The Summer Line-Up Part One 

[All purchased by me or given by friends-yes I have generous friends who know I love makeup!]

Seems like just weeks ago since I did my "Spring Edit" post.  Oh wait it was only a few weeks ago?  Cue the typical "I can't believe Spring passed by so quickly" spiel. 


Starting things off with the boring stuff first, SPF is something I'm a big stickler about.   No skincare routine is complete without adequate sun protection and this is especially important when the weather gets hotter and the rays seem stronger.

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer in Aloe
This scent in the original lotion form always reminds me of Summer and the added convenience of a spray form just makes it even more appealing.  This disperses in the same way that an aerosol hairspray would.  It has a continuous mist and is a really ingenious way to get lazy people like me to moisturize during the Summer.  I really recommend this for a refreshing twist on lotion.  Disclaimer:  contains parabens and non-spectacular ingredients.  Still like the concept-will continue using.

Paula's Choice Resist Ultimate Anti Aging Hand Cream with SPF 30
Sorry the glare is cutting off the degree of sun protection this has.  I got this since the regular offering of hand creams that contain SPF is abysmal.  I think since hands show age so easily, this is something more companies should address since last time I checked women drive cars and enjoy outdoor activities.  This is very non-greasy and absorbs easily for something with such a high SPF.  Reviewers have also used this as a facial moisturizer, something I cannot attest to.  Apply at your own risk to anything besides hands!

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist SPF 30
My go-to every year for easy application, light feel and general convenience.  I always buy a backup when I run out.  Probably not the best if there's even a slight breeze in the air but as I've stated before, I'm all about the convenience factor.

MAC Semi Precious Mineralize Skinfinish in Rose Quartz
This was a limited edition product from last year's MAC Summer launch but they do launch a mineral collection every year.  I tend to like shimmery blushes in the Summer even though my face gets oilier.  Maybe it's so my cheeks don't look overly matte if I use a non-shimmery blush?  Who knows, I just know this is so pretty.

Lancome Teint Idole Fresh Wear in Bisque 0W
For the warmest of months, the lightest and most long-lasting of bases is required.  My ultimate oil-controlling foundation and darkest shade owned is combined into one with this product.  It's a watery texture that's very oil-controlling.  It makes sense since this contains a lot of alcohol.  So does Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk (another fave-go figure) and many other high-end foundations that have long-wear claims.  I stand by this even knowing that and even with my paranoia that this shade is every so slightly too tan/peachy for me.

NYX Haute Melon, Essence Candy Bar, MAC Lychee Luxe and Dior Delice

Can you tell I like corals?

NYX Round Lipstick in Haute Melon
Pardon the grubby packaging.  The lipstick bullet broke off pretty much as soon as I opened it (ordered from Cherry Culture) and I tried re-attaching with the freezer trick but it never worked.  This is a nice orange with a lot of pink undertones.  For me, this is perfect kind of coral.  The formula is also light and easy to wear but not the most moisturizing.

Essence Stay With Me in Candy Bar
From my "Top 5 Lip Products to Use Up" post, this is the lipgloss counterpart to the Haute Melon lipstick.  Great formula, highly recommend.

MAC Lipglass in Lychee Luxe
Totally picked this up on a whim.  I'd heard about this shade for years from die-hard MAC fans but was wary of trying their gloss because of how sticky the formula is.  Well, I don't regret this purchase because this shade is gorgeous and pigmented.  It's an orangey reddish color with gold shimmer running through it.  Yes it does have a heavier formula but I actually don't feel it's a dealbreaker for me. It's nowhere near as smooth as the Essence gloss but as you can see from the swatch, it has better color payoff.

Dior Addict Lipstick in Delice
I already talked about this in my last purchases post.  Easy, sheer orangey pink that is foolproof.  A glorified and overpriced tinted lip balm.  But I couldn't help myself.

I feel like my posts are usually too long.  Stay tuned for the eyes portion of this post!

Stila Countless Color Pigments Review and Swatch [Purchased by me]

Or, The Law of Diminishing Returns (Makeup Edition)

Perusing Sephora recently has lost some of its excitement.  As my friend put it so well the other day, "I feel like I have reached a point of diminishing returns with makeup.  Which makes me the saddest [person in the world]."  Direct quote.  Sentence completed by yours truly.  My response was "I think I hit that point a while ago and now I only buy what I really like or complete impulse buys.  Those two make me a happy camper.  Not so much a hoarder so it works for me."  

That's a decent amount of justification for this purchase of mine which was totally unplanned and completely unwarranted.  This eyeshadow trio is part of Stila's Festival of Color collection for Summer 2013.  The product is called Countless Color Pigments ($22) and is a pressed pigment formula that's baked into a unique swirl of color.  I'm guessing no two pans are exactly alike but that's usually the case with these kinds of products.  Strangely, even though this is baked, it is not recommended to use the product wet.  It may be that a damp brush will cause the product to harden and you won't be able to swirl your brush and mix the colors together, which is the whole point of the product.  

Here's photos of the packaging:

I have the shade in Acoustic and while swatching like a crazy person in Sephora, I was immediately drawn to the red-orange shade in the left.  The other shades looked nice, especially the neutral one.  But I did swatch a pink trio that didn't impress me at all in terms of color payoff.  

On to the swatches:

The first two pictures were taken in artificial lighting and the last two were taken in natural daylight.  I swatched all three shades in both lighting but forgot to swirl all three shades together for the natural daylight swatch-sorry!  

My only other experience with Stila shadows has been one of their larger holiday palettes and wasn't blown away or disappointed with them.  These shades are smooth but also a bit loose.  You will definitely get fall out with this product but that also serves a purpose.  What, you may ask, do you do when all the shades get muddled together into one?

Swirl and tap away!  This is the pan after I brushed the top with a mini Bare Minerals kabuki brush.  Looks good as new.  I know some people may say this is a waste of product but considering I have yet to use up a full eyeshadow, I'm not too bothered by it.  Sorry again about the inconsistent lighting.  Still getting used to this whole blogging thing.

It took a couple swipes around the pan for the intensity you see in the swatches.  The light beige shade was the hardest to capture because the other two shades overpowered it.  The reddish orange shade seemed a little drier than the other two and the purple brown was nice and intense.  All the shades swirled together created a really gorgeous red-tinged burgundy shade. I will update this section for any wear issues I have, but so far, for a quick pick me up impulse purchase, I love the concept!