Top 10 of 2013: Best Blushes

I went through all of the blushes I’ve reviewed in 2013, which was around 200 in total, and these were some of my very, very favorites. I could have given you a much longer list, so when there was just a really amazing formula, I limited myself to picking just one shade, but I’ve included a link to the formula itself where you can also check out other shades available! Naturally, as these are my personal favorites, you’ll likely notice a warmer tone to most, plus an inclination towards coral… I cannot tell a lie: I love coral blushes!

• Chanel Presage (62) Le Blush Creme de Chanel — a warm-toned, medium-dark orange with a hint of pink, but I loved every single shade released in this formula (see them all here!)
• Illamasqua Peaked Velvet Blusher — an amazing cream-to-powder formula in a cool-toned berry-pink
• Kevyn Aucoin Natura Pure Powder Glow — or take your pick, as the formula was incredibly consistent and fantastic; Natura is a soft, medium brown with rose and peach tints
• NARS Boy Don’t Cry High Voltage Blush — an intensely pigmented coral-red that was as gorgeous to look at in the pan as it was applied
• Burberry Coral Pink Light Glow Natural Blush — a dark pink with a hint of coral and warmth and a soft, satiny finish
• MAC Ripe for Love Blush — a medium coral-orange with a satiny sheen
• Chanel Accent (84) Joues Contraste — a softened, medium-dark rosy brown with neutral-to-warm undertones
• Givenchy It-Girl Purple Le Prisme Blush — a light-medium, cool-toned pink with a hint of lilac and a barely-there satin finish
• Benefit Rockateur Box o’ Powder — a mix of pink, beige, and brown with warm undertones and a satiny finish–almost rose gold as described
• NARS Taj Mahal — bold, vibrant orange with a hint of red and a golden sheen–one of many choices as I reviewed most of the permanent shades from NARS this past year

Top 10 of 2013: Best Eyeshadows

Top 10 of 2013: Best Eyeshadows (Cream & Powder)

When it comes to eyeshadows, by and large, most of the ones covered these days are found in palettes! There are definitely plenty of reviews of singles, but palettes outnumber them easily. To compile this list, though, I only think it’s fair to focus on the singles (that’s why there’s a whole top ten for palettes, so they’re not left out!) that made my heart pitter-patter and go all aflutter.  As always, I tried to go across formulas and colors, picking the best of the best, though I couldn’t help myself from choosing two from Dior’s new cream formula.

• Tom Ford Escapade Cream Color for Eyes — it’s a golden peach with a metallic sheen; but this (paired with Pink Haze) is my go-to combination for a bright, warm eye–I’ve reached for this nearly every time I have a “no-testing” day
• Sugarpill @#$%! Eyeshadow — a bold, warm-toned red with silver sparkle
• NARS Persia Eyeshadow — a superbly pigmented, burnt orange with a matte finish
• Dior Millenium (381) Diorshow Fusion Mono Eyeshadow — a glorious blackened brown with bronze and pewter shimmer
• MAC Brazenly Eyeshadow — a richly pigmented purple-berry with a frosted sheen (if every collection by MAC was as high quality as Nudes & Metallics, we’d all be in big trouble)
• Illamasqua Sadist Eyeshadow — a bold, vibrant cornflower blue with a matte finish
• Urban Decay Peace Eyeshadow — reformulated, it was so soft, smooth, and intensely pigmented
• Dior Aventure (081) Diorshow Fusion Mono Eyeshadow — a gray and bronze-shimmered black-brown (it says something when I buy every single shade available in a formula, as I did with this one)
• MAC Tailor Grey Pro Longwear Paint Pot — a deliciously creamy, satin-matte taupe with subtle warm undertones
• Sephora My Boyfriend’s Jeans (19) Eyeshadow — a cool-toned, bluish-purple with intense pigmentation (almost never happens!)

