The Cult Collection: Rosebud Salve

In today’s edition of The Cult Collection I talk about my number one beauty must have of all time! Smith’s Rosebud Salve!  I have been using this product for about six years now and I always make sure that I have a jar on me (you never know when you are going to get chapped lips).

Rosebud Salve, manufactured by the Rosebud Perfume Company in Woodsboro, Maryland, has been around since 1892 and is their flagship product.  It is available is almost every country in the world.  They also produce a variety of other balms, but the original still remains their number one seller.

So why is it so good?  Well, the product, made from what feels like a petroleum jelly base, not only heals dry lips, but it can also soothe diaper rash, dry skin, calm minor burns, and so on.  I myself have used it to get rid of pimples, heal dry skin, get rid of itchiness, as a hairline protectant when I dye my hair (when I didn’t have Vaseline on hand), and of course, for chapped lips.  It’s just so smooth and creamy (and non-sticky) and it stays on fairly long.  As for the smell, it has a rose scent to it, hence the name.

So is it cult-worthy?  I can rest assure you, it is!  At $8.50 Canadian ($6 US) it’s not only affordable but it actually does what it says.  I have recommended it to so many people who have gone on to try it and absolutely love it.  This is one product I swear by and constantly repurchase.  It also lasts you a long time because you don’t need a much of the product to get the job done.  It’s also fairly easy to get your hands on, you can purchase it at a variety of places, Sephora and American Apparel being some of the most popular locations.  One hint of advice though, do not leave it in super hot areas (like the inside of a car, like my friend did) because the texture of the product can “explode on you” or reform in the jar.

Have you tried Rosebud Salve?  Did you like it?

The Cult Collection: Urban Decay Primer Potion

So I didn’t really know much about eyeshadow primers until a few months ago.  I would always just apply my makeup directly on my eye lid and by the end of the day it would be all creased and basically non-existant.

I saw a lot of YouTube beauty gurus talk about Urban Decay’s Primer Potion so I thought that I had to give it a try.  I picked this up in the States at Sephora where it retails for $18 US (I think like $23 in Canada, somewhere around that price).  Urban Decay has three different versions of this product, but I chose to get the original one.  They also have discontinued the “genie bottle” and it’s now available in a squeeze tube for I think a dollar more.

So what does it do?  According to Urban Decay’s website:

This miracle eyeshadow primer is unmatched by any other in the beauty industry! The genie in this bottle fulfills three wishes: eyeshadow that lasts for 24+ hours, more vibrant color and absolutely NO CREASING. Use the magic wand and flocked applicator to apply Primer Potion to lids before shadow application. It glides on easily and dries down almost instantly, creating smooth lids that are super-powered eyeshadow magnets. Original formula dries down invisibly, while Eden and Sin are shades that can be worn as shadows or highlighters!

You apply the product using the applicator.  It’s similar to a lot of concealers out there or even a lipgloss applicator, however, the sponge part is at an angle so it’s easier to apply.  You swipe it on your eyelid and then blend in, you don’t need a lot.  In the new versions of it its just a squeeze tube that you squeeze on your finger and then blend in.

So does it work?  You betcha.  This product really holds the eye shadow and makes it smooth.

This photo was taken after about eight hours of eyeshadow wear with no primer underneath.  See how the shadow is almost completely off my lid?  Not to mention the creasing and just overall drabness of the shadow by the end of the day.

This was taken the next day when I applied the primer underneath my shadow.  I applied my makeup at 12 p.m. and this photo was taken at around 1:30 a.m., that’s 13.5 hours of wear, and it still looks pigmented and perfect.

So it is cult worthy?  Yes!! I love this product! I got a mini travel-sized one with my Naked palette so I am stocked up for now, but when I run out I will for sure purchase it again.

There are other kinds of eyeshadow primers out there, however, I have only tried Urban Decay’s. Have you tried it, or other eyeshadow primers?  If so, how do they compare?

The Cult Collection: NARS Orgasm and Turkish Delight

You know those certain beauty items that everyone has and everyone knows.  Products like Urban Decay’s Primer Potion, NARS’ Orgasm blush, Maybelline’s Great Lash mascara, you know, those items that everyone knows about and have achieved superstar status?  Well I came up with this genius idea to blog about them all, but then I figured that blog post would take forever to do, so I have split it up and I’m going to cover a few products in separate blog posts (genius, I know!).

