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1/30/2012

Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Satin Lip Color in Emotive #68 Review, Swatches and Look

0.12 oz
$32.50

          Rouge Allure in Emotive has been with me for a while now, but it wasn't until this morning that I decided to take it out and wear this bold shade. After remembering why this lipstick is so dear to me I was inspired to do a post on it.



What it is: "An instant icon, this luxurious lipstick formula combines lustrous color, sensational comfort and fabulous wear". -Chanel
Packaging: Chanel represents luxury and therefore their packaging is sophisticated and luxurious. Rouge Allure Lipsticks are incased in a black, slim tube. Unlike the typical packaging of a lipstick such as the Rouge Coco's, these will have you doing something new when opening the tube. You must click-open the elegant golden logo for the lipstick tube to pop out. Interesting experience for someone who loves how products are packaged. 
Click on the logo and the tube will pop out

My Verdict: Emotive is definitely one of the bolder lipsticks included in my collection. It is lightweight, creamy and long-wearing. This shade glides onto my lips effortlessly and wears comfortably. My lips are on the normal side of hydration but can get dry if a product reacts to them or if it simply is not moisturizing and dry. I do not find this Rouge Allure to be the most moisturizing lip stick out there but it is one of the most comfortable and weightless lip colors I have tried. The opaque pigmentation allows the lipstick to wear longer than the average lipstick. I can get around 4 to 5 hours of wear, the color appearing more as stain by the 4th hour. I appreciate that the lip color wears off evenly, not leaving noticeable patches on some parts of my lips. Because the color is lightweight, adding a lip gloss really enhances the color without making it look goopey. However, emotive is beautiful on it's own which is how I prefer to wear it. 

Emotive is a raspberry pink with a slight fuchsia sheen- gorgeous for that fun pop of color

Available at Chanel, Nordstrom, and Macy's 

Thanks for stopping by :)

1/28/2012

BareMinerals The Playlist Palette Review and Swatches



What it is: A limited edition eyeshadow palette best described as being,  "A versatile palette featuring eight pure, intense, provocative shades". 


My Verdict: Their is no doubt about the eyeshadows being beautiful, attractive shades. The versatility within the palette shades can easily be coordinated into different looks appropriate for day and evening. The smooth texture made application and blend-ability simple and fallout was not an issue. Sounds perfect, right? Unfortunately the wearability the shadows provided failed. First I used the shadows with an eyelid primer underneath and was surprised and disappointed when I saw creasing occurring in less than two hours of application. The second time I used a priming base yet the creasing persisted after a couple hours. Because every skin is not made equal I can see how many people do love this palette. For me it simply did not work. 

Names are in order, from Left to Right

 Pumped, Chart Topper, Max Volume, Louder, One Hit Wonder, Most Requested, Remix, & Speaker Box

Available at Sephora and Bare Escentuals website

Here are links to a couple looks I did using this palette:

-Anel

1/27/2012

Design a Line-Silver Sparkle

Hello! I hope your doing well and ready for the start of a new weekend. The inspiration for this look came from the eyeliners I picked up at Target. Milani Liquif' Eye and E.L.F Cream eyeliner---Wow I am blown away by the performance of these products. The bottom pictures were the first I did but then I decided to add another line on the lower lashline and extend a bit more the second top wing. Names of products are listed below...


Products Used:


-Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Buff
-Wet n Wild Vanity palette- cream matte shade mixed with toffee matte shade and blended all over lid
-E.L.F. Cream eyeliner (this eyeliner is so creamy and dark)
-Milani Liquif'eye in silver (love these)
-LORAC Front of the Line PRO Eyeliner
-Nail art diamonds in silver
-Prestige My Biggest Lashes and a second coat of LORAC Multiplex 3D lashes


Thanks for stopping by :)
-Anel

Beauty Tip #2: Emphasize the Eyes Using the Tightlining Method

What does it mean to Tightline?




         Tightlining the eye is done when a eyeliner is applied to the top inside rims of the lashline. This can emphazise the eyes and give the illusion that lashes are fuller and thicker. A cake liner, gel liner or pencil liner can be used for tightlining. However, if you are going to use a pencil liner, I recommend that it is waterproof to ensure its wearability throughout the day. If I am just going to wear mascara on my eyes I always try to tightline because it gives the eyes more depth without looking overly done.
My Recommendations
Pencil: 
1. Milani Liquif'Eye Pencil in Black
2. Loreal Extra Intense Liquid Eyeliner in Black
3. Makeup Forever Aqua Eyes Pencil in 0L
Cake Eyeliners: 
-Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eyeliner and E.L.F. Concealer Brush (a small precise flat brush)



BEFORE
 AFTER- using Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eyeliner in Black Ebony

Share your tips and tricks for tightlining ;)

1/25/2012

Bold Brows and Bright Lips

Hello everyone! So I got home from work and after eating dinner and a quick shower I felt like being adventurous with my makeup. This is the look I ended up with. I did a couple things I usually never do; for my base I mixed two foundation shades and used an eyeliner to fill in my brows. 



