my mini of Fresh Sugar Rose lip balm and I MUST. REPURCHASE., maybe in a different shade. I also finally tossed L'Oreal HiP Cream Eyeliner in Midnight Blue (click here for a crazy look featuring this liner) as it was completely dried out, as well as The Body Shop lip & cheek stain - I think there are other brands out there that do very similar products in a better formulation, so I won't be buying those again.

Lastly, the obligatory perfume samples: the Kate Walsh Boyfriend is a good introductory musk/incense scent with its notes of benzoin, myrrh, skin musk, amber and woods, but a bit too sweet and run-of-the-mill for me. The Paco Rabanne Lady Million, a slightly ambery floral with notes of neroli, jasmine and gardenia was also quite uninteresting - but maybe I'm not a fan of grand florals. Lastly, I found this half-forgotten sample of Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio from Nordstrom - and I like the scent very much indeed because after trying it on the skin last year, I promptly purchased the full size and it's still one of my favorite perfumes (click here for my review).

Phew, that was a lot! I'm glad to finally see some progress in various beauty cupboards and drawers and it feels nice to let go of so many stockpiled back-ups. As for purchasing new products, I'm still (mostly) sticking to my rule of only two new products per month, and actually this month I really had an intense internal battle over buying a couple of pretties; on one hand, I love trying new things and reviewing them for you guys, on the other, it feels really good to be restrained and not buy any beauty products for a while. How do you juggle your love for make-up with the zen feeling of self-restraint?

Which one of us wouldn't want to indulge in the skincare ritual of the geisha and take advantage of their wisdom to achieve baby-soft porcelain skin? I for sure was intrigued when I first learned about TATCHA, a luxury skincare brand inspired by a 200-years old Japanese beauty manuscript discovered by the founder on her travels to Kyoto. I was given a chance to try out their One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil and the Rice Enzyme Powder in the Classic version, and after roadtesting it for about three months, I'd like to share my geisha skincare experience with you.

Firstly, a couple words about the packaging: I don't think I have ever seen any skincare products packaged with such exquisite attention to detail. The outside of the cardboard boxes resembles the texture of dark polished wood, while the inside surprises with a bold violet & ultramarine pattern of bamboo leaves. The products nestled inside are wrapped in hand crafted paper, inscribed with the details about the formulation. The cleansing oil bottle and the rice powder jar are both made out of heavy plastic with a pearlized sheen, embossed with the company logo in gold and navy, and have a very secure closing system for travel. In short, they're beautiful and practical and definitely evoke a sense of luxury. And yes, I have still not thrown my boxes away.

The One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil ($48 for 150 ml/5.1 fl oz) is a light blend of rice bran and camellia oils that claims to remove even waterproof make-up without the need to double cleanse. All TATCHA products are formulated without mineral oil, synthetic colors and fragrances, sulfate detergents, parabens, PEGs, PPGs, urea, DEA, TEA or phthalates so should be suitable for many sensitive or allergy-prone skintypes. The texture of this oil isn't overly viscuous so it spreads nicely on dry skin, allowing for a bit of a facial massage. The product turns into a milk when water is added and rinses away easily, leaving no oily residue or a tight feeling - my face just feels soft and clean, like it should.

Compared to Dermalogica's Precleanse (click for a review), this seems lighter and rinses off better, so yes, you can absolutely use it as your single cleanser, unlike the Dermalogica one which needs to be followed by another skintype-specific cleanser. The TATCHA Cleansing Oil also seems to cloud my eyes a bit less than the Dermalogica, while remaining just as effective; I don't really wear a lot of waterproof make-up, but it removes lots of black mascara and eyeliner without effort. All in all, a big thumbs up from me.

The Classic Rice Enzyme Powder ($65 for 60 g/2.1 oz) is a powder to cream exfoliant formulated with rice bran, papaya and a proprietary HADASEI-3 Bioactive Complex (an anti-ageing blend of green tea, red algae and rice bran extracts). I use it by tipping about half a teaspoon of powder from the jar into damp hands and massaging onto a damp face. The powder turns into a slightly foamy, smooth cream with tiny exfoliating particles, and rinses away leaving my skin softer, smoother and my pores more refined, without causing any redness or irritation. The Classic version (there's also Deep and Gentle formulations available) seems suitable for daily use on my combination/oily sensitive skin.

Again, compared to Dermalogica's equivalent product, the Daily Microfoliant, the TATCHA Rice Enzyme Powder seems a bit more refined and gentler. The particles in the Dermalogica (physical and chemical) powder exfoliant are larger and a bit rougher. As a result, the Microfoliant can sometimes sensitize my finicky skin and despite the name, I absolutely can't use it every day. Even though in general, I prefer to use strictly chemical exfoliants, I do enjoy reaching for my TATCHA powder for a nice change in my evening routine.

Overall, I definitely recommend you take a look at TATCHA's Cleansing Oil and Rice Enzyme Powder if you're looking for a simple, luxurious cleansing and exfoliating skincare routine. I don't think these products alone can necessarily address more complex skin issues like acne or excessive dryness (which I don't think is their aim anyway), but they would be well suited for normal skintypes, or great staples for the more demanding ones, to be complemented by more targeted treatments. TATCHA products are available online at tatcha.com, sephora.com and at qvc.com, where you can get the Cleansing Oil and Rice Enzyme Powder set for just under $85, as well as in store at Barneys.

Disclaimer: This post features products I received from TATCHA for review consideration free of charge. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided as a free press sample. Thank you for reading!

"Designers want me to dress like Spring, in billowing things. I don't feel like Spring. I feel like a warm red Autumn." - Marylin Monroe

I know what you've been thinking: oh, this NYC business you babble on and on about is all perfectly well, but woman, show us some lipstick, dammit! And I'm happy to oblige today with this Avon Totally Kissable Lipstick in Make Out Red ($8 for 0.106 oz.), which I picked up at the beginning of September along with some more eye pretties. Again, I know what you're thinking (yes, I'm turning into a veritable mind-reader these days): Avon? But isn't it like... frumpy and old-fashioned? Well, maybe - but in my book, they're stepping up their game. The lipstick I have to show you is a far-cry from the gritty glittery bombs of my high-school years, and it's a perfect red for fall and winter.

