Cantaloup Artistique Blush by Troy Surratt

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

I'm not sure when orange became one of those colors that I naturally gravitate towards, but I know it has to have been after high school.  Back then, I thought orange was one of the ugliest colors, ever.  Funny how tastes change.

Enter Cantaloup Artistique Blush by Troy Surratt, a new cosmetic brand exclusive to Barney's.  Described as a "golden melon", this is a color I'm simultaneously drawn to and that pushes my blush color boundaries.

The packaging is both sleek and minimalistic, as

founder Troy Surratt believes that “All good design eliminates excess waste and is responsible.” With minimal and recyclable materials, his Artistique Blushes reflect that philosophy.

Housed in a custom-tooled case, with no aluminum separating the makeup from its holder, the plastic container can be recycled once the blush is finished.  It will also fit into build your own palettes that are sold separately, using an adhesive backing.  Not sure how I feel about that, although I get that using a magnet would have defeated the whole easy to recycle aspect.

The color is actually quite soft, although it does have a decidedly yellow undertone.  I've worn it on it's own and wasn't quite sure if it took me into sallow territory without providing much color.

Cantaloup alone

I love the formula, however, which is finely milled and one of those that melds nicely into the skin with a natural looking finish.  So, I decided mixing it over a cream blush was the way to go, as it warms up the underlying color but the color mixing keeps it from leaving me jaundiced looking.  Below I'm wearing it over Elizabeth Arden's Ceramide cream blush in Nectar (review here).  Win/win, I think!

Cantaloup over Nectar

The Artistique blushes come in ten different shades, retail for $32, and are exclusive to Barney's New York.  Really nice formula - I like!

MAKE Luminous Lip Gloss Cream in Dragon Fruit

Disclaimer:  This was a GWP.

MAKE is a newish brand that also has a mission to give back, with 10% of retail sales going to the nonprofit organization We See Beauty Foundation, which benefits women-run, worker-owned cooperative businesses.  I got Dragon Fruit as a gift with purchase from Barneys, and I really like it!

I love that I'm getting a vibrant, high shine medium pink color in this gloss.  It gives plenty of color used alone, but my optimal combo turned out to be using it on top of a lip tint such as the Tarte Lipsurgence Lip Tints. 

I found the gloss to be moisturizing, comfortable to wear, with a slight minty scent, relatively non-sticky, and a wear time of about 3 hours.  Good formula and no complaints here!  These are $25 and I'm seeing 22 different colors in the line, including a really intriguing blue with pink shimmer called Sea. 

May Birchbox: Freewheeling

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

May's Birchbox featured a super cool inner box design that matched the Kate Spade Saturday.com insert card, which was good for $25 off of a $75 purchase.  Kudos for the design aspects :-)

I also got some samples that I really liked, such as the Salt Scrub bon bon in Citrus Splash ($4.50) by Sumbody.  It really did leave my skin smooth and moisturized.  The downside was that it only lasted for about 3 uses, and a set of three is $13.50.  That wouldn't even last me a month.  Great travel item though!

My next favorite item is the Pixi Beauty Shea Butter Lip Balm in Coral Crush ($8).  It feels moisturizing, smells good, and provides a nice wash of color.  These must be popular, as I notice they are currently out of stock at Birchbox.

I've actually got a full sized version of the Cotz Face Natural Skin Tone SPF 40, but the samples sizes ($2.47) are nice for travel.  This works well for me as a primer/sunscreen and does provide that nice blurring effect.

I've yet to try the Votivo Candel Travel Tin ($8) in Azure Garden, but the scent notes sure do sound (and smell) nice: top notes of grass, blueberries, and grape hyacinth with floral scents, grounded in teakwood and vetiver.

Last up is a trio of Color Assure haircare samples from Nexxus.  I'm not buying into the whole primer for your hair concept.  Do I really need to protect my hair from water?  It's good to see that the shampoo is sulfate-free, at least. 

Overall, a nice month with an approximate value of $23.  Looking forward to June's box, which I should receive in the next few days.

NOTD: Miss Conduct by Orly

Miss Conduct will be making my "best of" list for 2014, it's that good.  I know it wasn't released in 2014, but I'm just now getting around to wearing it, and I'm a smitten kitten.

This raspberry scattered holo has a nice formula that is easy to work with, no issues to speak of.  I'm going on 4 days of wear as I type this and have minor tip wear only.

