Guerlain Sun Blondes Terracotta Sheer Bronzing Powder Review, Photos, Swatches!

Guerlain Sun Blondes Terracotta Sheer Bronzing Powder

Guerlain Sun Blondes Terracotta Sheer Bronzing Powder ($52) is a lightweight 5-shade mosaic bronzing powder consisting of beautiful bronzed pinks and tans. When all of the shades are swept together, a warm, glowing tan is created.

God only knows I probably don't need any new bronzers, but when I saw this bronzer in Sephora I couldn't resist swatching it (among all of the other product swatches smeared all over my hand) and tossing a box in my basket. Guerlain is easily one of my favorite luxury cosmetic brands, and for ages it's been said that Guerlain makes some of the best bronzers.

I use Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer #3 regularly and I really enjoy it. On a daily basis I really enjoy using MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powders probably more than anything because it's a really soft powder that blends really well and is great for contouring since there is no shimmer.

Sun Blondes is slightly different than both because it's not your standard brown bronzer. When applied, it has a slight rosy sheen to it. When I apply a few layers of this product, I don't feel that I necessarily need any blush as this seems to add a nice flush of color to my face. For my medium skintone, it's very light, but it can be built up with multiple layers or by using a denser blush brush. I typically apply it with a fluffy powder brush around the outline of my face and then use blush brush to apply it to my cheeks. On the cheeks it's a luminous bronzed rosy-apricot.

It may look shimmery in the compact, but it applies with a gentle luminosity and healthy glow. No obnoxious shimmer.

Swatches from left to right: Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer #3, NARS Laguna Bronzer, Guerlain Terracotta Sheer Bronzing Powder #04 Sun Blondes (swatted heavily) and applied lightly. You can see from the comparisons that Sun Blondes has a very warm, rosy tone compared to the others.

Hourglass Radiant Magenta Ambient Lighting Blush Review, Photos, Swatches!

Hourglass Radiant Magenta Ambient Lighting Blush

Hourglass Radiant Magenta Ambient Lighting Blush ($35) is a lovely medium warm pink with a satiny finish. It looks like a fairly cool-toned pink in the compact, and even swatched with the finger, but on the cheeks the pink really warms up to my skin. The color has a Spring/Summer pink vibe as it pulls pinky-peach on the cheeks. The Hourglass Ambient Lighting line of blushes are still fairly new, with the initial launch this past February. These blushes combine Hourglass' Ambient Lighting Powder - which is a luminous finishing powder, swirled with a natural hue. When the two are combined, your cheeks will be left with beautiful, natural glowing color that is full of dimension. Sounds wonderful, right?

Well, I haven't tried Hourglass' Ambient Lighting Powders, but from what I've gathered is that it's a powder that won't highlight your imperfections (like those that tend to settle in or highlight the pores or look heavy, dull or powdery on the skin) but, it will give your skin a "lit-from-within" sort of glow and give the appearance of softer, younger skin. It also claims to make your skin look great in any lighting situation you are in (bright sunlight, candlelight, etc.) The powder took off pretty well, so Hourglass created a blush with the same concept.

I've had this blush for a few months now, and I've been using it regularly. As a die-hard blush lover, I'm a huge fan of baked blushes because I love the texture of them and how easy they are to blend. This blush is super soft to the touch and blending with it is so simple. Worst case scenario, if you didn't have a blush brush on hand, you can use your fingertips to apply this blush and it wouldn't look like it. It has a nice satin finish that isn't shimmery or frosty. It just gives a slight glow to the skin when the light hits your cheeks.

The lasting power is pretty average for me. I typically never re-apply blush throughout the day, but if I was planning on going out for the night, I would most likely have to reapply this blush mid-day as it fades pretty significantly by the evening.

Chanel Surprenante (129) Rouge Allure Lipstick Review, Photos, Swatches!

Chanel Surprenante Rouge Allure Lipstick

Chanel Surprenante Rouge Allure Lipstick ($35) is a vibrant, medium watermelon pink. It has a little bit of a frost and shimmer to it, but it's pretty subtle, and actually looks matte on my lips in low lighting. I'm not really a fan of frost, but it's subtle enough where it's not a deal breaker for me. It's very pretty and I think a color that is well suited for the Spring.

The coverage is mostly opaque with one coat and applies smoothly to the lips with a satiny feel. I originally thought that the formula would be drying, but it actually feels pretty good on my lips despite the fact that it's not a moisturizing formula. It makes my lips look soft and pillowy when I wear it alone, but I like jazzing it up with a layer of glossimer over top to really make the color glisten. Unfortunately, if you apply it over dry or chapped lips, the dryness will be accentuated. This lipstick lasts a bit longer on my lips compared to some of my other lipsticks - maybe around 4 hours or so.

Chanel Surprenante Rouge Allure Lipstick on my lips

Chanel Amour (166) Glossimer Review, Photos, Swatches!

Chanel Amour Glossimer

Chanel Amour Glossimer ($29.50) is a vibrant coral pink with fine multi-colored shimmer. This color in my eyes is the definition of Spring/Summer, and is a fabulous shade to rock all season long. Much like Chanel Sourire Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick (in my previous post), it's a great color for those with warm, golden undertones and will brighten the face instantly. The coverage is light but buildable, and pairs really well on top of any pink, peach or coral lipstick and it also looks great all on it's own.

Chanel Glossimers is one of my favorite formulas of lipgloss (alongside NARS and Bobbi Brown). The formula isn't thick and pasty, nor is it thin and watery. It's perfectly in the middle where you'd want it to be. It's thick enough to where it will adhere to your lips and last for several hours, and when you rub your lips together they will feel silky smooth and glossy - no stickiness what-so-ever. They are also packed with shine as most of the shades contain tiny particles of shimmer so your lips will glisten.

Also, this is one of the few lip products that I can get away with without having to moisturize my lips prior - it will keep them hydrated for however long I have it on my lips, and even a little while after.

If I had to choose, Bagatelle is definitely my favorite glossimer. It's like a softer version of Amour.

Chanel Amour Glossimer on my lips