YSL Black Opium Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette and Nuit Blanche editions

l-r Eau de Parfum (black glitter), Eau de Toilette (copper glitter), Nuit Blanche (white glitter)

Recovering from a disabled sense of smell, particularly a sense of smell that has been distorted, can be a tricky business. And, as a writer with a particular interest in fragrance, it makes life even more complicated, because sometimes I find I either can't smell a particular ingredient in a fragrance at all, or another ingredient will set off a parosmic reaction, and then I can't smell anything else in the fragrance whatsoever.  So writing perfume reviews is trickier for me than it ever was these days,  as I can't always be sure that what I register as a smell is literally what I'm sniffing, or  if it's just something that my smell-damaged brain is registering as a smell, in order to fill in some scented gaps.  Stay with me, it'll make sense in a minute why I'm mentioning this in a minute, I promise.

YSL Black Opium in particular is tricky for me, because the central ingredient in the fragrance - of whatever edition - is coffee.  And it just so happens that one of my most troublesome smells is coffee.  Back in the heady days before dysosmia struck, I loved the smell of coffee (I could take or leave drinking it though), its rich darkness and instantly recognisable savour was a delight.  During the worst of my parosmic days though, just the smell of someone putting a cup of coffee on their desk would cause me a whole world of distorted horror, and I'd occasionally have to excuse myself to go puke in the loos before I could continue working.  My reactions to coffee smells these days are much less dramatic however, and I can actually drink the occasional cup of coffee now, but I've discovered that I no longer register the smell of it.

All of which is a very long way of explaining that I can't smell the YSL Black Opium Eau de Parfum edition at all.  On paper, the fragrance might as well not exist, and on skin I just get a faint hit of celery, so if you want a "proper" review of the Eau de Parfum edition, this probably isn't the blog post for you. Sorry.  However, I can smell the freshness inherent in the Eau de Toilette edition of Black Opium quite well, and it's rather lovely, but I lack the ability to smell the whole thing with the coffeeness added in.  There's a fair bit of citrus up top, with some jasmine and musks and just a hint of orange blossom, which makes this a very easy wear, if not the most complicated fragrance you've ever tried.

Black Opium Nuit Blanche, however, I find the most interesting of the three, opening as it does with creamy almond, almost marzipan-like top notes, making this more of a frothy cappuccino than the "espresso" of the original.  There's some orange blossom there too, lending a silky greeness to the crreamy nuts, and there's a milky-caramel accord too.  Altogether, this is far more gourmand than the other two, and it's probably the only one of the range that I'd consider wearing on a regular basis. Despite the lack of coffee, I like it, and I LOVE the bottles of the whole range.

I do just wonder what they smell like to other people?  It's a lonely life having a nose with brain-damage, you know.

The Fine Print: PR samples

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Finishing Touches (#LipsNspritz) of the Week 2nd May 2016

 Bright reds and dark berries, plus one glorious pink this week, alongside some classic fragrances too. Top left were the gorgeous white flowers of Narciso  For Her, which is a fragrance I love a great deal, and could even smell it slightly through my parosmia last year, which always grants a special place in my heart for a fragrance. I wore this on Friday with Mac Hot Tahiti, a soft and gentle red.  

Middle Left: I'd also worn Narciso Rodriguez Musc For Her this week, which is a powdery musk, somewhat clean-smelling (reminiscent, slightly, of laundry musks), but the oil format keeps it close to the skin.  I wore this with the most emailed about lipstick ever featured on this blog, Rouge Baiser 306, which I picked up in Paris a few years ago.  (Incidentally, I'm not a stockist or supplier of these lipsticks - which are only available in France - so, please, stop asking me to get them for you!)

Bottom Left: I wore Mugler Cologne, which features a little creaminess in amongst the usual neroli and bitter orange that you get in a classic cologne, making this just a little more interesting than the usual plain citrus blast you might get with a sharper cologne.  I wore this with It Cosmetics Vitality Lipstick Stain in Pretty Woman, which is a sheer deep berry.  I'll have a lot more to say about It Cosmetics products later on this week.

Bottom right is Chanel Rouge Coco Lip Stylo in 208 Roman, which is a beautiful bright pink.  I've not bought anything from Chanel in AGES, and it's hard to get across in this picture just how bright, beautiful and juicy these shades are in the flesh.  I'll be picking up some more for sure. I wore it with Chanel Exclusifs Sycomore, which is a fabulous smoky vetiver that I should really pick up a proper bottle of at some point.

