SEPHORA+PANTONE UNIVERSE COLOR OF THE YEAR BLUSH DUO

A limited edition blush duo from Sephora, in my opinion it is the best blush product(s) from Sephora so far. The entire SEPHORA+PANTONE UNIVERSE COLOR OF THE YEAR COLLECTION is very intriguing but the blush duo is what I was most attracted to. Upon testing out both colors in Sephora, I knew immediately that I was going to love this blush duo. The shimmery side (Coral) as well as the matte side (Desert Flower) are well pigmented, soft on the skin, and long lasting. Here's how Sephora describes this product:

What it is:
A luxurious blush duo in tangerine-inspired shades.

What it does:
This micro-fine pressed-powder duo delivers unprecedented wear in combination with extreme comfort and color purity. The spirited color combination was inspired by the Color of the Year and each shade can be worn alone or layered for a contoured look. Light, yet creamy to the touch, this translucent powder is packed with brown seaweed extract to keep your skin soft and supple. Smooth away fine lines and blemishes with a veil of natural coverage and give cheeks a warm, energized flush.

This set contains:
- 2 x 0.38 oz blush in:
- Coral, Pantone #16-1539 (pinkish orange with gold shimmer)
- Desert Flower, Pantone #15-1435 (light orange matte)

What else you need to know:
United by a passion for color, Sephora and Pantone combine their expertise to become beauty’s leading authority on color. Sharing an affection for how color can transform a face, mood, or even an attitude, this breakthrough beauty partnership will change how you wear, feel and think about color. You’ll be introduced to playful shades that will inspire experimentation and exhilarating new products you’ll impulsively want to sweep on. It will reawaken and reinvigorate your own passion for color—or ignite a newfound love. Join us in celebrating Color of the Year: Tangerine Tango!

At first look, it may look like couple of bright scary orangey colors but on the skin they are both lovely peachy apricot-ish colors perfect for spring and summer seasons. The shimmery color (Coral) feel so soft, almost velvet like. The matte color (Desert Flower) is also very soft. Both colors are non-powdery and blend very well. Both are well pigmented, with Coral being more intense. They look great layered. I like to apply Coral first and then Desert Flower more so on the upper cheek area to get a contoured look. Both colors can be applied on their own to give a sheer wash of tint: Coral for nice shimmery peachy golden glow, Desert Flower for soft apricot tint. Both colors can be built up for more intense night out colors.

I'm not too crazy about the packaging of this product. The top is thick semi transparent plastic slab held down to the white plastic case by strong magnets on four corners. At first I thought it looked cool but because there are no hinges to hold down the top, it can come off easily while inside a bag being tossed around with other stuff...

I was first attracted to this product due to the lovely colors but after trying it out I ended up loving everything about this product (except the packaging...lol): pigmentation, texture, blendability, lasting power, and most importantly, how lovely it looks on the cheeks!

Now that I've tried the blush duo and ended up loving it, I'm thinking of trying other SEPHORA+PANTONE UNIVERSE COLOR OF THE YEAR COLLECTION products...

 

Or maybe I should've just bought the combination set!

Hmm, it is cheaper to buy the combination set rather than buy each products separately... but since I already have the blush duo I won't be buying the set. Perhaps I'll try the eyeshadow quad next...

What do you think? What do you want to try from this collection? If you already tried, do you love it or hate it?

BRAZILIAN PEEL (Professional Strength Glycolic Acai Anti-Oxidant Facial Treatment)

This at-home chemical (glycolic) peel kit comes with 4 application dosages and promises professional strength treatment that's 5 times stronger than most at-home peel treatments currently available at retail. This kit can be purchased at Sephora for $78 USD. Here's what they claim:

Brazilian Peel™
What it is:
An at-home, professional-strength peel with four once-a-week applications.

What it is formulated to do:
The Brazilian Peel firms skin, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, and helps you maintain a radiant, youthful complexion. Formulated with 30-percent glycolic acid, the nourishing antioxidant açaì, and the innovative Q-Mag Neutralizer, Brazilian Peel is the first professional-strength peel designed to deliver deeper, long-lasting results at home.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petrochemicals
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

What else you need to know:
With 30-percent glycolic acid, Brazilian Peel delivers a concentration of this powerful ingredient five-times stronger than other peel products available on retail shelves. This product will not cause redness and is dermatologist tested to be safe and non-irritating.

Research results:
- 100% of the evaluable subjects had improvements in skin brightness in at least one area of the face, as graded by the investigating dermatologist
- At least 70% of the subjects found their skin to be softer and smoother
- At least 70% of the subjects had increased facial brightness
- At least 70% of the subjects found their skin to feel firmer and more toned

Brazilian Peel Brazilian Peel™ 4 Applications

This is one of the best at-home peel treatments I've tried so far and I've tried several different types from top brand name products to drug store products. It received Allure magazine's 2010 Breakthrough Award!
Some at-home peels that claimed professional strength has irritated my skin in the past (strong tingling sensations that left my skin red and blotchy after use) while products that claimed they are gentle or for sensitive skin offered no visible improvement even after several uses. It comes with 4 application dosages packaged separately in syringe style tubes. The syringe is squeezed out right before application.

