Author: Nikki

Laura Mercier recently released a small collection with 1 Highlighting Powder and 6 new Caviar Sticks. So far, I have only seen the highlighting powder available directly from the Laura Mercier website. The caviar sticks are also available directly from Laura Mercier’s website, but they are also available on the Sephora website.

RoseGlow Caviar Stick Eye Color, $29.00 (Forbidden Rose)

The Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks seem to be a cult classic, but this was my first time trying the formula. This new finish is supposed to have a dewy lustrous finish with intense pigment. I can’t say for certain what dewy lustrous means, but I would describe Forbidden Rose as a satin finish. I do think it is nicely pigmented, but I did expect more glow based on the name and lustrous description. It builds on itself easily for more intensity and there is enough time to blend the edges before it dries down.

Coloured Raine has relaunched their highlight and blush duos from the Power Collection in different packaging. I purchased two duos with the original release, so I thought I’d share some swatches.

The Coloured Raine website doesn’t actually list which of the new shade names match up to the Power collection, but I think I have it figured out.

• Peach Royalty was previously Call the Shots (swatched below)
• Rose Love was previously Damage Control (swatches below)
• Mauvelous was previously My Day One
• Love Affair was previously Prove My Loyalty

If you think I’ve made a mistake, please let me know in the comments section so I can make the correction.

Now, for my swatches. Enjoy!

Peach Royalty (previously Call the Shots), $20.00

Update December 2025: I recently posted more swatches of the Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeshadows in shades Half Baked, Fazed, Overdraft, Dumb Luck, Ember, and Psych. You can see those and read my updated thoughts by clicking here.

Urban Decay recently revamped its eyeshadow formula and color range to release an all vegan lineup. They retail for $19.00 and come in 25 shades. For comparison, NARS Singles are also $19.00, MAC single shadows (in a compact) range from $18.00 to $22.00, and Lancome singles are $22.00. I know I’m in the minority, but I don’t mind buying singles shades, even at this price point and higher. With palettes, it is very common for me to have shades I either would never use or can’t use because they are too light. I personally find value in being able to get one shade that I really enjoy and will use. If you don’t see the value in single shadows in compacts, I get that, but I did want to point out that they are priced competitively against other eyeshadow prices.

Now, whether or not they perform as well as the NARS, MAC, and Lancome singles is another story. Let’s take a look at some swatches and I’ll give you my thoughts.

Wanderlust is a universal feeling that is a longing for something. We see new products that we like the look or concept of, we know they aren’t for us, and still, we consider them anyway. Sometimes we go so far as to buy them, despite having something similar or knowing we won’t use them.

The wanderlust list is my way of enjoying and using items I already own. I hope to encourage myself and others to use some of the products we have rather than being so quick to buy something new. If this concept interests you, you can check out the previous versions of the Wanderlust List below.

• The Wanderlust List #1 (Natasha Denona Bronze Palette)
• The Wanderlust List #2 (Uoma Black Magic Poise Palette)
• The Wanderlust List #3 (Becca Light Shifter Veil Finishing Powder)
• The Wanderlust List #4 (Sonia G Cheek Pro Brush)
• The Wanderlust List #6 (Gucci Glow Powder Gel Highlighter)

Disclaimer: As a beauty blogger, I have more makeup than a “regular” consumer. That does mean that I have more options to choose from when I’m opting out of a new purchase, but hopefully, the thought process can still help.

Victoria Beckham Matte Bronzing Brick, $58

If you are new here you may not know this, but I really love bronzers. It is not hard for me to get excited about a bronzer release, but I really got caught up in the luxury of this packaging. I checked out some reviews and everyone was raving about it and it did look nice applied. What almost sealed the deal was finally seeing a review on someone I quite often use for shade reference (The Fancy Face).

Like many in the beauty community, I was very excited about this launch. Even though a lot of reviews started to get released the day I placed my order I decided not to watch or read any until I had the chance to try this blush for myself. I really just wanted to enjoy this product without any ideas of how it performs or doesn’t perform for other people. I also wanted to just use it like a “normal” makeup user without trying to review it at the same time. I received my package on Friday, May 28th and I didn’t waste any time, I started wearing it the next day. I ended up really happy I made that decision not to check reviews and just have fun with it.

I have really tested this out and tried it over different foundations and with different brushes, so this is by no means a first impression. I want to make that clear, not to hate on first impressions, but to point out that you can have different experiences working with something in different ways. Hopefully, I can explain my experiences well enough to help you make your own decision on whether or not this would be a good purchase for you personally.

After mentioning my favorite lipstick formulas in another post, I thought it would be nice to swatch any formulas or colors that I haven’t shared in the past. Today I’ll be sharing some Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Colors.

Bobbi Brown Bahama Brown

The Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Colors are richly pigmented and have a satin finish. I get my normal 4 hour wear time out of this formula. I am constantly drinking water and typically have at least a snack when I have on lipstick, so to me that is good for a cream formula. They are comfortable to wear but in comparison, they are not as creamy as the Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel formula.