Dior – Bubbly Michelle

Top picks from Dior Spring 2020 | Photos, Swatches, Review

March 10, 2020March 10, 2020by Bubbly MichelleLeave a Comment

Dior Spring 2020 makeup

For Spring 2020 Dior released 2 new limited edition Diorskin Nude Luminizers and i’m IN LOVE! I always tell myself I don’t need any more highlighters but when it comes to Dior I have zero self control.

Dior also released 3 new Backstage Rosy Glow blushes earlier this year as well. There were 2 new shades along with the original, all repackaged in a new sleek format. I honestly don’t get the hype of the original pink as it’s so dry and powdery, but the new limited edition colour Pearl caught my eye so I added to cart.

Dior spring 2020 makeup review

These limited edition Nude Luminizers have the most beautiful swirl embossing. They still come in the slim compact with the silver lid and clear acrylic base which I love. As far as packaging goes, Dior really nailed it with this one. It’s also lightweight and very portable too.

Here’s a look at the two shades, Coral Vibes and Rosy Vibes.

Dior spring 2020 highlighters

Coral Vibes is a peachy coral with a golden glistening sheen. The powder is harder pressed so not much kick up, but silky smooth when applied. The payoff is a medium opacity that can be built up.

Rosy Vibes is a pale pink with soft lilac and pink shimmers; it almost looks holographic and glittery in direct lighting. The lighter base in this makes it more suitable for fairer skin tones, however still wearable and look good on medium-light skin tones (like mine) without pulling ashy.

Dior rosy vibes coral

The texture between the two are slightly different. I feel Rosy Vibes has a tendency to go on sheerer when applied.

So far i’ve been using a moderately dense brush so there’s zero chance of overdoing it. However I feel it’s pretty safe to use even if you are a bit heavy handed.

On to some comparisons!

I swatched these alongside two newly released highlighters and some older Nude Luminizers in my stash for reference (in case you happen to have some of them).

As seen, Metal Peach has a distinct peachiness and Chantecaille Eclat Brillant an obvious gold.

Dior nude luminizer

Dior Rosy Glow 003 Pearl is a soft pink with subtle golden shimmer. It’s a very portable and handy size. Luckily the colour is also pretty nice! Swatched heavily this shade almost leans blue toned, but blended out it adapts n warms up on the skin. I feel the trickery is in the fact that it’s so sheer and almost translucent which is what makes it suit every possible skin tone imparting that veil of a rosy flush.

If you are on the look out for something pigmented and statement worthy this definitely won’t cut it; but more suitable for a natural flushed look or a ‘rosy glow’ as the name suggests.

Dior rosy glow pearl 003

Dior rosy glow 2020 blush

Here’re a few more comparisons. I know you most likely own NARS Orgasm so what better reference point! NARS clearly has more pronounced gold shimmers. In Dior they are more spread out and less noticeable. In real life it can look matte with a subtle sheen especially when it’s applied over a matte foundation. On bare skin it looks more satin to the naked eye when it melds with the luminosity of skin.

Another blush i’ve been really loving is this Hourglass one from the Holiday 2019 Ghost Quad. The base in this pulls a little more blue toned even though when I grabbed to swatch it, I was so sure they were identical.

Overall I believe it’s a beautiful blush. It depends on how barely there you like your blush to be. It’s definitely buildable but I can’t say it’s a must have, even though the packaging is sooo cute & irresistible.

Bottom Line

Coral Vibes is my favourite from my Dior Picks so far. I also grabbed one of the polishes, but yet to try it. I’ll swatch it for Instagram soon though.

What are your picks from Dior Spring 2020?

Makeup

Dior Summer 2018 Diorshow On Stage Liner Review

July 25, 2018November 10, 2018by Bubbly Michelle1 Comment

The instant Dior summer dropped I was at the counter in a heartbeat to check out the most exciting portion of the launch. All new liquid liners in a rainbow of colours! I’ve already posted complete swatches here on IG but was really keen on letting you know my thoughts on these products after giving them a fair test.

At the time I also grabbed one of the limited edition Nude powders in a pastel mix (which I normally skip as they are too light for my tanned skin), & also the new All Day Brow Ink which was a waterproof formula.

The collection consists of 14 shades from matte white to hot pink to shimmery blue. All packaged in slick black with the corresponding shade on the length of the liner (which is always great for easy identification).

The applicator is an easy to use felt tip that’s perfectly formed for precision. What really impressed me is, with the shape and length of the tip, it was near impossible to mess up the application. The fine tip allows you to get really close to the roots of the lashes and in between for a fuller voluminous look.

The saturation of colour is truly impressive. One fluid stroke is all it takes for a neat opaque line. I don’t think a coloured liner should be any other way.

Between the mattes and the shimmers (which were only a few) I find I like both formulas. Although I did notice the mattes weren’t a true matte as expected. They always seem to dry to a semi matte finish.

If you are one of those people who find it difficult making it through the day without a migrating line.. this is THE ONE you are looking for. I found the longevity of these incredible. There was zero smudging or flaking all day. And this is me testing a full day which is over 12 hours right up until I take off my makeup at night (by which i’m always faced with at least a little smudging near the inner corners)..

