Shop My Stash #2

My first Shop My Stash post was a few months ago and in all honesty, I haven't really been making much progress in that endeavour. Partly because of my unending acquisition of new products, partly because I tend to stick with the same few things over and over again. In the morning rush to get ready, I grab reliable products that I know will do their best to transform my barely-awake face into a slightly more presentable form. It's not often a time to start experimenting with new eyeshadow combinations or to start mixing my own bases. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't attempt to switch up my current product rotation with several items that could easily substitute for what I'm already using. I had a dig around my makeup stash and picked out a few things that I hope to pay more attention to and make a concerted effort to use.

l-r: Daylight (matte), Gaze (shimmer), Color Du Jour (metallic), Lezard (matte)

This Lancome Color Design Sensational Effects Eyeshadow quad was been overlooked and neglected for a very long time. I bought it from Chemist Warehouse a while ago as it was super cheap for a high end product and the colours seemed appealing enough. The shadows are good quality, very nicely textured and decently pigmented. Color Du Jour reminds me of Laura Mercier African Violet, but warmer and more red (it's said to be similar to MAC Trax). The tiny size and inbuilt mirror makes it ideal for travelling with, especially as there's a good mix of finishes and light/dark shades.

Sportsgirl Time to Shine Bronze Cosmetic Palette is an old favourite. I never touch the lip gloss included in it, but the eyeshadows really surprised me in terms of quality. Sportsgirl is a bit hit and miss with their cosmetics and they're not exactly renowned for putting out incredible eyeshadows, but the ones in the Bronze Palette are without a doubt the best I've tried from the brand (miles superior than the Work of Heart eyeshadow palette). I've previously used the last two shades so much that there's a considerable dent in both pans. I remember being really happy with the performance and look of these eyeshadows, so I'm looking forward to getting some wear out of them soon. It's times like these I wish I knew how to depot eyeshadows so I could throw away the rest of the palette that just unnecessarily takes up space.

l-r: Face of Australia Sundae, Australis Screen Siren, Models Prefer Brown & Dirty, Maybelline Tough as Taupe

I wish I could find a way to make Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough as Taupe work, because something tells me that it does have its purpose and value, I just haven't been able to tap into it yet. I mean, it's a matte, neutral cream eyeshadow — that in itself is exciting. As a base, it does increase the vibrancy and longevity of powder eyeshadows it's paired with. It also has the potential to effect subtle changes to the finish or colour. As Lau and Carolyn suggested in my post on L'Oréal Infallible eyeshadow in Tender Caramel, using a matte base like Tough as Taupe could be just the solution to tone down a super shimmery shade.

The Models Prefer Mineral Eyeshadow Duo in Brown & Dirty was something I purchased while trying to convince myself I didn't need Urban Decay Naked2 (needless to say, that plan backfired). The shadows aren't the most vibrant, richly pigmented or long-lasting, but the neutral colours and soft, satin finish are perfectly acceptable for a more low-key, daytime look. The peachy champagne gold and cool, slightly purplish, bark-brown taupe work well together.

In the blush department, I pulled out Australis Paparazzi Perfect High Definition Blush in Screen Siren. I honestly feel this blush is comparable in quality to MAC (though admittedly I don't have any MAC blushes — this is just from my experience swatching them in the store). It is super pigmented, finely milled, soft and blendable. This is a warm matte peach with some red tones, which makes it a bit tricky for me to apply without looking overdone or ruddy. I guess I'll just have to find the right brush and adopt a very light hand.

For lips, there's Face of Australia Sheer Gloss lip crayon in Sundae. This MLBB shade is extremely reminiscent of YSL Rouge Volupté Shine in 9 (Nude in Private). Back when Tiffany was tempting me with the YSL, I may even have placed a bit of Sundae on my hand and then headed to the shops to swatch Nude in Private next to it to compare. Seeing how similar they were side-by-side effectively put an end to that lemming, though I now have a new one for 19 (Fuchsia in Rage) thanks to Lisa Eldridge.

Speaking of YSL, my Touche Éclat barely ever gets used. It does make a powerful difference in terms of highlighting darker/discoloured areas of my face (including under the eyes), but not so much as a concealer for blemishes. I just never remember to use it because I'm reluctant and too time-poor to add another step to my base makeup after I've put on foundation. It's quite fiddly in that I have to be careful with the amount and placement, and sometimes I need to mix it with a tiny bit of moisturiser so it applies better to the skin. But maybe if I can be bothered to wake up a few minutes earlier one day, I'll give this pen a whirl.

