Bronzer Obsession Series: Nars Casino

I like how everyone is trapped in the craze for Laguna.

While Laguna is great, I only think it is good used as a bronzer. If you contour with bronzers, and you have a warm undertone, how's Laguna good?!

Now, before you decide to throw stones at me, I need to clarify something. I have a lot of red undertone in my skin, and my skin is ultra sensitive. A slight touch on my face will turn that entire area red, and I embarrass so easily! And when I turn red, I don't turn pink, I turn tomato red.

So for me, naturally, when I was on my search for a contour, I was worrying what everyone else was worrying, I do not want to look like an orange. I mean a tomato and an orange just don't go well together. So I looked into Laguna and almost bought it, because everyone raves how it has no orange at all, how it is a golden brown that is excellent for fair skin's contour.

Except, of course, when I put it on at Sephora, it was...yellow. I am not exaggerating at all. It appeared that I have a dark yellow patch on the side of my face. It was dead obvious that I wanted to contour but uh..failed. Honestly I was puzzled, how did that happen?

Then I saw Casino, it is not by any means darker in the pan, just warmer. What the hell, I'll give it a try too, and I did. And guess what, it looked a lot more natural on me. Though slightly more orange toned than that golden beige brown that Laguna has, it appears much more like a shadow of my own, instead of an obvious use of cosmetics to create a dirty looking hollow.

Lancôme Taupe Craze Look

Enough said. Here comes pictures. It's a very light palette after all, very natural. Did not bother with the liner shade. I do like the palette on my eyes, but I can't be happy with the amount of fall out! Look under my eyes, I did not sweep my eyeshadow on, I pressed them on. I don't do swipes unless I'm blending, and when I blended this look, I was very gentle because the texture of this palette is awesomely smooth. Even then the fall out is still very prominent. Also, as you can see, this is relatively warm on my eyes. I wish wish wish it would be more taupish, as I'm not a big fan of warm looks on my warm skin, they always end up looking too red.

I would also like to point something else out. I know this is supposed to be used to emphasize eyes. According to the tutorial picture inside, I think this quad is for golden hazel eyes. HOWEVER, I don't know what reflects the palette has, but it does make things look more yellow! And especially, my eye whites! And my eye whites are not by any means yellow to begin with, but some how, while my brown eyes do look more clear and golden warm tones of my eyes are brought out as you can see in the picture, my whites also end up looking yellow! Weird eh?

Here we go, enjoy!

Lancôme Color Design 5 Pan Palette in Taupe Craze - The Land of Fall Out

This is brand new line of eyeshadows that Lancome just came out with in February 2011. Promised to brighten eyes and guaranteed smooth and intense pigmentation, long lasting power, and no creasing what so ever. This particular shade, called Taupe Craze, was featured in various red-carpet looks recently, I thought this would be The It palette this year. NO. No, no, no, no, no.

You know, as much as I LOVE Lancome, I'm utterly disappointed! Retailed at $48.00USD + tax, this is a very mediocre product.

OPI You Don't Know Jacques!

I obviously shouldn't like these shades. All nailpolishes I have are all really girly ones. I don't have a single black nail polish, no greys, just pinks, purples, reds, and possibly maroons. (Well ok, this has something to do with boys not liking my dark nails, but I mean...in reality I don't like dark nails either...Especially on nails that has not been properly groomed, polish has not been properly put on, and/or chipping nail polishes, dark polish may make you look like a witch! Or have horrible hands!) Sometimes I have a few bright blues or teals, but that's about it. But this, this is one of those polishes I keep even though it appears to me that I may not really like it. But again and again I purchase it, sometimes I sell it, but soon I would go out and buy another bottle. After a long time, I came to the conclusion that you know what? I really truly like this colour!

Honestly, OPI's Le Collection de France has thus far (still!) been my favourite. Nothing has beaten it yet.

2 coats, with top coat.

China Glaze Chiaroscuro

What a odd little name to pronounce!

And what a romantic demure colour of a nail polish! 

This is my first and only China Glaze, considering where I am in Canada, it is very hard to get my needy evil hands on China Glaze polishes. Fortunately there's OPI here everywhere to calm my hysterical heart for nail polishes, otherwise what kind of psycho state would I be in?!

Anyway the colour is one of my favourites (again..). It is a nude peachy pink, topped with fine detailed sprinkle of pale pale gold and green shimmer. The shimmer is so fine that it creates a sheen rather than sparkle. It looks not mature, nor does it look girly. It looks lady-like. Very romantic and pretty! I HATE shimmery nail polishes (though I don't hate glitters on my ring finger's tip ;) ). All I ever have are cremes and...cremes. I feel like shimmery nail polishes make my nail beds look so wide and manly! And who the hell wants that!? But this one, this is so carefully crafted, finely made to the details to impress, that the shimmer does not indeed do any bad, but to emphasize the gorgeous nude peachy-pink undertone with a slightly odd and surprisingly perfected final touch. (Man I can write! I mean, it's just a nail polish lmao.)

Formula is sheer, 2 coats is a necessity not an option. But like all sheer nail polishes, it is relatively fool-proof. Having used to put up with cremes, now this feels too easy to do. Dries in NO TIME. But not very shiny, has a satin finish that glows rather than shines. So a top coat is necessary. Keep in mind that one coat of this will make your nails look healthy. 2 coats shows the colour. Lasts and lasts and lasts on your nails. Some say it looks like Nars Orgasm blush. I don't think so. The concept is similar obviously, but Nars Orgasm is a lot darker than this, has heavier golden shimmer (not as pale as this polish) and no green cast.

2 coats, with top coat.