On that same note, taking off the liner does require some patience as this long-wear formula fittingly adheres to the lids and is budge proof. Normally i’d turn to a waterproof eye makeup remover to successfully get every last bit of eye makeup off and it works brilliantly.

Here’s a quick comparison of my go-to daily liners against the new Dior. As you can see, the Matte Brown is very saturated and applies beautifully. Another reason why I seem to use it most days.

Bottom line

Impressed. That’s my conclusion in one word. It’s rare I find a product that truly exceeds expectations. And my oily lids concur these to be backup worthy.

So far my top picks are the Matte Brown and Pearly Turquoise. Both apply so beautifully. However if you require something with some punch, the pink makes a fabulous summer shade. I know I will use this lots!

Here’s the white in action. I wore this simple look to the beach a few weeks back!

Applied over eyeshadow, the white line tends to get muddy, and a few layers were needed as the underlying eye makeup keep transferring to the nib. Just make sure you wait till the first line dries before you retrace it and keep wiping the nib often to achieve that pure white line.

…or just skip the eyeshadow altogether! You honestly don’t even need it.

Makeup

Best of Beauty 2016

January 18, 2017November 10, 2018by Bubbly Michelle11 Comments

best-in-beauty-bw

Super excited to deliver my round up of the best of 2016! Getting back into the swing of blogging has been slow after the holidays, but I believe a quick look at the past year and closing the book of 2016 is a great way to get on with business this new year.

Best of Beauty 2016

1. Givenchy Healthy Glow Powder – I hadn’t been a regular user of Givenchy beauty till this came into my life. Absolutely stellar product on all fronts, packaging, quality and finish. Blogged here.

2. NARS Hot Sand Illuminator Duo – If epic highlighters aren’t your thing, NARS Hot Sand is your match made in heaven. A wonderfully glowy highlight with a soft peachy pink base, this adds subtle glow for delicate radiance. Although initially LE, I’m happy to see it come back in another newly released face palette. The Unfiltered 2 Cheek Palette. Blogged here.

nars-hot-sand

3. Dior Nude Air Glowing Gardens 002 – In 2016 Dior ruled the world of highlighters. Each season I could not resist getting at least one! Possibly my favourite highlighter of the year. Also was available in a pink option.

P.S- how stunning is the floral embossing ❤

highlighter-duo

4. Dior Diorific Splendor – Part of the holiday collection, this highlighter was the key piece / must-have which everyone needed in their lives. Sadly, did not make it to the U.S market. Luckily I live in sunny Asia and for once I was happy to be here! Didn’t waste any time picking this up for myself. wink. I also got a few extras as gifts!

The packaging, quality and colour was just perfect for that extra sparkle for the holidays. Get it while you can!

5. Clé de Peau Radiant Liquid Rouge – As someone who did not hop on the matte lipstick bandwagon, I was mighty pleased CPB came out with these ultra luxe glossy liquid lipsticks! They are luxury in every sense. If you loath the dry lip syndrome that’s plaguing the world right now, maybe this nourishing glossy type would interest you 😉 Read all about this collection here.

lip-stuff

6. Bobbi Brown Nourishing Lip Colour – Possibly my favourite lipstick release this year. Think ultra nourishing, balmy colour with superb pigmentation! It’s all my lips want to wear this season. To be blogged soon!

7. Tom Ford Lips & Boys 2016 – It seems the Lips & Boys get better each year! This year, the colours to watch out for were the new matte ones. Absolute must haves. Blogged here.

8. VB x Estée Lauder collection – Overall my favourite collection of the year! The formula, packaging and colours were to die for! Even though I loved almost everything I received, the stand out products were the nude lipstick in Brazilian Nude, the eye kajal duo & the single shadow Bitter Clove. Unfortunately LE collection sell out fast. However if you come across any, do not hesitate! Blogged here.

P.S- There’s talk of a new VB collab happening soon. Keep your eyes peeled!

9. Tom Ford Fiber Brow Gel – The perfect solution for light short brow hairs. I find myself reaching for this almost every time I do my makeup. It’s got the perfect formula to set your brows in place while also adding colour and some body. It’s brows-on-fleek, all day, everyday! To be blogged soon!

10. Tom Ford Le Mepris – Part of the summer collection, this little number was clearly a hot item, specially with that irresistible LE white packaging!! Blogged here.

11. Dior Diorific Nova – 2016 wasn’t the year of nail polish that’s for sure. Almost all brands left me with boring options. However, just as the year ended Dior launched their holiday Diorific Vernis and this unique little number was quick to come home with me. Almost like fairy glitter/flakes on the nails, this works great as a topper or on it’s own. Don’t miss out!

12. Zoeva Concealer Buffer Brush – I am so happy I finally got to try Zoeva brushes this year and this brush in particular is now my essential/everyday, concealer blending brush. Everything just sits better when buffed with this and i’m happy to recommend it to everyone. To be blogged soon!