Finally, we have the Clarins Toning Lotion with Camomile for normal or dry skin. This alcohol-free toner was in the unbelievably good value Renewing set that I mentioned I bought on Boxing Day in my January Favourites. I've seen similar value packs pop up at Myer and David Jones recently, though unfortunately none of them included a 30ml tube of the Multi-Active Night Youth Recovery Comfort Cream for Normal to Dry Skin that I'm now hooked on (only one had a 15ml tube which I thought was too small to warrant a purchase). I figured since I never use toner, I might as well try to regularly use this product and finish it up. I like that it's non-drying and doesn't leave my skin feeling tight or stripped of moisture, though I'd need to use it more consistently for a longer period of time to comment on any skin care benefits it has, if any.

Counting ColorBurst

I have no idea why Revlon discontinued their ColorBurst lipsticks. The formula is undoubtedly my favourite of the "drugstore" lipsticks I've tried. I find them to be very moisturising, weightless and comfortable on the lips. Most of the shades I have are on the light side and go on relatively sheer, making them ideal for a natural, understated lip for the daytime. The black quilted packaging, grown up shade selection and sophisticated formulation are all reminiscent of something I'd expect from a higher end brand.

Soft Nude (070)
My favourite nude lipstick. It's not too dark or light, not too pink or brown. There's just the right level of tan and peachy tones. I don't go for nude lips very often unless I'm wearing a heavy smoky eye, but I doubt I'll find anything else as perfect as Soft Nude, though Rimmel Nude Delight comes close.

Blush (035)
A very MLBB colour that came in the Priceline Beauty Bag last year. It's a light brownish rosy colour with a slight silver pearl that I wish wasn't there. I don't have many shades like this in my collection because of my immediate tendency to gravitate towards pinks, peaches, purples and berry shades. My lips are also naturally pigmented so something like Blush (which is basically my lips but a little bit darker and more brown) isn't terribly exciting unless I'm aiming for a more conservative, entirely neutral look.

Petal (096)
Neutral to slightly cool light pink with gold shimmer. Like Blush, this is pretty sheer so you need to really layer it for the colour to show through. I tend to be extremely averse to any kind of shimmer, glitter, frost or pearl in my lipsticks, but Petal feels and looks refined despite not being a crème. It's a nice option when you want a bit of pink on your lips that's not too cool, milky or bright.

Rose Nectar (028)
The most shimmery of the bunch, but the colour is one of my favourites in the ColorBurst range. As Cherie pointed out, Rose Nectar is very similar to Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait, especially in terms of the visible gold glitter. Rose Nectar is more of a light orange (with a sheerer base) compared with the darker pink of Peach Parfait. The gold glitter/white microshimmer is very noticeable, but the texture of the lipstick isn't gritty in any way. It's very smooth and glides on, though the sparkle may be a bit too much for some.

Soft Rose (040)
I ran out to the shops to track this down after reading this post by Jane comparing Soft Rose to Chanel Rouge Coco in Mademoiselle. My mother has this lipstick so I was familiar with it, but resisted purchasing one for myself. Soft Rose is a very classic lipstick shade but also feels quite modern. It's one of those universally flattering colours that would complement most skin tones. It's a neutral, muted rose with just the right amount of red and not too much brown. I find this shade to be decently pigmented (much more than the first four shades), such that anything more than one layer can be too dark for my liking.

Fuchsia (030)
My most recent ColorBurst lipstick acquisition, I felt I needed this after reading numerous reviews over the years describing Fuchsia as a dupe for MAC Girl About Town. They're probably not 100% identical (Girl About Town looks a touch brighter), but to me they're close enough to not warrant having both. The superb texture of these lipsticks really comes through in the more pigmented crème shades. This applies smoothly and evenly, even with multiple layers, and feels so comfortable and lightweight on the lips.

True Red (090)
One of the few (relatively speaking) red lipsticks I have, though in all honesty I barely touch it. It's not too orangey, nor is it too blue-based. It's not really a colour I'm excited to reach for, mainly because I'm not a huge fan of reds, and also because it's not bold or different enough to catch my attention. I find this to be a little bit sheer and it was slightly patchy when I tried to build up the pigmentation.

l-r: Soft Nude, Blush, Petal, Rose Nectar, Soft Rose, Fuchsia, True Red

l-r (top row, then bottom row): Soft Nude, Blush, Petal

l-r (top row, then bottom row): Rose Nectar, Soft Rose, Fuchsia, True Red

My lipstick collection is a reflection of my child-like preferences for novelty and trends (dominated by pastels, brights, darker shades), often without much consideration given to how flattering the colours are when worn. I feel like my ColorBurst lipsticks fill a void I otherwise would have neglected, by offering more grown up, easy-to-wear shades that lean on the conservative side. Except for the vivid Fuchsia or True Red (which I never wear), they're mainly work-appropriate, polished, relatively sheer but buildable colours that never draw too much attention to the lips, but provide a finishing wash of colour to tie in with the rest of your makeup.

