Benefit Watt's Up! Luminzer / Highlighter review + swatches

       With the invention of the incandescent light bulb, a simple carbon filament on a current, Thomas Edison lit up the modern world! Though Edison was not the first to invent a light bulb, his model (US Patent 223898) was the first to be commercially practical.

         Today, I'm sharing my thoughts on Benefit Watt's Up?, an aptly named, light bulb festooned highlighter that, like its inspiration, adds a glow to your face round the clock! I've been playing around with this lovely Benefit Watt's Up? mini, thanks to its inclusion in this year's Sephora birthday set.

Incidentally, the light bulb pictured here happens to be from my vanity!

           Benefit Watt's Up is a cream to powder highlighter that imparts a champagne glow. I've made some comparison swatches of Watt's Up next to some of the highlighters in my collection. Bobbi Brown Beige Shimmer Brick is the most similar and also has a champagne glow, though it is a bit more golden. Guerlain Terracotta Sun In The City (reviewed here) is a warm gold; you can see that Watt's Up is more champagne in comparison. NARS Copacabana multiple (reviewed here) is much lighter, whiter, and a bit cooler in tone.

           Of the delightful retro references in the brand's makeup line, Benefit Watt's Up? is undoubtedly my favorite. The champagne sheen is gorgeous, plus the nod to Edison's 'bright idea' is enough to make this science-loving gal glow!

          Thanks for reading! Have you tried Benefit Watt's Up? What are your favorite highlighters? What Benefit products would you recommend?

Love, Dovey.

Five for Friday

          Happy Friday! For this Friday's quick post, here are five discoveries or rediscoveries that made it into my makeup rotation this week. Benefit Brow Zings in Dark has become my go-to brow powder. I've had it for a while, but it sat neglected due to the occasional breakouts the wax side gave me. Now I just use the powder and it works fine. Illamasqua Naked Rose is a new for Summer 2012. It definitely provides a rose shade when worn. Hopefully I'll review this soon! MAC Orange Tempera is from the MAC Hey Sailor collection, of which I have a few nice pieces. I love the stripes! I'm not a gloss person, but I've been reaching for this really often. It's also my first MAC lipglass, if you can believe it! YSL Voile de Blush (gel blush) in Carmine Veil has a really nice light tint. I think this will be all too easy to use up. MAC Innocence Beware is a lipstick that was originally released with MAC Villains and then thankfully released a second time with MAC Shop MAC Cook MAC. It's a really nice light nude.

          Thanks for reading! What are some of your discoveries or rediscoveries this week?

Love, Dovey.

Package from Best Things in Beauty

          Happy Friday everyone! Today I'm sharing the contents of a wonderful package I received from Charlestongirl of Best Things in Beauty. Recently, I won Charlestongirl's Sunday Riley Prismasilk Eye Color in Moon Dust giveaway. You can imagine how excited I was to win; Sunday Riley is a brand I would not have had the chance to try otherwise! When I opened the package, I was delighted to find surprise treats inside:

1. Tom Ford Lavender Palm eau de parfum - the scent is unlike anything I have. I smell what I imagine to be a crisp earthy palm with a hint of the low key lavender. This is definitely not my usual, but I'm intrigued and find myself going back to sniff my wrists.
2. Sunday Riley Prismasilk Eye Color in Moon Dust - I'm not allowed to touch this until I get swatches. I'll try to work on that this weekend.
3. Chanel Le Blanc Brightening moisturizing creme - can't wait to try this. My face has recently been ravaged by a new found food allergy, so I'm waiting til things settle down before trying this treasure. The lotion has such a perfect lotion smell and I love brightening products in general.
4. Benefit "that gal" brightening face primer - I'm so happy to get Benefit samples. Even their minis have cute packaging! Benefit is a brand I'd love to dip a toe into.
5. Benefit High Beam - I've been wanting to try this for ages, and a mini is perfect since only a little is required. I blended out a swipe on my right cheek; it is a major highlight. High beam is the perfect descriptor.

         I'm all smiles after opening my package. Every little piece is something I'm looking forward to trying. Thank you Charlestongirl for your generosity. I'm really over the moon with Moon Dust and the rest of my new goodies!

