Rouge Bunny Rouge Selene Eye Kohl

Rouge Bunny Rouge Eye Kohl in Selene is a shimmering blackened forest green. I've been keen to try this colour since my attempt at re-creating the Santa Ana look. I assumed Selene would be quite similar to MAC Mystery Kohl Power, which I used as a substitute to re-create the look, but swatching the two side by side, Selene looks more of an obvious green whereas Mystery is a black with a hint of colour. It is interesting to note that whilst my Mystery pencil is very old, the shade has been re-promoted as part of the current Glamour Daze collection.

The texture of Selene is very good, the colour transfers easily without dragging but isn't so creamy that it moves around during the day. I was especially pleased with the formula as I previously owned Delilah which I found to be too hard and a struggle to apply. My experience of the two shades was so different that I do wonder if perhaps my Delilah pencil was a rogue.

Direct sunlight. L-R: MAC Mystery, RBR Selene, No7 Green and Annabelle Jade

Indoor light. L-R: MAC Mystery, RBR Selene, No7 Green and Annabelle Jade

To put the colour in context, I thought it might be useful to compare Selene to my other green and teal eye pencils. The colours shown in the swatches above are MAC Mystery Kohl Power, RBR Selene, No7 Metallic Eyes Pencil in Green and Annabelle Smootliner in Jade. Despite the name, I think the No7 looks more like a teal when compared to these other colours.

I ordered the Selene pencil from the new Rouge Bunny Rouge online boutique using a voucher sent to my by the brand (I also added some of my own money to the total, so I got a complete picture of using their online store). As I recently spoke about how online shopping experiences can vary, I thought it might be useful to mention that I had a positive experience shopping with Rouge Bunny Rouge. I found the site is easy to navigate, the order arrived quickly and I was able to track the parcels movements from Germany to the UK via the DHL website. The parcel was beautifully (and carefully) presented and they also added a few samples of the tinted moisturiser and one of the primers which I thought was a nice touch.

Disclosure: I ordered this item using a voucher sent to me by the press officer for the brand.

Hourglass Script Liner

Hourglass Script Liner in Jett is different from the other pen liners that I own in terms of its size. The nib is considerably smaller as you will see from the comparison below. This is good news for anyone who struggles to get a fine line with this style of pen.

When I use it, I don't particularly aim to create a finer line than normal. Instead, I find it allows me to be more precise as I build up the line in layers. If I wasn't so lazy, I suspect I could master a decent flick with this pen.

Top - Script Liner, Bottom - RBR Raven Glaze Lacquer Liner

Don't be fooled by the swatch above. It does create a good black line (this pen only comes in black) but I used a single swipe in the image above to show the relative difference in thickness you can achieve compared to a standard sized nib.

I think if you have lots of similar style pens which you already get on with, you don't really need to add this to your collection. However, if you find you struggle with this sort of liner or you haven't used this style of liner before and want to give it a try, Script is probably a good place to start.

Hourglass Script Liner costs £23 and I bought mine from Liberty. I'm pleased to report that Hourglass Cosmetics have increased there presence even further in the UK and are now available from SpaceNK as well as Liberty and Zuneta.

My Blues, Greens and Reds

The weather is so miserable outside that I felt inspired to do another colour grouping post. As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm not great at experimenting with colours but I wondered what a hunt for blues, greens and reds would uncover. I suspect that I'm repeatedly drawn to a single shade from a colour family rather than collecting a range from across the spectrum. So, no pretty rainbow of colours here.

Greens

Eyeshadows: MAC Club, Rouge Bunny Rouge Olive Violeteare, Green eyeshadow from Le Metier de Beaute Penelope Kaleidoscope, Green from the Chantecaille Sea Turtles palette, Lancôme Erika F, NARS Dogon and Rajasthan.
Eye Pencils: Annabelle Smoothliner in Jade, No.7 Metallic Eyes in Green, Sue Devitt Eye Intensifier in Bangalore and MAC Kohl Power Pencil in Mystery
Nail Polish: Barry M Racing Green, YSL in Wintergreen, Le Metier de Beaute Dionysus and Athena, L'Oreal Innocent Green, Nails Inc freebie in an unnamed Teal colour

Blues

Eyeshadows: YSL Pure Chromatics in shade #3, Sephora eyeshadow in Preppy Look (#41) and  L'Oreal Infallible Colour in Innocent Turquoise.
Eye Pencils: MAC Pearlglide liner in Petrol Blue and Annabelle Smoothie Crayon in Blubomb
Nail Polish: Joe nail varnish in Persian Blue, YSL Moonlight Blue, Lancôme Vernis in Love in Bleu de Flore (573B), China Glaze in Tempest, Orly Star of Bombay, Butter London Victoriana, L'Oreal French Riviera.

