Atelier Cologne Necessaire Citrus Cologne Absolue Set

For the holiday season, Atelier Cologne brought out a few gift sets with deluxe sample-sized fragrances. I was excited to see this as I always hear positive comments about the brand! Atelier's fragrances are made in France and each and every scent are said to have a story behind it, a 'moment in a bottle'. The set I have here is the 'Necessaire Citrus Cologne Absolue Set'.

The Citrus Set consists of four 4ml/0.14 fl oz. mini colognes which makes it a little on the expensive side for deluxe sample sizes.

The four scents ..

•  Pomelo Paradis *new (fresh pomelo from Florida over rich notes of blackcurrant bud)
•  Orange Sanguine (zesty burst of crushed ripe fruit, sweet blood orange juice against bitter orange peel & geranium)
•  Bergamote Soleil (unisex fragrance with soft hint of floral)
•  Clementine California *new (fruity, green and sweet fragrance)

They are strongly scented and pretty true to the descriptions. I am terrible at describing fragrance notes but I'm not afraid to say that my absolute favourite is Pomelo Paradis! It is the most yummy fruity, likely due to the blackcurrant, and I couldn't stop smelling this one. The rest of the scents are also pretty true to their descriptions which surprised me! The way the scents matched their description reminded me of the brand Demeter Fragrance, but with a more concentrated and highly thought-out line of luxurious scents. I'm not going to lie, I felt a little expensive wearing these scents throughout the day. The only scent I didn't like was Bergamote Soleil, I had a feeling it was a unisex fragrance when I tested it, and it just doesn't make me feel sexy when wearing it (I regretted spraying it over my shirt)! I will probably use it as a room spray or give it to my boyfriend.

I was afraid the scents might be a little similar when I found out this was a citrus collection of scents, but they are all so unique against each other! They all pack a punch and seem to be concentrated enough that you don't need to use more than one or two sprays.

The set is available at Sephora stores and online for a limited time at $32 CAD ($64 value).

This product was received for consideration. All opinions stated are my own and are not influenced by any affiliates. 

Sephora Perfect & Cleanse Sponge Trio + Cleaner Set

The Sephora Perfect & Cleanse Sponge Trio and Cleaner Set comes packaged in a tiny container, but is well worth the $$. It includes a full-sized 'The Perfectionist Airbrush Sponge', and two mini The Perfectionist Airbrush Sponges. It also comes with a mini Solid Brush & Sponge Cleaner.

I'm sure you've seen the Sephora sponges in store, who hasn't? But did they appeal to you? I've seen the Sephora Collection sponges in store, and didn't give them a second look. I've tried so many random Beauty Blender dupes here and there, and could never come across one that was comparable! So after trying this out, did I like it?...

Of course! I was so surprised at how well the Sephora The Perfectionist Sponge expanded when wet. It expanded to the exact size of my Beauty Blender (see comparisons below). The mini sponge doesn't expand quite as much but it does get big enough. I use the full size sponge for foundation when I want more of a full coverage (vs. using a buffing brush), and I found that the mini sponge works well for concealing under the eyes, and spot concealing in general.

The Solid Sponge Cleaner took off foundation residue on the sponge with ease, and on top of that it smells lovely! It is formulated with a Moroccan fragrance and infused with Argan Oil which breaks down the excess residue. It even did a great job in removing caked-on old residue off my Beauty Blender, which I had a hard time trying to remove before.

 Dry Sephora The Perfectionist Airbrush Sponge vs. Wet

 Wet Sephora The Perfectionist Mini Airbrush Sponge vs. Dry

 Wet Sephora The Perfectionist Airbrush Sponge vs. Wet Beauty Blender

With the full sized The Perfectionist Sponge priced at $15 already, this trio + solid brush cleaner is a steal at $19 CAD and I wouldn't think twice before purchasing it. I believe this set will be available for Black Friday in a couple days, but you can find the regular Perfectionist Sponge here, and a mini sponge duo here, and solid brush cleaner here, until then.

These products were received for consideration. All opinions stated are my own and are not influenced by any affiliates. 

Tarte Kiss Bliss Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint & Crayon Set

The Tarte Kiss Bliss Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint & Crayon Set is a limited edition set available for the 2016 holiday season, at Sephora stores and online. The set includes 5 deluxe Lip Crayons, and 5 matching deluxe Creamy Matte Lip Paints. The Lip Crayons are tiny, at a mere 0.04 grams each, while the Lip Paints have a bit more product, at 1 ml each. The shade range is great, it pretty much includes all levels of wearable colours that you'd want in a set like this. The set retails for $60 CAD, and listed at a $91 value.