        Thanks for reading! Have you tried any of the pieces shown here? Have you tried Sunday Riley? What are your favorite Benefit products?

Love, Dovey

Makeup Minis

      
          As I mentioned in my first edition of makeup minis, I have so many makeup and cosmetic samples that need to be used. I constantly have a small collection of them on my makeup tray and stashed in other places, including my fridge! I certainly don't need a subscription service to samples, as I'm already swimming in them. Sampling can be fun because there are hits and misses. Here are my sample reviews in order from best to worst.

THE GOOD:

1. Burt's Bees Banana and Beeswax Hand Creme -  To be fair, Burt's Bees jar hand cremes are at HG status for me. The consistency is waxy and a little oily. It doesn't vanish as well as normal hand lotions. The moisturizing and healing capacity is amazing. In the winter, this is the only thing that can heal my painfully chapped hands.  My favorite formula is actually Almond Milk, but the Banana and Beeswax is nice too.

2. NARS Smudge proof eyeshadow base - I love this shadow base! It holds shadows and liner slightly better than Urban Decay Primer potion. The color is clear when applied. I've used up most of this sample, but I keep scraping with the wand hoping for more. I'm not sure if I will splurge on this in the future, although it is my favorite shadow base. The opaque bottle makes it hard to see how much is left and I don't like the un-hygienic wand. Because the bottle would be finished more quickly, I think it would become an expensive habit.


3. Smashbox Photo Finish lid primer - This is also a great shadow base. I'm surprised, since I haven't heard much about this before. I would say the eyeshadow and liner holding capacity is great. There is a color to the base that is more prominent than UDPP. It's almost concealer-like. I like how it covers up some of the vessels / imperfections in my lid. The color looks fine on my skin, but I think it might look odd on paler or darker skin tones. Again, I don't like the wand.





THE BAD: 
 
4. Benefit Ring my Bella fragrance - This is a fruity smell. It reminds me of Bath and Body Works' Sun Ripened Raspberry. I like raspberry, but I'm not that impressed, considering this is supposed to be a more expensive scent. The scent also seems rather synthetic.

5. Smashbox Lash DNA mascara - Can I count the number of ways I dislike this mascara? First, let's start with the pseudo-science-y name. I'm not sure what they were going for with "Lash DNA." Lashes don't even have DNA. Second, the barrel is impossibly large (see photo above).  Either you poke yourself in the eye, or end up applying to the tips. Third, the formula clumps. It's very volumizing, but incredibly clumpy. I've tried layering this on top of another mascara to add a little volume. It works, but adds too many clumps. I was glad to find it's been discontinued. 

         That ends this episode of Makeup Minis. Are there any mini hits or misses you've experienced lately? Thanks for reading!

Love, Dovey.

Beachy Keen

Here's an array of products I've been reaching for the past couple of days. The theme is soft, glowy, nude tones, with precisely defined eyes and brows. Hence, beachy keen! (Does that make sense to anyone besides me? I thought it sounded cute.)

I'm still using my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in Beige Pastel every day. It still wears well despite the warmer weather. I don't think I'll have to buy a darker shade for a while at least, especially when combined with bronzer. On top, I layer different amounts of Dior Nude Glow Healthy Glow Summer Powder in Aurora for a slight tan allover and heavier as a blush / bronzer / contour on cheeks. I add a slight dusting of Bobbi Brown Shimmer brick in Beige as a highlight. One thing I've learned not to do, is to add blush on top of Aurora. I tried a slight amount of NARS O for added color, and that was too much flush for my skin. Along with my naturally flushed lips, it was just too much! I'm not complaining though--- I prefer simplifying anyhow.

For eyes, I've been reaching for a nude "my eyes but better" look. After a layer of UDPP, I place a base layer of Bobbi Brown Navajo eyeshadow, a sheer pinkish off-white, all over, up to the brows. On the lids, I blend in Bobbi Brown Nude Beach eyeshadow, which is a nude shimmer. The shimmer is barely perceptible, and makes the lids slightly more luminous. I line my eyes with my new Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in Expresso into a slightly winged shape and finish with a few layers of Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara. I've been trying to incorporate more brown into my eyes, instead of my usual grays, since it fits a summery theme! Brows are defined with Benefit Brow-Zings.

