Beauty Review | Benefit Blush in “Coralista”

I have always been a huge fan of Benefit products, and find the quality to be quite nice. (I also have their High Beam illuminating highlighter — it’s one of my favorite makeup essentials, and perhaps I will be doing a review on it soon as well.) Anyway, Benefit makes a line of awesome boxed powders (no, really, they come in awesome boxes!), ranging from “Hoola” (a bronzing powder), to “CORALista” (which works perfectly as a blush).

If you’re still in search of the perfect blush, I would recommend trying CORALista. The color shown on the Sephora website is a little misleading — in actuality, the shade is a bit deeper and a little pinker. Despite the name, it is not orange-y whatsoever. It really is the perfect shade of warm, bright, and all-flattering pink. (It also carries a light floral scent, which is a total plus!) The price is also totally reasonable because this stuff will last you forever.

In short: This is a beautiful, high-quality blush in a bright peachy pink hue that flatters all skin tones — it could quickly become your go-to blush for everyday! The scent is yummy but not overpowering and the box (which comes with a mini brush, by the way) is a steal because it will last for a while.

Shopping info: Benefit boxed powders in “CORALista,” $28, sephora.com.

{Image: temptalia.com.}

Beauty Review | Guerlain Météorites

I had heard a lot about this product before finally deciding to buy it. These little météorites, as it turns out, are quite pricy, and sell for $57 per box. Essentially, they are an illuminating face powder, and the different colored pearls add an iridescent glow to any face in addition to smoothing skin tone. Sweep some of this on and you will see a difference immediately — I’m already totally hooked on this product and will be restocking when the time comes. Plus, it comes in a beautiful box and smells amazing!

Here’s how Sephora describes it:

Inspired by light and created by Guerlain, Météorites Pearls employ the technology of white light, which is used in photography and film to erase imperfections and soften features. A constellation of 6 multi-colored pearls blend together for a flawless, radiant complexion. These pearls-with-a-purpose have now been reinvented in 3 color harmonies that are adapted to each skintone.

The description, in this case, is surprisingly accurate, and the pearls are a lovely finishing touch for a radiant complexion. (I apply mine over Perfékt’s skin perfection gel in “Radiant”.) The Guerlain Météorites come in three colors: Teint Rosé 01, Teint Beige 02, and Teint Doré 03. I have a fairly pale complexion, and therefore purchased the Teint Rosé. However, this does give an even paler finish (although only slightly), so if you’re looking for a face powder that also gives you a bronzing glow, I would recommend the two other shades, depending on your skin tone. Next time, I’ll definitely be buying the Teint Beige.

In short: I highly recommend this product. It’s very pricy, but you get what you pay for — the quality is incredible, and the powder itself is light and illuminating. If you’re looking for a new loose powder (or just looking to spoil yourself), this will do the trick.

Shopping info: Guerlain Météorites, $57, sephora.com.

{Image source: nordstrom.com.}

Beauty Review | Skyn Iceland Icelandic Relief Eye Cream

I decided to try this eye cream after seeing it on the Sephora website. (I’ve become increasingly obsessed with Sephora, and all the insanely expensive, tiny-sized products in gorgeous packaging. I’m a sucker for packaging.) I was looking for something that would help with the dark circles under my eyes from staying up later every night, and I think I found it.

I got the pen version to test out the product (it’s also easier to apply, as reviewers have pointed out). I put it on before bed and woke up with significantly smaller dark circles! They usually puff up into bags when I smile, but they were so much smaller after only one use — still present, but definitely reduced and my eyes looked a lot brighter. It also worked very nicely as a gentle moisturizer.

This is definitely an effective and fast-acting product. It soothed my eyes when applied, and it made my eyes look so much brighter in the morning! A great way to look awake and revitalized, even if you barely slept the night before. It’s also very gentle and is formulated without a lot of harmful ingredients. I would recommend checking it out if you’re looking to get rid of dark circles or brighten up your eyes!

{Source: Image via sephora.com}

Beauty Review | Bare Escentuals RareMinerals Blemish Therapy

I ordered the Bare Escentuals RareMinerals™ Blemish Therapy on Sephora because I was desperately in need of a spot treatment that would get rid of some acne, and this one was recommended and had great reviews, in addition to being natural without a lot of harmful ingredients. (It was also a Best of Sephora Winner 2008.) I’m so glad I purchased this, because it’s amazing! I love that the formula is a powder – it’s so light and easy to apply. It works as a decent concealer, but does not last very long, so I would recommend using another concealer on top of this. I saw results the next day, but you’ll need to apply it several times each day to keep your skin blemish-free. Other than that, it does work quite well!

My only complaint is that the scent isn’t very nice (something other Sephora.com reviewers complained about), but, hey — if you’ve got a product that works, stick with it. In my opinion, it is completely worth the cost for something gentle, natural, and totally effective. Definitely would recommend.

{Source: Image via sephora.com}

White Nails

I had never considered the idea of using white nail polish until I saw my friend wearing it a few months ago, and my jaw dropped. It looked incredible. It takes a bit of work to get the coats to look even, but the result is a nail that is chic, clean, polished, and unexpected. If you’re fair-skinned like me, it will also make you look just a tiny bit more tan, which is always a plus.

This is a perfect shade for year-round, but especially the summer. It is incredibly elegant and looks amazing on everyone. I’m pretty sure I’ve found a new favorite nail polish — and I’m planning on stocking up on a few more bottles from Sephora for the fall season.

The key to making this look work is having a manicure that is opaque and even. White nail polish shows flaws more easily than other colors and it is more difficult to get a uniformly opaque coat. I had to do several coats on my nails (I think anywhere between 2-4), and you’ll definitely want to use a top and base coat to keep it shiny and prevent chipping. Also try sealing the edge of the nail with a swipe of the top coat to avoid unnecessary touch-ups.

I used Sephora by OPI’s nail polish in “A-ha! Moment,” $9.50, sephora.com.

What do you think of white nails? Have you tried the color before, or plan to in the future?