Review: Rock & Republic Cosmetics

Hi Prime Beauties! I'm excited to bring you a review of Rock & Republic's cosmetic line. You know, the same Rock & Republic of jean and clothing fame. I have been curious about this line for quite some time but the prices prevented me from trying it. I realize this makes no sense whatsoever as I will voluntarily fork over $56 for a Chanel or Dior eye shadow palette--but those are known entities, know what I mean? Rock and Republic was untried and untested--a mystery, or to me at least. So, when my favorite online sample sale site, Hautelook offered R & R cosmetics at 50% off, I jumped! I mean you wouldn't expect any less of me would you? Originally launched in 2008, I've been seeing R&R show up on several discount sites so it makes me wonder if the brand is in trouble. I don't know but I'm going to take advantage of these sales!


I ordered Spank blush and Exile eye shadow on my blogger friend Karlasugar's recommendation. Rock & Republic's packaging is ultra luxe and the sizes are huge! The black and chrome compacts were enclosed in round cardboard packaging with a silver logo--very nice presentation. I feel a little like royalty using these compacts--the logo reminds me of the monogram of someone from a royal family--a mysterious Russian princess whose family was slaughtered in the revolution; Anastasia perhaps? Umm, except her initials weren't RR--maybe her REAL name was Ranastasia Romanov? Okay, whatever.

 

Enough chatter, on to the review! The Contrived Pressed Blushes come in matte and shimmer textures. Spank is a neutral matte true ballet slipper pink blush; it is highly pigmented and applies flawlessly. R&R blushes are $40 at regular price, but I got it for $20 on Hautelook. Even at regular price, you get twice the amount of product in a NARS blush for $25---at $20 it's a fantastic value and comparable to MAC prices. The texture of these blushes is excellent. Spank is a very wearable shade, a wonderful choice for an everyday blush. All of the Rock & Republic blushes are pigmented and most are bright--Spank is the softest of the line.

Saturate eye shadows are $28 at regular price, I picked up Exile, a lovely peachy, goldish bronze shimmer for $14 at Hautelook. Saturate eye shadows come in three textures; matte, satin and shimmer. The texture is medium-soft; soft but not so much that they crumble. This is good shimmer for us 'mature' women--not sparkly or glittery, but a slight shimmer and not to loud. There is a fairly large selection for a new line and there are several nice colors in the line-- I will definitely pick up more of these at the next sale.

Here is a swatch of Spank and Exile:

Originally I thought exile wasn't very unique but as you can see from my swatches, I really don't have anything like it. It looks like a combination of MAC Honeylust or Stila Oasis to me, what do you think?

 

Comparision swatches:

Left to right: Urban Decay Half Baked, R&R Exile, Smashbox 35 mm, Benefit Dandy Brandy, Cat Cosmetics Peace (very coppery). You can see too that Exile has less shine than the rest.

Packaging: ultra luxe and classy, but may be a bit too heavy for some--I'm a sucker for nice packaging

Value: buy from Hautelook, Gilt, Idelli or any of these sites for a great deal! Click here for an invite from Hautelook

Quality: excellent--just as good an any high end brand

Overview: excellent quality, beautiful packaging and great prices--give this brand a try!! I will definitely buy more blush & shadows and I want to try the lip gloss too!

Grade: A

The Rock & Republic cosmetic line includes; Contrived Pressed powder blush, Imitate Mousse blush, Saturate eye colour, Bound Gel eyeliners, Extremist mascara, Luxe Lip Gloss and makeup brushes. Available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's and rockandrepublic.com BUT wait for the sample sales!!

Frugal Friday - Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush

I've been yapping on and on about the virtures of cream blush so while picking up a birthday card at Walgreen's I decided to try Maybelline's Dream Mousse Blush to see if it could be a candidate for Frugal Friday. The blushes were BOGOH and I chose Rose Petal and Cloud Wine. The texture of this blush is very light and it looks air whipped in the pot like a real mousse would be. Upon application it dries to a bit of a powdery finish but not in a bad way. Since the texture is so light, it blends beautifully--just dip a finger in the pot and tap on apples of the cheeks then blend toward the hairline with your fingers or a sponge--I prefer the sponge to blur edges.

