So I have seriously become a huge lipstick fan as of recent, and mostly of the colour pink.  I am obsessed, the pinker the better.  I love bright baby pinks (think Saint Germain and Viva Glam Gaga I), those are usually my go-to colours for everyday, however, I do have some more fun ones like Candy Yum Yum.  With that being said, my collection mostly consists of MAC colours because I find they have the greatest range of shades and I usually the love the pigmentation/feel of them.

Also as of late, I have become a huge fan of YouTube beauty gurus.  I love watching them on my computer, on my iPod, on my iPhone when I’m at the gym, etc.  They are just so informative and I really find that they are honest about a product.  When you see a product in an ad it is often photoshopped (take any mascara ad) and the purpose is to obviously sell you the product, regardless if it actually works or not.  I find that when girls are reviewing stuff on YouTube they are more honest and they will tell you the truth, mostly because they are like you and I, real people.  As a result,a lot of my recent purchases have been recommendations or “beauty guru favourites”.  My newest purchase is no different.  I have been hearing a lot of great things about Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) lipsticks.  From the colours to the texture to the scent, I have not heard one bad thing about these.  So when I recently went out of town I knew I had to pick one up (they don’t sell them in my city).

I made my way to the YSL counter at Holt Renfrew and was greeted by the most enthusiastic sales people ever (that’s another story for another blog post).  I actually ended up picking two lipsticks from two different collections, one of which I’m reviewing today.  The first lipstick I got was their Rouge Volupté Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick SPF 15 in number 19 Frivolous Pink.  I originally was going to get number 7 Lingerie Pink but they were sold out (oh well, another time!).

Okay, let me start by saying that this lipstick is pretty amazing.  It shoots MAC so out of the water it’s crazy.  Don’t get me wrong, I love MAC lipsticks and I will continue to buy them, but oh man, YSL is on a different level.  The texture of the lipstick is just so creamy and soft and the colour glides on.  You know some lipsticks that you have to keep swiping on to get good colour payoff?  Well not this one, one go around is good enough. It’s just so pigmented and perfect.  Another great thing is the scent, it has a mango scent to it that is just a nice touch to add to the luxurious feel of the lipstick.

The packaging is very pretty as well.  It comes in a gold case with a ring in the middle that shows the shade of the lipstick.  They say that on the top there is supposed to be a mirror, I guess you could use it as a mirror however mine was the same colour of the tube (gold) and it is quite small to use. Everything about this lipstick is just so high-end.  From the application to the packaging (it even comes with a little insert on the product) to the price (a staggering $37 CDN), which although was very expensive my birthday is coming up and we don’t sell YSL beauty products (aside from perfume) in my city.

So how is the colour?  What you see is pretty much what you get.  The lipstick itself is very creamy and shiny it looks like you are wearing a gloss over top.  It’s very similar in terms of texture to MACs Creamsheens however, these guys don’t take so much swiping to get good colour pay off.

So would I recommend it?  Yes!!  I picked up this one and Fard A Levres Rouge Pur number 22 Pink Celebration (which I gave to my mom because she loved it so much) because I couldn’t decide between the two.  If you don’t have a YSL beauty counter in your city or town (they are available in Canada at Holt Renfrew and select Bay locations, I know that Sephora sells them as well, not sure about the Canadian locations though) then I would say to splurge a little if you come across them in your travels because although pricey, I would say they are so worth it.

The Inspiration

So I painted my nails the other day (orange on fingernails and green with shatter on toes) and then I realized that my toenails match this decorative lawn turtle we have in our backyard.

To achieve this look I used China Glaze’s In the Lime Light (Neon) with OPI’s Black Shatter on top.  I also used Seche Vite’s base and top coat (I love their top coat, it dries super fast and makes the polish really shiny).  I find that the China Glaze neon colours dry quite matte (and you need like seven coats too!) so make sure that you apply a top coat before the shatter and then after the shatter for a stunning look.  The shatter crackles better on shinier surfaces.

Ignore the gross ant on my toe

And voila! I love this look, I find myself constantly staring at my feet, it’s just so darn cute.

And just for fun…

The world’s most famous fragrance and it is often said that one is purchased once every 30 seconds.  Chanel No.5, first released in 1921, still remains a classic to this day.

The perfume is the signature scent behind the iconic Chanel brand, most known for it’s luxurious handbags, tweed suits, and of course, for it’s perfumes.  It is widely known that in 1954 when asked what she wore to sleep, icon Marilyn Monroe cheekily answered “Five drops of Chanel No. 5”.

There is something about this perfume that is so old world elegance.  Maybe it’s the fact that it has been around for 90 years or the classic musty scent, but it’s one of those fragrances that just scream timelessness mixed with maturity.  It is one of those perfumes that get passed down generation to generation, and upon first sniffs, the scent is instantly recognizable.

The distinctive scent has a number of notes that stand out, notably vanilla and ylang-ylang. Perfumes Review lists the notes as:

“Base notes – ylang-ylang from Comoras, aldehydes, neroli and jasmine from Gras, rose, wood chords of bubonic ventiveria and vanilla… In these top notes are interlaces neroli and aldehydes as well. The core is mild and floral.”

The bottle itself is very classic, a rectangle with a stopper top… I’m not sure if they still make this bottle, I’m sure they do.  The one I have is just a rectangle with a button on top with you press to release the fragrance.

So is it cult-worthy?  Well, as the best-selling fragrance of all time, even after 90 years,  I think that speaks for itself.  (Fun fact: Elizabeth Taylor’s White Diamonds is the number one best selling celebrity fragrance of all time.)

The thing about Chanel No.5 is that it’s so classic.  It’s timeless; a scent that will never go out of fashion, much like a lot of the classic staple items in the Chanel collection like the 2.55 flap bag, the tweed suits, the logo flats, Vamp nail polish (Rouge Noir), etc. Like I mentioned earlier, this is a very mature scent, almost grandma-ish, but not in a bad way.  It’s very serious. This scent is perfect for a business meeting, a romantic date, a wedding, etc.  I tend to gravitate towards the most fruity, sweet fragrances (think Britney Spears’ Fantasy ), but there is something so classic about this scent that it remains my go-to for serious affairs.  It’s like the white button down shirt, the black blazer, a pair of black pumps, the perfect pair of jeans, it should be a staple in everyone’s collection.

It has a very serious, distinctive scent to it that has never gone out of style and has withstood the test of time.  So yes, I think it is very cult-worthy.  It’s one of those few fragrances that anyone can pull off no matter the age.  It has been passed on from generation to generation and will keep going. May it have another successful 90 years.

Do you think Chanel No.5 is cult-worthy?  Is this a staple in your perfume collection?