 Swatches L to R: 

Lip Crayon in Thirsty // Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Bae

Lip Crayon in Vibes // Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Chill

Lip Crayon in Rage // Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Fomo

Lip Crayon in Queen // Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Inspo

Lip Crayon in Meme // Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Fab

The Lip Crayons were quite disappointing, the lightest shade, Meme (Fab's match) worked great, but as the shades got darker I found them more difficult to apply to my lips. They aren't creamy and are just a bit annoying to work with because they feel rough, especially on my dry lips. For the swatches below, a lip crayon was only applied as a base under Fab, and not under any of the other shades.

 Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Bae

 Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Chill

Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Fomo

Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Inspo

Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint in Fab

Fab is by far my favourite shade in the set, it is the lightest and most neutral. It is a bit of a 'my lips but better' shade (my lips are a tinge darker, but I wish they were this colour), and I know I can wear this daily.

The pigmentation of the two lightest shades, Fab and Fomo, were great, but as the colours got darker, the pigmentation got a little disappointing. Bae (the true red) was gorgeous, but I found myself a little worried of it smudging. Chill (the dark plum) was a really disappointing shade in the set. It was so dark, but not enough pigment, and went on very patchy and it just didn't seem fixable at that point.

The Creamy Matte Lip Paints are lovely, but they are a creamy, mousse-like texture, and definitely not a true liquid lipstick in my books. They come off fairly easily but in contrast to that, they feel so nice and comfortable on the lips, weightless and are a true matte. I mean, I wouldn't mind having to re-apply this throughout the day because of how comfortable they feel. The Tarte Lip Paints are definitely something unique and I found them fun to apply, but I would love to see the formula of the darker shades improved!

My only interest in this set is the 5-piece Creamy Matte Lip Paints, as I'm sure is the only reason most people would look into this set. It is a great gift and the shade range is awesome, but I'm not sure it would be worth the $60 in the end, especially if you are only interested in the Creamy Matte Lip Paints. The set isn't currently available but you can find individual Creamy Matte Lip Paints on Sephora.ca.

These products were received for consideration. All opinions stated are my own and are not influenced by any affiliates. 

Make Up For Ever Artist Rouge Lipsticks (Swatches & Thoughts)

Make Up For Ever relaunched their lipstick collection, as the new Artist Rouge Lipsticks, offered in 45 shades and a new packaging. The shade range consists of 31 creme shades and 14 mattes, all with high colour payoff, of course. I received here, 6 different shades to test out and boy are they something else!

Of course, I would never find myself choosing these specific shades in store, but I did find the little collection that was put together for me very cute. Out of the 6 shades, they are all definitely very different from each other.

A little bit more about the lipsticks before showing you the swatches... the packaging is new and has a heavy, cold, and luxurious feel to it. The bullet itself has Make Up For Ever etched into it but with the cap closed it is quite incognito! The packaging isn't my favourite, I prefer something with a bit of colour or design, but it has a very expensive feel to it.

All of the lipsticks are designed to provide intense pigmentation, while being creamy and hydrating enough on the lips.

From L to R:  C105,  C211,  M401,  C502,  C603,  C506

C105 - a pale peachy nude

C211 - a universal, good on all skintones rose mauve

M401 - a matte true red

C502 - a taupe lavender

 C603 - a vampy midnight blue

C506 - a dark wine plum

Overall, I think the only 2 shades I will end up wearing is the first two, the most neutral, C105 (a pale peach nude) and C211 (a universal rose mauve). M401 has my favourite type of finish, matte, but as much as I love red lips I don't often rock it (I'm a pretty messy eater..). The lipsticks wore for a lengthy period of the day, I'd say you can go half a day without applying. I had a huge meal with C502 (the taupe lavender shade) on and although I did have to re-apply after, I was impressed with how well it stayed. The lipsticks are creamy and feel comfortable on the lips, I had no complaints and most lipsticks end up drying out my lips. My only dislike was that the lipstick doesn't dry because it is so creamy and moisturizing, so it can be a pain if you want something that you won't feel.

If you are looking for fun, colourful lipsticks, Make Up For Ever is definitely the way to go, as they have so many bright and different shades that you would never think to use as a lipstick! On top of this they have some amazing neutrals.

The Artist Rouge Lipsticks are $27 CAD each and available across Canada at Sephora stores and online.

These products were received for consideration. All opinions stated are my own and are not influenced by any affiliates. 