First off, I think Avon is going in the right direction with their packaging: the Totally Kissable Lipstick tube is quite straightforward in all its silver glory, and feels light but sturdy in my hand. The bullet is secure in the case and has a simple inscription with the brand's logo. The lipstick itself smells faintly of vanilla custard (quite bizarre, but I like it) and has a smooth, creamy consistency that would be the most comparable to Revlon's Super Lustrous cream finish lipstick formula. For some reason, I expected this to be more on the sheer side (which is why I've swatched it next to a Chanel Rouge Coco Shine), but it is in fact a full-on, quite opaque formula with a moderately glossy (non shimmery!) cream finish.

The shade Make Out Red (far left in the swatch) isn't mind-blowingly unique but just a tiny bit different from the reds I already own and love: it's a raspberry red that leans pink, which suits my cool undertones. It's a bit lighter and has more of a white base than Revlon's Cherries in the Snow (middle left) or similar Milani Berry Rich (far right, swatched on the lips here). And umm, yeah, it's nothing like Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Monte Carlo (middle right). Sorry for the confusion.

On the lips, the Totally Kissable formula is neither drying nor moisturizing, and has an average staying power - slightly worse than the Revlon Super Lustrous but probably on par with the Milani. It also looks great dabbed lightly on top of lip balm, or blotted off for a more matte finish. In the photo below, I'm wearing a couple swipes straight from the bullet paired with shimmery taupes from Fyrinnae on the eyes, some Gosh eyeliner in Black Ink, and a Stila Convertible Color in Lillium.

If you're looking for an inexpensive, no-fuss lipstick formula, I do recommend the Totally Kissable range (although caution should be exercised as some shades contain a lot of shimmer). It's nothing revolutionary, but with all the enticing Avon offers, it's a nice treat. Have you bought anything from Avon recently? What is your favorite red for fall?

Please excuse the corny title of this post. Ekhm. A little throwback to the summer here, which is when I acquired this bareMinerals READY™ Blush in the shade The One ($22 for 0.21 oz); a bit of a tall order by means of the given name, isn't it? My motive for the purchase was finding a relatively less hyped-up but still pleasant formula that could deliver a neutral, go-with-almost-everything shade at a middle price point. So, does it deliver? Is it the one and only blush? Bear my ramblings for the next couple minutes to find out (or, you know, scroll to the bottom... quitter).

It is no secret that I love the bareMinerals READY eyeshadows (proof here and here), so I was more willing to take a chance on a less popular blush formula. The compact itself looks exactly the same as the brand's eyeshadow quads, which I quite enjoy - they're minimalist but pleasing to the eye, and rather sturdy. There's also a large mirror included inside, which proved immensely useful when moving house.

The texture of this blush is quite soft and smooth, but not at all powdery; it almost seems rather firmly pressed in the pan. The pigmentation is on the medium side and requires a denser, slightly stiffer blush brush to apply; otherwise the bristles won't pick up enough product. The blush goes on evenly and is easy to blend out, and stays all day for me; please note that the skin on my cheeks is neither oily or very dry, and most powder blushes stay put without trouble.

Clockwise, starting from the bareMinerals The One Blush: Stila Convertible Color in Lillium, Milani Baked Blush in Berry Amore, NARS Douceur, NYX Mauve, La Femme Mocha, Inglot Cream Blush no.88.

The shade The One is a somewhat dusty warm pink tinged with a good deal of apricot. As proved by the swatch comparison, it isn't terribly unique; in fact, my beloved NYX Powder Blush in Mauve (not a mauve, obviously!) is almost an exact dupe. Where bareMinerals The One differs from all the blushes in my neutral collection though is the finish; it has a beautiful, lit-from-within sheen that translates into a glowy satin on the cheeks - no shimmer, just extra dimension. Because of this beautiful property, the powder doesn't sit on the skin, but rather melds into it, giving a healthy, natural appearance and lifting the face.

L-R: bareMinerals The One, La Femme Mocha, NYX Mauve, NARS Douceur, Milani Berry Amore, Stila Lillium and Inglot no. 88

There's definitely something to the bareMinerals READY products that makes them sit so well on the skin (well, according to the company, it's their SeaNutritive Mineral™ Complex with antioxidants and cold-pressed camellia oil... and who doesn't love camellia oil, right TATCHA?). Even though the blush lacks the intense pigmentation of the majority of their eyeshadows, it is indeed buildable, as intended. In this look, I'm wearing the blush paired with YSL Teint Touche Eclat foundation in B20, theBalm Bahama Mama bronzer to contour, neutral eyeshadows from the bareMinerals core line and a Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in Black Cherry, lightly dabbed on the lips.

I am very happy that I took a chance on this READY blush in The One; it may not be the one and only, since I like my blush too much, but it's a great formula and a staple shade that should suit a variety of skintones in the light to medium spectrum. Check these bareMinerals blushes out next time you're looking for something to add to your stash; maybe you'll find The One?

... So, that would make it Two Months in Nail Polish, right? Liar liar, pants on fire. Here's the excuse: I was moving, and it's a widely known fact, moving ruins your nails; also, I was lazy. But, onwards and upwards - let's look at some fall-appropriate nail polish swatches!

I started the fall season with a newer member of my nail polish collection, Zoya Jem. As you can see in the bottle close-up, it's a beautiful burgundy and gold duochrome shimmer - unfortunately, the duochrome is much less visible once on the nails. The formula was quite thin and would probably require three coats for full opacity; but again, laziness. The tip wear was significant on the second day already and the polish chipped off quickly - but I think my nails might have been to blame as the tips have been very peely lately. Overall, I shall revisit you at a later date, Jem.

