Beauty Squared Round-Up - February 16, 2015

Good morning!

In today's Beauty Squared links:

• A new beauty brand called Stowaway Cosmetics is set to change the way we think about makeup. They do "mini makeup" - travel-friendly sizes that will beat that "I'll never finish all of this" feeling.
  
• Hey, green eyes! Eye makeup looks just for you.
  
• Have you seen the pretty, shimmering MAC x Cinderella collection yet? Promo photos here and Temptalia's reviews/swatches here.
  
• Ready for spring? The new Essie + Rebecca Minkoff collection will help you get in the mood.
  
• Speaking of spring nails, The Polishaholic has a review and swatches of the new Essie Resort 2015 collection.
  
• Sephora's got an interesting new eyelash comb design. Temptalia's got her impression of it here.
  
• How often do you wash your hair? Here's how often you should (hint: they're probably not the same thing).
  
• Do you have rosacea? Or perhaps you've just got a lot of redness? Here's a makeup tutorial by Lisa Eldridge that offers tips for this kind of skin. Also, rather than just a natural look, Lisa does a more glam look using a red lipstick (something those with a lot of red to their skin tend to avoid).
  
• Benefit Cosmetics has got another brand new mascara. This one is called Benefit Roller Lash and here is what Pixiwoo thought of it.
  
• An interview with MUA Mark Coulier, who was behind the makeup look that so successfully aged Tilda Swinton in the Oscar-nominated Wes Anderson movie The Grant Budapest Hotel.
  
• Some of the best makeup looks from last weekend's Grammy awards. Which were your favourites?
  
• Pixiwoo takes a look at nine of their favourite Lipstick Queen lipsticks. GORGEOUS.
  
• And finally, Max Factor: first beauty vlogger? Nah, but check out this fantastic video showing the beauty icon at work, creating a Claudette Colbert look on an actress. 

Beauty Squared Round-Up for July 14, 2013

Happy Sunday, lovelies!

• If you're like me, your beauty routine more or less goes out the window when you spend any time in the heat and humidity. But, if, like me, you're not willing to forgo your beauty routine just because the weather is working against you, you may just need to change up how how you get ready and what products you use. Beautylish shares their favourite heat-proof beauty products that'll help keep you looking good all summer!
  
• If you've ever had a short hairstyle you've liked, you've probably had that moment when you've wondered if you should let it grow out or if you should keep it short. Hairstylist Bill Angst offers some tips to Beautyeditor reader Maria about growing out her short hair.
  
• Some "underrated" beauty habits, or really, just beauty tips, courtesy of Glamour readers.
  
• Minimal, matte makeup as seen on Mad Men's Jessica Paré.
  
• If you get the chance, you should check out the Lipstick Queen lipsticks. Here's a feature on the Chinatown Glossy Lip Pencil in Catalina.
  
• Summer in the city can be grand, but it can also take a real toll on your skin. Here are some common issues that arise with heat and city life and how you can protect your skin.
  
• Whatever you do, don't listen to Gwyneth Paltrow's advice on sun exposure, listen to medical professionals.
  
• Is there a discontinued lipstick that you can't forget about? For me it's MAC's Ionic from when I was a student. Check out Three Custom Color, who can recreate a number of long-gone shades from their colour library. Mine isn't there, but maybe yours is?
  
• In Canada or New York? Pick up a copy of Chloe Magazine for a spread featuring MuchMusic VJ Liz Trinnear styled as Debbie Harry by the awesome Lucky Bromhead. You can see one of the shots on Lucky's Instagram here: http://instagram.com/p/bmdNXAtwio/. 

Lipstick Queen Saint Eden Lipstick Review and Swatches

One of the shops I made a point to visit in New York City was Space N.K. in Soho. Space N.K. is a beauty boutique that originated in London's Covent Garden in 1993 and has expanded throughout the U.K. and the U.S. I remember visiting a Space N.K. in London's Soho neighbourhood years ago. 

While there, I picked up a lipstick by Lipstick Queen by Poppy called Saint Eden. I'd heard about Lipstick Queen before but don't think I've ever seen it in person before. It turns out there are only two locations that stock Lipstick Queen in Canada so I'm glad I got to check out the line in NYC!

Lipstick Queen has two lines of lipstick - one called Saint and one called Sinner. These are ten shades, one sheer (Saint) with 10% pigment and one opaque (Sinner) with 90% pigment. This is a great idea. Lipstick Queen focuses on the colours and formulas and just adds more pigment to some of them. That way someone a little wary of wearing a red lipstick (there's a lot of you out there!) can opt for the sheerer shade.


Lipstick Queen lipsticks are approximately $18 US. 

The shade that I bought, Saint Eden is a bright watermelon red shade.

Let's take a look.

I really like Lipstick Queen's packaging. It's a simple plastic sleeve with a thin piece of cardboard for presentation and I LOVE the art and colours. So retro, elegant and playful.

The lipstick itself is in a buffed matte gold tube and it's got a nice solid weight to it. 

Here's Saint Eden swatched on my arm. See how sheer it is?

Lipstick Queen lipstick is very moisturizing as you can see from the sheen. Lipstick Queen lipsticks are highly moisturizing and their Saint lipsticks are the most moisturizing of them all. 

Saint Eden is a bright cherry-watermelon shade. It can be applied thinly or layered for more opacity. It's a great not-quite-red shade that will work on both warm and cool skin tones. 

Due to the sheer, moist nature of Saint Eden, it isn't a long-lasting lipstick and it will come off when you eat or drink. But its sheer nature allows you to touch up pretty easily on the go as well.

Saint Eden can be applied from the tube, with your finger or with a brush. Wearing it on top of a lipliner will give you more opacity and wear.

I really like this lipstick. I love the texture and the fruit punch colour. It's perfect for the bright lip trend of spring 2012. 

Have you ever tried Lipstick Queen lipsticks?