Up first are two products by NARS, their Orgasm blush and Turkish Delight lipgloss.  Everyone knows NARS Orgasm, and if they don’t they must be living under a rock.  I think it’s safe to say that it is the most popular blush like, ever.

The second product is their Turkish Delight lipgloss, a sheer pink gloss which is widely known as Kim Kardashian’s favourite lipgloss.

So lets get into it!

NARS Orgasm Blush

The world’s most popular blush, NARS Orgasm is known as the most universally flattering shade of blush ever created.  According to the NARS website they describe Orgasm as “a peachy pink with shimmer”, to me however, I would say it’s more or a coral red with gold shimmer.

Not going to lie, it’s okay.  I’m more of a bronzer fan than a blush one, but this is one of those iconic beauty items that I had to try.  It’s like the Chanel 2.55 of the blush market.  And just like the bag, you are paying a premium price for it too.  I picked this up in the States at Sephora for a hefty $27 US, the most I will ever probably spend on blush, considering that I don’t even wear it that often.  I personally liked Super Orgasm better (it’s pinker) but I figured Orgasm is a cult item, so I had to try this one first.

Would I buy it again?  Probably not.  I have a very fair skin tone (NC 15) and I find this colour too red for my skin.  Maybe in the summer when I have a bit of a tan it will be better, but until then, it’s just okay.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate it, I don’t even dislike it.  I just think it’s okay.  I know they say universally flattering but maybe it’s better on other skin tones?  I dunno..  I also find that it goes on quite sheer and to get some colour I have to really swipe my brush on it a few times to get any actual colour.

NARS Orgasm swatch. Note that I really built up the colour.

So is it worthy of cult status?  To me?  No.  To others, sure.  They say it’s universally flattering and although I can see that, especially on darker skin tones, I think I’ll stick with my bronzer (their most famous bronzer, Laguna, I don’t have but I’m definitely going to pick that up when I run out of the other bronzers I currently have).  The hefty price tag on it is another factor into purchasing it as well.  There are numerous drug store dupes out there you can try if you want the same colour, so you don’t have to shell out the cash for it.  If you are like me though and always want the real thing then go ahead and give it a try, maybe it’ll be the perfect fit.

NARS Turkish Delight Lipgloss


I recently picked up this little item last week because I got the 15% off for Beauty Insiders coupon from Sephora.  I was wanting this for a long time but I couldn’t justify spending $29 CAD on a lipgloss.  With the coupon it came to $24 I believe, which is still hefty, but it’s better than $30 plus, and when I want something I always find a way of getting it so I knew I would buy it eventually.

I want to start off by saying that I really like this gloss.  The colour is okay by itself, but over a lipstick it’s really great.  NARS describes it as a “pink sorbet”, and okay, I can definitely see that. The colour isn’t that pigmented, but it’s great for creating a nude lip (a la Kim Kardashian, which she pairs with MAC’s Angel lipstick).  It’s also good for making pink lipsticks or liners more pink. I really like pairing it with MAC’s Myth, Quite Cute, and Viva Glam Gaga pink lipsticks.

Another great thing about it is that it’s not sticky!  Unlike other ones other there (MAC Lipglass I’m looking at you) this one don’t feel like you have honey on your lips.  I hate wearing gloss and then heading outside on a windy day with your hair getting all caught in it.  Ugh, the worst!  That’s one of the main reasons why I don’t wear that much gloss anymore, I’m all about the lipstick because your hair doesn’t stick to it.

Turkish Delight with NARS Orgasm swatch (no those aren't bruises on my hand).

Okay, so as much as I love this gloss, I do have some negative things to say about it. The staying power on this gloss is terrible.  For a lipgloss that is so expensive you would think that François Nars would come up with a product that lasts longer than half an hour.  MAC lipglasses, although sticky, last way longer than this NARS one.  And they are almost half the price!  Other than that I don’t find anything else really wrong with it, I know that a lot of people have complained about the smell.  Apparently it has a chemical scent to it, which so far I haven’t noticed.  The gloss itself is pretty scentless.

So is it cult-worthy?  I would say so.  I think everyone needs a sheer pink gloss in their makeup bag. Is it a unique colour?  No, but I still really like it, but I just wish it would have a better staying power and a cheaper price tag.  For $29 I don’t think I would repurchase it unless I get another Beauty Insider deal.  For the time being though, I am definitely not going to be applying it that often because I want it to last, and I recommend applying it over a lipstick to really maximize lip colour.

Have you tried NARS’ Orgasm and Turkish Delight?  What were your thoughts?  Are they cult worthy or over-hyped?

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