Another week, another hard-to-capture duochrome: Revlon Perplex, a famous Chanel Paradoxale dupe. I'm not sure if I ever featured it on the blog before (probably not, as it tends to trick my camera pretty successfully) but it's a gorgeous smokey grey plum with violet microshimmer; think Essie Smokin' Hot but with more dimension. Great formula (two coats), good longevity. A fall staple.

I did wine, I did plum, so next it had to be a navy blue. Essie No More Film actually debuted in their Summer 2012 collection, but I think it's a fantastic shade for the cooler months and for me, a preferrable alternative to this season's After School Boy Blazer; the latter pretty much IS black and thus a smidge too gothic. The glitter for the accent nail is OPI's Polka.com; I like it much better over a dark shade versus the pink I tried earlier.

Lastly, a bit of a cheat - this is a very old swatch of Revlon Facets of Fuschia (presently, Scandalous) I had sitting in my photo folder for a really long time, and I wanted it out. Nevertheless, it's one of my favorite glitters for All Hallows' Eve; there's just something witchy to it that I can't quite put my finger on. I don't remember much about the formula or wear, but glitters tend to be tenacious.

So, these past two months have been all about vampy shades, duochromes and glitter. Have I already said that I love fall nail polish? What have you been wearing on your nails recently?

Time to 'fess up: not only do I fall very easily for every shade of taupe in sight (well, you know that!), but I've also become obsessed with cream eye shadow crayons. Because it's versatile, it's quick, it's easy... and so, so pretty. So it comes as a no surprise that I've recently fallen in love with Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes in Lavish Lilac ($17 for 0.10 oz/3 g), and I have a~~n un~~necessarily detailed review and shade comparison to show for it.

There's not much to say about the packaging apart from the fact that I really like Clinique's etheral floral boxes, and that the cap has a very nifty feature that I've just noticed; there's a little sponge glued on the inside so that the tip of your Chubby Stick doesn't smush if you accidentally forget to wind it all the way down. Pretty handy, right?

Now, onto performance - I will say this is not as amazing as my beloved Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks, but still very, very nice. It has a thinner but smooooth consistency, and thus sheerer pigmentation that's easily buildable. The lasting power is above average (6 hours on my quite oily lids) but not as apocalypse-proof as the Caviar Sticks, which don't entirely surrender even when rubbed with soapy water. You can absolutely extend the wear of the Chubby Sticks by layering an eyeshadow primer underneath, and/or a powder eyeshadow on top.

The shade Lavish Lilac isn't in fact very lilacy - it's a medium rosey brown laced with exquisitely fine lilac, pink and silver shimmer. The shimmer makes it appear a bit more cool, purple-toned than other similar shades in my collection. Next to Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Grey Pearl, it's definitely less yellow and more mauvey, and when swatched next to a true lilac like Graftobian Luster Creme in Orchid Odyssey, you can see it's definitely a brown neutral shade as opposed to a violet. The arm swatch photo above was taken in natural daylight.

Compared to some purple taupe powder eyeshadows, swatched clockwise starting with the Clinique Chubby Stick in Lavish Lilac: Inglot Pearl no. 420 is more violet grey and less multidimensional, Wet'n'Wild eyelid shade from The Silent Treatment trio is similar, slightly cooler and again, a bit flatter, Barry M Dazzle Dust in Mushroom (pressed into this tiny pan by yours truly) is incrementally rosier and has a different, silver microglitter finish, and lastly Inglot Pearl no. 153 is slightly warmer and altogether different, strongly foiled/metallic texture. Swatched under a mix of cool daylight and warm studio lighting. For more taupe eyeshadow swatches from my collection, click here.

On my cool-toned skin, Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes in Lavish Lilac appears a lot more purpley; this is two layers of the shadow, finished off with some inner corner highlight and a thin line of Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On pencil in Rockstar, a warm brown aubergine. I'm wearing NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in New Lover (reviewed and swatched here), nail polish is Essie's No More Film from the previous post.

Overall, I enjoy playing with my new taupey Clinique acquisition and layering it under different powder eyeshadows to give them more dimension and lasting power. I've already got my cheeky mitts on another shade (shush!), this time on the complete other end of the color spectrum; but that's a subject for a different post altogether. Have you tried Clinique's Chubby Stick Shadow Tints for Eyes? What is your favorite taupe cream eyeshadow?

In this episode, I not only show you some very nearly edible and inexpensive bath and body products, but also take you on a fascinating journey to my bathroom; well, it's more like you get a peek of the tub, really. But we have to start somewhere... because 'A journey is like a marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.'(just when you were thinking I was going to go all Lao Tzu on you, you get John Steinbeck instead. I know).

Anyway, as much as I love my more luxurious (read: expensive) bath treats, I occasionally grow weary of shelling out big bucks for something that gets washed down the drain after a dozen minutes. Which is why I'm perpetually checking the drugstore for bath and body goodies that really perform, and I think this month I've found some things worth looking into.

One of the hardest bath things to find, I believe, is a nicely scented, non-drying, relatively inexpensive bubble bath. Something you might not know about me - I'm primarily a bath person, because I get quite cold and uncomfortable in the shower, so a good bubble bath is an absolute staple; and let's face it, while Lush Bubble Bars are a lot of fun, there's no way I could use them every night. Enter Deep Steep Bubble Bath in Brown Sugar Vanilla ($9.99-11.95 for 17.5 fl oz), a cruelty-free, vegan bubble magic formulated without parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, artificial fragrances or preservatives. I really don't know HOW they do it without all the drying SLS, but two squirts under running water result in mounds of fluffy, fragrant bubbles. The Brown Sugar Vanilla scent isn't overly gourmand, actually; it's more of a sweet, comforting floral. I ordered mine through drugstore.com, but they also have a website or can be purchased in-store at Ricky's in NY.