And finally (top right) Reiss Grey Flower.  Still one of the most unusual and haunting fragrances you could buy on the high street for less than £50, it's filled with guaic wood, which has an oddly fleshy kind of effect (smelled neat, its a bit like parma ham), and this doesn't smell flowery, either.  It's hard to say what it smells like (apart from good, interesting, unusual), but it's definitely worth a sniff if you can find a bottle.  I paired it up with YSL Rouge Volupte No4, a bright and beautiful sheer red.  Not my favourite of formulas - I find it too slippery - but a gorgeous shade.

What have your favourite finishing touches been recently?

The Fine Print: PR samples and purchases


This post: Finishing Touches (#LipsNspritz) of the Week 2nd May 2016 originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

LipsNspritz of the Week 17 January 2016

I spent this week wearing some of the "big hitters" in my collection, and thoroughly enjoyed it!  I began the week with Chanel No19 and Max Factor Marilyn Monroe Collection Ruby Red, and enjoyed the grown-up sophistication (something I'm sorely lacking in naturally) of bitter greenness and aldehydes. Tuesday brought brash spice and a gentle hint of the barnyard in Estee Lauder's Cinnabar, which I paired with the (accidentally) matching Sunset Red of the same Max Factor collection (click the previous link to see what I thought of these lipsticks in full).  Cinnabar is warm and full-bodied and is rather wonderful in cold weather.

On Wednesday, I thought I'd wear what was the first "fine fragrance" I ever owned (at the tender age of 13!), O' de Lancome by Lancome.  I remember it as being the lemoniest thing on the planet, and, what can I say, my  memories aren't that reliable, because it isn't, of course, that lemony at all.  Yes, there's citrus, but there's also a hefty punch of green herbs behind the citrus, and I loved wearing this, I kept sniffing myself in delight at such a great re-discovery.  On Thursay, I wore Samsara, which was the Guerlain answer to YSL Opium (as was Cinnabar, now I come to think of it), but it has a lighter, fresher, more citrus take on the heavy spice and warm resins of the original Opium.

On Friday I took advantage of the fact that my boss was "working from home" to wear Dior Poison.  Well, why wouldn't you? Applied in a small dose - no more than two sprays, maximum! - Poison is actually a lovable tuberose fragrance, with an appealingly powdery drydown. Applied with a heavier hand however, it deserves all the opprobrium it gets.  It was surprisingly popular in the office, and people were amazed when I told them what it was! I wore it with Lipstick Queen Private Party, which is one of the best pinks ever.

Saturday daytime, I wore YSL Paris, another fragrance I used to wear in my youth. Remembered as a sugar-rich, sweet, sweet, SWEET confection, this rosily pretty fragrance is another done a disservice by my unreliable memory.  It's not the explosion in a candy-floss factory I thought it was and is actually a neon-rose-violet that I actually can't smell in too much detail.  Oh well, I'll keep trying with this one, it's a classic for a reason. I topped it up with Paradox for a night on the tiles with MrLippie, and that worked well.  I wore it with Zelens Lip Glaze in Nude, which is the only "nude" I ever wear...

And what have you been wearing? 


The Fine Print: A mixture of PR samples and purchases


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LipsNspritz of the week 10 January 2016

I fell in love this week, and I never expected to! It started on Monday with a brief squirt of Estee Lauder Youth Dew, and it continued later in the week and it ended up with my buying a bottle (or two!) of the matching bath oil, which is divine, by the way, and every home should have a (tiny) bottle. Youth Dew opens surprisingly bright with bergamot, and is fresher than I remember it, then once the top notes wear off, it is deep and rich with almost-medicinal balsams and resins.   It's not a fragrance for you if you prefer "clean" scents, but it's a grown-up, sophisticated and no-nonsense kind of a fragrance. I love it very much.  

On Tuesday (top row, middle), I wore Carven Le Parfum, which, after the confident brass balls of Youth Dew, seems a tiny, ladylike whisper of white flowers and office-appropriateness.  It's incredbly light and sheer and pretty, and as I generally prefer a bit of attitude with my fragrance, it's not something I'll wear too often in all honesty.  But if you like clean and pretty and light, it's very lovable indeed.