All Boxed Up

Recently, I was fortunate enough to have won Ashley from Make Up Kismet's giveaway! The prize was a Stila Party in a Box set (containing an All Over Shimmer Powder in Kitten and a Lip Glaze also in Kitten), Annabelle Smoothie Eyeshadow Pencil in Licoriche and Acaidasiac and Annabelle Smudge Paint in Skyline. Ashley also included 3 Asian beauty masks to try: FaceQ Caviar and Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Mask, My Beauty Diary Earl Grey Tea & Macaron Sheet Mask and My Beauty Diary Chocolate Truffle Sheet Mask. She also generously threw in a couple of surprise goodies (Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 and Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trio in Silent Treatment). The thoughtful way everything was packaged made me feel like I was receiving a hand-picked subscription beauty box.

The main prize was the Stila Party in a Box set, which I was excited to play around with since I'm a big fan of the brand. I've yet to try their iconic Kitten eyeshadow, but it seems like the All Over Shimmer Powder is more or less the same thing. You get a whopping 10.2g of product which should last an eternity. The powder itself is very smooth, soft and easy to blend — similar in texture to theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer. The colour is more distinctly peachy-pink than the champagne yellow of the Mary-Lou Manizer, but less copper than Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Crème in Rose Gold. I was fearing that the powder might be a touch too shimmery or frosty, but it's actually pleasantly restrained. I'm anticipating getting plenty of use out of this as an everyday face highlighter, though it also could function as an eyeshadow.

I also love the clear, twist-up brush applicator packaging of the Stila Lip Glaze which is both functional and eye-catching. The girly, summery Kitten is a sheer peachy bronze packed with gold shimmer that can be used alone or to dress up any nude or pink lipstick worn underneath. From my experience with the Stila Lip Glaze I have in Joy, these glosses are smooth, hydrating and super shiny, and while they're slightly on the thick and sticky side, I find them perfectly comfortable on the lips (just make sure to wear your hair up).

l-r: Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Crème in Rose Gold, Stila All Over Shimmer Powder in Kitten, theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer

I'm also looking forward to testing out the other goodies, especially as the Canadian drugstore brand Annabelle isn't available in Australia, but I've been intrigued by their products after reading several reviews on theNotice. The eyelid shade in Wet n Wild Silent Treatment is one of my favourite eyeshadows, so it's always handy to have a backup (not that I envisage using mine up in the next five years). A big thank you to Ashley for holding such a cool giveaway and for my prize!

Middling Metropolitan

The new Revlon PhotoReady Primer + Shadow eyeshadow palettes weren't hugely enticing to me, but after a foiled trip to Chemist Warehouse for 50% off the newly released Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains in Crush and Rendezvous (for whatever reason, the powers that be decided to deprive Australia of them until recently), I ended up turning to Myer as a last resort. Though I baulked at the idea of paying full price for them, at the very least Myer were offering a Revlon gift with purchase that included the Metropolitan (501) Primer + Shadow, normally $25.95. Let's just begin by saying the Revlon PhotoReady Sculpting Blush Palette in Pink Rose (001), also in the GWP, is such a huge product fail that it's hard to believe it passed any kind of quality control. Believe the hilariously negative reviews on MakeupAlley and stay as far away as possible. Despite the disappointment with the blush, I hoped the eyeshadow would be something worth writing about, especially as the colours seemed promising.

l-r (numbered per diagram at back of palette): 1, 4, 2, 3, 5

The eyeshadow palette consists of 5 shades, though one of them is supposed to be a primer. I don't really get the idea of using another powder eyeshadow as a primer, as I'm more used to clear, creamy primers like Urban Decay Primer Potion or cream eyeshadow bases. The primer (shade 1 according to the diagram at the back of the palette) could double as your standard highlighting shade. It's a frosty pale pink with a slight peachiness to it, very similar to Urban Decay Sin, though Sin is more beige-toned and a little darker. The top highlighting shade (4) is a shimmery pale sherbet orange with a subtle golden pearl. The crease shade (3) is a cool, grey-toned medium taupe with white shimmer that flashes almost a duochrome green. The lid shade (2) is an almost matte bark brown with sparse, nearly undetectable silver glitter. Finally, the "sparkle top coat" (5) is an antique bronze with iridescent glitter particles, basically the poor man's version of the gold leaf shade in Clarins Eye Quartet Mineral Palette in Odyssey.