After I'm submerged in bubbles up to my neck, I can begin the actual washing-up process with the aid of Dove Nutrium Moisture Shea Butter Body Wash in Warm Vanilla & Brown Sugar ($8.99 for 24 fl oz). Fun fact: Dove was probably the most used body wash brand in my parental home, Poland. Now, this unfortunately does have SLS and a bunch of scary sounding chemicals; but it also has the aforementioned shea butter as well as soybean and sunflower oils. Even with the evil sulfates, it still manages to feel very creamy and moisturizing on the skin, lather nicely and smells... sweet and clean, not really like a bakery. I thought the scent might be too much for the manly part of the household, but no complaints there.

Lastly, something I'm sure everyone has used at least at some point in their lives - well, except for me. Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Concentrated Cream with Vitamin E ($3.37-4.49 for 3.75 oz/ 100g) is the last word in the cupcake-scented world of bodycare; the fragrance is quite strong and slightly artificial vanillin at first, but settles down nicely into vanilla sugar with some cocoa mixed in for good measure. We use it as a hand cream and it works great for that purpose - sinks in quickly with little to none greasy feel and hydrates effectively. And... it's just so, so inexpensive!

Now, tell me - do you like to splurge on your bath & body products or do you go cheap and cheerful? Have you discovered anything amazing at the drugstore recently?

I rarely fall for a high-end mascara; and then, more rarely still, I deem it falling short of my expectations. But recently, I was pretty excited to spot the Kjaer Weis Mascara in Black ($38 for a whole tube/ 0.19 oz, $24 for refill) at a sample sale, and without too much deliberation, I snatched it up... only to find myself rather annoyed with it.

Some key points from the press release: the Kjaer Weis Mascara is certified organic, refillable (and thus, more hygienic and sustainable), and it's supposed to be longwearing and durable (not sure what they mean by durable... the insert/refill has a shelf life of 3 months). The ingredients featured include cupuacu butter, beeswax, castor oil to nourish and protect lashes, lavender water and rose oil; the product is formulated without synthetic polymers, propylene glycol, parabens and polyethylene.

First off... this tube is tiny. I don't have big hands by any means, and you can see how small it looks in my hand - or compared to a sample size Clinique mascara below (the Clinique sample tube is actually fatter than the full size Kjaer Weis). I actually really like this simple, small silver tube - very easy to fit in any size make-up bag, and very elegant to pull out for a quick application on the go. My only gripe is quite OCD in nature - the cap doesn't perfectly align with the tube when fully tightened, which you can see below; and you wouldn't want to leave your tube only half-closed, would you?

The mascara wand is made of plastic/rubber and is very small and slim, with short, dispersed bristles that resemble a comb rather than a brush. The product has a subtle rose scent and the tube stopper wipes off the excess product efficiently, but leaves a glob on the very tip of the brush that has to be wiped off manually, as with most mascaras.

I usually much prefer plastic/rubber brushes because they tend to give a more separated, lengthened effect; with this mascara however, I feel like the bristles are too sparse to really define my rather full lashline (you can see my bare lashes in the top photo of this Jack Sparrow-inspired comparison). With one coat, the brush does a decent job of subtly enhancing the lashes, giving them mostly length but little volume (middle). So, to amp up the volume, I go for a second coat (bottom)... wrong! Second coat results in spidery, sparse, stiff, clumpy lashes - the wand fails to separate individual hairs while the formula makes them stick together and deposits clumps left, right and center. Combing through with a clean spoolie doesn't help much - it removes large globs of product randomly, leaving your lashes half-bare, half-covered in random clumps. Just... clumpy clumps!

But, you know, you could stop at one subtle coat if natural-looking lashes is what you're after (I'm not. Gimme volume!). I could live with the realization that it's just not a mascara for me personally. Where I begin to be rather annoyed, though, is the fact that this mascara absolutely does not last at all - a couple hours in and my husband zeroes in on my cheeks to ask what the black flakes are doing there. It doesn't smudge, it doesn't transfer; it just flakes, and when I remove it with my cleansing oil, it comes off in big clumps as well. It's rather unpleasant if one of those gets stuck in your eye... Not fun at all.

But again - it could be the one I scored at the sale is just old. Or it dried out right away, because of the faulty packaging. However, at this point, I don't really care - I'm just glad I didn't shell out $38 for it... otherwise I would be really, really annoyed. Have you bought any expensive make-up products recently that fell short of your expectations? Any mascara formulations I should cross out from my shopping list?

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I have to preface this post by a bit of a warning: it's on the lenghty side, and rather picture-heavy. But, if you like a good deal of eyeshadow porn, then you're in luck today - I have four Rouge Bunny Rouge When Birds Are Singing Long Lasting Eyeshadow Refills ($19 for 0.071 oz/2 g) to show you, recently purchased from beautyhabit.com when they had their Rouge Bunny Rouge Gift With Purchase event (it's that sneaky lipstick box in the middle of the photo; but we shall save it for another day). The shades I opted for were Unforgettable Oriole 014, Bohemian Waxwing 066, Delicate Hummingbird 017 and Eclipse Eagle 074.

Can we skip the usual oohing and aaahing over the pretty packaging? I'm not sure we can. But on the more practical side, the eyeshadow refills come in simple cardboard envelopes, not terribly padded but mine arrived in pristine condition. The refills are smaller than the usual single Rouge Bunny Rouge eyeshadows, and more or less the size of a MAC eyeshadow - and yes, they do fit in MAC palettes, they're not magnetized however. I store mine in a Z Palette.

