Lancome Rose Fresque Blush Review, Photos & Swatches!

Lancome Rose Fresque Blush Subtil

Lancome Rose Fresque Blush ($30) is described on the Lancome website as a dusty, rosey pink. It has a bit of a plummy tone to it, yet it's pretty neutral overall. It doesn't get very ruddy on the cheeks, so it will work well for cooler skin tones, and it doesn't pull too purple, so it will equally flatter warm skin. *Please bear in mind that the blush featured in this post is a sample size, so it is much smaller and doesn't include a brush.

One helpful way of picking out a good neutral for your coloring is by having a look at your natural lip color. Our lip color differs from skin tone to skin tone - look for tones of red, purple and pink. My natural lip color is a light-medium, rosy pink with a hint of red. A similar shade would flatter my cheeks. Always remember that "nude" or "neutral" differs with every shade of skin.  

The consistency is very soft, and it's not overly pigmented, so it provides a soft wash of color to the cheeks. I like using a soft, fluffy blush brush such as the Real Techniques Blush Brush, and lightly tap and swirl the color on my cheeks.

It has a soft, natural matte finish that doesn't look dull or powdery.

MAC Blossom Culture Sheen Supreme Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

MAC Blossom Culture Sheen Supreme Lipstick

MAC Blossom Culture Sheen Supreme Lipstick ($16) is described on the MAC website as a soft pink with (white) pearl. It has a hint of coral, so it will work exceptionally well on warm skin tones. It's semi-opaque, and seems to enhance my natural lip color, while bringing a little bit of color to my face. It's a natural shade, making it great for daily wear, yet the hint of coral adds a little bit more. I think it's a great summer shade and will pair well with bronzed cheeks and pinky-coral blush!

If you aren't familiar with MAC Sheen Supremes, they are an ultra-creamy, moisturizing formula with a shiny finish. In some ways, they kind of remind me of the texture of Revlon Lip Butters (but creamier) — they feel like a soft, creamy lip balm, yet the coverage is opaque.

I love MAC Lipstick, and I'm crazy about Sheen Supremes. If you're a MAC fiend like myself, I urge you to check them out. I'm sure you'll fall in love too!

MAC Blossom Culture on my lips.

Dolce and Gabbana Darling Passion Duo Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

 Dolce and Gabbana Darling Passion Duo Lipstick

Dolce and Gabbana Passion Duo Lipstick ($34) is a 2-in-1 hybrid of rich cream color and satin gloss. The outside lipstick layer provides most of the color, while the middle gloss layer provides shine. Darling is a glistening, warm peachy-pink with a cotton candy pink center. It's a lipstick that falls in the natural/nude category, and one that I find to be very sophisticated. It has light pigmentation (buildable) and leaves my lips glowing!

Although it's not the first time this type of design has been created, and with my personal experiences, 2-in-1 products tend to be failures (usually exceeding in one aspect and falling short in the other) - automatically I think of cream blushes that "can also be used on the lips", which usually ends up in dry, shriveled lips, but perfectly stained cheeks. Well, my good ol' friend D&G hit the nail on the head with the passion duo lipsticks, as the overall formula isn't anything short of fabulous.

The formula is silky smooth and feels great on the lips. The moisturizing ingredients in this lipstick seem to sink into my lips quite well without further drying them out.

The lipstick does have a noteworthy scent/taste of roses. Although it's not crazy strong, it's there. Imagine the scent of Guerlain Meteorites on your lips - that's exactly what it's like.

Darling is actually one of the sheerer passion duos, so the lasting power is very average. I've read that the more pigmented (darker) colors stick around much longer. If you're looking for a sexy, warm red, check out Incognito. (View Crystalis007 review & lip swatch - omg!)

D&G Darling Lipstick on my lips.

Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Luminous Cheek Colour

Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Luminous Cheek Colour ($44) is a mid-tone cool pink (bubblegum pink) powder blush with a matte finish. Although it has cool undertones, I don't find it to be overly cool, and would be suitable for warm and cool skin tones. Obviously I have very warm, medium skin, and it works well on me without leaning purple or appearing ashy.

I've also worn this blush after my faux tan has faded, and on light skin, it gives a natural flush to the cheeks. It's a bit reminiscent of the pink hue the cheeks would turn on fair skin after a light jog. While running errands yesterday, I had to stop a couple of times in the mirror and admire how pretty it is!

The texture is smooth and very finely milled, so there shouldn't be any problems with blending.

The pigmentation is good - just where you'd want a bright blush like this to be, so you won't end up over-doing it. It's always best to lightly tap the blush with your brush and apply it to your cheeks, and go back for more if necessary, rather than going full-force at once.