When the products are squeezed out and mixed, it warms up. This product felt gentle on the skin; there was a mild warmth and slight tingling sensation upon application which subsided within a minute. It's important to apply the mixture on clean and dry face and neck while the mixture is still warm. Wash with cool water after ten minutes and you're done!

After the first use, my skin felt noticeably smoother and brighter. The results are long lasting and got better with each use. To get ideal results the entire kit (4 applications) should be used within 4 weeks, once a week. After using all 4 applications, my skin appeared more toned, smooth, and bright. I'm very satisfied with the results and will definitely be re-purchasing this kit! One downfall is that this kit is not sold where I live (Canada)! I bought it while I was in US so I'll have to wait until next time I'm in US to buy this product again. I'll be sure to buy more than just one;)

Tokidoki Prisma Glosses & Fantastico Lip Inks

Tokidoki Prisma Glosses & Fantastico Lip Inks

Tokidoki Prisma Glosses in (from top) *Rocketeer, Devil Girl, Monkey Pirate, *SANDy.

These Glosses are $15USD/ $20CAD each at Sephora stores or Sephora.com. 

Rocketeer and SANDy are on sale for $7USD/$9CAD!

Here's what Sephora says about these glosses:

What it is:

A sheer, nourishing high-shine gloss with packaging that features characters from the magical world of tokidoki.

What it does:

This non-sticky formula comes with a yummy blueberry flavor, plus protective kudzu and marine extracts.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:

- Parabens

What else you need to know:

Each gloss cap holds a criminally cute tokidoki character inside a snow globe, so you can take the playful tokidoki spirit wherever you go. A clear silicone paddle applicator delivers uniquely smooth application. These products are not tested on animals.

&

Here are my thoughts on Tokidoki Primsa Glosses:

They smell amazing! All the glosses has same scent. They smell just like blueberry Jolly Ranchers! They don't taste as good as they smell but they don't taste awful either. Well, we shouldn't be eating our lip glosses anyway so lets move on...

All the glosses are sheer with slight pigmentations; some more so than others. There are no shimmers in any of the glosses. They all provide high shine crisp colors. 

The above are pretty thick swatches of each colors so you can imagine that when they are spread out on the lips the colors will appear more sheer with less pigmentation.

The description for these glosses on Sephora website claims that these glosses are non-sticky; they are not super sticky and gunky but I definitely wouldn't classify them under non-sticky! If you have long hair flowing around the wind, some will get stuck on your lips yes, which is to be expected when you are wearing most lip glosses. The stickiness seems to subside with time.

These glosses are so moisturizing! When first applied, they feel thick and somewhat sticky on the lips but  within minutes, the "thickness" and "stickiness" goes away and lips feel supple and moisturized.

tokidoki Prisma Lip Gloss Devil Girl

(sheer red orange)

tokidoki Prisma Lip Gloss ($15 Value) Rocketeer

(sheer plum)

tokidoki Prisma Lip Gloss ($15 Value) SANDy

(sheer green)

tokidoki Prisma Lip Gloss Monkey Pirate

(sheer brown)

The first thing that many of us notice with Tokidoki products are their cute packaging. The Prisma Glosses has one of the cutest Tokidoki packaging! Each gloss cap has a mini snow globe of Tokidoki characters.

The colors, Devil Girl, Rocketeer, and Monkey Pirate can be worn alone to give lips some color with your natural lip color still showing through but color SANDy doesn't look right worn alone unless your natural color lips but with shine and slight green undertone is what you are looking for. Overall I do like these Tokidoki Prisma Glosses. They smell and feel great on the lips. They are perfect for days when you want glossy lips with just a tinge of color AND they are also great to top off matte lipsticks or lip stains. My favourite combination is to wear a Prisma Gloss on top of a Tokidoki Fantastico Lip Ink (check below for more about Tokidoki Fantastico Lip Inks).

Here are the glosses that are currently on sale for $7USD/$9CAD:

Here's a set of 5 glosses ($75USD value) that's on sale for $32USD/$42CAD:

tokidoki Fantastico Lip Inks/Stains

Here's what Sephora says about them:

What it is:

A long-lasting lip stain with a soft-tipped marker component for easy application.

What it does:

Achieve intense, buildable lip color with this innovative marker pen, available in five vibrant colors with a delicious mango flavor. The lightweight formula contains moisturizing panthenol for healthy, hydrated lips. An airtight cap allows for effortless transport.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:

- Parabens

What else you need to know:

An air-tight cap ensures optimal results and convenience. These products are not tested on animals.

tokidoki Fantastico Lip Stain Nana Star

bright pink to reddish pink

tokidoki Fantastico Lip Stain Cactus Friends

coral to intense orangy-coral

Here's what I think of Tokidoki Fantastico Lip Inks/Stains:

These lip stains smell great and they are not as drying as most lip stains. The colors are decently pigmented. Most lip stains are intensely pigmented and they literally "stain" your lips with the first swipe but colors from these ones  start off somewhat sheer and can be build up to appear really intense.

Here's my video about lip stains (please keep in mind that this video is from April of 2010!)