Here are the four shades arranged together and below, swatched and photographed in studio lighting (top) and direct sunshine to show rainbow shimmer (bottom). All of these shades actually go rather nicely together, or could be used in pairs or singularly with other shadows for a variety of multidimensional eye looks. All the eyeshdows I purchased are shimmery, with Delicate Hummingbird and Eclipse Eagle being more sparkly (both shades feature multicolored shimmers) than Unforgettable Oriole and Bohemian Waxwing, which are more glowy/ satiny. The texture on all four is very similar: smooth, creamy but slightly on the dry side, well-pigmented. They all adhere to the skin without trouble (both on bare skin or over primer), have virtually no fallout, and last well (I tested over primer due to my oily lids).

If that was all the information you needed about these, then you can safely click off - because we're getting into the nitty gritty of individual colors, with shade comparisons and swatches. Starting from the lightest, first up is Unforgettable Oriole, described as a 'delicate, metallic white gold'. Rouge Bunny Rouge's shade descriptions are actually pretty spot-on; you could also say this is a neutral beige with intense white gold shimmer, not quite metallic to me but the most shimmery next to my pressed NYX Loose Pearl Eyeshadow in Nude (3rd from the left). As you can see, I have quite a few eyeshadows in a similar color group, but Unforgettable Oriole is one of the best textures and also the most cool-toned, which suits my skin a bit better.

Clockwise, starting with Rouge Bunny Rouge Unfogettable Oriole, then: MAC LE Veluxe Pearl Eyeshadow in Soft Force, pressed NYX Loose Pearl Eyeshadow in Nude, MAC Frost Eyeshadow in Ricepaper, Inglot AMC Shine no. 111, pressed Fyrinnae Eyeshadow in Nijiro. Swatches on bare arm below are in the same order.

Next up, Bohemian Waxwing - an 'iridescent bronzed champagne'. Uhm, ok, scratch what I said about the brand's accurate shade description; this is more of a medium warm taupe brown with silver shimmer. I actually have something quite similar by way of Inglot Pearl Eyeshadow no. 402, which is just a smidge rosier. Other shades I was comparing Bohemian Waxwing to turned out to be a lot different; the most interesting comparison may be with MAC Veluxe Pearl Eyeshadow in Satin Taupe, which is a lot darker and plummier.

Clockwise: Rouge Bunny Rouge Bohemian Waxwing, Inglot Pearl Eyeshadow no. 153, elf Custom Eyeshadow in Moondust, Inglot Pearl no. 402, MAC Veluxe Pearl in Satin Taupe. Same order, left to right, swatched below.

Delicate Hummingbird, 'cool, dusky sugar-frosted plum, iridescent with pink shimmer' was the shade I wanted to pick up the least; quite unnecessarily so, as I actually have nothing like it in my collection - hence the very mismatched comparison (sorry, overexposed!) and swatches. It's a true medium plum with neutral undertones and mostly pink, but also some silver, lime and gold shimmers (rather subtle, visible mostly in full sunshine). Beautiful texture and I'm glad to have it in my collection.

Clockwise: Rouge Bunny Rouge Delicate Hummingbird, Inglot Pearl no. 420, MAC Veluxe Pearl in Satin Taupe, Stila Captivate from In The Moment palette, Inglot Pearl no. 439. Swatched left to right in the same order below.

Lastly, another unique shade: Eclipse Eagle, 'dark brown-grey plum with platinum iridescence (the richer and darker sister of our Delicate Hummingbird)'. This is rather difficult to describe - it's a warm plummy grey with rainbow shimmer; when I first opened up the packaging I was surprised to see almost a navy tone to it. I expected it to be somewhar similar to something like Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in Skinny Jeans; but no, this one has more of a green tinge and it's less dimensional. Fyrinnae Evocation appeared the most similar in the pan, but it's lighter and more taupey.

Clockwise: Rouge Bunny Rouge Eclipse Eagle, Too Faced Erotica from the Natural Eye Palette, MAC LE Satin Eyeshadow in Hocus Pocus, Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Skinny Jeans, Fyrinnae Evocation. Swatched below in the same order, left to right.

All this swatching and comparing has made me realize a couple things: a) the Rouge Bunny Rouge eyeshadows are of superior quality and rather unique shades - I'm sure I'll be back for more, b) I own quite a few eyeshadows that, while pretty in the pan, are an absolute dry, sheer, crumbly mess, c) I don't need more taupe eyeshadows (sad face). To finally wrap this post up, here's a look I attempted with all four shades: Unforgettable Oriole on the inner corners, Delicate Hummingbird on the lid blended out with Bohemian Waxwing in the crease (also, on the lower lashline), Eclipse Eagle in the outer corner. If the shades appear to be creasing a bit, it's because I blended some foundation on my eyelids to hide the veins and it turned on me. The rest of the face: YSL Touche Eclat foundation, NARS blush in Sin, Guerlain Rouge Automatique in Shalimar on the lips.

Pfff, now that was a long one - thanks for persevering with me! Also, a big thank you to Bellyhead from Wondegondigo and Kate from Drivel About Frivol for their awesome swatches, which helped me decide which shades I wanted to buy. Have you tried Rouge Bunny Rouge Long Lasting Eyeshadows? What are your favorites?

Winter...?! But Monika, it's only November! I know - it's getting cold out there though, and we should come prepared for the frosty bite of northern winds, armed with serums, creams and balms. Even my oily/combination skin has been rebelling against the changing seasons by withholding its usually generous sebum production, and I have observed some dreadful flakes appearing out of nowhere (and they're not always flakes from the croissant I just ate. Only sometimes).

My everyday line of defense is to up the amp with my serum, and recently I've been using Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum* ($54 for 30ml/$150 for 100ml), which promises to help restore skin's radiance, improve dehydration, minimize fine lines and help protect skin from environmental aggressors, all with the help of proprietary Naturaradiance PB18+ complex. I don't entirely grasp what all that is, but I can tell you that a quick scan of the ingredients' list reveals a couple old favorites: glycerine and squalane to help hydrate, niacinamide to brighten and smooth, and some lovely plant oils to soothe and protect: safflower, evening primrose and rosa canina. This light serum/gel sinks in momentarily, leaving behind no residue, just a beautiful wild rose scent - for me, the fragrance evokes memories of my Polish homeland, where petals are collected from the dog rose shrubs and then made into the most delicious and fragrant jam. But, back to the serum: it hydrates effectively, helps to even out my skintones, and its Persian Silk Extract helps to guard your face against the elements. What's not to love?

