Sephora Collection: MicroSmooth Baked Luminizer

Summer is here (well almost!) and who doesn't love to have a glow from within?  I was wondering through Sephora 2 weeks ago (because I cannot visit the mall and not enter my favourite store) and stumbled across this beauty!

This product offers a beautiful golden glow to your skin.  Don't be fooled by the 'white' appearance.  This, like it's similiar counter part Albatross by Nars offers the wearer a non-ashy golden luminized appearance even though the product appears to be white in pan.

The product:  It is said to be infused with radiance-boosting minerals, sea coral and green tea extract!  (talk about makeup making the skin better)

Application:  Since this is a baked pigment, it sweeps on weightless, natural-looking color (pick the shade suitable for your skin tone).

Natural Light Swatch

Flash Swatch

Pros:  A little goes a long way and you can easily build coverage to go from natural/healthy glow to 'goddess'.  I am a fanatatic for great makeup products that offer skin benefits, and this product is said to enhances the natural radiance and the appearance of your skin!

The quantity and quality vs. the price point of the product is a fantastic steal.  This product retails for CDN $17/ USD $12 for

Cons:  There are only 2 shades for this product.  The one I own is called Stardust which I found was more suitable for darker skin tones, while Light Beam is suited more to light/ medium skin tones.

Tips: Apply to cheekbones, temples, browbone and down the bridge of your nose for a gorgeous glow (go with a lighter hand to achieve a natural glow).  I also use this product as a highlighter.

Final thoughts:  I have been using this product religiously for over a week and I find that I am in love.  Maybe, it is time to retire my trusty ole' Lorac Baked Bronzer?  The product's baked formula applies smoothly while the airy texture melts into skin for a natural glow!



Have you tried this product before?

bareMinerals High Shine Eyecolors

bareMinerals High Shine Eyecolors in Meteorite 

This product was bought as part of a duo set from Sephora at an amazing price of $12. Usually a $48 CDN price point for 2 x 0.05oz of product.  This product is a vibrant, pigmented metallic eye shadow.   It has a smooth formula that feels velvety to the touch.  It also has a true opaque finish, that also lends to doing 'foiled' looks.  This product can also be used as a wet application. Like the name suggests this is a high shine loose pigment like shadow.


Pros: This product is very pigmented and opaque.  A little will go a long way.  This product reminds me of having a 'foiled' look without doing all that work.  However, if want to intensify that 'foiled' look, go through the process and you'll have a fantastic look.

Cons:  This product can get a little messy when using due to it's pressured 'pop up' application wand.

Tips: Use a tackier base for the shadow to stay all day.  This product works even better when using the 'foil' (wet) technique.  When applying tap, the wand applicator to reduce fall out and have an overall cleaner application.  Having a lighter hand upon application would benefit you, since this product is truly pigmented.

Swatches

Pictured below is Meteroite (top) Bronzed (bottom)

 No flash

Flash

Texture and True Colour

Left: Metroite

Right: Bronzed

Kat Von D - True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Ludwig (Review & Swatches)

The Kat Von D Ludwig True Romance Eyeshadow Palette is a shimmer and matte combo eyeshadow palette that is apart of the True Romance Palette Collection. This palette and collection is solely exclusive at Sephora.  This product is priced at $43/$36 (CDN/USD) for 0.05 oz per eye shadow (8 eyeshadows included).

This palette is packaged in a sleek sturdy plastic (black) casing, with a snap to close lid.  The compact has a beautiful stenciled imagery of roses (reminds me of a tattoo). As mentioned before it includes eight shadows (plus two applicators).

This palette includes a range of nudes to hues of green (2)- Perfect for a smoky eye. The eyeshadow formula has an infusion of rose extract which is hydrating to the eyelids. This is easily a day to night palette.

Swatches:  Single Swatch and no blending

 Flash

No Flash

Texture: Super soft and silky to the touch.
Pigmentation: 5/5
Scent:  Has a soft powdery rose scent (barely recognizable).
Application: Due to the texture this product is very easily blendable.
Fall out:  There is fall out (as with all eyeshadows) but this product stays on the lid (even better if you use a shadow primer).

Tips:  The applicator this product comes with, isn't the best for applying the actual eyeshadow to the lid, crease or brow bone.  Better used as a liner brush!

The Eyeshadows - (listed left to right):

Lucifer (matte charcoal black)
Orbi (shimmer golden green)
Dimebag (metallic lime green)
Clay (shimmer beige with gold)
Tequila (metallic cornsilk shimmer)
Downtown (metallic light copper shimmer)
 Baroque (shimmer golden bronze)
Leather (matte deep chocolate brown)

Flash

No Flash

Final Thoughts: If you love mattes, you may not like this palette as it only contains two mattes colours (Lucifer and Leather).  However, as someone who loves
working with frost, shimmer, metallic, glitter and matte; I find this palette to be so versatile (especially if looking for a neutral eye).  Definitely, check out
Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palettes, I'm sure there is one to suit your needs; plus with such a formula and colour pay off, your sure not to be disappointed.

Do you own any of the True Romance Palettes?