Products used:
Face
-Guerlain Lingerie De Peau in #23 (half a pump) mixed with Chanel Pro Lumiere (half a pump)
-Laura Mercier Secret Concealer in #04
-Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder (to set and brighten under eyes)
-Guerlain Terracota Bronzing Powder 
Eyes
-Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Buff (as a base)
-MAC Naked Lunch on the lid
-MAC Phloof! on the brow bone and inner corners of the eyes
-MAC Handwritten on the crease
-E.L.F. Waterproof Liquid Liner Pen
-LORAC Multiplex 3D Lashes
Brows
-Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Whiskey- then using an angle brush blended the color
Lips
-Chanel Lip Liner in Cardamone
-MAC lipstick in Party Line

Hope you like it :)
Oh and do you have any eyebrow pencils that you can recommend me?
Thanks!

1/23/2012

Beauty Tips- New to Blush Tree: Tip #1

A quick Introduction:
Beauty Tips is a new feature that will be part of Blush Tree. Tips relating to makeup, skincare and body will be posted every week, twice a week. Many of the tips I will share have been tried and tested by many women including myself. They have been written of on beauty magazines by makeup artists and beauty editors. Please feel free to share your experiences with the topics posted and let me know whether or not you have heard of, tried or currently practice these tips. And now lets get this rolling…
Photo obtained from Google

Beauty Tip #1: Change Your Pillow Cases

        When was the last time you changed your pillow cases? Many people spend hundreds on products such as creams, serums and acne treatments for their skin. This is completely fine but an easy technique that will make a huge difference is changing your pillow case. Pillow cases can hold bacteria and oils and sleeping over them every night may cause breakouts to occur. There are nights when we forget or are just too tired to remove our makeup and wash our face. During those nights the oils of our makeup (including the dirt our face attracts during the day) rubs off to our pillow and so do the natural oils of our hair causing bacteria to grow.  It is recommended that we change our pillow cases at least once every two weeks. Not only will you sleep more comfortably on a clean pillow case but your skin will be happier and cleaner. 

Thank you for reading :)
-Anel

1/21/2012

Ivy Shimmer


        I really am enjoying doing these eyeliner posts. One thing I do beforehand is draw on a notepad some of the ways I can draw eyeliner on my eyes. If I like the finished drawing, I will give it a try. Drawing it on paper allows me to know what direction to take first and how to go about it. For this look I stayed away from using shimmer on the lids because I wanted the lines to be the main attraction. 


Products Used:
Wet n Wild ColorIcon Palette in Vanity- top right cream shade all over lid and brow bone
second right light toffee shade mixed with cream color on the lid
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Ivy Shimmer Ink 14
LORAC Front of the Line PRO Liquid Eyeliner in Black- traced on top of Blacktrack to get a more precise line
Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eye Liner in Black Ebony
Prestige My Biggest Lashes Mascara- top lashes
LORAC Multiplex 3D Lashes Mascara- lower lashes
Rimmel Eye Kohl in Jungle Green 031- to line the lower rim of the eye

Thank you for visiting ;)

1/20/2012

Artsy Liner- 2 Looks

I think I may be doing new posts of different ways of doing eyeliner- some will be more wearable for daytime, others for the evening and some just for fun. These are the first two I did. 

Products Used:
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Cottage Cheese
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline with Sonia Kashuk Bent Eye Liner Brush
Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eyeliner in Black Ebony
Prestige My Biggest Lashes 


Products Used:
NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Cottage Cheese
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline with Sonia Kashuk Bent Eye Liner Brush
Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eyeliner in Black Ebony
Prestige My Biggest Lashes
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel liner in Violet Ink

Please let me know if you would like to see more of these posts, or anything in particular. Would you like to see a Picture Tutorial, or written steps?
Thanks for stopping by :)

The Liebster Blog Award



Hello everyone! Blush Tree has received it's second blog award- the Liebster award. These beautiful ladies, http://victoriaxgrab.blogspot.com/ and http://uncoveredbeauty.blogspot.com/ have given me the award. Please check out their channel, where you can check out reviews, tips and looks. I am very thankful  to everyone who has followed on my posts and continue to visit the blog. I am working hard on putting up more looks, reviews and new features (coming up soon). Thank you ladies for the award! 
Rules to Follow:
1. Thank the Liebster blog award presenter on your blog!
2. Link back to the blogger who awarded your blog!
3. Copy and paste the award to your blog!
4. Reveal your top 5 blog pics! 