Speaking of plant oils, Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil ($50 for 30ml) is a long-standing favorite (click here for a review in my Dehydrated Skin edit). I'd put it away for the warmer months, replacing it with a lighter moisturizer, but now it's back, and oh, I missed it. It has to be said that my skin doesn't entirely absorb it; a fine layer seems to blanket it overnight, but in the morning that's gone, leaving me with supple, soft, soothed skin, ready to face the day - and the cold. I've never observed it aggravating any spots or clogging my skin; if anything, it helps to soothe the red, painful, hormonal bumps I get along my jawline.

Every other day, when I'm feeling fancy, I layer Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum with 2% Hydroquinone ($60 for 30ml; I have a sample here) under the Jurlique Herbal Recovery serum. Fall and winter are a good time to fight hyperpigmentation, and while I don't really have age spots yet, I do have a lot pigmented scars left over from another cystic acne comeback I experienced for most of this year. I encourage you to do your own research on hydroquinone, but regardless of safety concerns, I can tell you it works - I pat it concentrating on the areas where my scars are the darkest, and they've become significantly lighter in the space of 6 weeks when I've been using the Murad gel; the results are faster and more noticeable than using Vitamin C products for me.

Now, when all of these standard measures fail, I bring out the big guns: Eau Thermale Avène Cicalfate ($23 for 40ml/ 1.4 fl oz), a thick, oily repair cream I've previously called Band-Aid in a tube (click here for a full review). With its heftly dose of thermal spring water, mineral oil and zinc (oxide and sulfate), it sits on the skin to help strenghten the lipid barrier and lock in the moisture. I'm not a huge fan of mineral oil or greasiness, but as someone who hails from the ~~Arctic~~ (uhm, ok, Eastern Europe - we get bad winters though!), I'm aware that temperatures below freezing require greasy moisture rather than lightweight hydration. Cicalfate also doubles as my rescue cream when I overdo it on the exfoliation front.

Lastly, so far I haven't found a better lip balm for shrivelled, desiccated lips - the Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm($19 for 15g, available at nuxe.com) is my bedside table standby. I don't find it smells particularly of honey, more like satsuma orange peel, but it protects the lips effectively with a smooth layer of moisture that feels curiously matte and waxy. I like how long-lasting it is too; in the morning, there's still a bit left on my lips, and they're soft and happy.

I hope you enjoyed this little peak into my winter skincare essentials. Do you change up your skincare routine in the colder months? What are your must-haves for keeping your skin hydrated and protected?

Disclaimer: The product marked with (*)is a press sample I received from Jurlique PR for review consideration free of charge. All other products featured I purchased myself. All opinions are 100% honest and unbiased, no matter if the products featured were purchased with my own monies or provided as a free press sample. All links are non-affiliate and simply provided for your convenience. Thank you for reading!

Bounce your sponge, just bounce, at the sight of it, now pounce! See, there's a reason I've never become an MC... but this hot new Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge ($5.99), already hailed to be the 'drugstore dupe' of the famous Beauty Blender, inspired me to bust out some rhymes anyway. Just to clarify: I won't answer the question whether it is or not since I don't own the BB, but I'll give you my thoughts anyway and compare to another inexpensive foundation sponge. Sounds good?

The plastic packaging is a bit excessive for a rather small sponge, but at least you get Sam Chapman's gorgeous face on the back - and who doesn't love a bit of Pixiwoo with their product? There are no instructions on the box how to proceed with this, so I assume it is to be wetted (umm... sorry!), wrung out, dabbed into product and then - yes yes - bounced on the face.

As you can see, the shape of this sponge is a bit different to what I've seen so far on the market; it's an orange egg with one concave surface cut out. I expected this side to be completely flat, but it's more rounded - not sure what the design team intended it for, but I use it to pick up foundation and staple it on the face, and if needed, I go back with the clean rounded surface to blend some more. When dampened, the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge increases its size by more or less 50%, as well as becomes softer and more malleable; when you squeeze it, your fingers will leave some indentations.

Compared to my other inexpensive foundation sponge, the Ulta Beauty Super Blender Sponge ($4.99), the Real Techniques one seems to made out of slightly smoother, finer sponge. The Ulta's has a rounded bottom part which I used to distribute product, an indentation in the middle for comfortable hold, and a small tip to do detail work - I have to admit this end of the design never worked for me and I couldn't get my concealer to blend with it, while the pointy end of Real Techniques sponge deposits and blends concealer well. When dampened, the Ulta sponge doesn't change its size or shape, and more or less behaves like a regular foundation sponge, while the Real Techniques performs more like the Beauty Blender sponge.

In the face shots, you can see how a medium/full coverage cream foundation (Graftobian Hi-Def Glamour Creme, reviewed here) looks applied with the Real Techniques sponge. I prefer to use make-up sponges when working with thicker, fuller coverage bases, as they tend to be rather difficult to apply otherwise. The sponge worked the product into the skin well, giving good coverage but a more natural, satin finish; the whole process wasn't very quick but I think the flawless, long-wearing result was worth spending a bit more time. I also applied and blended my cream blush (NYC Blushable Creme Stick in Big Apple Blush) with the sponge as well.

Left: Face with Graftobian Hi-Def in Buff + Aurora all over, Rimmel Match Perfection under the eyes, NYC blush on the cheeks and brows filled in. Right: Full face with eye make-up (Fyrinnae eyeshadows), spot concealed with Becca Compact Concealer, YSL Glossy Stain no. 15 on the lips. No setting/finishing powder or highlighter in both photos.