Reds

Nail Polish: Butter London Knees Up, Orly Glam, Lancôme Vernis in Love in Miss Coquelicot (154M) and Lancôme Rouge Saint Honoré (22)
Lip Liners: MAC Cherry and Le Metier de Beaute Rose
Lip Products: Tom Ford lipstick in Smoke Red, Ilia Crimson & Clover, Max Factor Colour Elixir lipstick in Ruby Tuesday, Lancôme lipsticks in Rouge Faubourg and Rouge in Love (159B), Revlon Colourburst in Raspberry, Kevyn Aucoin Liquid Lipstick in Aquarouge, Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in Fume and Ellis Faas in L303
Cheek Colour: W3LL People Universalist Stick #5

I thought I'd add this final picture, so you can see exactly why all the images are so dark. I know we really need the rain but, seriously, enough already!! Hopefully I will get opportunity to take some of these again when the sun finally reappears.

Disclosure: The items shown here are a mixture of things that I have purchased myself, been gifted to me and PR samples. If you want to check the origin of any particular item, do feel free to ask.

Brown Pencil Liner Comparison

Along with my interest in taupe eyeshadows and MLBB lipsticks, I seem to have a fairly healthy collection of brown pencil liners. I've never swatched them all side by side, probably for fear of spotting dupes. Thankfully there doesn't seem to be too much overlap but I'm sure I could probably get away with two or three, rather than five.

The pencils that I have are: MAC Teddy Eye Kohl, Rouge Bunny Rouge Lola Long-lasting Eye Pencil, BECCA Goa Automatic Eye Liner*, GOSH Truly Brown Velvet Touch Eyeliner and Ben Nye Espresso Eye Liner Pencil.

I have mixed feelings about the automatic pencil liners. The formulas are very long lasting, the RBR Lola swatch in particular lasted more than 24 hours on my arm, but it can be tricky to apply a thin line with this type of pencil. The BECCA liner comes with a little sharpener but the RBR does not.

Both the Ben Nye and MAC pencils do not set particular and it's easy to smudge them if you prefer a diffuse line. Although I like the dark colour of the Ben Nye Espresso, I do find it will migrate around the outer corners of my eye as the day wears on. I tend to favour waterproof formulas for this reason. The BECCA, RBR and GOSH pencils all set quite quickly once they are applied. There is a very (very) small window of time in which you can smudge the RBR and BECCA pencils, you have a little more time with the GOSH formula.

Truly Brown and Espresso are both dark browns with no shimmer. I would say that Espresso is the darkest and most cool toned of all my brown pencils. Goa is the lightest, it does have some bronze shimmer that isn't obvious in this swatch but you can see it in my previous review here.

Teddy and Lola are the most similar of all these pencils, both are rich chocolatey browns packed with bronze shimmer. In terms of colour, I think I prefer Lola but I find the MAC pencil a bit easier to apply. It's why I have wondered if I might get on better with Lola in the Eye Kohl formula but I'm pretty sure a girl can have too many brown pencils. I might invest if and when I finish one of the pencils I already have.

Do you have a favourite brown liner? Are you a fan of pencils or do you prefer gel liners for longevity?

* PR Sample

L'Oreal Super Liner Luminizer in Black Amethyst

I picked this up when I bought my last couple of Couleur Infalliable eyeshadows. I have already own the  Super Liner in sparkly black and I find that once you remember that you must shake it before you apply, these work very well. The first time I used Black Amethyst, I thought it might be a dupe for Illamasqua's precision liner in Havoc but side by side, the difference are clear. Havoc is more of an ox blood shade, whereas Black Amethyst is more obviously purple. Black Amethyst also has a gorgeous metallic shimmer, it's subtle and only visible at certain angles but it prevents the colour from looking flat.

The liner goes on easily, I find it has a nice consistency and I get on well with the felt stick style applicator. The tip is soft and doesn't splinter the colour during application. I'm quite used to applying liner so I'm not sure how easy this applicator is to use as a novice. I noticed when washing off the swatches that although L'Oreal didn't move with water alone, it washes away quite easily with soap and water whereas the Illamasqua liner requires eye makeup remover to be removed. Something else I noticed is that, once dry, the L'Oreal seemed more flexible than the Illamasqua which split easily as you can see in the swatch below.