13. Zoeva Luxe Fan – A great multi purpose brush, (not just for highlighting). This is my go-to for flicking off any eyeshadow or mascara fall out, dusting off excess powder and of course applying highlighter PERFECTLY. A must have brush in any collection.

14. Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting brush – On a whim I purchased this brush off Net-a-Porter last year. I just needed something precise that’d work for contouring smaller areas of the face. Not surprised, this works brilliantly! It’s my favourite for some nose contouring (which is the only contour I ever do) whenever I know i’ll be taking photos or for special events. Love it!

15. Tom Ford Cocoa Mirage – The only product that’s featured here which isn’t new for 2016. However it’s new to me! I picked this up from a sale last year and let’s just say, my world is a better place. The Cocoa Mirage palette is pretty much the standard matte shadow palette but BETTER. Perfectly curated and multi functional as this mixes great with any other TF palettes you may have. The light cream shade is my go-to brow highlight, there’s a perfect transition shade that’s not too warm, and also a shimmer shade thrown in just for variety. ABSOLUTE MUST HAVE if you are on the look out for a great everyday palette that delivers. Can’t recommend this enough!

That rounds up my list of favourites. Products i’ve used and loved! Unfortunately in terms of foundation & concealers I didn’t find anything new that was truly outstanding, therefore left out a fair few that I tested last year. What you see here is a brutally edited skinny version of what has been tested and I find to be A+!

xx.

Lifestyle, Skincare

Gift Ideas for Le Men.

December 17, 2015December 18, 2015by Bubbly Michelle2 Comments

If there’s one gift I always save for last, it’s my husbands or dads. They are by far the hardest to shop for and each year I feel like I’ve truly run out of creative gifts ideas and suffer planning my purchases.

This year however my shopping was done well in advance and I have the opportunity to show you what I plan on gifting to these special people in my life. So hopefully you’d benefit by this post too!

So first on todays guide… Monogram or solid coloured scarves in cashmere or light weight fabric. These make useful gifts specially if some winter travels are on the cards. My favourites are by Ferragamo and also Burberry. They make quality scarves which last forever.

Here’re some links. (all from Mr. Porter and directly shoppable! )

Burberry checked ombre scarf (which i’m particularly loving!) , Hugo Boss navy and grey scarf , and a dressy Hugo Boss two toned black and grey scarf.

If you are looking for cheaper options. Here’re some I found at Zara all available in Singapore.

Striped black and white scarf, solid mink scarf, solid grey scarf + hat pack.

For something more extravagant, Tom Ford makes some gorgeous scarves as well. You can check them out in store. (Boutique at Marina Bay Sands the Shoppes)

Next up, body care.

The secret to buying body care for men is ensuring the packaging looks unisex. Something very basic without loud labels is the best way to go. My favourite for gifting is Aesop. Their shower gels make the best gifts and come in a variety of fragrances. All under the price of $35.

Another great place to shop body care is Stenders, and while browsing around I found two things hubby would like. A Chocolate Sugar Scrub and a Coffee Lip balm. It’s no secret all men love chocolate, and a chocolate scrub is sure to be enjoyed! Btw this smells just as good as it sounds 😉

For the man who’s more open to dabbling with skincare, the Givenchy Le Soin Noir range is PERFECT! I’ve already gifted the cleanser to my husband and he loves it already. The product itself is black (interesting right?!!) and foams up lightly to cleanse without drying out the skin. I also love how this smells. Nothing crazy floral or girly, more of a unisex scent. Retail price – $148

Their eye cream is another ultra luxe treat if you’re looking to spoil your man. A nourishing lightweight gel cream that fits perfectly into a mans grooming routine. Not too greasy or heavy that he’d fuss about. Retail price – $285

Moving along to some fragrance options. I narrowed it down to a very luxe version and a not so splurge-y version.

Tom Ford Venetian Bergamot for a zesty hit of bergamot paired with ylang ylang, magnolia, gardenia and a hint of black peppercorn that adds a spicy warmth. The perfume smells divine as you’d imagine and utterly exotic. Something for a man with expensive taste 😉

Retail price $330.

Next up in the fragrance department is the new Dior addition, Sauvage with hottie Johnny Depp as the face of the fragrance.

This one’s more masculine with heavy smoky notes and a core of bergamot. Something bound to be enjoyed by a mature man. The packaging too looks very sleek and expensive. Perfectly Dior! and perfect for gifting.

Another interesting gift idea is stationary. It can be tricky shopping stationary as A. most stores don’t carry stylish stationary worthy of gifting for Christmas, B. how does one buy stationary men would actually use?

Persistance paid off when I discovered this luxurious leather notebook with gold detailing at Kikki K Ion. Perfect for the creative types who’d like to scribble down ideas or designs! It ticks all the boxes. Luxurious finish, unisex simple design. A Classic. Price- $59.90.

Last but not least, a few stocking stuffers.

