Ethereal Glow By Way Of Dior Shimmer Star in Rose Diamond

Sometimes, you just need to indulge in something beautiful to make yourself feel beautiful both inside and out. Such was the notion behind my most recent Sephora purchase, the Dior Beauty Shimmer Star in Rose Diamond. Continuing further on my quest towards perfect (looking) skin, I turn to Mr Dior for my fix.

Beauty Obsession- Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick

We already know that I am given to flights of fancy when it comes to brands and products, oftentimes frittering and fussing between a million different things of the cosmetic variety. Conversely, we also know that I am prone to bouts of fanatical obsession with products, clutching them to my bosom while darting my eyes from side to side for fear of someone stealing said product from me. It's a tough life, I know.

My latest obsession is flawless skin and subtle shimmer by way of skin highlighters. With sunshine being a more common thing around these parts, I have searched far and wide for the perfect highlighting product to compliment the season and give me that shining, luminescent, faux sun-kissed shimmer. Cue our resident makeup superhero, Bobbi Brown to give me what I crave in the form of the mini Shimmer Brick in Sandstone..

The Illamasqua Swatch Project- Blushes, Illuminators

Last part of the Illamasqua Swatch Project: The Face Products!

Illuminators:
Fondle, Glimmer, Halycon, Odyssey

Powders: Unrequited, Katie, Chased, Tweak, Thrush

Panic, Expose, Excite, Lover, Hussy, Tremble

Sin, Kiss, Beg, Create, Creams: Libido, Rude

Lies, Promise, Betray

Well folks, I hope you enjoyed these swatches. This took me a lot of time and effort, and I would appreciate if you could credit me if you use my images. Otherwise, feel free to use them for all your shopping needs :)

I will cap off Illamasqua week with a post on Daniel's favorites tomorrow.

Benefit One Hot Minute for a Soft Glow

Benefit Beauty is a brand known for its fun, retro-styled packaging, and cult favorite beauty items (Benetint and Dandelion are two examples). While I have not had too much experience with the brand, that doesn't mean I am not open to learning for myself what all the hubbub is about. I am about to embark on a journey into the land of Benefit, and of course you are all invited to come along for the ride. Up first for review is the brand's newest launch, One Hot Minute Face powder.

Touted as the sexy in seconds powder, One Hot Minute is a rose gold tinted loose powder designed to impart a soft-lit, warm glow to the skin wherever it is applied. The powder can be used all over the face and body, and offers up a very subtle effect. It is a highlighter, and both the color and the shimmer are very soft. It isn't pigmented enough to act as a blush alone, but it looks great over blush or to add a warm shimmer to the arms, decollete, and body.

Here is a swatch, notice the soft rosy gold tint:

All in all, I really did end up liking this powder. I like that it is subtle enough to be used in an everyday environment without looking too obvious. I find myself reaching for these on my low maintenance days when I just want to add a very soft glow to my very tired looking skin. It instantly adds luminescence, and I really love that. I am starting to catch on to why Benefit is so popular.

Wearing a light sweep of One Hot Minute:

My one gripe with the product was the packaging. I love how cute and sturdy the tin is, but I found the holes in the sifter to be too small to adequately get the powder out. Also, the brush that came with it doesn't do a very good job at picking up the powder. The brush isn't dense enough. Both of these are pretty minor flaws, considering how much I liked this product overall. Benefit One Hot Minute is currently available on the Sephora website, and also in all Benefit boutiques. This will launch on the Benefit website in September!