GUCCI Rouge a Levres Satin LIPSTICKS 2019 Review, Swatches: PART I BOLDS

GUCCI Rouge a Levres Satin LIPSTICKS 2019 Review, Swatches: PART I BOLDS

Swatches Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, July 19, 2019

Remember Gucci Beauty? They launched back in 2014, with Pat McGrath as one of the creative directors, but the range faded into oblivion in 2016.
They've relaunched now, with a spankin' range of 58 lipsticks in three finishes, for Summer 2019! The range is inspired by Old Hollywood and art and antiques - a passion of current creative director Alessandro Michele (shared by yours truly). This shows in the naming of the lipsticks, as well as the packaging.
Since I've been having a rough time lately, with allergy issues for myself and health issues for my family as well, I decided to treat myself to some of these (as well as a couple of other luxury lipsticks - see here for another recent lipstick haul - I tell you, there is NOTHING like a luxe lippie to cheer you up). Unfortunately, the more muted shades were out of stock when I placed my order, so I picked some of the bolder and brighter shades. I held off on the review, hoping the subtler shades would be back in stock soon. I then lost patience, and went ahead with the review, only to find that all the shades were back in stock! I have some dusty roses on their way to me - I will be adding the swatches of those to this very same post, so do bookmark it and check back in a couple of weeks' time!
For now, I have some of the bolder, fuchsia shades to show you, though I'll definitely tell you what shade numbers contain what colour families, and how to choose the shade you want.

UPDATE: I HAVE RECEIVED MORE NEUTRAL COLOURS - SWATCHES ADDED BELOW. 

Scroll down for my review and swatches of the Gucci Rouge a Levres Satin Lipsticks for Summer 2019.

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Estee Lauder Pure Color DESIRE ROUGE EXCESS LIPSTICKS Review, Swatches

Estee Lauder Pure Color DESIRE ROUGE EXCESS LIPSTICKS Review, Swatches

Swatches Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, July 18, 2019

For me, the biggest problem with the Estee Lauder Pure Color Desire Rouge Excess Lipsticks is that name. WHY Pure Color? Why not start a whole new range instead of adding length - and confusing - to a handle?
I'll explain.
First, we had the Estee Lauder Pure Color lipsticks. Then came the Pure Color ENVY Sculpting lipsticks (reviewed here) - regular first, followed by a matte range. Then, we had the Pure Color LOVE Lipsticks (reviewed here). Liquid lipsticks followed (all reviewed here) - Pure Color Love Liquid lip colours, and Pure Color PAINT-ON Liquid Lipsticks. ARGH! Stop already! Can't they remove the "Pure Color" suffix at least now? Why is it on every darn lipstick launch ever? Surely Estee Lauder Desire Rouge Excess is enough without tacking on Pure Color in there?
Enough ranting about the name. Let's talk about the lipsticks themselves. These come in stunning packaging, possibly the best we've seen from Estee Lauder. Very heavy metal. All gold. Satisfying click. Incidentally, these are the lipsticks that are supposed to have the highest percentage of pigment in any Estee Lauder lipstick so far.

Scroll down for the review, swatches, and demo of the Estee Lauder Pure Color Desire Rouge Excess Lipsticks.

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Selfridges Glam Sparkle Luxe 24-Day Advent Calendar 2018 Spoilers, Contents: Ships WW

Selfridges Glam Sparkle Luxe 24-Day Advent Calendar 2018 Spoilers, Contents: Ships WW

Selfridges Cosmetopia Digest   Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Selfridges always has a luxury beauty advent calendar, as well as a more budget offering. This year is no exception. I told you about the more affordable Beauty Lovers Selection box here; it is still available worldwide at £70 from here, and makes a great Christmas gift.
The luxury advent calendar is now available for purchase, and also ships worldwide. This year's edition is titled the Selfridges Glam Sparkle Advent Calendar. There are 24 products inside, and it costs £130. The contents are worth more than £300. There are mini perfumes and makeup galore, all from high-end beauty brands.
The original launch date was announced as 26 September, but this one appears to have been postponed by more than a week. Still, the contents are quite nice!
You can see the contents of last year's Selfridges Luxe Advent Calendar here.