I find men love receiving edible gifts as much as anything else. Slabs of fine chocolate, tied with a ribbon. A little package of bite sized brownies dressed up in ribbon or personalised tag. Assorted nuts in a hand decorated jar. There’s lots of great, simple gifts that can be made to look festive and holiday appropriate, you only need to jazz them up a bit 😉

Again for gorgeous wrapping paper and gift tags Kikki K is the place to go. Everything’s pretty much bundled in sets for easy gift wrapping and decorating.

Store Locations

Burberry – Ion Orchard and Paragon

Ferragamo – Paragon

Aesop – Tangs beauty department

Stenders – Plaza Singapura

Givenchy Skincare – Sephora

Kikki K – Ion

Tom Ford – Tangs beauty department, Marina Bay Sand Shoppes

Dior – Tangs, Ion, Paragon

Makeup

Dior Starlight 421 (LE) – Review, Photos & Swatches

July 9, 2015July 31, 2015by Bubbly Michelle13 Comments

Despite the backlog of new MAC goodies to blog about, I had to squeeze in this post about an older release that I have been LOVING lately. I figured i’d let you in on this little gem before it’s too late.

So todays post is basically about the perfect highlighter/beauty powder for pale complexions. Dior Starlight.

Starlight is a pink tinged ivory highlighter. It may not look like much in the pan but trust me when I say, I am blown away by how this seriously elevates my makeup.

Packaging

This comes in traditional Dior blush packaging in midnight blue. It doesn’t attract fingerprints and is pretty easy to keep clean.

Overall the compact feels luxurious yet lightweight making it great for carrying along in a makeup bag and also comes with a mirror and good quality useable brush for use on the go.

Texture and Formulation

The powder is extremely finely milled and has a gorgeous, elegant shimmer. Just the right amount of sparkle for day to day wear.

What I loved the most though is that it’s not pigmented to the point where you apply and wonder if god could spot your highlight from heaven. Something ideal for those of you who are naturally heavy handed as it’s impossible to over apply.

Once applied, this delivers an angelic sheeny glow that’s absolutely dreamy.

If I had to compare this to another product, I feel it’s along the lines of Burberry Nude Radiance No.01. It has that similar satin finish and colour payoff that highlights the contours of your face without looking overly shimmery

On to some comparison swatches,

As you can see, Starlight is clearly more pink toned next to Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight and can also be used as you would a MAC beauty powder for an all over brightening effect. (If you are all about that Korean glow!)

Bottom Line

If you have a pale complexion and are constantly on the lookout for a highlighter that isn’t too yellow toned, this is your ideal choice. I like it mostly because the radiance is very subtle and great for daily use. It’s a nice highlight that won’t be competing with the other products I wear.

Product information

Starlight comes in a standard Dior blush packaging. 7g 0.24 oz retailing at SGD 70.

Apparently Dior Backstage at Ion has around 12 pieces left. Just call Jessica on 86167799 to reserve one. She was kind enough to check if they still had stocks and always gives me the best service!

Makeup

Mascara 101: Mini Reviews & Recommendations

June 27, 2015July 31, 2015by Bubbly Michelle14 Comments

Hello hello! It feels like i’m on a roll these days, continuously blogging! Therefore while i’m in the mood to blog, I thought i’d do a post on my mascara collection along with mini reviews which I hope you find useful!

Currently I have 6 mascaras in rotation, cos a girl can’t just have one right?

As we begin todays mascara smackdown, a quick note that I’ll be following a sequence, where I will start with the brush design and then move onto formula etc.

First up,

Dior IT-Lash

The IT-Lash comes with a spiked elastomer (plastic) brush. It’s a reasonably slim, slightly longish style. Personally I hate big brushes as they are harder to apply with so this one’s just perfect.

The formula of this is on the thinner side and is great for those of you who have trouble with your mascara weighing down your lashes. This holds a curl well and keep lashes beautifully lengthened and separated without clumps. Sadly I don’t see much of the volumising action that it claims to have, but I really like this one for everyday use.

As far as removal is concerned, it’s pretty easy to get off. Just warm water does the trick. On occasion I also use Bioderma for removal as well.

Tom Ford Extreme Mascara

The sexiest packaging in my opinion. And incidentally the old school bristle brush does a good job making the lashes look sexy too.

The formula of this is denser and coats the lashes well for a thicker, lash look. Building up the volume is easy as this doesn’t set too quick and you have ample play time to keep adding more, more and MORE. I also love that this doesn’t clump and holds the curl pretty well to stay looking wide awake!

To remove, you can simply use an eye makeup remover. This one isn’t waterproof.

Le Volume De Chanel

The very first volumising mascara I truly fell in love with. I have been repurchasing it over and over and I believe i’m on my 6th now.

The brush of this is a plastic one with shorter bristles meant to create an eye opening effect. (Sadly I never see any such results as the weight of this mascara droops down any curl I had to begin with) The shape of the brush also seems to give trouble separating the lashes and they always cling together.

If you have naturally curly lashes this would work great for you. It volumises and adds drama for a very glamorous look.

Le Volume de Chanel isn’t waterproof and removes easily with warm water similar to the Dior.