Wednesday (top right) saw me in Estee Lauder Sensuous Nude,  which is another light and office appropriate fragrance, and one which I don't wear too often as a result.  It's a little more interesting (to me) than the Carven, because this really does smell like warm, clean, freshly showered skin, and I like it, but it doesn't feel very "me".

Thursday saw me right back in my comfort zone, with Voyage d'Hermes by Hermes, in the parfum concentration.  A spiced (cardamom and juniper) rose over a bed of amber, this is surprisingly sexy for a diaphanous Jean Claude Ellena concoction, and is one of my all-time favourite fragrances of all time. It's one both myself and my husband wear (when I'm not hiding it from him that is), and we both  love.  Completely backup-worthy, this one.

Friday, I wore a vintage bottle of Nu by Yves Saint Laurent.  The first fragrance released by Tom Ford for YSL, Nu is a symphony of black pepper and incense, and was a) the first time I'd ever heard of Tom Ford, and b) realised that perfume didn't have to smell of just fruit and flowers.  Nu is spicy, peppery, and at the time that I bought it (around 2001) didn't smell like anything else on the market.  It was truly and original, and the fact that around approximately 60% of all new "niche" perfumes try to rip it off just goes to show how influential it was.  Another one of my favourites.

On Saturday I actually left the house and went for dinner with my husband (I never leave the house on Saturdays if I can possibly help it!) and to celebrate, I went with Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds.  Because: Elizabeth Taylor, White Diamonds. All powder and aldehydes, White Diamond is a true 80's classic, as long as you don't mind smelling like an exploded makeup bag.  Which, of course, I don't.

Lipsticks this week included (Mon-Sat) Max Factor lipgloss in Polished Fuchsia,  Guerlain Kiss Kiss in Very Cherry, Estee Lauder Pure Colour Envy in Rebellious Rose, Dior Addict Extreme in Paparazzi, Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Grand Palais, and (not pictured, but please see Monday's post this week), Max Factor Marilyn Monroe Collection No1 Red Ruby.  Pictured bottom left is actually Bare Minerals Moxie lip colour in Live Large, which is excellent.

So, what've you been wearing? 


The Fine Print: PR Sample


This post: LipsNspritz of the week 10 January 2016 originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

LipsNspritz 13 December 2015

I really enjoyed this week's #LipsNspritz, thanks to making a stupendous discovery about Shalimar that I've always missed before.  Sometimes having a "before" nose and an "after" nose thanks to my anosmia and my parosmia has it's blessings!  Anyway, more about that when I get to the Thursday part of today's post.

Monday was Aesop Marrakech Intense with Lanolips Apples.  I love the peppery-spicy rose of the original Aesop Marrakech a huge amount, without at all falling into the Christmassy spice trap, it's a true treat for spice lovers.  Ironically, Marrakech Intense drops a little of the peppery-tickly spiciness in favour of a brighter, greener, altogether fresher (without actually turning into a "fresh" scent) take on the spice market, but it's still lovely, nonetheless.  It's rosier too, and slightly easier to wear as a result, I guess.  Lanolips Apples is a lovely red balm that nourishes a treat on the lips, and never looks fuchsia when you're wearing it, which is something I really appreciate.

Tuesday brought DSquared2's She Wood and Givenchy Le Rouge Givenchy in Rose Dressing.  Sadly, something in the formulation of She Wood smells "burned" to my parosmic nose, and I wasn't able to get past that to smell anything else in there, but I'm given to understand that She Wood is a pleasant woody fragrance, designed to smell good to women who like to wear men's fragrances - it has vetiver in the base, which is, I suspect what my nose is reacting too.  I'll smell this one again in a few months, I think and see what happens then.  Givenchy le Rouge Givenchy  in Rose Dressing is a lovely neutral rose-pink, perfect for unthreatening days in the office.

Wednesday was YSL Black Opium and Lipstick Queen Rat Pack.  I'd not smelled Black Opium before, and it's a nice fragrance, but it's about as far removed from the original Opium as, say, the smell of freshly brewed coffee is.  Inoffensive, and packaged in a gorgeously sparkly bottle, it's a great perfume for people who don't remember the original, and just want to smell "nice".  Lipstick Queen Rat Pack, from the Velvet Rope collection is a fabulous red lipstick though, feather light, and with a HUGE punch of pigment, it's one of my favourites.  

