Hard Candy smooth talker fox in a box blush photos and swatches

My latest drug store purchase was this little box of blush by hard candy. I hate cardboard packaging but the colors just called to me so I got it anyways.

I have had my eye on Benefit's sugarbomb blush for a while, and smooth talker has very similar colors to it. From swatching them both I don't think they are dupes at all though. Sugarbomb seems much more pigmented, and shimmery.

The packaging is nothing special, just basic cardboard blah. But like all hard candy packaging there are cute designs plastered on it.

The colors are very muted and natural looking. There is a light peach, light lavender, light pink and light rose. They aren't pigmented at all.


swatches of each color layered 3 times:

all 4 colors mixed:

The end result is a very light neutral pink/beige. It barely shows up on my skin. I really have to layer it. The finish is slightly shimmery, but only up close.

Wearing smooth talker mixed together:

It just gives a little color to my cheeks. Hardly noticeable unless I really pile it on. Even then it hardly looks like I'm wearing anything.
I think I need to save my money and get Benefit's sugar bomb!

If you like very natural looking blush, this might suit you. But only pale skin because it won't show up on any darker tones.
I'm not impressed with this fox in a box blush. The other blushes they make are much much nicer and more pigmented. I really like honeymoon, it's a really pretty.

Hard candy fire alarm lipstick photos and swatches

I am so sad to say that my computer died today. I was only able to do this post because I had it saved in my blogger drafts. I'm afraid that I might not be able to blog for a while :(

I got Hard Candy fire alarm lipstick because I was looking for a peachy color for spring. Not to mention I was drawn to it's cute cherries and sparrows on the tube too.
I love how each tube has different designs!

It turns out that fire alarm is a lot lighter than I thought. It's super pale nude.

It does have a slick, almost glossy finish - but it mangaged to get into every single lip line that was possible. I did not like it very much.


The color isn'd bad, I like nudes. It's a fairly neutral mix of peach and pink. It reminds me a lot of MAC creme de nude, it's probobly very close in color.
The finish is just not very nice. I find that there is a cheap feeling to it, and I don't think I'll be buying any more of these.

I did buy the new Hard Candy glossaholic lipgloss in rise & shine today, and I am totally in love! It's got caffiene in it, and it smells awesome. Like a mochacchino with a dash of mint. It even has rainbow flakie sparkles that are so pretty to look at. I will do a post on it as soon as I can.

Hard Candy honeymoon blush photos, swatches and FOTD

I bought this thinking it would make a really pretty highlighter, but surprise! It shows up as a blush on my pale face. Another winner from Hard Candy!
Honeymoon has multiple colors swirled through it, including peach, gold and light lavender. The color turns out to be a really gorgeous glowing pinkish peach.

It has an awesome iridescent quality to it.

It's such a nice face-brightening color for spring! Of course medium and dark skin tones could use it as a highlighter since it wouldn't show much as a blush.
FOTD breakdown:
face:
- Revlon colorstay in ivory
eyes:
- MAC bare study paint pot
- MAC family silver eyeshadow
- urban decay 24/7 liner zero
cheeks:
- Hard Candy honeymoon blush
lips:
- MAC english accents lipglass

Hard Candy Meteor-Eyes Baked Eyeshadow Intergalactic photos, swatches and EOTD

One of my recent purchases was another of Hard Candy's glitter baked eyeshadow. I eyed this one for a while before buying it. I wasn't sure if it would be too warm but it's actually not at all.

The base color is a blackened taupey brown with a neutral to cool undertone. There is bright copper shimmer laced through it that adds a really interesting contrast to the color, making it more complex and unique.

EOTD wearing intergalactic:

Breakdown:
- MAC bare canvas paint
- HC intergalactic baked eyeshadow
- Marcelle taupe eyeliner
- NARS all about eve duo

This is a nice color to use for a smoky eye when you don't want to use gray or black. The shimmer shows up a lot more when used wet, it's totally stunning. I am so in love with this line, well the blushes, eyeshadows and lipsticks at least.
Have you tried anything from Hard Candy recently?

Bourjois blush Rose D'or photos, swatches and FOTD

Another beautiful blush from Bourjois! Rose D'or is an absolutely beautiful dimensional color that would look great on practically anyone.
It looks like a bright rosy pink in the pot, but it is actually more of a cool toned pink with a hint of lilac undertone. There is fine golden shimmer in it that warms it up.

Wearing rose d'or:

The golden shimmer comes through in certain light, I layered it on heavily to show the color:

In case you don't want to spend $20 CAD on this color, I would recommend trying Hard candy living doll blush (I promise I will swatch this soon). It is nearly identical in base color, but doesn't have the same golden shimmer as rose d'or. Living doll is only $6 so it's a good way to try out a cooler pink color.

As with all Bourjois blushers rose d'or is a dream to blend into the skin and easily build up the color.
I haven't found a Bourjois blush I didn't like. They are all winners!

Check out my other Bourjois swatches Sienne and Lune D'or

My 10 favorite beauty products of 2010

I had originally wanted to do this post as a youtube video, but came across major technical problems while filming.
Looks like I won't be able to start youtubing anything until I get a new camera. Hopefully early in 2011!
With the new year just around the corner I figured this is the perfect time to reflect on the new products I tried in 2010 that really impressed me.
It was hard to choose just 10, but I went with my gut feelings. Everything I chose I actually use all the time (some of them everyday) and would recommend them.

Seeing as I use mostly high end products, I was surprised that I picked a lot of drugstore items!
I have to remind myself that just because a brand is expensive or overpriced doesn't mean it's any better than cheaper brands that go on sale regularly.

