YSL Touche Eclat: Review

As a beauty junkie, I am always looking to try out new products, and this iconic gold tube had been on my mind as I ran out of Benefit's Erase Paste. Despite some pretty bad reviews, I purchased it anyway. What I love about YSL's Touche Eclat is that it is so smooth. Unlike Erase Paste, it doesn't settle in any lines and it stays put.

Many of the bad reviews I read stated that Touche Eclat does a poor job as a concealer.  It is not a concealer. According to Sephora, "Touche Eclat banishes shadows and tired-looking eyes by adding light and creating an instant lift to the eye area. Touche Eclat widens eyes when used between the eyebrows and along the sides of the nose and created fuller looking lips when used in the hollow of the chin and around the contour of the lips. It's formulated for all skin" 

I use it in number 1, the lightest shade after I've used concealer, foundation, and powder underneath my eyes, in the inner corners, and above my lip because I like to have a light, luminescent look especially  under my eye area and feel as though applying it first, second or third diminishes the effect. 

The bottom line: I absolutely love this product and I would buy it again, however, I've seen lots of rave reviews on the significantly less expensive Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Concealer. I would love to know if any of you have compared the two.

P.S. I don't know how you beauty gurus take such flattering, flawless photos! I struggled like a fool for about 20 minutes to get a decent "up close" shot! I guess practice makes perfect. 

{Hair} Line I Love: Oribe

I fell in love with Oribe's hair products about a year ago, when I switched hair stylists. Surprisingly, I had never heard of Oribe, who is a world renowned hair stylist who has worked with countless celebrities and has styled several Vogue covers, Victoria's Secret fashion shows, Fall 2011 Runway shows, and famous Chanel and Louis Vuitton editorial campaigns. He has been in the hair biz for 30+ years, and is known to have made Jennifer Lopez's hair as famous as it is since her first album cover.

{Completely obsessed with this hair}

There are so many reasons why I love Oribe's products. What first caught my eye was the glamorous, rich looking, sleek packaging. I was surprised to hear from my stylist that all of the packaging is made from recycled materials, and Oribe's products are all vegan, made from plant extracts, vegetable proteins and vitamins.

The first Oribe product I purchased was the Signature Moisture Masque, after finishing Aveda's Damage Remedy which honestly seemed to dry out my hair. The Moisture Masque is so luxurious from the look of the jar to the smell. It makes my hair SO soft, like it naturally was when I was 5. I did have to talk myself into purchasing the 5.9 oz jar for $60, but it was well worth it.

Since then I also bought the Ultra Rich conditioner to prevent myself from using the moisture masque every day, which I love. It detangles my hair and smells just as good as the moisture masque.

And after using the Royal Blowout spray for my wedding hair trial (and wedding), I had to pick up a bottle. It's super light and doesn't weigh my hair down, which is great because I LOVE big hair.

I also have the Dry Texturizing spray and the 24k Gold Pomade sitting in my amazon cart. 

Read Rachel Zoe's review of the 24k Gold Pomade here.

Have any of you used Oribe's products? If so, which one(s) are your favorites?

Gift Guide Part 1

For a fashion lover, or virtually any woman, a Rent The Runway gift card is the perfect gift. *hint hint* *wink wink*

A little about RTR:

A RTR giftcard is so great because it allows your recipient to choose whatever they want to wear, eliminating any judgements that have to be made about someone's personal style, size etc.

Click Here to read my review of RTR

L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Self Tanner Review

I'm a sucker for buying different self-tanners although I usually try and stay away from drugstore self-tanners because they tend to be orange-y and streaky, leaving me looking like I have a skin disease. *note: I have had the same experience with some high-end brands as well! I'd heard lots of good things about L'Oreal Sublime Bronze Self Tanner and decided to try it. I am so impressed with how easy is is to apply: you can see the gel go on as it is already a bronze-y color. After a couple hours I had a very even tan that looked more like I had been out in the sun {brown} rather than slathering myself with a self-tanner {orange}. It has been 3 days since I've applied the tanner and it still looks great with no splotchy-ness. One downside: I got a really bad breakout on my chin, which could be attributed to something else (I'm thinking maybe constant diet coke consumption if not the self-tanner). I normally have clear skin and rarely break out. My word of advice to anyone who tries it is not to use it on your face just in case.
What is your favorite self tanner? Do you usually apply it to your face?

Chanel Hydramax Serum: A Review

During this time of the year, my skin freaks out, leaving me with flaky, chapped areas, especially on my forehead between my eyebrows. To maintain a smooth, moisturized appearance, I have a very high maintenence skincare routine. One of the most important products that has improved my skin tremendously is Chanel's Precision Hydramax Serum. Here's what it does, according to amazon:
- Activated waterproofing proteins to help restore moisture in cells
- Stimulates reconstruction of intracellular cement to preserve moisture between cells
- Skin surface is pampered with exceptional hydration & comfort
- Leaves skin soft, smooth, supple and protected
- Suitable for all skin types and ages

When I was at the Chanel counter, the saleslady told me that it actually changes the pH balance of your skin over time with regular use (the amazon description pretty much says this). This serum is supposed to be paired with your moisturizer to lock in the serum and keep your face looking hydrated all day. I use my La Mer moisturizer on top of the serum. I love, love the scent of the Hydramax serum, it's so light and fresh. It really does get the job done at hydrating the skin and never leaves my face looking greasy. I love that when I put my makeup on over the serum, it stays and applies fabulously. The consistency is more like a gel than a moisturizer but it instantly hydrates the skin. My only complaint is the price; $80 for 1 oz, which brings me to...

Olay's Regenerist Regenerating Serum

I bought this serum about a year ago and I find it to be comparable to Chanel's Hydramax Serum. I don't know if it has long-term effects on the skin but it definitely does its job at hydrating the skin upon putting it on. If you don't want to spend the hefty $80 on the Chanel serum, I would say definitely pick this up for $17.50 at your local drugstore.