Clarins Rouge Prodige collection: Rouge Prodige Lipstick & Instant Blush -review and swatches

DIVINE PACKAGING ANYONE?!
Ok this first picture was just a teaser for you :)
As you could tell from the picture (and from the title) I am going to review some items from the latest Clarins' collection, called Rouge Prodige.

PACKAGING DIVINAMENTE STUPENDO, EH?!
Ok, questa prima foto era un teaser.
Come potete vedere da essa (e dal titolo) questa sarà una recensione sull'ultima collezione di Clarins, che chiama Rouge Prodige.

Clarins is a brand I have always relied on for special occasions: I have worn their make-up for job interviews, my boyfriend's graduation, MY GRADUATION, and whenever I do that, I get compliments.
Whenever I want to be perfectly chic, I wear Clarins.

Clarins è sempre stata una marca su cui faccio affidamento per le occasioni speciali:
Ho indossato i loro prodotti per vari colloqui di lavoro, per la laurea del mio ragazzio e per la MIA laurea. Ogni volta che uso prodotti Clarins ricevo complimenti.
Quando voglio essere chic e perfetta indosso Clarins.

The Rouge Prodige Collection hasn't disappointed me. Now, first off, the collection is named after their new lipsticks (€ 22,00 - although you can find them for less in some stores). Yes, the ones you see in all of these pictures, with that luxurious, golden, mirror-like packaging.
The formulation of these lipsticks contains a polymer patented as "High Fidelity Pearl", which (long story short) is extremely pigmented and ensures durability.
The Rouge Prodige lipsticks have rich texture that also provides hydration.
I am talking about real hydration, not a SENSATION (make-believe) of hydration given by paraffin. That means that you will not feel a cream film on your lips, but just softness.

La collezione Rouge Prodige non mi ha delusa.
Questa collezione è stata battezzata col nome dei nuovi rossetti (€ 22,00 - anche se è possibile trovarli a meno in alcuni negozi), gli stessi che vedete in tutte le foto, con quel packaging extra-lusso, dorato e specchiato.
La formulazione di questi rossetti contiene un polymero brevettato come "High Fidelity Pearl", che (per farla breve) è estremamente pigmentato e assicura una lunga durata.
I rossetti Rouge Prodige hanno una texture ricca che idrata.
E parlo di vera idratazione qui, non di una banale SENSAZIONE (cioè una falsa idratazione) d'idratazione data dalla paraffina.
Questo significa che non si avverte un film di crema sulle labbra, ma solo morbidezza.

They will polish the lips, even the most partched, and lasts long (long to me is even 2 - 3 hours, because I often drink, and being a teacher I talk a lot and lipsticks always fade).
They contain a list of top quality ingredients, and have a gorgeous raspberry scent!

Levigano le labbra, anche le più disidratate, e durano tanto ( tanto per me significa anche 2 o 3 ore, perché io bevo spesso e poi, essendo una professoressa, parlo tantissimo e il rossetto mi va sempre via).
Contengono una lista di ingredienti di qualità e hanno un bellissimo profumo di lampone!

Clarins has divided its shades in four categories, for these lipsticks/Clarins ha diviso le tonalità in 4 categorie (è molto più facile raccapezzarsi in questo modo)
102 - 114 = Pink - Plum / Rosa - Prugna
116 - 121 = Coral - Red / Corallo - Rosso
122 - 129 = Nude - Brown / Carne - Marrone

Every woman should find a suitable shade among these! (and yes, I have realized they are missing the 115)

Ognuna dovrebbe trovare una tonalità di suo gusto tra tutte queste!
(e sì, mi son resa conto che manca il 115)

Now the ones that have been sent to me are:

Ora, questi son i rossetti che mi son stati inviati:

103 - Miami Pink, 111 - Raspberry Sorbet, 118 - Clementine, 120 - Fusion Red, 122 - Nude

Swatches (natural light - colors are more vibrant in real life. They are exactly how you see in the tube)

103 - Miami Pink (more vibrant), 111 - Raspberry Sorbet (gorgeous soft red, with goldens sparkles), 118 - Clementine, 120 - Fusion Red, 122 - Nude (again, it shows up more on the lips)

There is also another product that has been sent to me: the Instant Blush (€ 18,00) (LE).
Containing vitamin E, sunflower oil, and wax, this magic blush is a cream that reacts to your own skin, changing its shade to adapt to everyone's skintone.
How gorgeous is that?
It is the perfect blush on every occasion, plus it is also the perfect blush you want to carry with you at work, or on a trip.
Compact, and creamy you will be able to apply it without a mirror, just by tapping your finger on the apples of your cheeks.
I always use this when I do my make-up on the train (hello, early morning commuting!)
I thought it was useless to swatch it, as it reacts differently on everyone's skin, but look out for my fotd's as I often wear it.

C'è anche un altro prodotto che mi è stato inviato: L'Instant Blush (€ 18,00).
Contiene vitamina E, olio di girasole e cere, ed è un fard in crema magico, che reagisce a contatto con la pelle, cambiando tonalità per adattarsi alla tonalità di pelle di ognuno.
Quant'è stupendo?
E' il fard perfetto per ogni occasione, soprattutto da portare con sé al lavoro, o in viaggio.
Compatto e cremoso, è facile da stendere anche senza specchio, solamente picchiettando il dito sul pomello delle guance.
Lo uso sempre quando mi trucco sul treno (w i pendolari!).
Ho pensato che fosse inutile fare uno swatch, perché reagisce in maniera differente su ogni pele, ma guardate i miei fotd's perché lo uso spesso.