1/16/2012

A Copper and Amber Duo: Featuring BareMinerals The Playlist and NARS Joyous Red Lipstick



          Today being a National Holiday for the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr., I among many have this Monday off work. I decided to spend part of my morning doing a second look with the Playlist Palette by BareMinerals. I combined the eye look with NARS Joyous Red Lipstick. Unfortunately both items (The Playlist and Joyous Red) have been marked as Limited Edition products. I have included a quick review on Joyous Red with photos and swatches. 


 Products Used:
Face
Guerlain Lingerie De Peau Foundation in Shade #23
Bobbi Brown Corrector in Dark Bisque and Creamy Concealer in Honey
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
Bobbi Brown Blush in Almond
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Bronze
Eyes
Stila Prime Pot in Taffy (base)
BareMinerals The Playlist- Louder on the lid, One Hit Wonder on the brow bone, Most Requested as transition color and Pumped on the crease
MAC Dipdown Fluidline
Prestige My Biggest Lashes (first coat)/ LORAC Multiplex 3D Lashes (second coat)
Lips
NARS Joyous Red Lipstick
NARS Joyous Red Review

What it is: NARS Lipsticks are described as "a pure, creamy lipstick formula for bold color. They have a large variety of colors and finishes from sheer, satin and semi-matte. Joyous Red is described as a "semi-matte amber red". 

Verdict: When it comes to Lipsticks, I can be a bit picky. I am always on the look-out for formulas that feel and wear comfortably. Of course it is always an added bonus if they are particularly moisturizing. I can only judge NARS lipsticks by this shade because it is the only one I own- which is a semi-matte finish. Joyous red has a light-weight feel on the lips and for the most part has a comfortable wear. The creamy texture allows for easy application. Aside from the color being an amber red, there are subtle gold flecks in it. The wear is about 3 to 4 hours. Joyous red is not moisturizing but can be topped off with a lipbalm for more comfort and gloss. 

Thank you for reading :) 


1/15/2012

BareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow-The Playlist: How-to Eyeshadow Pic Tutorial


I have been playing with BareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow palette in The Playlist--so get ready to see more eyeshadow posts.  I will post a review on the palette in the next days to come. 
Scroll down below to see the How-To Eyeshadow Pic Tutorial!

Bare Minerals Ready Eyeshadow- The Playlist
Top Row: Pumped, Chart Topper, Max Volume & Louder
Bottom Row: One Hit Wonder, Most Requested, Remix & Speaker Box

1st step: Apply E.L.F.'s eyelid primer all over the lid and brow bone
2nd step: With a fluffy shadow brush apply One Hit Wonder eyeshadow on the brow bone for highlight
3rd step: Using a flat shadow brush blend Remix eyeshadow on the lid, inner corners and into the crease

4th step: With E.L.F.'s defining eye brush mix Max Volume and Speaker Box shadows and blend them into the crease
5th step: With MAC's 219 or any pencil brush apply Pumped eyeshadow into the outer V
6th step: Blend, blend, blend with MAC's 217 or any fluffy brush













7th step:  When applying liquid or gel liner on the top lashline I always begin by doing a thin line in the inner corner and then stretch it out with a thicker line
 ...On the outer corners of the eyes I do a small flick and then connect it to the rest of the liner- Using LORAC Front of the Line Pro Liquid Eyeliner

 
8th step: Using Ecotools angle brush apply Remix eyeshadow on the inner lower lashline and Max Volume eyeshadow on the outer lower lashline.
9th step: Apply a couple coats of mascara- Prestige My Biggest Lashes Mascara in Black  
All Done!
Thank you for reading :) 

MAC Dipdown Fluidline Review, Swatches and Photos


0.1oz (3g)/ US $15.00

         What it is: Fluidlines are described as an "ultra-smooth formula that provides the precision of a liquid liner with a silkier, softer finish. Long-wearing and smudge-proof". The color Dipdown is a "solid flat brown" gel eyeliner.

         Packaging: Fluidlines are packaged in a small glass pot. I store this fluidline upside down to prevent the product from drying out. 

         Verdict: You may already know that Blacktrack fluidline is my go-to product for eyeliner. It never fails me when I am trying to create a perfect cat eye look. However, I had always been on a hunt for a brown liner. I thought I had found it when I picked up Bobbi Brown's gel liner in Black Plum ink. Although I love the softness of the color, it was more of a brown, plummy color (hence the name). Dipdown is perfect when combining with neutral-earth tone shadows and when you want to go for a more "naturel" look. The texture is creamy making the application easy and fast. I like that it does not dry and set very fast, giving me time to fix any mistakes I may have made. It also last all day (about 8 + hours). I use Sonia Kashuk's bent eyeliner brush to apply dipdown. 
P.S.
If you find that your cream or gel liner smudges throughout the day, setting your liner with a powder shadow that matches the color helps extend the wear. It is just as when we use a loose or pressed powder to set your liquid foundation to help prolong the wear.  


MAC Dipdown Fluidline
Sonia Kashuk Bent Eye Liner Brush

Thank you for reading ;)