21.7.12


Having sworn off impulse buys, I naturally made some this week. I justify it by the fact that I'm frantically searching for the perfect travel-friendly stash, replete with multipurpose products that needn't be fussily applied with a dozen brushes and a well-lit vanity. Although I absolutely knew I needed the RMS Lip2Cheek since first laying eyes on it here, the LM purchases were a sort of consolation prize after heading all the way to my local Nordstorm, only to hear that they hadn't received their shipment of the new Shiseido Lacquers. Nevertheless, I'm glad they hitched a ride home with me.


LM Lip Stain in Mulberry / RMS Lip2Cheek in Rapture / RMS Solar
 LM Caviar Stick in Khaki
Natural light: Mulberry / Rapture / Solar / Khaki
Flash: Mulberry / Rapture / Solar / Khaki

Mulberry is listed as a "red-plum-brown" per the LM website, which I think is a fairly apt description. It's a warm, browned, rosy red. LM's Lip Stain formula is a tad on the waxy side (think a thicker version of Chantecaille's Lip Chics) but still pleasant to wear.

Rapture doesn't appear nearly as brown or deep in my swatches as it should -- in reality, it's a warm, darkened blood red. This shade hearkens back to the browned-neutral-'90s-face, which means I needed to own it from the moment I saw it.

Solar was a generous sample from RMS, a coppery metallic gold. I had popped it in the fridge after its sweltering stay in my mailbox, making it difficult to swatch properly. I can see where these shadows wouldn't quite "set," but I think those inclined to a more organic look would appreciate the decidedly un-fussy texture and prompt finger-fixability. 

Khaki, a greenish brown with subtle shimmer, is my first purchase of LM's famed Caviar Sticks. I've always been wary of their creamy smoothness because of my oily lids, but MUA has assured me that they wear like iron despite their extreme softness.

Posted by
Categories: Labels: , , , ,

1 comments  

9.7.12


Chen Yu appears to be a fairly young department store brand available in (exclusive to?) Spain. I say "appears to be" because the brand's website offers woefully inadequate information about its history and  products. These duos were purchased last year in Barcelona's El Corte Inglés.


The eye shadow duos are packaged in a sleek but weighty plastic case with a large mirror and two humble sponge applicators included. All the shadows were soft but somewhat dry and powdery in texture -- they feel silky to the touch, but definitely "kick up" quite a bit of product.


The gold/olive duo (#104), is considerably less dry and has the superior texture of the two. The gold shade is  quite pale and yellow with a definite sparkle -- not quite a gritty glitter, but the shimmer is pronounced. The olive shade, while not the most complex olive variant I own, has a beautiful golden sheen throughout. The taupe/bone duo (#103), which tended to the sheerer side, is much more satin-matte in comparison, although I can detect some sparse copper shimmer in the taupe pan that doesn't carry over in practice.

Natural light: 103 / 104

Sadly, these shadows photographed horribly. The olive looks much flatter than it is in reality, and the gold appears patchy when it shouldn't be. Overall, the duos are decent, and since I've been shopping my stash, I'll (hopefully) get some more use out of them. If you happen to be in Spain, the Chen Yu counters might be worth a look.

Posted by
Categories: Labels: ,

0 comments  

 
>