So, is it worth it to spend the extra dollar and get the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge over the Ulta Super Blender? I think you won't be surprised to hear that I believe it is - while the Ulta sponge seems just like any other regular make-up sponge, the Real Techniques has more unique properties and performs better in applying liquid or cream foundation. Do you use make-up sponges to apply your base? Which one is your favorite?

I'm on a roll with these new products, am I not? *feeling very cool and trendy, and automatically being right the opposite for using such adjectives* Up until recently, I haven't owned anything from Tarte, a quite universally loved brand with natural aspirations - I just didn't feel enough excitement to finally push the checkout button on my online wishlist. But, having spotted this adorable Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Pink Peony ($16 for 3.1 g/ 0.1 oz; it might look small in the tube but the size is on par with other lipsticks I own) when shopping the Sephora VIB sale, I didn't hesitate to plomp it in my basket this time.

"Inspired by the whimsical colors of the Amazon and infused with naturally derived ingredients from its lush vegetation, these Amazonian butter lipsticks add a splash of rich color and creamy shine for a perfect pout. Each skin-flattering shade is enriched with sustainably harvested cupuacu and murumuru butters to deliver intense moisture and help restore and soothe even mature lips" (from Sephora). Sounds dreamy, right? I mean - rich color and intense moisture? ...And murumuru? That's like my new favorite word, right next to zarzamora (that's Spanish for blackberry, folks).

Pink Peony, one of the most popular shades, described as 'blushing pink' (seriously, that tells me just about nothing), is a very warm red pink with tiny gold shimmers; you can see them in the macro shot below if you magnify the photo, but otherwise the shimmer isn't visible in the swatch or on the lips. Also, now that you're looking at that bullet close up - can you see that this lipstick is almost... speckled? Very strange. The smell is quite minty, similar to the Lip Surgence line.

However, other than the smell, the Amazonian Butter lipstick is completely different from the Lip Surgence crayons - it's more slippery and glossy, and (there goes the elephant in the room) - it has absolutely no color payoff or lasting power. In the arm and lip swatches, I've built up the color to about 6 layers just so that you could see something; and that something turns out to be a nondescript wash of peachy pink blah. While it feels moisturizing and tingly when it goes on, my thirsty thirsty lips absorb all the glossiness within an hour, and the color is probably gone before that, as it transfers on any cup or glass that dares to approach my mouth. I don't know, maybe mine is a dud - or rather, it sure is a dud, because even the bullet is wobbly and threatens to smush into the tube at any given time.

L-R: Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Pink Peony (5+ swipes), Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait (3 swipes), Givenchy Le Rouge in 201 Rose Taffetas (1 swipe), YSL Pur in 152 Pink Grenadine (1 swipe)

But you know, I don't want to be overly dramatic - it's no lipstick tragedy. I suppose if you're looking for a comfortable, very sheer formula in heartwarmingly cute packaging, it should absolutely work for you; also, the price point seems very reasonable. I, however, will be returning mine; it's just not what I was looking for. Now, excuse me as I mentally prepare myself to shell out the deplorable $35 for another Guerlain Rouge Automatique...

Have you already tried these Amazonian Butter Lipsticks? What is your favorite product from Tarte?

You know, as a combination, acne-prone skinned gal, I've tried my fair share of AHAs & BHAs and some might even call me an acid addict (no, not THAT kind of acid), so I was completely taken by surprise at how much I like this Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner ($18 for 8 oz/ larger sizes available); it has actually made a big difference in my skin within the two months I've been using it!

The Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner is alcohol-free and contains 2% glycolic acid, as well as grapefruit extract to exfoliate, stimulate and help reduce acne discoloration. It's recommended for dry, sensitive and congested skin, but it works great on my combination skin - I've actually started avoiding products aimed at oily/ combo skin as I find them a bit too harsh and drying on me. The ingredients list is short and sweet too, which is a huge plus; and I find the price point very reasonable, especially if you're looking for an exfoliating toner that can deliver similar results to Biologique Recherche P50, Apha-H Liquid Gold or Clarins White Plus HP Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel.

As you can see, the packaging is simple and fuss-free; I quite like the little leak-free 'spout' on the cap as it helps to avoid wasting the product; 5-7 drops is all I need for my whole face, and I've used up about 1/3 of the product in the two months I've had it. I use this after cleansing my face in the evening by wiping a cotton round satured with product all over my face, neck and chest, and then I follow up with a serum and face oil. It leaves the skin feeling smooth and hydrated, but slightly tacky to the touch; it goes away though if you'd prefer to use it under make-up.

Although it's recommended to use twice daily, I found that once is plenty for me - I do get a bit of stinging and redness after application, and using it too often causes my skin to peel and feel dry. But, once you straighten out the kinks - the results are worth it. After discontinuing oral antibiotics early this year, I experienced a bad bout of cystic acne, mostly on my chin, jawline but also on my cheeks. My dermatologist tried to treat it with another oral medication as well as retinoids; however, after six months of waiting for them to do anything, I got frustrated and stopped the prescriptions. In mid-September, armed with a $10 birthday gift certificate from Mario Badescu, I decided to try this toner - and since then, my cystic acne has diminished tremendously; I pretty much only break out around that time of the month now. I've also noticed less congestion overall (I suffer from a lot of small, flesh toned under-the-skin bumps) and a decrease in sebum production. Granted, I can't be sure it all boils down to this toner; maybe my organism started to tackle the acne on its own, or my hormones changed slightly. But now, I do know this: my skin likes chemical exfoliants, glycolic slightly more so than the salicylic, it likes regular, every day exfoliation, and using an exfoliating toner is much easier than a cream or a gel.

If there's one thing I could change about this toner, I could probably do without the grapefruit extract; I suspect I may be allergic to citrus essential oils in general, so next I may try the Paula's Choice liquid AHA exfoliants. Do you use an exfoliating toner in your routine? Or are there other exfoliators that you prefer?