Clé de Peau Perfect Lash Mascara

Features a curved wand with natural bristles. It’s designed to comb the lash from root to tip and create a nice separated and defined lash.

If smudging is a problem for you, this is your guy! The waterproof formula keeps lashes looking fresh throughout the day without any flaking or smudging. It’s even rub proof!

As far as volume goes this one isn’t really mind blowing, and it doesn’t build well either as it sets pretty fast. I also notice if I attempt a second coat, the lashes start sticking together and look spiky. It’s strictly a one (quick) coat mascara.

Looking at the positives, the real claim to fame is the longevity of it’s wear and that it works great with shorter, stubby lashes that are prone to smudging.

For removal I always use Clarins Express Eye Makeup Remover which works well with waterproof formulas and never irritates my eyes.

Helena Rubinstein, Lash Queen Feline Black

If it’s mascara, then Helena does them best! She has such an extensive range of mascaras, it truly is overwhelming and difficult to pick one! I ended up with this leopard print ‘feline’ version which is great for volume and lengthening.

The brush is chubby and torpedo shaped which works well to separate and build up volume.

The best thing about this mascara is the formula is near perfect. You get plenty of time to build it up as it sets quite slow and the longer bristles keep the lashes from sticking together and comb as you go for good separation.

Volume, length and long wearing. It’s all there.

*This mascara comes in a waterproof version as well, and is my HG for packing on beach vacations. THE BEST!

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara (seen here is a mini size)

Comes with a shorter more chubbier wand in comparison to the Helena Rubinstein. This one though has a slightly fatter middle creating a more rounded, bushier brush.

An unexpected find which came in the form of a press sample. I really love how this volumises. Another one of those buildable formulas that you can layer and layer. You get fuller, thicker, lengthened lashes for a ‘bigger, blacker, badder lash’.

I believe i’ll repurchase this in a full size, quite loving it’s smooth, creamy texture and the colour intensity.

Lastly, this too isn’t a waterproof formula and comes off easily with a eye makeup remover.

Now a look at these worn on my poker straight lashes! Unfortunately you won’t be seeing much of a difference unless you click on the image for a closeup and look at the base of the lashes to see the more volumising ones 🙂

I promise the differences between them are far more visible in person. I blame my poor selfie skills!

Bottom Line

For volumising and lengthening, the best would be Helena Rubinstein and Urban Decay. I like how buildable they are and never look clumpy. The TF is also a good option, though lacks that wow factor you’d expect for the price.

For waterproof mascara, the CDP hands down. I never have to worry about it flaking or smudging. If you don’t mind a natural lash look, this one’s great for everyday use. For other cheaper waterproof options you can also check out Helena Rubinstein.

For lift and curl i’d recommend the Dior IT-Lash. This is great for those of you with already thick lashes but just want them defined and lengthened. It’s my favourite for day to day use and have just repurchased!

Makeup

Dior Tie Dye Collection – Coral Sunset blush & Dior Addict lipstick review

May 8, 2015July 31, 2015by Bubbly Michelle6 Comments

Here to review the last of my haul of the Tie Dye collection, the blush harmony 002 Coral Sunset & the special edition, Tie Dye Dior Addict lipsticks.

Starting off with Coral Sunset.

Possibly the most beautiful of the Tie Dye releases, this one’s quite the heart breaker yes?

The Dior Coral Sunset blush comes packaged in a weighty silver casing embellished with the signature Dior Cannage cross hatch. The closure is a magnetized one adding to it’s sleek elegant appeal. Inside you also have a good sized mirror, big enough for on the go blush touch ups.

Along with the blush comes a small but decent sized Kabuki brush with white bristles; and to my surprise, for once this is actually quite a useable one. In general I never attempt using any of the tiny brushes that come with powder products as they are always so scratchy and horrible on the cheeks, but this was quite the opposite. It’s soft and the bristles are packed just enough to make a wonderful tool for brush application.

I could even use this for powder foundation or bronzer if the need ever arose. Thank you Dior!

Coral Sunset is essentially a mix of muted mauvey pink, vibrant orange, a sunny yellow and a white shimmer band that runs right through the middle.

The overall finish of this is satin with some very fine silver shimmer. I find the formula finely milled, soft to the touch and a tiny bit on the powdery side. This more noticeable when swatched and doesn’t look powdery once applied on the cheeks.

To be quite honest, both blushes didn’t swatch well at all! They looked powdery and took forever to build up noticeable colour when swatched at the counter. Luckily on the cheeks they perform infinitely better. On my NC 35 medium skin tone, this shows up quite well and the colour can be built up from a light peach to a more vibrant coral orange.

This blush wore well for over 6-7 hours on me. However if you work long days you might have to touch up toward the end of the day for extending it’s wear.

Onto some swatches. I swatched the pink and the orange individually, and one swatch of them swirled together.

Personally I find it hard to just pick the shades from each band for single colour applications as they aren’t too wide. However I did notice you can always concentrate the colour more towards pink or orange depending on your preference that day. I always go for a more orange toned flush though as the pink is a bit too muted a colour for my complexion!