On Thursday, I thought I'd wear Guerlain.  For some reason, in spite of not, actually, liking it very much, I have acquired at least five bottles of Shalimar, of differing strengths, formulations and vintages, but the old classic and I have never really gotten along that well.  I've always found it a thick, rather oily and smoky perfume, like an old fur jacket that's spent too long around cigar smokers, and I've found the vanilla overpowers literally everything else in the fragrance. I've read myriad reviews of Shalimar that rave about the bright and sparkling bergamot opening, but for some reason, my nose has always gone straight to the base, and not found it lovely.  However, this week, after having not worn Shalimar at all for a couple of years I sprayed it with some trepidation and presto!  Bright and sparkling bergamot ahoy!  It was a glorious revelation, all the more precious because I've literally never smelled it before.  Best of all, the bergamot beat the vanilla into submission so this was infinitely more wearable for me than ever before, parosmia or no parosmia. A happy discovery, and I'm looking forward to trying more of my Shalimar wardrobe as a result.  Lipstick was Guerlain Rouge G in Madame Flirte, a lovely soft red.

I was interviewing candidates for a job on Friday morning, so nothing too unusual or outré was required and this Eau des Minimes from Couvent Des Minimes was just what the doctor ordered.  A clean and classic herbaceous-citrus cologne, it was bright and lively, and not too long-lived.  And can I just say how much I love the packaging?  It's really rather lovely.  I wore Lipstick Queen Saint Wine, which may just be my favourite lipstick of all time with it.  Didn't want to scare the poor accountants!

Saturday was a pyjama day - still trying to shake this hideous cold off - but I dug out my bottle of Guerlain Teazzurra, which is one of their Aqua Allegorica collection (and, I believe, soon to be discontinued, so if you've been interested in it at all, then you might want to snap one up now).  Teazzurra is based around citrus and black tea accords, and it smells like nothing more than sweet, sift and lovely lemon tea.  Not the most sophisticated fragrance, possibly, and definitely not very complex, it doesn't last at all long, but it's lovely whilst it does.  I wore it with a Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Plushest Punch, because even when you're ill, sometimes you want to look (and smell) nice, don't you?

What've you been wearing this week?
  
The Fine Print: PR Samples and purchases.


This post: LipsNspritz 13 December 2015 originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

YSL Rose Babydoll Eyeliner

Yes, I'm a bit obsessed with pink.  And slightly obsessed with the YSL Babydoll collection, too.  I accidentally found myself with some vouchers on a discount day in Debenhams this week, so was able to pick this up for about £5 ...

Yes, it's pink eyeliner.  What's not to love?

Well, I'm not a fan of the brush to be honest, preferring something a little more substantial - I find these tiny thin, extremely flexible brushes are no friend to the cack-of-hand. Nonetheless, I can work with it, if I prop my elbow on something whilst applying.

The liner is a little thick, but is fairly spreadable, here you can see it applied both alone and with a little black pencil smudged into the lashes:

I spent Sunday with one eye like this, and one eye naked (it's a dogs life, being a beauty blogger, you know), now, dare I leave the house wearing pink liner (obviously on both eyes)?  Would you?

This post: YSL Rose Babydoll Eyeliner originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

YSL Babydoll Collection - Lips, Nails and Mascara

I have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting for this collection to launch!  I first saw it way back in February, and I've used the mascara non-stop since ...  A mini-collection, consisting of glossy lip stain, mascara, nail varnish, and several eyeliner shades, I had to pick up the lip stain and nail varnish as soon as it launched last week, and I also picked up a replacement mascara as I've used my sample up entirely in the few months since the press launch!

I've had a fairly disappointing experience with the Rouge Pur Couture Vernis A Levre (or glossy lip stain) previously, but I HAD to have this one, a cool raspberry, this shade is completely up my alley.

You can see the slightly blue undertones around the edges there.  When the gloss is in place, it's a rather hot pink shade, but very rich.  Unlike my previous GLS-experience, this one actually does leave a stain behind:

This can actually last a day or so after application, I've noticed.    Here's how it looks after approximately five hours wear which involved cocktails, and tiny sandwiches:

It does have a tendency to feather a little after a few hours, I've noticed, which is annoying, but it is a super-lovely shade ...