Maybe I'm now more discerning or demand more of my eyeshadows, but I found the overall quality to be uninspiring. The color payoff is acceptable (especially when layered) but fundamentally, they aren't very vibrant or richly pigmented. The shadows feel quite powdery and could easily be wiped away when I swatched them on my arm. The primer shade was surprisingly the standout in terms of pigmentation and texture, though I don't picture using it regularly and I already have multiple eyeshadows similar to it. Perhaps the shadows would be more impressive to me if applied wet, but let's face it, I won't ever be bothered.

The shade selection puzzled me somewhat, mainly because the lid shade is so dark for the daytime. I instead use the crease shade for my lid, but the colour is a bit too grey and cool to complement my colouring. I do like the subtle green duochrome quality that it has, which adds some unexpected interest. The glitter top coat seems more for special occasions to delicately dab onto the centre of the lid as a finishing touch. This shade was the most powdery, least pigmented and most susceptible to being wiped away to nothingness (be prepared for loads of glitter fallout), but the purple/blue, green, orange and diamond sparkles are pretty, though not all that pronounced. At first I thought it might be a more affordable version of the glitter top coat in the Clarins Odyssey quad, but the richness and density of the Clarins is simply incomparable.

Hint of Tint

For the longest time, I've heard raves about Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser. I wasn't entirely convinced how good it could possibly be, mainly because the idea of a tinted moisturiser never particularly appealed to me. After all, wasn't it the same thing as mixing in a bit of my foundation with my regular moisturiser? Still, when I saw a smaller 30ml tube of Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser at Sephora during my trip to the States for around $20, I couldn't resist picking one up and seeing if it was worth the hype. While there's 3 versions of the tinted moisturiser: regular, oil-free (in the brown packaging) and illuminating, I only saw the smaller size in the regular form. There were also only two available shades, Nude and the darker Sand. I grabbed Nude after trying a bit on my face first and being satisfied it wasn't too light for me. I managed to resist opening my tube for months, hoping to use up some other of my other base products first, but caved recently.

Though I've only used it for a short period of time, I'm unexpectedly impressed by the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser. Maybe it's finally made me see the light when it comes to tinted moisturisers. The first thing I noticed is the effortless way it applies to the skin. You really don't need to expend much energy blending or rubbing it in. It almost does the job for you. There's no feeling of product sitting on top of your skin or any kind of oiliness, chalkiness or residue that foundation or certain BB creams can leave. It really is akin more to a normal moisturiser that hydrates and sinks into your skin, but with a creamy texture rather than being more of a lotion or relatively liquid. The colour is undetectable, in that when you're applying it, there's not a huge, noticeable difference in skin tone between the areas of your face where you've put some on and the rest of your face. It's a very subtle, light coverage, weightless product that brightens and evens out the skin tone and provides a natural radiance. I've called other bases "natural-looking" in the past, but I can truly say that I only discovered what that means after using this.

The before picture on the left is my bare face without a scrap of makeup. Beside it is my face with just the tinted moisturiser on. Both pictures are 100% unedited. I'm talking extract from the SD card and cropped only. Not even a minor brightness or contrast or colour adjustment. To my eyes, I can see that the tinted moisturiser has minimised the appearance of pores and blackheads, reduced redness and areas of discolouration, and generally injected some health and luminosity to my complexion. The end result is still incredibly subtle but undeniably effective.

Nude seems like the right shade for me, as I don't find it too dark or light, but the product itself is so natural-looking and light coverage that even if the shade was slightly off, I don't think it would be all that noticeable. The moisturiser admittedly has a faint chemical smell which is slightly off-putting, but nothing major. I do have to put quite a bit on each time (the amount pictured on my hand was barely enough for my whole face), which again reinforces how much closer it is to a regular moisturiser than a foundation or Asian BB cream. I can easily picture myself finishing the whole tube fairly quickly. I am curious about the oil-free version, which might be better suited to my skin come summer. I haven't noticed any issues with oil control in the few times I've used it, though my skin is in a drier state at the moment than it normally is. Once my tube is emptied, I probably would repurchase, though the Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector (Combination to Oily Skin) still remains a solid option for higher coverage and a glowier finish.