Cloud Wine is a plum rose shade perfect for fall;  it looks as if you just came in from raking the leaves on a crisp fall day. I wasn't as impressed with Rose Petal, I needed to keep layering to get the color to show up on my skin. Both shades have a bit of shimmer that imparts a healthy glow. My only complaint is that this blush is not long lasting, however it will provide a nice base for powder blushes.

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush is available in six shades and retails for around $7.   Grade: C

I purchased these products myself

10 Cold Weather Beauty Tips

Frigid temperatures, indoor heating, and low humidity can strip skin and hair of their moisture. As the temperatures drop, some of us may need to modify our makeup and skincare routines. I know my face has been feeling like the Sahara desert already and my hands are like sandpaper. Here are a few tips to help you adjust to the cold weather:

1.   Consider a tinted lip balm instead of lipstick. Lipstick can be drying, by using a tinted balm your lips will stay moisturized and still pretty with a bit of color.

2.   Switch to a lighter shade of foundation. With less sun your skin will naturally lose some color and your foundation should too. There’s nothing worse than foundation that doesn’t match your skin--it should always look natural with no line of demarcation.

3.   Use bronzer but sparingly. Apply on the forehead, across the bridge of the nose, cheeks and chin where the sun would naturally kiss your face. It will warm up your face and give it a nice glow. Hint: bronzer is also available in cream and gel formulas but powder is pretty much fool proof as long as you use a light hand and a big fluffy brush.

4.   Change your powder blush to cream. Powder can look cakey, cream blushes look fresher and therefore makes you look younger in my opinion. Dab on bit on apples of the cheeks and blend upward into temples with fingers or a cosmetic sponge. Choose a shade that matches your cheeks after a walk in brisk weather.

5.   Don’t over-powder. For those with drier skin, I suggest skipping the powder altogether. Powder can settle into fine lines and highlight wrinkles making you look older. I never powder under my eyes.

6.   Exfoliate, exfoliate exfoliate. Slough off dull, dry, dead skin cells and reveal younger fresher looking skin by using a facial scrub or at home microdermabrasion at least once a week.

7.   Switch to a heavier moisturizer. Cold temperatures can suck the moisture right out of your skin. "Now is the time to switch to a richer moisturizer that's powerful enough to not only replenish moisture loss but also to seal in the moisture that's already there," says Doris J. Day, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City. Look for a moisturizer that has hyaluronic acid to help bind moisture to the skin.

8.   Get a good body moisturizer. A good drug store brand is Eucerin. Eucerin Plus Smoothing Essentials in their Intensive line has alpha hydroxy to exfoliate dry scaly skin coupled with extra enriched moisturizers and is clinically proven to moisturize for 24 hours. Philosophy’s Firming Body Emulsion is an award winning thick and rich body cream available in several scents. Amazing Grace is my favorite. Hint:  Moisturizers work by trapping water in your skin's outer layers, so use body creams after showering while your skin is still damp.

9.   Tame flyaways by using a smoothing serum. Use only a pea sized amount on damp hair and then blow dry. Jonathan Create Smooth and Fedrick Fekkai Glossing Crème will tame the frizz and add shine too.

10. If you are going out in the wind and extreme cold, you might want to wear waterproof mascara. My eyes always water in the cold and wind--bleh.

Keep cozy ladies!!!

Clinique Most Wanted - Limited Edition

While perusing the cosmetics counters in my local Macy’s, I spotted this darling palette from Clinique. Aptly named “Most Wanted” it is inspired by the most popular Clinique lipstick shades; Blushing Nude, Black Honey and Raspberry Glace. Each silvery zippered compact features a Colour Surge Eye Shadow Trio and Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher. The Most Wanted Compact is Limited Edition and available in Most Wanted Nudes, Berries and Deep. It’s the perfect size for your handbag and great for touch ups or travel. $36