I do love YSL mascara's, but one of my main bug-bears with them is that they dry out too quickly.  I had to stop using Faux Cils as I was finding a tube only lasted about a month or so.  However, the Babydoll mascara formula is a massive improvement over that, and my initial tube lasted three months before I noticed it was clogging slightly.  I like the compact, short-bristled brush, and the very black formula.  Here's how it looks on the lashes:

Yes, my eyes ARE different colours, thanks

(YSL Babydoll on the left, bare lashes on the right - uncurled in both cases)

You can see it has a significant lengthening and curling effect, and I love it for not being cloggy, even after applying a couple of coats.  I have noticed (with the second tube, but not the first for some reason), that you can get smudges after a long while in wear, which is slightly annoying, but it's not the end of the world.

And finally:

Whilst it's not a particularly unique shade, I do have to say that I really like the new YSL brushes, which are wide enough almost to cover my entire (tiny) nail in one stroke.

Anything caught your eye recently?

The Fine Print: Mascara was initially a press sample, but all products featured in this article were purchased myself.
This post: YSL Babydoll Collection - Lips, Nails and Mascara originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine 4 Rouge in Danger Review

The YSL Rouge Voluptes have some of the nicest packaging on the market, however long-term readers (I know there's at least two of you) will know that I'm not the hugest fan of the formulation, I find it too greasy and slick, and it doesn't meld with the lips as well as I'd like.  Recently I was sent a preview sample of the latest addition to the range "Rouge Volupte Shine" in Rouge in Danger to try, and, being a fair-minded kind of person, I thought I'd give the range a second go.

Here are my thoughts:

First off the packaging is beautiful, in the same classic packaging as the original range, with a colour-co-ordinated band around the middle which matches the shade of the lipstick inside:

Daylight

Flash

The shade, Rouge in Danger is a glorious, bright, tomato red.  It's lovely, and it's surprisingly saturated for such a glossy finish.  A lot of these new "shiny" lipsticks from a lot of brands recently are essentially just a solid lipgloss, but Rouge Volupte Shine is very pigmented indeed, I was expecting just the merest whisper/hint of a sheer red tint from this, but I was pleasantly surprised:

Daylight

Flash

 On the lips, especially in natural daylight, this is even more pronounced:

It's an excellent, shiny, bright lipstick.  So, there is lots to love about it.  However, I'm still decidedly on the fence about the formula, and here's why (picture with flash):

 
 As with the original formula, I find this sits on the lips, and never melds with the skin itself.  It settles somewhat into lines and this makes it appear patchy.  If your lips aren't in tip-top condition (as my bottom one definitely isn't at the moment - though the top one is fine) then this will magnify and highlight every single flaw.

Overall, if you're already a fan of the YSL Rouge Volupte formula (and very, very, very many people are - I'm aware I'm in the minority here)  then you will love YSL Rouge Volupte Shine, there's a lot to love: beautiful packaging, brightly saturated colours, a fabulous shine and a nice mango scent.  However if you're on the fence like me, I'm not sure you'll be convinced.  Am I wrong?  I look forward to finding out in the comments!

YSL Rouge Volupte Shines are out on counter right now, in 19 different shades, and they cost £24.50.
   
The FIne Print: PR Sample.

This post: YSL Rouge Volupte Shine 4 Rouge in Danger Review originated at: Get Lippie All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post at Get Lippie, then this content has been stolen by a scraper

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres or Glossy Lip Stains

 

I'm months behind on reviewing these, there was a lot of blog-love for these a few months ago, and, I can't deny it, I'm underwhelmed with them.  A bit.  The shades are lovely, and I adore the applicators, but ... I just can't get them to stain my lips for love nor money.

According to Twitter, it's my fault for making poor colour choices, but ... heck, I don't want to take the blame for a product not working on me, frankly! I have shades 3 (Brun Cachemire), 12 (Corail Fauve) and 5 (Rouge Vintage).