There is another product that has really caught my eye in this collection, which is the Palette Prodige, a gorgeous compact powder palette, consisting of 5 different colours that can be used all swirled together or singularly to sculpt your whole face (including the eyes).
Take a look at that here.

C'è un altro prodotto che ha catturato la mia attenzione in questa collezione:
la Palette Prodige, una palette di polveri compatte, contenente 5 diversi colori che posso essere utilizzati tutti insieme, oppure singolarmente per scolpire tutto il viso (compresi gli occhi)
Potete ammirarla qui.

Now, if you've had the patience to read through all this post, tell me: have you tried something from this collection?
Are you a Clarins fan too?

Ora, se avete avuto la pazienza di leggere tutto questo post, ditemi: avete provato qualcosa di questa collezione?
Siete anche voi delle fan di Clarins?


*disclaimer: products sent by PR for reviewing consideration*

Book review: About Face, by Scott Barnes (pic heavy!)

A while ago I have ordered this book from Amazon, as I subscribed to Scott Barnes youtube channel, and found him great!
When I found out he is Jennifer Lopez's makeup artist, I thought this book was going to be worth every penny. Yes, Scott is responsible for the infamous "JLo glow", and also for those supersexy smokey eyes on gorgeous Hillary Duff! He has worked on many celebrities (many girls' favourite, Kim Kardashian amongst others), and this book explain the basic techniques he always uses on them. You can change the colours, you can change the styles, but the Scott Barnes technique is all there.

This post will be picture heavy, as I wanted to give you a good insight of the book, and also show the wonderful Jess from Ooh...pretty! that she can opens up her eyes a lot, and have a complete transformation without having to worry about her Asian-shaped eyes (which, by the way, I have always found intriguing). All you need to do is dare, honey!

The first thing I have noticed about this book, is that Scott is clearly an educated man. No, I'm not talking about make-up education, I am talking about general culture. In fact, the book opens up with a quote from Soren Kierkegaard (in case you're not familiar with his name, he was a Danish philosopher, theologian, and psychologist who lived in the first half of the 1800's) on possibility:
"What wine is so sparkling, so fragrant, so intoxicating as possibility?" ...that is the outlook Barnes has in life, and in his work, and he transferred that onto his book. It is not just about beauty, makeup, appearence...to him, makeup is about the possibility of transforming your own self into the inner beauty that you are. The possibility of revealing your beauty to yourself, not merely to others! And that is the true power each one of us has within!

That's not the only wise quote he inserted: along with the Danish philosopher, you will find quotes from Nelson Mandela, and one of the greatest writers ever, Edgar Allan Poe! And if you are not persuaded yet, there is a wonderful photographic quote from the Neo-classicism art movement:

Doesn't it remind you of a painting, and many statues from that period?

Now, on to the acutal content of the book: About Face is divided in 3 chapters, essentially. Each one of them has a different range of transformations, alongside with useful information on tips from Scott.
The Scott Barnes approach is a bit different from other makeup artists': he thinks in terms of light, so he works on the skin, and on the way lights hit it. This is why the main feature of his technique, reflected in all transformation, is skin: highlighting and contouring! You will see from the pictures below.

The first transformation - and most amazing one, in my opinion - I am going to post is for Jess:

Basically you have to make sure you have a good highlighting concealer, and a dark (bronzer-dark) cream foundation. You have to blend the concealer where you think light hits your face around the eyes, on the nose, on the forhead and on the chin.
Then you have to contour your face, drawing thick lines with your dark foundation. Only after this step you can put on your regular foundation, making sure you blend it in with the other two creams very well! Click on the picture above and you will see what the result is.

Then, to create the illusion of a larger eye, you need to get a black eyepencil and elongate your shape IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, so inner and outer corner. Start from the lower lashline, because that way, you will define a precise wing, following your natural (imaginary) line.
Second step is applying your eyeshadow. Now, he uses a black eyeshadow here, but you can really use this technique with other colours. What you need to do is, building it while blending repeatedly to create width and depht. Do go above your crease! Dare!
Now this will have opened your eyes a lot, but to open them a lot more, use false lashes. Half-lashes would do the trick too!
Please, click on the image and zoom in, you should be able to read all the steps too!

...And now that you are thinking "that woman is smoking hot"...look what she looked like before her transformation:
...amazing what that technique has done, huh?

More transformations:

(my fave)

How to turn pale skin into a natural sun kissed face!

And for all black beauties out there:


Yellow concealer will make your skin look amazing!!!!


So overall, I really loved reading this book, and I encourage you to read it too, and of course to watch Scott Barnes' videos on youtube. You will see the different approach he has on smokey eyes as well. I have tried his technique once, and I was so different!!!

I'll give this book a 4.5/5 just because I would have liked more eye makeup tricks! ;)

hope you girls found this useful, and if you need anything, just let me know!