I keep forgetting to include my lip products in photos. My favorite lately has been Bobbi Brown Rich Lip color in Bare Pink, which is a pale beige-pink. It smells like vanilla ice cream, which is a definite plus!

And, a final closeup of Dior Aurora and Bobbi Brown Beige shimmerbrick. Actual swatches are forthcoming, but I need to wait for actual daytime-sunlight on the weekends so I can take better photos!

Hope you're hanging in there this week. Thanks for reading!

Love, Dovey

April 2011 Favorites - neutral and navy

Smells like spring! I sat on the porch for a few minutes this morning just soaking up the sun. The end of April means fewer rain showers (I hope), May flowers,  and... time for monthly makeup favorites!

1. NARS Blush in Orgasm - HG.  Some people don't like the high sheen to pigment ratio, but I love it. I think face shape plays a role--- those with rounder or fuller cheeks or faces probably wouldn't like this, however those in need of more fullness in the cheek area (like me) will love it. See more here.

2. Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzer in Aruba - My newest bronzing powder that gives a barely perceptible glow. This is great because the whole "bronzed goddess" look really isn't my thing. It does give me a subtly more tanned look that is impossible to overdo.

3. Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in Black - I've gone back to this liner after using wet powder shadows previously. It gives a great strong black line that's easier to apply since extra steps (like wetting brush) aren't required)

4. Smashbox eyeshadow trio - This was part of a recent 500 point perk from Sephora (in fact, it's probably still available now if you're interested and have points). The trio is composed of vanilla, champagne and bronze shades that are great for a soft wearable eye. This was my first experience with Smashbox products, and I have to say I was pretty impressed at the texture and quality of colors. I prefer more dramatic shades, so I'm passing this palette along to my mom, but I'll definitely be looking into more Smashbox in the future.

5. EcoTools Bronzer Brush - My favorite brush (see it here). I still use this everyday for blush, and find it hard to believe that it's less than $10!

6. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in Beige Pastel - I had more skin issues this month so I was using foundation more frequently. The water based formula doesn't irritate my sensitive skin (at least not that much). I just looked at a couple pictures of myself with friends recently, and my skin looked great =). Read more on Vitalumiere Aqua here.

7. Benefit Brow Zings in Dark - A recent acquisition, not completely of my own volition since I'm not a Benefit fan. Due to an event (I'll write about later) I had to buy $50 worth of Benefit. It's a tinted wax that is supposed to shade and hold your brows in place. I use it everyday, and it does make my brows look pretty good, albeit a tad too dark.

8. Bobbi Brown Dress for Success eyeshadow palette - At first, I didn't think the looks I'd create from these colors could be that versatile, seeing as two out of five colors were dark liner shades, and the white is a base shade. However, I found that shading my lids in the shimmery nude then blending the navy blue in the outer V made for a really pretty smoky eye.

9. Bobbi Brown Extreme Party mascara -   My favorite mascara thus far. Although it doesn't give the mega impact that others might give with fewer layers, I prefer this formula and brush since the clumping is minimized and my lashes stay separated.

10. Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color SPF15 in Bare Pink (not pictured) - A really pale nude with a hint of pink that balances out a heavier eye. I'll feature a few Rich Lip colors in the blog soon. These lippies really deliver on creamy texture and rich color.  Grade: A+


Here's a closeup of this month's products so you can get an idea of the general color scheme I've been going with. They're natural tones, with a fresh pop of blush, and some navy smokiness in the eye.

And a closeup of one of my favorite houseplants: the zebra succulent. Aren't the stripes fun?

I hope you enjoyed this month's edition of favorites! I can already tell that next month will be different. So far I've been playing around with NARS Orgasm illuminator and dusted off my Urban Decay Naked palette. I've got my eyes on a couple NARS products and maybe a MAC lippie. We'll see what happens.

Any favorites out there? I hope you're enjoying the new green buds and balmier weather too!

Love, Dovey