Although handy for avoiding theft, the security tags really make a sticky mess of products!

I like Black Amethyst very much. This particular shade is marketed for those with hazel eyes. My eyes aren't hazel but I much preferred this shade to the navy blue shade being offered for blue eyes. I had a look on the Boots website and there are three shades of the Luminizer Super Liners. The colour that I haven't seen in person is the one designed for green eyes which appears to be green from the online swatch. I find the choice of blue for blue eyes and green for green eyes rather unusual as I makeup artists often recommend that you use a colour from the opposite side of the colour wheel to your eye colour. Personally, I would recommend choosing based on the colour that you like rather than the one you're 'supposed' to get.

Top: Black Amethyst, Bottom: Illamasqua Havoc - still wet at the point

Top: Black Amethyst, Bottom: Illamasqua Havoc

As an aside, whilst I was browsing the Boots website in search of the Super Liners, I spotted that the Couleur Infallible eyeshadows are currently reduced in price from £6.99 to £3.99. I'd highly recommend giving them a try if you haven't already, especially at such a great price. Of course, I'm not looking myself, no sir. I have my eyeshadow no buy to think about! *weeps silently*

My Rouge Bunny Rouge Collection

I took all of these pictures last week whilst we were enjoying some very late summer sun in the UK. I anticipate the number of good days for photography will start to dwindle very soon so I thought it made sense to take advantage of the sunshine. I don't often do brand collection posts, I'm not sure if they're helpful or not but Rouge Bunny Rouge is such a photogenic line, I think it lends itself well to this type of feature.

I wanted to share this first picture just to show you what a shocking box hoarder I am. I'm especially bad with RBR as the order packaging is pretty too. I love their attention to detail.

I was actually a little surprised by how much I had once I gathered it all together. My collection has grown steadily over the last 18 months or so. I have purchased the majority of my RBR from Zuneta but there are a couple of items that I bought from a sale site last year as well as a few pieces that were received for review.

The items shown above are (the links are to previous review posts including swatches):

Face
Original Skin Blush in Delicata
Tinted Moisturiser in Adansonia

Brushes
Crease brush 011
Large shader 003
Face Contour 012

Pencils
Lacquer Liner
Delilah Kohl
Lola Long-lasting Eye pencil
Eyes Wide Open Brightening Liner Duo

Eye
Long-lasting cream eyeshadow in Atlas Swallowtail
Fire Drops in Wishing For Wings (I completely forgot to photograph this!)
Eyeshadow in Delicate Hummingbird
Eyeshadow in Solstice Halcyon
Eyeshadow in Gracious Arasari
Eyeshadow in Bejewelled Skylark
Eyeshadow in Abyssinian Catbird
Eyeshadow in Blackpepper Jay

From left to right: Gracious Arasari, Solstice Halcyon, Delicate Hummingbird, Abyssinian Catbird, Bejewelled Skylark and Blackpepper Jay

Lip Products
Lipgloss in Coy
Lipgloss in Secret Places of Love
Decadent Duo in Flamenco Duende
Sheer Lipstick in Murmurings
Lipstick in Irreverence

Rouge Bunny Rouge is in my top three favourite cosmetic brands. I know some people are put off by the fact that it's mostly an online only line. Of all of my purchases, I would say that I have only made a single error and even then the quality was excellent, it was simply a colour that didn't suit me. Although it's hard to pick a single most favourite item, if I'm ever asked for recommendation, I will usually suggest trying their eyeshadows first. Personally, I find I reach for Coy lipgloss a lot. I'm not really a gloss girl but the colour and shimmer is perfect. Delicate Hummingbird is my favourite of my eyeshadows. I also use both the Lacquer Liner and Eyes Wide Open highlighter pencil on a regular basis.

I still have a number of RBR items on my wishlist. I'd like another of the powder blushers and reading Marcia of Beauty Info Zone's review of the Blush Wands renewed my interest in these beauties. The Seas of Illumination highlighters and blusher brush tap away at my brain but both are definitely splurge items so I'm waiting for a special occasion to treat myself.

Have you tried RBR? Do you have a personal favourite item from the brand?

Smashbox Soft Effects Powder Eye Liner in Gunmetal

This is my first foray into Smashbox cosmetics. The Soft Effects Powder Eye Liners come as a small pot with a sponge wand applicator. There is a small ball bearing in the bottom of the pot which stops the powder forming a lump. In all respects it reminds me a lot of the LE No.7 Smoky eyeliner.

