Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy CC Lipstick in #501 Peony Review and Swatch

Okay... I need to admit it that I wanted to get hold of one of those Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy CC Lipsticks since I received its first promotional email. I am totally a sucker for its glorious red packaging. I couldn't stop thinking whipping out this lipstick out of my purse... Yes. I went for it when I first saw it at the Giorgio Armani counter at Nordstrom. I tried a couple of the colors and I was completely in love with the one I picked in the end - #501 Peony. Ever since I started wearing Jo Malone's Peony and Blush Suede scent, I've been obsessed with anything Peony. But I have to tell you, this lipstick offers more than the packaging and the beautiful name. 

I will start with the packaging. It's simply bold and glamorous. The level of luxurious feeling it offers is no less than the Tom Ford black/gold combination... I LOVE IT. It also has the magnetic lipstick cap -  same as the Burberry one. 

It's called "CC Lipstick" and claimed to be the newest technology which combines lip care with high impact color effect. The color is gorgeous as you can see from the swatch below. It's quite long lasting -  4 to 5 hours - drinking but no eating. I will do a kissing test and report back but for now I'm quite satisfied with it! I apologize that I took the picture at night time so the lighting might be a bit off but I really wanted to rave this product before I leave for my vacation! Of course, I'm totally carrying this in my purse with me!

The color definitely looks better on my lips than on my wrist. It totally brightens up my complexion and I absolutely adore it! I'm already thinking what the next color I should reward myself with next time I go shopping, maybe Heat? maybe Scarlatto? maybe Dolci? Ohhh I want them all...

x

Mimi

Sephora Favorites 2013 - Give Me Some Lip - Draw The Line - Review

I was very excited to see Sephora's new favorites sets for 2013. They usually have a good selection of stuff in those sets and I tend to grab them before there are gone. This year, two of the sets really caught my eyes. They are the Give Me Some Lip lipstick/lip-gloss set and Draw The Line eyeliner set. 

I ordered online last week and I received the package yesterday. Don't be fooled by the picture on Sephora's website, those sets are mini! Here is a picture I took showing you the packaging and comparing them to the small packets of sample serums I received with the order. So they certainly don't look very big...

Now, moving on to the inside. You can't judge a book by its cover, right?

Give Me Some Lip ($25) has six products inside:

- 0.10 oz Laura Mercier Lip Glacé in Bare Pink (2/3 size)

- 0.07 oz Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Dolly (half size)

- 0.14 oz NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight (half size)

- 0.08 oz Fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment (half size)

- 0.05 oz Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Rhubarb (half size) 

- 0.10 oz Tarte LipSurgence Lip Luster in Glitzy (full size)

I'm happy with the amount of the products in this set. The full size Tarte lip luster was certainly a good bonus because it's worth $24 by itself. $25 for the whole set, you totally get your money back! I've always loved Fresh Sugar lip treatment although the mini size one tends to break easily half way because it's thinner than the regular size one. Buxom lip polish is always good as a lip plumper and NARS never disappoints me with its color and pigmentation. I'm quite satisfied with this set!

Draw The Line eyeliner set ($30) also has six products inside:

- 0.025 oz Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes Eyeliner in Black 

- 0.082 oz Sephora Collection Long-Lasting 12HR Wear Eye Liner in Black 

- 0.01 oz Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Black 

- 0.04 oz Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Black 

- 0.01 oz Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Stingray 

- 0.01 oz Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Double Ended Eye Pencil in Perversion and Demolition

I love Urban Decay 24/7 eye pencils. It's great for Sephora to include a double-sided one into this set. Black and Brown are always good colors for everyday use. Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes Eyeliner is another of my favorite eyeliner. I've tried Eyeco this morning and I'd say so far so good. It has a very thin tip and it's really easy to use to do a winged eyeliner look. I'm excited to try Stila eyeliners and I hope they won't disappoint. 

I think both sets are very good value, but if I had to choose one, I would probably be more inclined to buy the lip set just because it has more different variety and higher end brands. Also, the lip set is $90 in value but costs $25 and the eyeliner set is $79 in value but cost $30, so you do the math ;)

x

Mimi