On initial application, the shades are beautiful, even the brown, which I usually find difficult to wear.  This is thanks to it's purple undertones, which you should be able to see here:

So, we have a brown, a coral, and a pinky-red.  I love the shades, and I love how they look on my lips.  Some people have reported that they're very drying, I've never particularly had that problem with them, but this is my problem with them:

Can you see the stains?  No?  Me neither.  They are there though, I promise you.  These are billed as a glossy lip stain, I get the gloss, which I love, and I adore how pigmented they are, but I find they fade unevenly, and ... well ... the stain part is just non-existent!

How did you get on with YSL glossy lipstains?

This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

Yves St Laurent Travel Selection

He's a lovely boy, is MrLippie.  After his recent trip to Aberdeen, he brought me home this little box, which I couldn't wait to rip open. And what was inside?

A lovely pink pleather wallet containing four eyeshadows, a blusher and two lip colours:

Oh, it's so pretty.  Not all the shades are named, but the eyeshadows are (from l-r) Violet, Taupe, Parme, and Rose.  I have no idea what shades the lipsticks are, or the blusher.  Here are the swatches:

These are incredibly hard shadows, and proved extremely hard to swatch.  They're not nearly as deeply pigmented as the Stila shadows I showed you yesterday, and I got so fed up trying to get them to show up on my skin that I couldn't even be bothered to swatch the lipsticks.  It is possible, of course, that they will swatch better, or even wear better, over a primer, but I'm not entirely convinced.

Ultimate verdict, oh-so-pretty but ... could try harder, YSL.

The Fine Print:  Present.  Yes, I am looking a gift horse in the mouth, I'm afraid.  Here's hoping MrL never buys me a pony.

This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

YSL Volupte Sheer Candy - 02 Papaye Gelee

It must be said that YSL Rouge Voluptes have some of the prettiest packaging on the market.  That out of the way, I have to say that I am not a fan of the Rouge Volupte formula, finding it too greasy, and disliking the way the texture sits on your lips, rather then melds with your lips texture.  For such an expensive lipstick, personally, I think they're not worth the price, and, I've never quite understood their popularity, which I suspect is partially down to their undeniable prettiness - even MrLippie thinks they're "swish"!

Being of a fair mind - and, having tried the new sheer Dior  and Chanel lipsticks recently too - when I noticed that YSL had brought out a tinted balm version of their Rouge Voluptes, I thought I'd give one of them a try.  Having swatched all 6 shades, which go from an extremely pale pink, through to a red, I picked out shade number 2, which is Papaye Gelee, or "Dewy Papaya", and is a pretty coral shade:

This is really beautiful packaging, I much prefer the silver to the gold, and  on the lips, it's very moisturising, if a little lacking in pigment.  Yes, I do appreciate this is a balm, but I did notice on swatching that there was little to no difference between any of the colours on the pale side:

As you can see from the swatch, it's barely visible at all.  But this doesn't, actually, make this a bad balm.  It's nice to use, pleasantly scented (with no taste) of watermelon, and does make your lips feel soft and moisturised while you're using it.  I find that if I use it with a lipstain, it does have a tiny "brightening" effect on the colour, and for that reason, I'm glad I bought it.

So out of all the sheer/balm lipsticks I've tried recently, I think YSL wins on packaging (and price, being cheaper than both the Chanel and Dior), but ... the Chanel wins overall for comfort of wear, and range of colours. 


YSL Volupte Sheer Candy are currently exclusive to Harrods, and cost £20.


The Fine Print: Harrods stole my credit card, and gave me this in return.


This post originated at: http://getlippie.com All rights reserved.

YSL Belle D'Opium

Launched in what must be one of the prettiest bottles I've seen all year, Belle D'Opium is the latest fragrance from Yves St Laurent.

A "sister" scent to the original Opium, this is lighter, and designed - I guess - to be more of a complement to the current trend for the fruity-musky-woody stews that are all you can smell in modern fragrance these days.

Which is a shame.  I loved the original Opium, my father used to buy it for my mum by the bucket load (in massive duty-free flacons), and the heavy, heady, spicy oriental scent of carnations and smoke perfumes many of my memories.  Belle D'Opium has, sadly, about as much in common with the original Opium as I do with Cindy Crawford.

It starts off well, not too sweet, slightly dry and a bit flowery, but not overly so, and for the first 15 minutes or so it's perfectly  ... pleasant.  Inoffensive. No spices, no headiness, no intense desire to keep sniffing, and work out what the notes are, as you get with some perfumes, just ... niceness. A little warmth, maybe, but it's hard to tell how this is supposed to remind you of Opium at all, outside of the name.