Top 10 of 2013: Best Lipglosses

                    

When it comes to lipgloss, I personally fall in love with two types:  insanely pigmented, nearly opaque colors or glimmering, dazzling, sparkling, and shimmering ones–but they have to be loaded with sparkle (and yet, they can’t feel gritty!).  Over the years, while stickiness isn’t a deal-breaker, I don’t like heavy, thick, goopy kind of glosses.  Reflecting on glosses I’ve tested out this past year, here were the ones I picked for my top ten!

• Urban Decay Scandal Super Saturated High Gloss Lip Color — part gloss, part lipstick, this was one of the most stunning shades of red I’ve worn–so beautiful on (you can get it individually from UD’s website only)
• Burberry Pink Sweet Pea Lip Glow — cool-toned, fuchsia pink with iridescent micro-shimmer and nearly opaque color coverage
• Chanel Reflexion (71) Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss — a medium, pink-coral with warm undertones and soft pink and copper shimmer
• Sephora Red Glow Metallic Glow Lustrous Lip Shine — a vibrant, metallic pinky-red
• YSL Orange de Chine (8) Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain — a vibrant, red-orange with a glossy shine
• OCC Androgyne Lip Tar Stained Gloss — a tangerine orange with a light glossy shine
• Burberry Cameo Pink Lip Glow — a warm pink with peach and copper shimmer
• Giorgio Armani #519 Flash Lip Lacquer — a warm-toned, medium-dark pink with a creamy, glossy finish
• YSL Fuchsia Fugitive (109) Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain — a molten gold-shimmered pink coral
• Giorgio Armani #701 Flash Lip Lacquer — this shade is just too cool not to love (particularly for layering)

Top 10 of 2013: Best Lipsticks

2013 was good year for lipsticks, particularly if you loved yours bold, bright, and/or matte. There were new formulas to fall in love with, and plenty of new and limited shades released from my favorite formulas. This was a tough list to compile! Because I really do believe variety is the spice of life, I tried to pick across a variety of formulas!

• Givenchy Fuchsia Irresistible (205) Le Rouge — a vibrant, fuchsia-pink with a satin finish and opaque color coverage, but let me take a moment and tell you that the entire Le Rouge range is amazing
• Buxom Swinger Full-Bodied Lipstick — a vibrant, blue-based magenta with a creamy finish (and I fell in love with the Full-Bodied formula overall–excellent range!)
• Guerlain Madame Batifole (860) Rouge G — a brightened, medium-dark berry-red with fuchsia shimmer
• Urban Decay Catfight Revolution Lipstick — a creamy, pinky-red with warm undertones and a luminous sheen
• Giorgio Armani #402 Lip Maestro — a bright, vibrant orange-toned red in a liquid formula
• Marc Jacobs Beauty Showstopper (134) LoveMarc Lip Gel — a medium-dark, red-brown with warm undertones and a glossy sheen
• MAC Private Party Lipstick — a muted, pink-tinged plum with a satin finish
• Too Faced Jelly Bean La Creme — bold, vibrant, and bright berry-pink
• Maybelline Electric Fuchsia — a bright, bold blue-based fuchsia pink–this formula is incredible, and it’s only made sweeter by the affordable price point
• Givenchy Violine Precieux (312) Le Rouge Sensuously Matte — a warm-toned, medium-dark plum with a satin-matte finish

MAC Tropical Taboo Mineralize Skinfinishes Review, Photos, Swatches

MAC Tropical Taboo Mineralize Skinfinishes

MAC Tropical Taboo Collection’s Mineralize Skinfinishes ($30.00 for 0.24 oz.) come in five shades: Adored, Gold Deposit (permanent), Lust, Rio, and Soft & Gentle (permanent). Except for Gold Deposit, the Mineralize Skinfinishes are on the lighter end of the spectrum, so for the majority of complexions, they’ll work more as highlighters than blushers or bronzers.  The textures of all five were less powdery than the blushes from this collection.  Gold Deposit was the only one that had a slightly sparkly/less smooth texture.  In my experience, MAC’s Mineralize cheek products don’t last as long as their regular powder blushes do.  I’ve only tested one of the five, and I’m in the process of testing Lust and Rio at this very moment and will update accordingly.  I expect to test the remaining two (which are permanent) tomorrow.  Overall, I think if you normally love and use Mineralize Skinfinishes as highlighters, one of the new shades is worth checking out, but the reality is they’re very similar to each other – each one slightly darker from Adored to Lust to Rio (Rio being the “darkest”).