Gunmetal is a dark blue-grey packed with silver and icy-blue microshimmer. I failed to pick up in the blue in the swatch but you can just pick it out on the wand in the picture above. Although it contains a lot of shimmer, I don't find it overly spangly and it's perfectly acceptable for day wear. I think it's very pretty and I'm normally very wary of grey. So far I have worn it as a liner with no other eyeshadow but I think it will also work well to create a smoky eye with a complimentary shade of grey.

Just like the No.7 Smoky eyeliner, the problems with using this are the applicator. The sponge tip has quite a lot of give so you have to use a light hand. The powder transfers easily and smoothly with little pressure but I have found it impossible to use without extensive fall out. If you're going to use this you need to hold off applying foundation until afterwards (if only I could remember this!). It definitely requires an eye primer as a base. 

The Soft Effects Eye Liner costs £19.50 which I think is a little steep considering the flaws. It comes in three other shades; Black, Brown and Aubergine.  You can find a review and swatches of Aubergine on The Non Blonde. Smashbox cosmetics are available from Debenhams in the UK.


Disclosure: I received this as part of an event bag.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Long-Lasting Pencil in Lola

Having heard many good things about the original Lola Eye Kohl, I decided that the Rouge Bunny Rouge Long-lasting Eye Pencil in Lola was a must when I put a recent order in to Zuneta. The long-lasting pencils are a new addition to the Rouge Bunny Rouge line up and come in three shades; Salome, Calypso and Lola. The pencils are an automatic, twist up style and similar to the BECCA automatic liners I reviewed here.

Lola is a medium to dark brown with copper and gold reflects. My apologies for the picture of a used pencil but it actually helps you see the coloured flecks in the brown base. The texture of the pencil is creamy and it doesn't drag when applying. I do find I am unable to apply a neat, thin line but that isn't unusual for me with this style of pencil.

The colour sets quickly so there is only a small window for smudging the line. It is true to the long-lasting name and the colour remains intense until I remove in the evening. However, I have found that it transfers to the crease on my eyes. This is surprising as the line seems smudge proof.

Left - BECCA Goa, Right - RBR Lola

Top - RBR Lola, Bottom - BECCA Goa

I do wish there was a means of sharpening the pencil as there is with the BECCA pencils. Whether or not this would be a concern for you depends on how thin you like your line. I will try and apply the colour using a brush next time to see if this gives me a little more control.

I thought it might be useful to draw your attention to this little note on the packaging. These pencils have non-retractable mechanism so it is important not to wind too much out at a time. I know Everyday Beauty noted that it wasn't possible to wind the pencil back in once it is over-wound.

I am very pleased with the colour and creaminess of Lola. I find the shimmer stops it from look too flat. I do wonder if the original eye kohl might suit my needs better though as I like the control of a point. I am intrigued to know how the two pencils compare in terms of creaminess and wear time. I may have to cave and purchase the kohl version of Lola for research purposes.

The Rouge Bunny Rouge Long-lasting Eye Pencils cost £22 and are available from Zuneta who ship Worldwide.

Illamasqua Havoc Liner and Morale Blusher

Havoc Precision Liner and Morale Blusher were two of the items I was most taken with from the Theatre of the Nameless collection. I like Illamasqua blushers and I was keen to see how the shimmer formula would match up. I'm pleased to report that it's another smooth, easy to apply formula that lasts well. I realised when I swatched it that the colour is quite sheer which works very well the luminous quality of this pink. It results in a glowing effect on the cheeks and it makes the colour easier to wear than you might expect. I'm also pleased to report that the shimmer is very fine. I use a Hakuhodo Medium Pointed Yachiyo brush to apply this blusher.

Havoc Precision Liner is a rich aubergine colour. It definitely applies as a colour rather than an almost black. I find the pointed sponge tipped applicator relatively easy to use but I can't apply a very fine line. Part of this is due to the texture of the liner which is quite 'thick'. It takes a little while to dry too. I love how it looks when applied and it makes a nice change from black or brown. It lasts well too.

I applied both Havoc and Morale together keeping everything else very simple. I just added lots of mascara and a slick of Rouge Bunny Rouge sheer lipstick in Murmurings. I'm very pleased with how it turned out (apart from the foundation, the match looked better in person). The cheek colour feels like quite a statement and I suspect with heavier makeup, I wouldn't feel as comfortable. I'm actually quite tempted to go back for Ambition now.


Disclosure: I received Morale Blusher as part of my event bag and I purchased Havoc liner myself.