Just when you thought I couldn't possibly review more shadow sticks, I have more comin' at ya (well, and there'll be more after that); meet the most affordable option in my cream eyeshadow drawer, the Avon Extra Lasting Eyeshadow Pencils in Amethyst and Smoky Plum ($8.50 for 0.058 oz, I bought mine during 2 for $7 promotion).

The packaging might not be the classiest with its screaming red color scheme; but hey, at least they're super easy to find in my brimming pencil drawer. Also worth noting, the ends of these pencils are color-coded, much like the Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks, so if you have more than one, it's easy to grab exactly the shade you're looking for. They twist up and down with no problems and feel quite sturdy in the tube.

Now, speaking of Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks, they're not exactly the same in terms of formula. They feel somewhat softer and creamier than my Laura Mercier, which has almost more of a slippery dry feel of silicone. Both pencils blend out very easily but I think with the Avon ones, more rigorous blending results in some of the color being lost, so I have to layer them a bit more to achieve the desired opacity; straight out of the bullet they're both highly pigmented though. In terms of wear and longevity, Avon Extra Lasting Eyeshadow Pencils can absolutely rival the pricier Laura Mercier; they last all day on me with no creasing or fading.

L-R: Avon Extra Lasting Eyeshadow Pencil in Amethyst, Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Grey Pearl, Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in No Pressure, Avon Extra Lasting Eyeshadow Pencil in Smoky Plum, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Rockstar, Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner in Powerful Purple

The shades I've opted for are both in the plummy family: Amethyst is a warm plum taupe, while Smoky Plum is a blackened plum. I have to say I'm not absolutely smitten with these shades on my skintone - they're just a bit too clashy against my cool skin and have a tendency to make my already red/veiny lids even redder; but I have similar issues with other warm taupes like MAC Satin Taupe as well. Both however make nice bases for other looks; Amethyst paired with slightly cooler tones, Smoky Plum as a base for darker smokey eyes (which I almost never go for, but let's run with it).

Simple eye look with Amethyst all over the lid, blended into the crease, and Smoky Plum on the lashline, blended up. Sorry, forgot to put on a lipstick!

All in all, these are a great inexpensive option for all of you cream shadow stick lovers - I just wish Avon came out with some more exciting shades for this formula (and, pretty please, a bit more cool-toned?). Have you tried these Extra Lasting Pencils from Avon? What is your favorite affordable cream eyeshadow formula?

Chubby sticks attack again! Well, truth be told, November has turned out to be quite a 'stick month' here on Rocaille Writes. What can I say - make-up pencils and crayons make me feel more like an artist... that, and they're difficult to mess up. Anyway, let's take a look at my new wonderful berry (or is it grapey?) lip color: Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Grandest Grape ($17 for 0.10 oz/ 3 g).

Standard Clinique stick packaging - not much to say here. Did I ever mention how much I like Cinique make-up boxes? I have a particularly hard time parting with these, not sure why. I would quite like to own a shirt with that print... or even better, a dress.

The Chubby Stick Intense Colour Balms are the amped-up version of the regular Chubby Sticks; they pack more color in the same lightweight, hydrating formula. Personally, I think these have a perfect balance of pigmentation and softer texture: while pigmented, they don't appear too heavy on the lips and can also be sheered down if needed, and while moisturizing, these are not so slick and glossy as to immediately slide off the lips; for a balm-type formula, they're reasonably long-lasting. I feel this is particularly noteworthy in case of a statement color like this here Grandest Grape.

The shade Grandest Grape isn't by far the darkest berry in my arsenal, which in my book makes it more versatile and appropriate for both day and night time. It's quite similar to the Revlon Balm Stain in Crush (more swatches here), although it has more of a vibrant pink tone as opposed to a warmer rosey hue. This type of bold, clear berry tone lip color is one of my absolute favorite shades to wear on my pale, cool skintone, although I also can't say no to the vampier burgundy shades like Lancome Color Design lipstick in Wine Party.

L-R in both photos: Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Grandest Grape, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush, MAC Frost Lipstick in Viva Glam IV, Lancome Color Design Lipstick in Wine Party

In this going-out look, I decided to go with an overall cool-toned look: bold violet/lavender shade on the lid (Lancome Color Design Infinite 24H Eye Shadow in Evermore Lilac), blended out with a slightly warmer brown shade in the crease, medium pink blush (sorry, my camera ate it; it was Accessorize Merged Blusher in Diva) and, of course, Clinique Chubby Stick Intense on the lips, applied quite full-on. In this lighting, my hair appears to have a lot of copper tones, making this face & hair combo wonderfully clashy.

Have you tried the Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Colour Balms? Or maybe you picked up a beautiful berry shade for this winter season in a different formula? Let me know in the comments, I love reading your recommendations!

Current Everyday Make-up Staples

August in Photos

LiLash: My Holy Grail Eyelash Serum

New York City Bound

NYC Update & OPI Fall and Holiday 2013 Haul

August-September 2013 Empties

Skincare Ritual of the Geisha: TATCHA Camellia Cleansing Oil & Rice Enzyme Powder Review

Warm Red Autumn: Avon Totally Kissable Lipstick in Make Out Red

Is It The Only? bareMinerals READY Blush in The One

A Month in Nail Polish: September & October

For the Love of Taupe: Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes in Lavish Lilac

Drugstore Discoveries: Gourmand Bath and Body Treats

Falling Short: Kjaer Weis Mascara in Black

Chasing the Eyeshadow Bunny: Rouge Bunny Rouge Long Lasting Eyeshadows

Winter Skin Saviours

Just Bounce... Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge Review

New from Tarte: Amazonian Butter Lipstick in Pink Peony

Rocaille Raves: Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner

Cheap Thrills: Avon Extra Lasting Eyeshadow Pencils in Amethyst & Smoky Plum

Wonder Winter Berry: Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Grandest Grape