Adored is described as a “coral with light beige pearl.” It’s a soft, pink-peach with a frosted, champagne shimmer-sheen. This shade is going to work best as a subtle blusher and highlighter on fair skin and then as a subtle highlighter on medium and darker complexions. It is true-to-pan in color, but the texture is soft and finely-milled to the point where it does tend to sheer out as it is applied, rather than build-up. This shade lasted for six hours, and it was noticeably faded after seven hours. On my normal-to-dry skin, it slightly emphasized pores but not too noticeably. MAC Lust is more shimmered and darker. NARS Sex Appeal is matte. MAC Stay By Me is more matte. MAC Light Year is darker, warmer. MAC Keep It Loose is darker. MAC Shell Pearl is slightly pinker, darker. 

Gold Deposit is described as a “soft reflective golden bronze.” It’s a warm, orange-copper with a golden-copper sparkle and shimmer. The finish on this shade is more metallic, and the texture is a little sparkly, so it’s not as smooth as it could be. It was very pigmented. I will be testing this shade for wear tomorrow. Physicians Formula Light Bronzer is more orange. Urban Decay Baked is slightly less orange, browner. MAC Center of the Universe is similar. MAC Glorify is browner, darker, as is Estee Lauder Topaz Chameleon. . This shade is part of the permanent range.

Lust is described as a “pale pink with cranberry pearl.” It’s a dirty, warm-toned pink with a frosted, slightly metallic, sheen. The color payoff was good, with the color getting to the same color as seen in the pan, and as a result, it is on the lighter side so medium and deeper complexions may find this acts more as a highlighter than much of a blusher. Because it does have a higher sheen in its finish, it did somewhat emphasize pores and skin texture. I will be testing this one today. MAC Rio is pinker, less beige/brown. Tom Ford Frantic Pink is pinker. Milani Dolce Pink is slightly pinker. MAC Legendary is less shimmery. MAC Born to Love is similar, slightly darker. MAC Definitely Defined is more beige. Bobbi Brown Peony is a touch pinker. .

Rio is described as a “bronze with bright pink pearl.” It’s a medium pink with a soft, frosted finish and warm undertones. It had good color payoff with true-to-pan color that was soft, finely-milled, and blendable. On my medium complexion, it added subtle pink color and sheen, so for fairer complexions I could see it working as a highlighter and blush more so than on deeper complexions. I will be testing this shade for wear today. Tom Ford Frantic Pink is less shimmery, darker. Milani Dolce Pink is warmer. MAC Stunner is slightly pinker. MAC Easy Manner is less shimmery. See comparison swatches.

Soft & Gentle is described as a “gilded peach bronze.” It’s a warm-toned, champagne beige with a frosted sheen. It had true-to-pan in color, though it is a lighter shade, so on all but very fair skin tones, it act primarily as a highlighter.  It only emphasized my pores/natural skin texture very slightly. bareMinerals The Love Affair is more beige. MAC How Beautiful is darker, browner. MAC Whisper of Gilt is more golden/yellow. NARS Nico is less shimmery, more beige, lighter. .

The Glossover

	Adored
	This shade is going to work best as a subtle blusher and highlighter on fair skin and then as a subtle highlighter on medium and darker complexions.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 6.5/10 Application 4.5/5

	Gold Deposit
	The finish on this shade is more metallic, and the texture is a little sparkly, so it's not as smooth as it could be. It was very pigmented.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 8/10 Longevity 7/10 Application 4.5/5

	Lust
	The color payoff was good, with the color getting to the same color as seen in the pan, and as a result, it is on the lighter side so medium and deeper complexions may find this acts more as a highlighter than much of a blusher.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 8/10 Longevity 7/10 Application 4.5/5

See more photos & swatches!