Then, on my skin, it simply  ... disappears.  Completely.  Totally.  Utterly. It disappears with such a total and abrupt thoroughness that upon occasion I've completely forgotten that I'd applied it in the first place and then an hour later I've applied something completely different. And, get this, when I have, the scents have never clashed, that's how thorough a nothingness is left behind once the top notes wear off.

It's a shame that such a beautiful bottle with such a historic name behind it smells so  ... gone.

The Fine Print: This was a PR sample I wanted to love.  Sorry peeps!

When accidents happen - YSL Summer Solaris Collection

Sigh.  I took the pictures for the FotD for this a couple of weeks ago, and I was just digging through the promo pictures (which I hadn't seen in several months!) to show you the range in full when I noticed this:

My FotD:

YSL Promo:

Notice anything? I'd even stolen the hairdo ...

Blue eyeshadow.  It makes me crazy.   Now, would you like swatches? It's a lovely collection - if you ignore the glitter.  YSL and I are going to have a chat about the glitter...

The Fine Print: YSL promo pic provided by PR, my face is entirely my own work.  And some genetics, but let's gloss over that, shall we?  As I mentioned earlier in the week, I'm as creative as a doorknob, and now I'm a plagiarist too.  I give up.

Waterproof eyeshadows: YSL and Estee Lauder

I had no idea YSL actually did a waterproof shadow until I found this little beauty recently! YSL Fard Lumiere Aquaresistant in #2 Amethyst Grey, which is actually a cool-taupe shade with just a hint of silver shimmer:

This feels very different on the skin to my normal crease and budge-proof shadows (Benefit Creaseless Creams, for reference) they're very cool, and more of a mousse texture than other ones I've tried.  That said, this stuff does not budge once it's in place.  It's still pretty easy to blend though.  But the brush that comes with it:

should just be thrown away.  For a £20 product, the brush is utterly useless.  I've been using my (clean) fingers to apply, and find this helps spread the product much better.

Onto one that's much more familiar, Estee Lauder's Double Wear Eyeshadow cream:

This is the shade Pink Amethyst (spotted the link between the two shades yet?), this feels more greasy in texture, and takes a few seconds to set once you've applied it, but once it's one, it's going nowhere, here's how it looks on the skin:

Now, I love my Benefit Creaseless creams to an almost absurd degree, but this one comes in a poor third in a comparison of those, and the YSL.  It's a nice shade, and it doesn't crease or run, but it doesn't blend as well as the other two formulations, and I find it feels a little "rubbery" once it has set.  Also, I find that you can't apply other (powder) shadows over the top as well. They tend to ball up, and drop off, has this happened to anyone else?  Is there something I'm doing wrong?

Here's a comparison of how the two formulations look on the skin:

What's probably not apparent from this swatch is that the YSL has a matte finish - albeit with silver shimmer - but the Estee Lauder has a more visible cream-sheen to it.  They're both nice shades, but I think I'll get more wear out of the YSL.  The Lauder is cheaper though, at £15 for the pot, as opposed to the YSL's £20 (which made even me blanch slightly, as I don't think it will actually last all that long, being a whipped mousse rather than a cream).

What's your go-to waterproof shadow?

The Fine Print: I bought these and I have the receipts to prove it.  And the overdraft.

Highlighters - Pressed Powders

Whoo, got here eventually!  Now, pressed powders are my favourite kind of highlighters, I just find them easier to apply, and they're more forgiving when you accidentally overapply.  first off, let's take a look at a highlighter I recently rediscovered as a result of my rummaging:

Trish McEvoy Blush Highlight: Oh, this is a pretty one.  Yes, it's a bit sparkly in the pan, but it applies very silkily (is that a word?), and it adds a very nice hint of colour to your cheekbones.  This one is especially good swirled over your blusher, or over a bronzer to bring it to life a little. Now I've rediscovered it, I'm going to use it more and more often.  I love the colours in my charger, and digging it back out has reminded me that there are a couple of slots free, and I'm thinking I might fill them with some more eyeshadows.  Trish McEvoy is a great brand - if you can avoid being sold the ENTIRE RANGE whenever you step near their counters - and I'll talk to you more about the rest of the things I have from her soon.