Here are the best beauty #adventcalendars currently available, with discount codes where applicable:

1. LookFantastic Beauty Advent Calendar 2018 (CODE MYSTERY or ADVENTSUBS)
2. Feelunique Little Beauty Parcel Advent Calendar 2018 (CODE BIRTHDAY80)
3. Space NK Advent Calendar 2018
4. ELLE Luxury Advent Calendar (CODE TREATYOURSELF)  OR here
5. Beauty Expert 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar
6. ASOS 24-Day Advent Calendar
7. John Lewis Advent Calendar
8. GLOSSYBOX Advent Calendar
9. Decleor Advent Calendar
10. Latest In Beauty Advent Calendar (CODE TREATYOURSELF)
11. Selfridges Beauty Workshop Calendar
12. Selfridges Glam Sparkle Beauty Advent Calendar
13. Holland & Barrett Advent Calendar
14. Clinique Advent Calendar
15. Balmain Advent Calendar
16. Rituals Advent Calendar (CODE LF15)
17. Bubble T Advent Calendar (CODE BIRTHDAY80)
18. Weleda Nature's Collection Advent Calendar
19. Nuxe Advent Calendar
20. Diptyque Advent Calendar
21. ESPA Advent Calendar
22. Makeup Revolution Advent Calendar
23. Makeup Revolution Lipstick-only Advent Calendar
24. Harrods Beauty Advent Calendar

Scroll down for the spoilers and contents of the Selfridges Glam Sparkle Luxe 24-Day Advent Calendar 2018.

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ELLE Beauty Advent Calendar 2018 Unboxing, Spoilers, Contents, DISCOUNT CODE

ELLE Beauty Advent Calendar 2018 Unboxing, Spoilers, Contents, DISCOUNT CODE

Makeup Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Possibly THE best beauty advent calendar of 2018 is the ELLE Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar. This is ELLE's debut Advent Calendar.
There are 24 products, of which SIX are full-sized. Best of all? The brands and the products. Lots of new things in here. No Eve Lom cleanser. No Omorovicza mist. No Lipstick Queen mini. Different products, from different brands. There's an Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder. A Dr Dennis Gross Vitamin C serum. A month's membership to Beauty Pie. A NailsINC polish.
You had me at no Eve Lom cleanser. Honestly!
The calendar costs £125, and is worth more than £340. It is designed by Richard Quinn, in an exclusive print. The curator is Elle's beauty director Sophie Beresiner. I have a nasty feeling this one will not only sell out immediately, but also cross the £200 price-mark next year.
The ELLE Beauty Advent Calendar 2018 is available HERE on preorder. £125, worth £340+.

Here are the beauty advent calendars currently available:

1. LookFantastic Beauty Advent Calendar 2018 (CODE MYSTERY or ADVENTSUBS)
2. Feelunique Little Beauty Parcel Advent Calendar 2018 (CODE BIRTHDAY80)
3. Feelunique 12-Day Advent Calendar (CODE BIRTHDAY80)
4. Space NK Advent Calendar 2018
5. ELLE Luxury Advent Calendar (CODE TREATYOURSELF) OR here
6. Beauty Expert 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar
7. ASOS 24-Day Advent Calendar
8. John Lewis Advent Calendar
9. GLOSSYBOX Advent Calendar
10. Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Universe Advent Calendar (CODE BIRTHDAY80)
11. Decleor Advent Calendar (CODE TREATS20 OR LF15)
12. Latest In Beauty Advent Calendar
13. Selfridges Beauty Workshop Calendar
14. Selfridges Glam Sparkle Beauty Advent Calendar
15. Lumene Beauty Advent Calendar (CODE TREATS20 OR LF15)
16. Holland & Barrett Advent Calendar
17. Lottie London Advent Calendar (CODE BIRTHDAY80)
18. Clinique Advent Calendar
19. Balmain Advent Calendar
20. Bubble T Advent Calendar
21. Weleda Nature's Collection Advent Calendar (CODE TREATS20 OR LF15)
22. Nuxe Advent Calendar
23. Clarins Women's Advent Calendar (CODE BIRTHDAY80)
24. Clarins Men's Advent Calendar (CODE BIRTHDAY80)
25. Rituals Advent Calendar (CODE TREATS20 OR LF15)
26. Diptyque Advent Calendar
27. ESPA Advent Calendar
28. Makeup Revolution Advent Calendar
29. Makeup Revolution Lipstick-only Advent Calendar
30. NYX Makeup Sugar Trip Advent Calendar (CODE TREATS20 OR LF15)
31. Maybelline Christmas Countdown Advent Calendar (CODE TREATS20 OR LF15)
32. Harrods Beauty Advent Calendar

Scroll down for the contents and spoilers of the ELLE Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar 2018, and a 10% discount code. 

