It's that time again...welcome to another edition of Back Burner Blast!! This is where I do quick reviews of products that I've been meaning to post about, but never quite get to in favor of writing about other things. If you would like to check out the other Back Burner Blast posts, you can find the first one HERE and the second one HERE :-)
Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Creme Lipstick in Mural, $30/.12oz @ Sephora, Barneys, Hourglasscosmetics.com
This tube has a very nice weight to it, and I really enjoy the packaging!!
Love the Hourglass detail on the lipstick itself...really makes me feel like I'm putting something special on!! I found this formula to be very creamy and moisturizing. It has a super smooth application and the wear time was around 3 hours. With most lipsticks, I find they tend to dry out a bit and kind of sink into the minute nooks and crannies on my lips...not this one...it stayed looking freshly applied through most of the 3 hour wear time!!
I was very happy with this formula!!! The color didn't quite work out, but I'll definitely look for another color that will suit me better. And with the formula and packaging, I absolutely felt I was getting my $30 worth :-)
Indoor daylight bulbs
From Hourglass site about Femme Rouge:
A lustrous, long-lasting and refillable cream lipstick that hydrates and softens lips. The silky, richly pigmented formula defines and shapes the lips as it moisturizes for a plush cushiony effect.
Sue Devitt Defining Eye Liner in Laki Black, $20 @ Barneys.com
From what I've read it seems like Sue Devitt is going out of business? I'm not sure...if anyone can clarify that would be fantastic :-) Anyhow, supposedly she's not available in Barneys retail stores anymore, but this liner is still available on the Barneys site. I received this in my goody bag for the Barneys Love Yourself beauty event in February.
Indoor daylight bulbs
This liner is very smooth and creamy and applies like a dream!! I haven't tried many liners, but this one seems to very black even with just a single swipe. I also really appreciate the twist up instead of needing to sharpen the product. It smudges nicely, though seems to take a bit longer to dry. Unfortunately after drying, this is no match for my super oily monolids, even with a primer. I think if you have normal (and not oily) lids this might work well, though I suspect you would still need a primer...
Somme Institute Transport Pads, $58/50pads or 14 pads as part of a trial set of 5 Somme Institute products for $85 @ Beauty.com, Nordstrom. Right now for the Anniversary Sale early access (and later for regular access), Nordstrom has a special value tub of 100 pads for only $49, HERE.
This tub is part of the trial set of 5 Somme Institute products. I was really excited to purchase it because I've wanted to try the Transport Pads for awhile, and Beauty.com was running a GWP where I received a full sized tub of Transport Pads with the purchase!!
These pads are thin but are very saturated and one pad is definitely enough for your entire face, neck and décolletage.
The texture on the pads is amazing...super duper soft and they fel dreamy against my skin. I used all 14 of this trial tub, but only at night. For the 14 days these did help to keep my blackheads away, and my skin felt very smooth and soft!!
From Nordstrom:
Soft cotton pads infused with MDT5 and AHA/BHA exfoliate dead cells on the skin's surface, unclogging blocked pores while delivering highly engineered vitamins, thus improving resiliency, hydration and encouraging cell renewal.
I'm on the fence with these. On one hand, I think they are a really great product, and worth checking out. On the other, I think there are so many other pads/products that can achieve the same results - at least for me - for less $$.
By Terry Laque Terrybly Regenerating Nail Strengthener Base, $30/.33oz @ Beauty.com, Barneys, CosBar.com, ByTerry.com
I love the flat brush on this base coat, and it applies very smoothly. It's a bit thicker than most of the base coats I've tried, but it does dry quickly. This fills in the ridges on my nails, and lends for a very smooth base to apply color. I don't think this extends the longevity of my manicures or pedicures by much - maybe by a day or so for my manicure and a few days for pedicures. The with the slight pinkish tint it does look very nice by itself with no color on top. Overall, I'm no so certain this is worth the $30??? I want to say I LOVE it and that everyone should go out and get it...but...eh...not so sure...maybe I'll feel different after finishing the bottle???
From Barneys:
This rapid-drying base, an expert manicure must-have, is formulated using "Oxygen-Growth" technology to strengthen nails, erase ridges and other irregularities.
Its anti-breakage formula, enriched in keratin regenerating vitamins, protective UV filters and a hydra-fortifying mineral complex, nourishes and preserves the nail matrix. The translucent pink, ridge-filling gel texture leaves nails perfectly smooth for boosted radiance and long-wear lacquer.
**********
Out of all of these I think the only one I'd very much recommend is the Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Creme Lipstick...go get swatching!!! :-)
Edited: Lipstick from Lipstick Boulevards and Bellyhead from Wondegondego told me that the color range on the Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Creme Lipsticks is very limited. I bought Mural online so I kind of bought blind with a best hunch guess. I still want to check out the other colors, but I have been warned...and so have you ha ha :-)