Live Clean Vanilla Oatmeal Soothing Body Wash & Multi Boost Shampoo

I've got a few new products from Live Clean to share with you and decided to just bundle them into one post. It's so hard to talk about and review stuff like soaps, body washes, and shampoos, because the results of using different brands can be very similar. One thing I love about Live Clean is their promise to use good ingredients, they're always about adding moisture to your regime whether it be skin, hair, or hands, and their products cut out a lot of bad ingredients. 

Live Clean's newest scent, 'Vanilla Oatmeal', comes in both their Liquid Hand Soap and Soothing Body Wash. The formulation was made to be gentle on the skin while adding moisture. The Vanilla Oatmeal Body Wash is enriched with oatmeal and certified organic botanicals of Vanilla and Chamomile to leave skin soft and nourished. Live Clean's Vanilla Oatmeal Soothing Liquid Hand Soap will gently cleanse the skin and contains Vitamin E, Panthenol, and certified organic botanicals of Vanilla and Chamomile.

I am in love with the Vanilla Oatmeal Body Wash and it leaves my skin feeling fresh, but not drying. The Liquid Hand Soap also doesn't disappoint but I really wish they had a foaming hand soap available!

•  Pure Vegan
•  98% plant derived
•  SLS/Sulfate Free, Phthalate Free, Petrolatum Free, Silicone Free, Dye Free, Paraben Free, DEA Free, Phosphate Free
•  No animal by-products, not tested on animals
•  Biodegradable ingredients + eco friendly recyclable packaging

The Vanilla Oatmeal Soothing Body Wash 500ml retails at $6.99 CAD, and the Vanilla Oatmeal Liquid Hand Soap 500ml retails for $4.99 CAD.

Live Clean also has a small range of other body wash scents! I love the huge size of them (500ml), and the scents are all very gentle and not overbearing. 

The Fresh Water Moisturizing Body Wash has a light fruity fresh scent, contains Vitamin E and Hyaluronate to moisturize skin. The Exotic Nectar Argan Oil Replenishing Body Wash contains Argan Oil, and smells like what I use in my hair but I think I'd be okay with using it on my body too. And lastly, the Coconut Milk Moisturizing Body Wash smells like sweet coconuts and restores moisture balance with the natural oils in Coconut Milk along with Vitamin C, E, and B, minerals and proteins. They all retail for $6.99 CAD.

I am always so impressed with all of Live Clean's hair care products, but their Vitamin Multi Boost Shampoo and Conditioner is one of their newest lines and a great hair regime to switch to. Live Clean is drug store bought, but their products seem like such salon quality to me! The Vitamin Multi Boost line has a stronger citrus scent but isn't overbearing. It contains super ingredients like Vitamin E, Vitamin B, Vitamin K, Vitamin D, as well as Avocado Extract to condition and heal the hair. The Multi Boost Shampoo and Conditioner leaves my hair feeling clean, not weighed down or dry, it just feels so right! A main reason I would purchase this again is because of the no sls/sulfates, parabens or silicones!

Both bottles are 350ml in size and retail for $6.99 CAD. They are both free of parabens, sls/sulfates, silicones, and are plant derived, never tested on animals, etc, just like all of Live Clean's products.

You can find Live Clean products at Shoppers Drug Mart, Walmart, London Drugs, Amazon.ca, and Well.ca.

These products were received for consideration. All opinions stated are my own and are not influenced by any affiliates. 

Formula X #ColorCurators: Atlantic Pacific Collection

Formula X has been teaming up with a number of bloggers and beauty/fashion gurus to create monthly #ColorCurators Collections. The Atlantic // Pacific Collection is for the month of September but luckily the shades are still available at Sephora.com. Atlantic-Pacific is a blog by Blair Eadie, fashion blogger on the side, and director of Tory Burch. 

The polishes retail for the standard $16 CAD each.

Formula X #ColorCurators Atlantic-Pacific: Pacific Haze, a whisper soft-gray 

 Formula X #ColorCurators Atlantic-Pacific: Atlantic Mist, a misty sage 

Formula X #ColorCurators Atlantic-Pacific: Taken By Storm, a midnight charcoal 

As with the month of August's MakeupByRoseXOXO Collection, I was so pleased with these shades for September. They are so classic with great finishes. My favourite from the collection is probably the gray, Pacific Haze, just because it is such a neutral shade to wear.

You can find these shades available at Sephora.com for $16 CAD each here.

See my swatches and thoughts on the August 2016 MakeupByRoseXOXO Collection, here.

These products were received for consideration. All opinions stated are my own and are not influenced by any affiliates.