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Beauty Expert Collection Gold Edition Contents, Unboxing, Review: Ships WW

Beauty Expert Collection Gold Edition Contents, Unboxing, Review: Ships WW

Unboxing Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Beauty Expert's latest edit is their best ever! ONE product in here is far more than the worth of the entire collection, and has me gobsmacked. Everything about each of these brands screams LUXURY, and everything is ideal for this season.
For those who came in late, Beauty Expert ships worldwide - they have seasonal curations of cult must-have beauty products in "collections", in a nice wash bag. Everything is full-sized, and the collections are worth far more than their price-tags, and sell out within seconds, if not minutes, of launching. I have my previous Beauty Expert collections all unboxed here.
The latest is the Gold Edition. Gold obviously stands for luxury, and the moment I heard the name of the edit, I knew we would only see high-end products in here.
This is what Beauty Expert says about this collection:

Discover the power of Gold in this luxurious edit of Gold-infused and Gold-inspired beauty products. We’ve handpicked six premium beauty products that will make you feel instantly more glamorous and glowing with radiance. This capsule collection includes skincare, body care and hair care products, so you can add a touch of Gold to every element of your beauty routine.
With six best-selling beauty products housed in a premium cosmetics bag, the Beauty Expert Collection: The Gold Edition is the perfect way to add a little luxury to your everyday. We’ve also included a special extra addition to help you create a Cleopatra-inspired eye look.

Now, there are six full-sized products in here, and a little extra mini. A total worth of more than £300, and a price-tag of just £99.
The Beauty Expert Collection Gold Edition is available worldwide NOW right here!

Scroll down for the contents of the Beauty Expert Collection Gold Edition.

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Rouge Dior Liquid Lipsticks Review, Swatches, Demo

Rouge Dior Liquid Lipsticks Review, Swatches, Demo

Swatches Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, April 01, 2018

For some reason, the Rouge Dior Liquid Lipsticks came without much brouhaha. I mean, there is SO much noise about beauty launches these days... leaks on some Instagram accounts, debates over the leaks, pre-ponement of the launch date owing to said leak, PR parties, luxury holidays, massively over-egged packaging, more debates and controversies... I'm actually veering towards designer brands such as Chanel and Dior simply because of the lack of a hullabaloo over new releases.
I found these when Harrods had a 10% off sale, and they seemed a lot of fun. I had already picked up a few Armani Lip Magnets in store, and when I read that the formula was similarly non-drying, I knew I wanted these. They have a whopping 28 different shades - ARE YOU HEARING THIS, BRANDS COMING OUT WITH FOUNDATIONS AND CONCEALERS? - and a number of these are neutral, though some of the subtle shades I wanted were not in stock. I only picked three of them.
There are three different finishes - matte, satin, and metal. Obviously, I went in for matte. These are powdery-matte. Velvet matte. Not at all drying.

Scroll down for my review and swatches of the Rouge Dior Liquid Lipsticks.

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Beauty Expert Spa Edition Collection Review, Unboxing

Beauty Expert Spa Edition Collection Review, Unboxing

Winter Cosmetopia Digest   Wednesday, March 28, 2018

International beauty retailer Beauty Expert - part of the same group that owns LookFantastic - comes out with seasonal beauty collections that are always thoughtfully curated, and contain full-sized luxury products.
You can see their Indulgence Collection here, the Radiance Collection here, the inaugural Rose Edition, here, and the Expert Collection, here. 
The latest curation is the new Spa Edition, containing six full-sized products from luxury brands, with a total worth of £229, though the cost price of the set is just £70.
The set comes in a nice gift bag, and contains everything you need to treat your face and body to some luxurious me-time over the Spring season.

Scroll down for the contents, unboxing, and review of the Beauty Expert Spa Edition Collection for Winter 2018.

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Best Beauty Advent Calendars For 2017: Holiday Gift Guide

Best Beauty Advent Calendars For 2017: Holiday Gift Guide

Selfridges Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, October 06, 2017

This year, there are so many new names jumping on the Beauty Advent Calendar bandwagon, right from luxury store Harrods, to drugstore favourite Soap & Glory. Which hopefully means that the brands which previously had Beauty Advent Calendars would have to up the ante and make their calendars better than ever before, right?
LookFantastic has certainly done that this year, as also FeelUnique and ASOS. This ensures that you are coming back for next year's box!
Given that there are now more than 50 different Beauty Advent Calendars out there, I was hard-pressed to narrow it down to 15. So this - calendars which have improved with each year - became a criterion, and I've also included some of the new names, based on the contents.

