Lip Conditioning: Working Hard for that Lipstick

Lip prep isn't something I care too much for aside from regular day-to-day maintenance. Lipsticks should work for me and not the other way around. But when lips are constantly looking cracked even under the best of lipstick formulas, then I'm sorry but "Its not you, its me." The latest Dior Holiday Diorific shade Charm* ($46CDN) (perhaps finally a peach shade I can get behind when all others have washed me out) made me realize this and I had to break out the big guns which promised overnight lip conditioning results.

#IFeelGood in Purple (ft. Rouge Dior's Matte Lipsticks*)

I posted the above photo on my Instagram because its purple. I love purple.  Sometimes I'm surprised by how much I love purple. When I see my purple moleskin notebook, the fact that I often write in purple pen, my purple jackets and other clothing...its thankful that I've caught myself early or I'll be mistaken for a grape at my next press event. Purple...my interpretation of cat lady status. Though I've checked myself, its hard not to agree that Dior's Rouge Dior Lipstick in Superstitious Matte* ($43CDN) is my kind of shade.

Color Correcting, Getting on Board (ft. Dior Fix-It Color Correctors*)

Same formula as the Dior Fix-It  primer/concealer do-dads but now in color correcting shades! 

Dior has launched the Dior Fix-It Color Correctors ($45CDN). While I think color correcting is secretly another option for concealing (and one I haven't really care to start figure out) I wanted to try these since I new I liked the formula.  

Diorskin Star Concealer

I had the Diorskin Star Concealer 002 Beige ($40CDN, 0.20oz) on my radar since Sunny loved it so much and talked about how it never creased on her. I didn't purchase it since I was still working on a tube of Make Up For Ever's Full Cover but my mom got it as a gift, didn't need it and gave it to me!

Worth Checking Out: Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows*

While the Dior's Summer 5 Color Palette options didn't quite hit the mark for me, the latest colors and formulation of the Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows* ($36 CDN, 1.98g) have got me more excited. 

The new collection of Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows comes with 10 shades (9 are available in Canada) and are available in department stores (not Sephora). There are four finishes: matte, satin, glittery and intense lamé (its as intense as it sounds). Long-wearing and buildable, these can be soft, subtle, smoldering or dramatic. 

Looks with Dior's Polka Dot Eyeshadow Palettes - Escapade and Bain de Mer*

When a new collection launches, what do you look at first? My eyes always go towards the eyeshadows. After seeing a few promo photos of the Dior Summer collection, Escapade, an orange and pink option seemed right up my alley, while Bain de Mer made me curious. 

The New Gloss in Town (ft. Dior Ultra-Gloss in Ultradior, Everdior, Mirrored, and Fancy)*

*press samples

Dior Addict Lip Gloss in Bal D'été was the first gloss I fell in love with. I wore that orange shade all through summer and spring; it was perfect with only brows and brown liner. The shade got extra points when a friend commented on how beautiful it looked . That shade was my entry way into Dior and into lip glosses generally. There was something about that light orange that was so special and I don't think I've fallen as instantly in love with a gloss as much as I have with Bal.

Perfect Holiday Nails

*Press samples

If there was every a time for sparkly, the Holidays would be it. Though I may tread carefully with glitter on the face, glitter on the nails always works but even more so when the weather dips low and the streets are twinkling with lights.

Leaning Cool - Dior Eternal Gold*

*Press sample

Warm eyeshadows draw me in much more often than cool toned shadows but Dior's Holiday Palette in Eternal Gold ($70CDN) has been a change from my regular choices and its partly due to the shadow's performance.

Creamy, Too Creamy - Diorific Matte Velvet Lipsticks - Radieuse, Fascinante, Fabuleuse, Fantastique*

*Press samples

I've come to the realization that there is such as thing as too creamy. The Dior Diorific Mat Velvet Lipsticks ($45CDN) in Radieuse, Fascinante, Fabuleuse and Fantastique come in an exceptionally creamy formula that, for all its advertised benefits, might just be too much of a good thing.