~ My beauty favorites of 2010 ~

#1. Lancome Rénergie Microlift Eye R.A.R.E.
This eye cream is superb. I have tried so many, brands from Neutrogena to La Mer - and this one blows them out all of the water.
After 2 days of use the little lines under my eyes were gone (plumped out) and dark circles from lack of sleep completely banished. This didn't irritate my eyes at all (I always have this problem with eye creams).
It is expensive but totally worth it.



#2. NARS eyeshadow duo in Eurydice (see swatches here)

Out of all the NARS eyeshadows I own Eurydice is my absolute favorite. Of course the pigmentation is wonderful and blending is smooth. I just love these colors and the smoky sexy eye they create. The aubergine side is breathtaking. I reach for this one a lot.



#3. MAC Briar Rose beauty powder (see swatches here)

I know this is limited edition, but I just had to put it in. Honestly it's the prettiest most unique colored blush I've ever used. It gives a really pretty flushed cheek. Out of all my blushes this is one I usually reach for. I will let you all know if I find a dupe!



#4. Hard candy meteor eyes baked meteor eyeshadows (see my EOTD using lunar eclipse here)

I am so absolutely in love with these eyeshadows. They are really great quality for the price. There are so many colors to choose from, and some of them are great dupes for MAC mineralize eyeshadows. pictured above are the two I have, outerspace (right) and lunar eclipse (left).
I can't wait to try more colors, and some of the duos too!


#5. Gosh waterproof eyeshadow primer

If you thought pixi epoxy was good, then you would love this waterproof eyeshadow primer. I liked pixi expoxy and it worked well, but it was too sticky and it irritated my eyelids. Not to mention it creased. This primer comes in a tube just like MAC shadesticks. After blending it onto your lids you have a slightly sticky, pearly shimmery base that's perfect for patting loose pigments onto. It really makes your eyeshadow color pop, and it doesn't crease at all. love!


#6. ELF Eyeshadow 'C' brush

This brush is awesome! It packs on color so well, better than any MAC brush. I use it all the time and I want to get another one. For the price, I might get two. Trust me, you will love this brush.

#7. Hard Candy blush crush baked baked blush in living doll (see my FOTD wearing this here)

This color is so pretty. In the pot it appears pink with yellow veining. When applied it gives the prettiest cool shimmery pink glow. It's fairly pigmented and I only need to use a little bit. I can't get over the price of this line, so inexpensive and the products are sweet!

#8. Maybelline color sensational lipsticks (see photos and swatches of pink please here)

I'm totally impressed with these new Maybelline lipsticks. They are so nice I can't believe you can buy them from the drugstore. I love my MAC lipsticks but they tend to dry out my lips, and these don't at all. The color selection is superb as well. I am picking up more colors soon.

#9. Maybelline purestay powder foundation

Another winner from Maybelline. I was looking high and low for a good powder foundation to use when I'm in a rush. I adore MAC studio fix powder, but it broke me out. Maybelline purestay is just like MAC studio fix, only better. I say better because it doesn't break me out, and the color actually matches my skin perfectly! I use Ivory, which is nice and neutral unlike MAC NC15 which is just completely yellow on me. The coverage is great, it even covers acne scars!


#10. L'oreal true match liquid foundation

Out of all foundations I've tried, (MAC, NARS, Clarins, Clinique, etc.) I keep coming back this. I love how it blends so well into my skin I can't tell I am wearing it. N1 soft ivory is my absolute best skin tone match in any foundation I've used. It is light to medium coverage, so I use a concealer and powder as well if I need to. I've tried all the true match products, and I like this one the best. The cream to powder version broke me out (too much silicone) and the roller seemed to be a gimmick so that I would waste product (I ran out really fast) . I also don't like the true match pressed powder, it's really cakey and awful! But this liquid foundation is a total winner and I keep going back to it.


What was your favorite product of 2010?
I hope everyone had a nice holiday and got lots of makeup goodies!

MAC hang loose mineralize blush duo photos and swatches

I am in absolute love with this blush. I was drawn to it at MAC because it looks so pretty in the pan, but it looks even prettier on! Mineralize blushes have become my newest obsession. I just want them all.

Hang loose is sadly Limited Edition, and was released with MAC in the groove collection, summer 2010.

Hang loose L to R : pink side, lavender side, both sides mixed together

The pink on it's own is so super pigmented I have to be careful not to over-do it! The lavender shimmer side makes this gorgeous cool toned highlight I just can't get enough of. It works well with other blushes as well.
I personally like using the pink on the apples of my cheeks, and then highlighting with the lavender, that's what I did for this picture:
When both colors of hang loose are mixed, they create a shimmery doll like pink, that is extremely similar to another one of my favorite blushes, hard candy living doll. I am wearing living doll here:
If you are looking for a pretty cool pink color definitely check out living doll, since it's widely available and only costs $6.

Hard Candy Meteor Eyes Eyeshadow Lunar Eclipse swatches & EOTD

Oh how I love these meteor eyes baked glitter eyeshadows! they are so gorgeous, and so cheap! Lunar eclipse is a gorgeous blackened gold, a very close dupe to MAC guilt by association mineralize eyeshadow (from style black).

These are so pigmented!

I used lunar eclipse all over the lid and blended upwards. To make the gold really pop I added on MAC pigment glitter relfects antique gold as a liner (see swatches of that here). And of course I lined the waterline with black and added lots of mascara to finish the smoky gold look.