Cosmetic
So I went for a visit to my local Macy's the past weekend since it was raining and i was bored.... I stopped by Dior and got a few things. They also have a gift with purchase of any 3 products (except fragrance I think), so if you're in the market for a cosmetics case and in need to replenishing your Dior stocks then now is a great time.
I got the 5 color all-in-one artistry palette in Smoky Design, Dior Addict lipstick in Undressed Pink and Dior Addict Lip Glow.
I'm really loving everything I got. I've been on a bad skin week with stress and trying out new products that broke me out so bear with the photos.
On to the reviews:
5 Color All-in-One Artistry Palette in Smoky Design :
This palette has everything you need to make a smoky eye. The applicators it comes with are awful (with exception of the liner applicator) so if you have brushes, use those instead and you'll have better results.
The base (lower left) is neutral with a pretty shimmer. It goes on smooth and can be worn alone with the liner if you're looking for a less dramatic look.
The shadow (center) applies from your lash line to your crease. For those out there who do not know where the crease is located, it is the area where your orbital bone meets your eyeball. Everyone has a crease, even if you have no superficial eyelid crease. My crease is located above my superficial crease. Just think of it as the little canal/canyon area where your squishy eyeball and your hard cranial bone meet.
The contour (upper left) goes on your crease and on the outer 1/3 lid area from your lash line to your crease. This color wears pretty easily and is really blendable. In fact both eye shadows were smooth going on and blended like a dream.
The liner (lower right) is a hit or miss from the other reviews I read, but I love it. It's a thick, dense cream that dries to a powder (think of MAC Blacktrack but 3/4 dried out). It's well pigmented and goes on very well. The liner also works very well in adding depth to the look by applying it on the lash line and smudging it out. Follow with the center eye shadow to set and it adds a bit more drama to the look.
The highlight (upper right) is a glitter that can be used solely on the brow bone or all over. If used on the brow bone, tap it on lightly with a finger. If used all over, apply it with a brush and gently tap it on so you don't ruin the other colors.
My rankings for this (based on 1 to 5).....
Value : 4 - Granted this is Dior and their products aren't cheap, but my ideal price for this palette would be $48 tops. But then again you get what you pay for and the colors are so easy to use. I've never had such a simple time making a smoky eye. I wish they would change the sponge tip applicators but I have brushes so no biggie.
Ease of Use : 5 - Speaking of how easy it is to use, everything you would need is in the palette. The booklet that comes with the palette even has directions for you that are very easy to follow.
Quality : 5 - The shadows are smooth and beautiful, the liner is richly pigments and applied like a pencil liner, the glitter highlighter is the perfect finishing touch and I didn't notice significant glitter fall out.
Repurchase : 4 - This palette will last me a long time but I will always remember it and if I ever do find myself in need of a good smoky grey palette, this will be the one I get. But it's not something that I need to have a constant supply of.
Overall : 4.5 - The colors and formula wear beautifully on me, but I do wish it were a tad cheaper. But for such a great palette, I suppose it's worth the splurge. Everyone should get one of these palettes (any color) at least once in their lives.
Dior Addict lipstick in Undressed Pink :
If you're in the market for a nude lipstick then consider this color. The formula is a lightweight dream and the color is opaque enough for a light coat.
One issue I had here though was that I found that the color didn't blend so well and kind of just sat on top of my lips. I used my finger to buff out the color since normally nude lipsticks look too heavy on me applied straight from the tube.
Another issue is that it didn't last very long on my lips, within 30 minutes I found I had to re-apply and all I was doing was drinking water. The formula feels like there's a layer of mineral oil on your lips and is a bit slick, I would be more satisfied with a creamier feel. The moisture doesn't absorb and it doesn't feel as natural as it could. Overall pretty color, but the formula leaves something to be desired.
Value : 3 - Again, granted this is Dior and their products aren't cheap, but for a lipstick I would wish this to be no more than $20.
Ease of Use : 4 - It's well pigmented but a little buffing may be necessary to even out the color.
Quality : 3 - The feel of it initially on the lips is very nice but it just doesn't sit as well as it could. Also, I noticed the color didn't last on me so that would result in me having to apply and buff more times throughout the day than I would like to.
Repurchase : 2 - I love the color! But if I found the same color in a better formula I wouldn't buy this again.
Overall : 3 - For the price I expected a more luxurious feel. The color is amazing and warrants repurchase based on that alone. It feels kinda like my NYX lipsticks and I guess I can't get that out of my head. This is only average in my book.
Dior Addict Lip Glow
I've been wanting to try this for some time now. It reminds me very much of Smashbox's O-gloss in regards to how it colors the lips, but it looks much easier and less annoying to apply. This is also in balm form so I assume it's more nourishing to the lips than the O-gloss..... but I could also just be bitter about how the O-gloss stained everything it touched.
The formula is emmolient and it applies just like a lip balm. The color I got was a soft "just bitten lip" look. Again this does react differently to different people, but for me I loved the color I got. A few hours into wearing this, the color was still there and my lips felt very nice.
If I had to describe the formula, I would say it's between a lip stain and a tinted balm, leaning slightly more towards the tinted balm. The color fades gradually and more evenly than the O-gloss as you eat and drink throughout the day. I found myself needing to reapply only after lunch and only because my lips were dry.
This is a tinted lip balm with slight staining capabilities. It has a mild minty tingle and moisturizes the lips very well. But for $29, is it something one really needs? My answer would be no. While I'm very satisfied with the product, I would be hard pressed to buy this for myself again. But I would definitely include this on a wishlist.
Value : 3 - This is just too much for me to spend on lip balm. It's very natural and feels wonderful on the lips but the price is just too much.
Ease of Use : 5 - Twist it up and apply to lips. What could be easier?
Quality : 5 - I love everything about the lip glow. The formula, the color I get from the reaction, the soothing properties of the balm. As far as quality goes, this would be in my top ten.
Repurchase : 2 - If perhaps I can learn to budget, I might be able to provide constant funds for this. But alas, I can only hope that someone asks me what I want for my birthday or Christmas so I can shout "DIOR LIP GLOW!!!"
Overall : 3.8 - Why oh why did I have to love this? For me this is great but as stated before, the price is out of my range for me to consider it a regular purchase. Just remember that this is all dependant on the individual though, if the color had turned out differently I don't know if I would love it as much.
Confection
What's better than a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie?
One topped with a roasted marshmallow!
Oh yeah! That's right! Nom nom nom!
I just took 2 bites of heaven.
It's super easy to make as well and toasted marshmallows make everything better.
For this I used a chocolate chip cookie dough mix I got for $1 at CVS. Not that I can't make them from scratch, I just wanted them as quickly as possible.
Bake the cookies until they are almost done. This will depend on how you like your cookies. I like them soft and a bit underbaked like how I would get at Mrs. Fields, so I would bake them to almost that point. Most recipes call for baking the cookies for 15 minutes or until the edges are brown. I find that makes for a hard cookie and I bake my cookies at around 10 minutes.
For my point of reference, a cookie is ready to be taken out when the top center of the cookie is just baked and the dough no longer shines.
Remove the cookies and set aside to fully cool so they don't fall apart.
Once fully cooled, add a marshmallow to the top of the cookie and place on a foiled baking sheet under the broiler. Once marshmallows start to lightly brown, take the back of a metal spoon that has been dipped in water and flatten the marshmallow on the cookie.
Continue to broil until the desired level of toastiness is reached (don't forget to rotate the tray to prevent charred spots).
Serve warm! The marshmallow will have a crisp outer shell and gooey filling that melds so well with the melted chocolate chips.
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