Overall thoughts

This is by no means a must have and I’m certain you’d find a close dupe for this colour with many other cheaper brands. But of course for those who are after the next luxury indulgence, this would be hard to pass up as it’s so prettily packaged.

As much as it’s easy to judge a blush purely on appearance, this also looks nice applied and gives a hint of life to the cheeks and sets off a tan really well. Basically it’s not just the visual appeal and you’d most certainly get good use off this specially during the warmer months.

*For those of you any darker than an NC 35, it’s gonna be tough trying to get this to show up on your skin and the pink version Pink Sunrise even more so as it’s lighter and i’d say that’s more suited for NC25 and below!

Both blushes are clearly aimed at fair to fair-medium complexions.

Now onto the lipsticks that came out with this collection.

The Dior Addict Tie Dye lipsticks. I picked up two, Fuchsia Utopia and Red Bliss

Packaging

The lipsticks look exactly like the Dior Addict Perfume packaging, just a mini version. A mirrored transparent acrylic forms the cap which you have the Dior logo embossed and the bullet is held inside a silver barrel fitted with a little rounded knob (which is for pulling the bullet out).

The most interesting part though is the logo embellished lipstick. Which is not merely embellishment. It’s a contrasting colour that runs throughout the centre of the lipstick. All 6 shades that were released have this contrasting colour meant to create an ombre lip look which in this case is marketed as a ‘tie dye’ look.

Fuchsia Utopia

A medium fuchsia pink with a light pink CD logo, applies smooth and balmy with sheer buildable colour. As you can see the inner portion of the swatch is noticeably lighter and brighter, this is due to the contrasting colour of the CD logo in the middle which tones down the intensity of the fuchsia.

Red Bliss

A reddened coral with a light pink centre. This too a sheer coverage lipstick.

Longevity and Wear

These Dior Addict lipsticks are very comfortable on the lips. They hydrate and keep lips from drying out.

The sheerer colour payoff was surprisingly long lasting (well into 3 hrs) and I noticed I liked how Fuchsia Utopia looked after around 2 hours of wear better than when it was freshly applied. It ‘sinks in’ and gives the lips a nice pouty effect, just blushing with colour. These are easy maintenance and can be applied in a flash, no mirror needed. Lovely lipsticks.

Overall Thoughts

I’d call these low maintenance lipstick options for everyday use with the added luxe factor. I reach for them when I’m indecisive on which lipstick to wear (very often) or if i’m in a rush, I just grab one and go.

However I feel the real draw though is the limited edition CD logo embellishment on the bullet, which is actually functional and not purely decoration. The best part being this runs all the way through the bullet and is not going to wear out with just a few uses.

Only thing to keep in mind when purchase is that the colour variants are quite subtle when worn specially if you have very pigmented lips. Therefore picking up 4-5 shades of this collection is not a necessity! After all they are quite the splurge. In any case I believe they make a nice addition to your lipstick wardrobe specially for summer and worth picking up, if only just one.

Lastly here’s a look I created yesterday using the Coral Sunset on the cheeks and Fuchsia Utopia on the lips. A very easy, wearable, everyday look.

Product details

These lipsticks retail at SGD 48 and come with 3.5 g of product (Mine was purchased in Dubai DF for 137 AED/ 49 SGD)

The Blush Coral Sunset retails at $95 and contain 10g of product (227 AED which comes to around 81 SGD)

This limited edition collection is currently available at all Dior counters.

Lastly I hope you found this review useful even though it took a while to get my reviews out! Which were your picks from this collection? Are you planning on getting any? I personally think the nail polish Sunwashed (reviewed here) and the blush to be the best buys.

Makeup

Dior Summer 2015 Tie Dye collection : Sunwashed 319 – Review, Photos & Swatches

April 24, 2015July 31, 2015by Bubbly Michelle9 Comments

Hi there! Welcome to the first installment of the Dior Summer reviews i’ve lined up for this week.

As always, with every Dior collection released, my most anticipated product is almost always the nail polish. This season, my greedy little eye was set on the gorgeous pastel buttercup yellow polish Sunwashed, one of the three polishes released (the others were Sunkissed,a salmon toned nude and Sundown, a bright raspberry red).

Personally I love it when high end makeup brands release fun colours such as this and I was all over it the second I saw it at the counter!

Say hello to Sunwashed!

If you are new to Dior polishes, all you need to know is that they are the best polishes the luxury market offers. Much more long lasting than the Chanel (those are so prone to chipping, they should really consider reformulating their polishes and save us the misery!), glossier and come with a perfectly shaped applicator to fit your nail bed for neat application. Basically it’s every nail polish addicts dream polish.

Application & wear

I discovered this was one of the easier pastel polishes to apply. The consistency was perfect to achieve an even first coat and the second coat corrected any minor streaking that would have occurred when applying the first.

The formula also dried pretty fast between coats and didn’t drag when the next layer went on.

As always I sealed it with my Guerlain Le Top Coat Gel for a glossier finish and prolong wear. I usually get around a good 5 days with just minor tip wear with Dior polishes. It’s always low maintenance.