This is 2 coats with Seche Vite as my top coat.  Seriously, what's not to love?  I'll be revisiting this beauty, no doubt!  What are you wearing this week?  Linking up with The Nail Files hosted by Jennie Shaw:

Amaryllis Lip Chic by Chantecaille Beaute

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

The Lip Chic line by Chantecaille Beaute is described as the "perfect combination of gloss and lipstick", and it does indeed have a lovely glossy finish.  I'd say it's more sheer than most lipsticks, however, although you are still getting plenty of color. 

Amaryllis is a rosy red that would probably look good on most complexions.  It's one of those easy to carry off colors, and the sheer gloss makes it one of those that you can toss in your bag and apply at will, no mirror necessary.  Really, a great summer accessory :-)

The formula is light but I still get a good 3-4 hours of wear.  My lips are comfortable (no irritation, which is hit or miss for me as I seem to react to an unknown ingredient in some lip formulations), and feel nicely moisturized for the duration of wear.  Added collagen is supposed to provide a lip plumping boost, and there are no parabens in the mix.

Chantecaille Beaute is a high end brand, and these baby's are $35, although I've got to say the products have not left me wanting.  This is a very nice treat that I can see myself reaching for often!

April Eco Emi: Earth Day

April's Eco Emi box honored Earth Day, which is kind of what they do every month :-) So let's take a closer look.

The beauty items were a Lavender Eye Makeup Remover ($6) from Homespun Northwest.  I use an oil cleanser to remove my makeup so don't usually use a separate eye makeup remover.  Consequently, I've yet to try this out.

There was also an edible cocoa based Love Dust ($10) from The All Natural Face.  It smells nice and provides a bit of shimmer to the skin.  Could be nice now that it's sun dress wearing weather.  The vegan formula contains mica, raw sugar, cocoa, and organic cornstarch.

The Tree of Life Bath Fizzy ($2.47) from Fortune Cookie Soap Company is really a lovely little thing to behold.  I don't take baths, but I did chip off some to use as a foot soak.  I'm fortunate I didn't cut a finger off doing that - next time I'll just dip part of it in the water and let it dissolve.  The scent is described as a dewy "blend of lily and jasmine with lemon & refreshing ozone, tilled with damp earth and freshly cut green grass."  I like it.

I realize I'm a geek, but I was probably most excited by the toothpaste samples.  I used one this past Saturday when I took my mom to see Joan Rivers perform at the IP Casino in Biloxi.  Not bad (the toothpaste), and I personally love the packaging as it's small, easy to use, and one was perfect for an overnight visit.  As for Joan Rivers?  That woman is a trip - nothing is off limits for her!  After the show, my 71 year old mother turned to me and said "she was phenomenal". 

I also enjoyed the Tropical Peach Liquid Drink Mix ($1.16) by Organic Flavorz.  The packet lasted me about a week, as a quick squirt was all I used to get a bit of flavor in iced water.  Not pictured is an Honey Organic Stinger Waffle ($1.39) that I sadly didn't care for, as it was a bit gummy in texture.  No earth day themed box would be complete without a packet of seeds, and I got one ($2.50).  One day I should probably try planting something.

The total value of this months box was about $20.50.  I find that most Eco Emi boxes range in value from about $17 to $22 (I pay $15 each month), but the value for me is more about discovering new natural and green based products.  After 2 years of subscribing, I'm still enjoying Eco Emi!

Ambient Lighting Palette by Hourglass

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

I purchased the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette back in November when it was still a limited edition item, and it sold out not long after that.  Hourglass has brought it back, however, so I thought I'd share my thoughts/feelings on this item. 

If I had to sum it up in a single word:  love.  I love that  you get three variations of the Ambient Lighting powders, including my favorite to date, the beige Dim Light.  That's my go to all over face powder, as it mattifies my skin without making it look chalky or mask like - just a realistic looking and skin enhancing finish

Then there is Incandescent Light, which I use as a highlighter on all the usual places.  It's not frosty in the least and therefore does not emphasize pores, but it does pick up the light nicely.  This shade is not available in the single palettes, and I like that I'm getting something unique as part of the palette.

Last is Radiant Light, which can be used to add warmth to the face, much like a bronzer.  I actually like it as a blush, especially over a neutral toned cream blush, which is how I'm wearing it below.

Yes, the palette is expensive at $59, but I see it lasting for a long time.  Do not overswirl your brush with these, as it isn't needed and will waste product and kick up dust.  One swipe is plenty to pick up powder, and I just repeat as needed.  I love the soft focus finish I get.  I've got oily skin and I can't say that these are work horses as far as absorbing oil, but they do wear well and extend my foundation  somewhat.

 I'm glad Hourglass brought the palette back, I hope it stays a part of their permanent collection!