Scroll down for the best Beauty Advent Calendars for Holiday 2017, including prices, contents, where to buy, and more.

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Selfridges Luxury 24-Day Beauty Advent Calendar 2017 Ships Worldwide

Selfridges Luxury 24-Day Beauty Advent Calendar 2017 Ships Worldwide

Selfridges Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, September 28, 2017

The big ones are on their way - Selfridges, Harrods, Liberty, Estee Lauder, and Charlotte Tilbury all have Beauty Advent Calendars out over the next few weeks.
Selfridges usually does two Beauty Advent Calendars - the first is a luxury offering with products from the high-end names in the L'Oreal group, including YSL, Lancôme, Kiehls, Urban Decay, and more. Their second calendar is mid-range, and contains a variety of brands - we're waiting for more information about that.
This year, the Selfridges Luxury Calendar contains 24 products. Find out what they are below.

Scroll down for the contents and spoilers of the Selfridges Luxury 24-Day Beauty Advent Calendar for Holiday 2017.

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By Terry Terrybly Velvet Rouge Liquid Lipstick Review, Swatches

By Terry Terrybly Velvet Rouge Liquid Lipstick Review, Swatches

Swatches Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, December 13, 2016

There are two kinds of matte liquid lipsticks in the world. The drying, "flat" kind, and the non-drying, lightweight kind. Recently, I have been exploring the latter category, and have a bunch of finds to show you - after having tried 40 different brands so far. By Terry's Terrybly Velvet Rouge Intense Matte Liquid Lipstick is one of them.
I picked just the two shades - Cappuccino Rose and Dream Bloom. I also have Baba Bloom on the way, which I'll swatch and update here, once I get it.

Scroll down for the review and swatches of By Terry Terrybly Velvet Rouge Liquid Lipsticks in Cappuccino Rose and Dream Bloom.

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Holiday 2016 Gift Idea: Beauty Expert Radiance Collection

Holiday 2016 Gift Idea: Beauty Expert Radiance Collection

Zelens Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, October 17, 2016

A few days ago, I posted about the Beauty Expert Rose Edition collection here - a set of six full-sized products for an incredibly low price of £50, with products worth £134 - with a saving of £84.
Now, they have a new Radiance Collection worth more than £210, at the same low price of £50. That is insane! This one is meant for anyone who wants radiant, glowing skin, and glossy, healthy hair, and contains high-end brands such as Zelens, Alpha-H, and Gatineau.
For those who haven't heard of Beauty Expert, they are owned by the Hut Group - yes, the same group who owns my favourite LookFantastic. Speaking of which, have you ordered your Advent Calendar from here? Not many days left, and, believe me, you don't want to miss out! Or, get the Molton Brown one here or the Decleor one here, for some general pampering!

Scroll down for the contents of the Beauty Expert Radiance Collection for Holiday 2016.

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Why You Need The Brush Guard For Your Makeup Brushes

Why You Need The Brush Guard For Your Makeup Brushes

Wayne Goss Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, October 10, 2016

Last year, I invested in some Wayne Goss, Koyudo, Hakuhodo and Chikuhodo makeup brushes - see here for the Wayne Goss brushes and my thoughts on them. All of these are handcrafted in Kumano, Japan, and the bristles, made of natural goat or squirrel hair, is never cut at the tips, so the brushes are the softest and most delicate.
Being the rough handler and klutz that I am, I knew it was only a matter of time before I ended up mutilating the bristles. After all, we are talking about someone who once stepped on a glass nail file.
The Brush Guard protects your makeup brushes from rough handling, travel, dust, accidents and even the rigours of washing and drying. It keeps the bristles even and in shape. 

Scroll down for more on how Brush Guards protect makeup brushes.

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Holiday 2016: Molton Brown Scented Luxuries Advent Calendar Ships Worldwide

Holiday 2016: Molton Brown Scented Luxuries Advent Calendar Ships Worldwide

Shopping Cosmetopia Digest   Tuesday, October 04, 2016

The best body wash brand ever - no exaggeration here - Molton Brown has its own Advent Calendar for Holiday 2016! And it is not just body washes - the calendar includes other products as well, including hair care, hand care, homeware, body lotions, and more!
Twenty-four decadent beauty products, all ranging from 50ml to 100ml, all good for months of pampering yourself in 2017. This Advent Calendar is the last word in luxury - you'll know what I mean when you read more.

Scroll down for the contents of the Molton Brown Scented Luxuries Advent Calendar for Holiday 2016, and how to order.

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