Here’s a swatch of how this looks applied, two coats and a top coat.

Bottom line

From a collectors point of view, this is something i’d consider a must have, as it’s unique. Of course if it’s unlikely you’d get sufficient use off a pastel yellow and stick mostly to nudes, pinks and reds, by all means give this a pass, at the end of the day what’s the point of shelling out 20+ dollars for something that would just collect dust right?

Other info

Limited edition, which means once it’s sold out, it’s gone for good.

Comes with 10 ml of product and retails at USD 27 in the U.S & SGD 39 in Singapore.

Available at all Dior counters and is part of the Dior Tie Dye summer 2015 collection.

Makeup

Diorskin Nude Air Serum Foundation Review

April 23, 2015July 31, 2015by Bubbly Michelle8 Comments

The Diorskin Nude Air Serum Foundation is the latest of the high tech bases that seem to be hitting the counters these days. They promise great coverage with unbelievably light finishes and the Diorskin Nude Air in my opinion is at the top of it’s game. Formulated with ‘oils’ that evaporate instantly, leaving behind a fine layer of concentrated pigments, it makes for one interesting product!

Packaging

As with all things Dior, the packaging is ultra luxe and just beautiful.

The product is housed in a matte glass bottle and comes with a dispenser that is a very stylish silver dropper.

Formula & Coverage

According to Dior,

“The Diorskin Nude Air is an ultra fluid serum foundation, as weightless and beneficial as a breath of fresh air, for an enhanced complexion with a sheer finish. Like after a day in the great outdoors, the face gains a natural healthy glow.”

As described, the texture of this is very lightweight and runny, making this oil based fluid feel a lot like a serum. Almost liquid silk as you swirl a drop on the back of your hand, it feels like skincare to the touch.

Before dispensing, instructions recommend shaking the bottle well. This helps mix the pigment particles into the solution evenly. Proceeding you can start with just a few drops and build on from there. I found that one drop for either cheek, one for the forehead and one for the chin works well. If you need slightly higher coverage you can always add more, although in my experience the coverage isn’t that buildable.

For application I just use my fingers.

When it comes to thin solutions such as this, sponges absorb too much product and with this foundation using a brush made it difficult to assess how much product was going on (as it’s so light!) therefore fingers were the ideal choice. You can sweep and pat till the finish looks almost airbrushed. Plus this is the quickest route to take on rushed days!

When applied, the Diorskin Nude Air goes on smooth without catching onto or emphasizing any dry patches or exaggerating pores, leaving you with a soft velvety finish as it sets. A layer of this would easily give you medium coverage.

The real selling point though is that it looks just like skin. One of the most skin like foundations I have ever encountered. This has a healthy balance between matte and dewy, and the overall look is soft and airbrushed once it sets.

Here’s a before and after, i’ve just prepped with a light moisturiser and skipped a primer so you get an idea how it looks applied directly onto the skin.

As you can see it corrects redness well and lightly conceals blemishes. Pores are also smoothed out for the most part and skin looks like a better version of itself.

Longevity & Wear.

Those with normal to dry skin may not have to set it with a powder. To me this is a non negotiable step, so I did set it with my Gucci pressed powder as I find a regular loose powder isn’t enough to keep this in place throughout the day.

During wear, I noticed the first signs of dewiness appear around 2 -3 hours of wear (since I do live near the equator and am blessed with 90+ temperature and 70% humidity everyday). Most dewiness was concentrated around the t-zone while the cheeks still looked fresh and non greasy.

As the day continued, the finish got dewier, and blotting was an absolute necessity. Although I am glad that I never noticed any transferring and the foundation mostly did stay in place except around my nose where it seemed to slide off. It lasted well into 8 hours on me after it started to look a bit worn.

In conclusion, I feel this foundation would be ideal for those with normal to drier skin and those of you like me, blessed (NOT) with combination skin having to prep with a mattifying primer before application. If you live in hot, humid countries + have oily skin, it might be a bit high maintenance (unless you spend most of your day in an air conditioned cubicle), having to blot regularly and touch up around tea time.

But of course if you live in colder weather, I believe this could even work well on combination skin.

Shade Range

The shade range is quite limited. When I checked this out, I saw just shades 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60. But then again I was at the Dior Duty Free counter in Dubai. Online I found that there were in between shades similar to Dior Star (21, 23 and 33). But for those of you around an NC 35, you’d still be between 30-40 where there is a massive jump. As 33 is a more peachy undertone than yellow and 40 is a very deep medium with a yellow tone.

Either way my exact match ended up just past 30 which meant I needed to mix in a tiny bit of 40. But once my tan fades, i’m guessing i’ll be back at 30!

Here’re swatches of 30 and 40. There really should have been at least two more shades between >.< Seriously.

A comparison with Dior Star

So for those of you who already have Dior Star and debating getting this, they are nothing alike. Dior Star is more of a full coverage foundation which is also more matte. Something you’d reach for when you need to look flawless without that caked up mask of a regular full coverage foundation.