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Adored Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Gold Deposit Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Lust Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Rio Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish

L’Oreal Mint Ice Colour Riche Le Gloss Review, Photos, Swatches

L’Oreal Mint Ice Colour Riche Le Gloss

L’Oreal Mint Ice Colour Riche Le Gloss ($7.95 for 0.40 fl. oz.) is a subtly gold-shimmered mint green. I couldn’t think of any dupes from products I’ve reviewed, and the only sheer, green-tinged gloss that came to mind was MAC’s Spring Bean, which I believe is a little yellower (I haven’t had it in sometime, but I do remember it looking kind of yellow-y applied, plus shimmery). When I saw this at Walgreens, I had to pick it up; green gloss? C’mon, so fun! Alone, it’s a sheer dusting of gold and green micro-shimmer that give lips a glossy shine, but there’s no real green coloring of the lips.

Though the Colour Riche Le Gloss formula tends to be more pigmented than it is sheer, Mint Ice is incredibly sheer, so there’s no need to fear the color in the tube if it was worrisome. Of course, if you wanted a real pop of green you’re going to have to look elsewhere. My guess is L’Oreal made this deliberately sheer, though it’s still very, very sheer–it really doesn’t even change my natural lip color at all, just adds shimmer and shine–and given the permanent’s range opacity, it should be more pigmented.

The texture is slightly thick, kind of like jelly, non-sticky, and this shade lasts an hour and a half, tops, on me, which was disappointing.  It feels nice on, but it just doesn’t last (good thing there’s a lot of it in the tube).  It had a sweet vanilla-like scent but no discernible taste.  I wore it a few times back-to-back to get a better feel of how well it hydrated, and it was nicely moisturizing overall.

The Glossover

	Mint Ice
	It doesn't feel like a C- gloss on the lips, but it's very, very sheer and wears away quickly. If you like the idea of seeing a green gloss in your stash, but are just in the market for a shimmery, mostly clear gloss--and don't mind frequent application--it's still a nice formula in terms of how it feels on the lips.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 5/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 4/10 Application 5/5

See more photos & swatches!

L’Oreal Mint Ice Colour Riche Le Gloss

L’Oreal Mint Ice Colour Riche Le Gloss

L’Oreal Mint Ice Colour Riche Le Gloss

L’Oreal Mint Ice Colour Riche Le Gloss

L’Oreal Mint Ice Colour Riche Le Gloss

Urban Decay Laced Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches

Urban Decay Laced Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches

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Urban Decay Laced Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Laced Eyeshadow ($18.00 for 0.05 oz.) is described as a “pinky-taupe matte.” It’s a pinky beige with mostly neutral undertones and a matte finish. You may already have this shade if you have the Vice palette. Inglot #344 is several shades darker. MAC Bloom On is slightly lighter and pinker. Bobbi Brown Dusty Lilac is darker.

Laced was one of my favorite shades from the Vice palette, because it’s not a shade that I have half a dozen similar shades of, and it’s a very versatile neutral.  How it might be used depends on your skin tone and what you pair it with, but it can be used as an all-over lid shade to even out the tone, to mattify any frost, to help in blending out another shade, as a highlighter, or as a softly defined crease for those with really pale complexions.  The texture was soft, finely-milled, and smooth–not at all powdery–and easy to blend and apply. The color payoff is true-to-pan, and it’s fully pigmented.  I wore alongside Easy Baked and Desperation, and it lasted a full nine hours without fading or creasing.

THE GLOSSOVER

Laced has a really great, workable matte finish that's blendable and silky-soft but never powdery.

PRODUCT

10/10

PIGMENTATION

10/10

TEXTURE

10/10

LONGEVITY

10/10

APPLICATION

5/5

This review features press sample(s) sent for consideration. We don't do paid reviews. Readers are our #1 priority, and we honor our commitment by being honest.

See more photos & swatches!

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Urban Decay Laced Eyeshadow

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Urban Decay Laced Eyeshadow

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Urban Decay Laced Eyeshadow

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Urban Decay Laced Eyeshadow

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Urban Decay Laced Eyeshadow

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Urban Decay Laced Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadow: Easy Baked (inner lid), Laced (outer lid),
Desperation (crease), ABC Gum (highlighter)