Review: Sigma F86 Synthetic Tapered Kabuki

Sigma recently came out with several new brushes for their Sigmax line, this is a collection of synthetic bristled brushes. I love the F80, F82 and F86 for foundation application, they apply the fullest coverage possible quickly and blend nicely. The great thing about these is they don't shed or smell because they are synthetic, they also don't absorb product like a natural hair brush would, although I do have a hard time washing product out because they are so densely packed (and drying them sucks too). Today's review is the F86 Synthetic Tapered Kabuki. Even though I am in the Sigma Affiliate Program, I did purchase this brush myself, I was curious about it and have been using it for about a month now.

The shape of this brush intrigues me, it's like an egg. The Sigma website describes that this brush is "ideal for using powders and higlighter under the eye and cheek area. The dense precise tip of this brush enhances cheek highlighting and contouring for a flawless application." I had hoped to use this brush for liquid foundation but, I find it's really difficult, I am used to a flat top brush like the F80, a stippling brush or a traditional foundation brush. This brush is far too pointy to use for foundation in my opinion, unless you are just applying foundation to small areas of your face like around the nose and eyes, it's nice for that. I have been using it for contouring and it's great for that since it gets right in the hallow of your cheeks. Several youtubers mention it works well for cream bronzer like the Chanel Soleil De Tan. I also bought the smaller version of this brush, the P86 (review on that later).

Review: L'oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes Faux Cils

Voluminous False Fibre Lashes is the newest mascara in L'oreal's Voluminous range. This mascara is said to be a fibre volumizing mascara, the "lash sculpting fibre formula adheres to lashes for a volumized, sculpted lash effects. Lashes appear fuller, longer, sculpted and curled at every angle". I love the Voluminous line, so I had to try this out and see what it was all about. I think this is Lash Architect 4D in Europe (in a silver tube).

The packaging is really nice, it comes in a gold, shiny "expensive looking" tube, much like the previous L'oreal Million Lashes. You will notice straight away that the applicator (the wand and the handle) is very long, and can be difficult to work with at first, but you get used to it quickly. The brush is tapered, thinner at the tip and wider at the base, also it's angled slightly to the side (picture did not capture that). I picked up this mascara at Rexall Pharma Plus for about $11 Canadian, I've seen it for as much as $16 at Shoppers Drug Mart, best to get it on sale.

Blush Comparison: MAC Warm Soul & NARS Madly Swatches

As the cooler weather starts, I like to branch out from my bright coral and peach blushes and venture more into the warmer bronzy-peach tones. Recently, I picked up MAC Warm Soul and NARS Madly. I read that these two are very similar and some of the blog posts that I like reading the most are swatch comparisons. I am guilty of buying products that are basically the same, just because I feel like I need to have them. These blushes retail for $27.50 CAD for the MAC and $29 CAD for the NARS.

OPI Muppets Collection Holiday 2011 Swatches and Review

OPI Muppets collection is the most fun and colourful that I've seen OPI do. I was totally existed when promotional images started circulating around for this collection. This is a limited edition collection that is now available at professional salons and nail etailers. I got mine from Cosmetics Central on Amazon, my go-to nail polish online shop. This collection came out 12 new polishes, the top 6 in the image above are shimmers, and then bottom 6 are glitters.

The ones that I picked up were Warm and Fozzie, Designer Da Better, Divine Swine and Rainbow Connection. I think the must-haves in this collection are definitely Designer Da Better and Rainbow Connection! These are great for the holidays, they really bling on your nails and are not gritty like some glitters that I have purchased before. I might go back and pick up Excuse Moi the glitter in a red base.

Review: Chanel Perfection Lumiere

As most of you probably all know, Chanel is discontinuing Pro Lumiere and Mat Lumiere and has put out a new foundation recently called Perfection Lumiere. When I first heard Pro Lumiere was being discontinued, I was really disappointed, it is a foundation that I love, perfect for dry skin, great coverage, lovely dewy finish, full review here. Mat Lumiere I hadn't tried before, mostly because it's a matte finish and for my dry skin, I don't like a matte foundation. I had hoped that this new Perfection Lumiere would be somewhat of a hybrid of both foundations, the good of the dewy and matte factor, however as you will read in this review, that's not the case.

This foundation is not currently available in Canada, I couldn't get a definite answer from Chanel sales people regrading this, some said it's out spring 2012, some did not know, some looked at me like I had two heads when I spoke about it. I greatly dislike how we get products much later in Canada (and for more money too). I purchased this a few weeks ago off Amazon.com from the seller Avdo, it was $64.99 when I bought it (add shipping), had since gone up to $72.99. The seller is great, I didn't have to pay any customs (after speaking to the seller) and I highly recommend them. I purchased mine for free through gift cards from Swagbucks, I get a lot of my cosmetics this way.

MAC Glitter and Ice Haul Morning Frost Paint Pot

MAC Glitter and Ice Holiday Collection came out recently. I really liked the theme of this one, it has an icy Snow Bunny type of feel to it. This collection had a bunch of new items, including paint pots, beauty powders, lipsticks, new brush kits, etc. I only items that I was interested in were the paint pots. I love paint paints and had my eye on "Morning Frost" from the promotional pictures. I didn't buy this online, like I normally do with MAC collections because I wanted to swatch it in person because I was worried it might be glittery and fallouty like the Cham Pale paint pots. But I was pleasantly surprised.

The packaging for this collection is really cute, all the items come in shiny silver boxes (like Christmas!) and white lids. This paint pot will stand out amongst all my black lids. (Colour on nail is Sally Hansan's Instant Dri in Bronze Albaze nice colour and goes well with this product).