Diorskin Nude Air on the other hand is more of a sheer to medium coverage skin like foundation. It’s the ideal, your skin but better finish achieved with a weightless formula. A great foundation for day to day use.

*Between the two, Dior Star was the more longer lasting.

A comparison with NARS All Day Luminous Weightless foundation

The NARS ADLWF is somewhat comparable. It’s a similar consistency, with a slightly more buildable coverage and the same idea as far as technology goes. The main difference I see between the two is that the NARS does apply with difficulty over dry areas though I find this a foundation that suits oilier skin types better as it’s longer lasting. The finish is more ‘wet’ in comparison to Diorskin Nude Air mainly since the Dior sets to a velvet finish. However, between the two, even with my oilier disposition, I can truly appreciate the luminosity and overall finer texture of the Dior. It truly feels sublime.

Bottom line, If you like a dewy finishes and don’t mind slightly less coverage, Dior is the way to go.

Overall Thoughts

It truly is a perfect ‘nude’ skin like finish. Undetectable (i’m not talking macro lens point of view!), perfecting and glowy. If there was anything to complain about, it would have to be the shade range. Those with warmer olive skin tones might find it harder to get a match. In general I find Dior shades to suit the rosy and neutral undertones best, so if you fall into that category you are in luck!

Anyways all cards on the table, this is my favourite foundation for now, and wish they come up with a longer wearing version suited for oilier skin.

Product Details

The Diorskin Nude Air comes with an SPF 25-PA++ (no flash back) and is a talc-free formula.

Retails at 88SGD (30ml)

Ingredients List

Yup! There’s Dimethicone in there. Explains that silicony feel!

Other information

*When shade matching, keep in mind this has a tendency to oxidize, always try out a sample before you buy!

Lastly thank you for reading, and I hope this review was useful.

Wishing you a great week!

Michelle. xx

Makeup

Dior Spring 2015 | Cheek & Lip Glow – Review, Photos & Swatches

March 28, 2015August 1, 2015by Bubbly Michelle7 Comments

Hi there! Here with another review of something i’ve been loving lately. And that’s the Dior Cheek & Lip Glow from their spring release.

I find this product has earned it’s place in my weekend makeup and vacation makeup routines. It’s fuss free and lasts all day if done right.

Since this is Dior’s very first cheek and lip ‘blush’, i’ll start with packaging.

The Cheek & Lip Glow comes in a bottle similar to nailpolish. It’s glass and the silver top comes off to reveal the applicator. Unscrewing the bottle cap we find a spongy round applicator which feels super soft and plush. Very user friendly and also leak proof in case you want to take this along in your makeup bag.

The liquid is a thickish gel consistency and smells minty.

Application is pretty straightforward, just go directly onto the lips with the ball applicator and let it dry.

You’d notice it leaves a slight tingling sensation as it dries, similar to lip plumping glosses. Those of you with very sensitive lips might want to pass on this one.

For the cheeks the method suggested by Dior is to lightly wipe the ball applicator on the edge of the bottle to obtain just the right amount of product and apply on the cheeks with circular motion and quickly blend with fingertips.

I on the other hand, like to pick up product with my fingers and lightly tap and blend on the cheeks. I do this mostly to make sure my foundation is not disturbed during application. But I find my method does take a bit of extra work layering on the product.

As you can see, the product looks very bright once appied, but the stained swatch is much less intimidating!

Of course you can always reapply a few times to build up intensity! Specially if you are looking for a much brighter lip colour :-). It’s a very versatile product in that sense.

Longevity & Wear

I find this product wears really well, almost all day. However since this is something that doesn’t offer any hydration (it’s solely for staining), it’s good practice to layer over with either a clear gloss or a balm. Reapplying the balm would keep your lips hydrated and looking fresh all day.

I also love that this leaves such a beautiful rosy tint that almost looks just like your lips, but prettier. And since it doesn’t wear off, you can fool anyone into thinking this is your own lip colour!

Overall this is a great product to have on hand when you are too busy for touchups and deal with fading etc. Great for off days running errands IMO and I also love this for the beach as well. Non fussy colour that your hair doesn’t stick to!

Here’s a look at how this shows up on the lips. I’ve worn it on the cheeks too, but it’s so faint in the photo (I always ‘under do’ blush!) you could totally miss it. In real life it leaves a very nice slight rosy tint, minus the powderiness you get with other blushes.

Final thoughts

This is by far the best tint lip and cheek product i’ve tried to date. No need to rush to blend it out like the Benetints by Benefit. You most certainly have more ‘play time’ while application before this starts to set and stain since it’s a gel formula and not a liquid, it takes a while to evaporate I guess.

I find the colour too is universal, and I totally get why they came out with just one shade. It’s also perfect for mimicking the rosy cheeks you get coming out of winter yet sweet and girlie for spring.

The only downside I could think of was that it was a product that gives you no hydration.

Product information

10ml product per bottle, retailing at SGD 60 (and USD 37 for those of you in the States)

Currently available at all Dior counters.

*Mine was a sample sent for review

For more Dior Spring 2015 reviews, click here.