Much Better than Before - Dior Blazing Gold*

*press sample

I like to think that as I age, I get better over time and I improve upon my mistakes. Sometimes you wish that of some other people too and sometimes you wish that of prodcuts. Though the Dior seasonal eyeshadow palettes haven't been a hit with me, this year's Holiday collection which includes the 5 Couleurs State of Gold Palette in Blazing Gold* ($70CDN), is much different from more recent releases.

Dior Fix It*

Just fix it! If only it were that easy. I still haven't figured out the perfect way to conceal pimples. They're raised, usually have flaky skin around the perimeter and concealer seems to vanish so much faster on white heads or dried pimpled areas than they do on any other part of my face. I was hoping that the new Dior Fix It 2-in1 Pimer and Conceal* ($40CDN, 0.12oz) would be a good solution.

Dior Rouge Dior for Fall - Nouvelle Femme, Continental and Unique*

Being able to see the full range of colors that come out during a seasonal line gives me an inside looking into how brand's make color choice. For Fall, Dior has launched some new shades in their Rouge Dior* ($42CDN, 0.12oz) line and Nouvelle Femme, Continental and Unique is such a nice, though safe, capsule of Fall shades.

The Best Swatches...

The best swatch photos are perfectly clear, evenly lit, accurately depicted and labelled. Arm swatches should be thick and tidy.Full face in context photos should be provided. Full face swatch photos also are perfectly clear, evenly lit, and accurately depicted and labelled. The best swatch photos are hard to do.

Dior Fluid Eyeshadows*

*Press Sample

Trying new things can be frightening or exhilarating. For example, when David taught me how to ride a bike (that one time) both him and I didn't realize how afraid I actually was about learning. Every time I got on and pedalled, I maintained a pained grimaced face while emitting a panicked low whine until the bike stopped. Trying to turn was also a traumatic experience.  Half my brain was scared to the point of paralysis while the other half was very excited I could turn. All the while, I was verbalizing "keep pedalling, keep pedalling!!!! Don't stop, don't stop!!!" and started softly crying when I completed my first circle around the gravelled area we were on. I am possibly the noisiest biker learner in history.

Dior Powder Eyebrow*

When I bought my first concealer, I also bought my first eyebrow pencil and that was more than 2 years ago. The Make Up For Ever Eye Brow Pencil in #4 has lasted me an amazingly long time. I didn't know much about brow but slowly I've morphed into someone who feels just slightly weird about 'not having my brows on'. It has been a slow creep. So slow in fact that I've still literally using the very same and first MUFE pencil even though I use it nearly everyday. 

Blushing On Demand

*Gifted

If I could mimic, on demand, that almost-there glow that comes from being just a touch embarrassed, standing too close to your crush or having jogged slightly to catch the bus, I would. That little bit of blush tells people, yes there's blood rushing through these veins and it can make me look darn cute. But honestly, any of those three situations are too emotionally and physically unstabilizing for my preference and I would rather not exert myself to look attractively alive. I hear pinching your cheeks is an option, but in this day and age, that's a bit too vintage for me.

On Dior Lip Addicts

I own a Dior Lip Addict in Millie (a shimmery berry shade) and in general quite like these. Dior Lip Addicts contains 25% less wax than most traditional formulas and are supposed to gives a modern sheer look with mirror shine. This summer's Tie Die* ($34CDN) version has a contract color running through the tube in a CD shape.

On Lip Colors and Smoky Eyes

Color perception is a curious thing. The same mechanisms that make this square look much darker than it actually is, is the same mechanisms that makes me misjudge color cosmetics when they're in their tubes. When I first looked at Ciel Rose* ($35CDN) it seems so dark and unflattering, almost dull but when I put it on, it was an amazingly vibrant MLBB rosey shade. It was so appropriate to pair with a day smokey eye.

Dior 5 Couleur Designer 808 Purple Design Palette*

Dior's 808 Purple Design Palette* ($63CDN) is my second favorite of the lot. Here are my general opinions of these palettes.  Again, the color combo, like Nude Pink Design, give a more contrasted look instead of the gradients we found in the blue, green or taupe palette, and that is the type of looks I prefer.