I've posted about this one before: YSL Y-Mail Palette.  Shall we play a game of spot the swatch?  It is there, I promise you, first one to tell me where it is gets a prize! Ironically, even though it hasn't photographed at all well, I do still like this one a lot, as you can tell from where the lettering has been wearing off! It's a subtle (if you avoid the glittery bit) brightening powder that just adds a hint of glow to your finished makeup, and stops your foundation looking too cake-y, in the same way a spritz of toner is meant to.  I don't do the toner thing, being a non-believer in it, and also, having a mild paranoia about spraying things on my face.  But yes, be wary of the glitter if you go for this one.

Saving what is probably my favourite for last: Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Beige. I don't know if you can tell from the pic but this is one battered piece of kit!  Several of the strips have fallen out over the years (and it is several years old), have been pushed back in, it's been dropped - a lot - and it was used practically every day for about three years, as a highlighter and an eyeshadow (can't do that with a liquid illuminator, alas!), and it's still going strong.  I thought it wouldn't be versatile when I bought it, but I was very wrong - I remember thinking "Urgh, beige, how boring!"  at the time, but it's great on most skin-tones, and the addition of the more pinky-golden shades mean you can use the individual strips as brow, cheek or eye colours, should you want to.  Highly recommended.

I'm away this weekend, so there won't be any posts - sorry! - but I'll be back on Monday with some Illuminators that double up as blushers.  Have a wonderful weekend!

I fear the tangerine ...

(With sincere spologies to my Scottish readers!)

Spring is in the air, have you noticed?  I'm serious!  The last couple of days have definitely been a bit warmer, and I no longer feel the need to wrap up like the Michelin woman to consider leaving the sofa.

With that in mind, as the weather has made me think about warmer times, I've been gently warming my makeup looks up a bit.  Now, I fear fake tan.  Genuinely, and sincerely, fear the stuff. Never use it. I always think I'm going to end up looking like this:

Only, you know, with boobs. And better hair.  And ... oh you get the idea!

So, to warm up my colouring - and move slightly away from the taupe-rut (sorry, taupe "signature look") I've been in lately, I've been dusting myself with this:

YSL Poudre de Soleil in #1, Light Sun. It's a really nice, not too shimmery (though there is a hint, a very faint hint of gold shimmer in there), not too orange bronzing powder. At differing times, I use this as a blusher, a contour powder, an eyeshadow, and occasionally as a bronzer.  I've even used it as a face powder, it's that versatile. It's very pale, and so suitable for my currently pale-blue skin.  Come summer I'll be my more usual pale-custard shade, and I'll probably be using this a bit more often than my beloved Cargo Illuminator in wind, which is a good bit pinker, and a fair bit more sparkly, and so has been a wonder for the winter, but it'll be too pink for me come summer.  The Poudre de Soleil lasts a long time, I've used mine a lot (and it's quite elderly now) and I've still yet to "hit pan".

Speaking of pinker and more sparkly things, I bought this recently too, the Palette Y-Mail face highlighter in the pearly finish:

I admit, the packaging suckered me in, it has it's own little handbag!

Too cute. Now, I love the shade, the beige is lovely, the pink is radiant.  But the pearl. Oh, the pearl is a beautiful colour, but it's packed with chunks of glitter that I didn't notice either in the store, or the first time I used it.

Glitter is not radiance!  It's a menace! Okay, the powder isn't in the same league as Urban Decay's Midnight Cowboy, but it is very definitely there, and I'm not entirely sure it needs to be.  I had been hoping it was an overspray, but it appears to be throughout the pearl-shade. It's still lovely - and I'm really glad I picked it up - but you do need a light hand when you're swirling your brush over the pearl to avoid the dreaded glittery face-dandruff effect. You might love glitter, but ... it's something I expect in cheaper products, to be honest. Still a beautiful powder, but the glitter cheapens the effect they were going for, I feel.  Beautiful compact to carry around for glamorous touch-ups during the day though.

The last couple of days, I've just worn the bronzer on my cheeks with a swirl of the highlight on my cheekbones and over my eyelids, with a dash of mascara and a touch of lipgloss, and it's a very quick, simple and polished look.

Do you own any YSL? What do you love from the range? What's your spring makeup like?