Talk About Cosmetics - Avril Cosmétiques

I am so excited today because I love skincare and I love all things beauty related but I think I love makeup the most. There’s something so fun about experimenting with cosmetics and recently a French brand reached out to me and offered to send me some products. I was beyond ecstatic when I got the e-mail and thrilled when the products arrived (in 5 days, by the way! That’s insane!) because they’re absolutely stunning!

The first thing you need to know is that they are completely cruelty-free! In accordance with European regulation, they do no animal testing and are also certified by PETA. The brand launched in April of 2012 and has four main values in their mission of making organic cosmetics affordable for every woman and those values are quality, ecology, price, and service. Their organic range is certified by Ecocert, which guarantees that at least 95% of the total ingredients in each product are natural or from natural origin and at least 10% of the ingredients are organic. To check out their mission statement and read more about their values you can click here.

I selected a few products that I thought looked nice from their website and wound up completely blown away by them once they arrived. The products I’ve tried are on par with luxury products, with steep price tags, that I’ve tried for a fraction of the price. They are so richly pigmented, beautifully formulated, easy to apply and wear wonderfully throughout the day. I am so impressed that I can’t even find the words to describe how good I think these products are. Of course, I haven’t tried everything from the line but the ones I have tried are delightful.

The Eye Shadow Palette Nude is probably my favorite of the bunch. There are 6 brown-toned shadows housed in a very thin, but sturdy, cardboard package. Each individual pan of product is quite large (1.5g, to be exact) and the powders are quite pigmented so you’re getting a lot of product for your buck. You’re getting 3 shades described as iridescent in the top row and 3 mattes on the bottom. I find that I can create multiple looks using only this palette and all six shades pair well together or wear well individually. They are all buttery smooth, easy to blend and stay put on the eyes. I like each color a lot and I find that the formula is just so beautiful.

Next up, let’s talk about the L’Highlighter, a beautiful champagne-toned highlighting powder. This little compact is gorgeous. It’s slightly powdery because it’s so finely milled but it’s nothing too difficult to deal with it. I’ve found that it goes on so smoothly and looks so natural and effortless once applied. It’s not all glittery or chunky and just blends seamlessly into the skin to make you look glowy and ethereal. I’m a huge fan!

The L’Anti-Cernes, or Concealer, in Ivorie, is a product that I’m not completely sold on. It actually has a really great finish that looks like real skin, it's quite luminous, but it has a scent that I don’t adore. It’s thin and easy to apply. It seems to melt into the skin but I can continue to smell it once it’s on my skin and I don’t like that part. I’ll have to keep experimenting with it because the finish is so great.

The Lipstick Pencil in Corail is so pretty! I love the shade, a matte coral color, and the formula is really nice, as well. These crayon-type lip colors are so easy to use and make application a breeze. I’m so happy because this product doesn’t irritate my lips at all, and you know how sensitive my lips can be! It doesn’t tug or drag and seems to provide a nice level of hydration. It’s a perfect lip product to keep in your purse!

Finally is the Mascara Volume Noir. I adore the brush, and the formula is really nice! It’s a nice teddy bear bristle brush with a great shape that really helps define and add volume. The formula is gentle and perfectly pigmented. It seems like a really dry mascara at first but is buildable so each swipe makes the lashes look more and more volumized and long. I like to use about 3 coats for a full lashy look. It lasts really well throughout the day and doesn't irritate my eyes at all. It’s a really nice, natural mascara.

If you’re interested in learning more about Avril or checking out their entire range you can visit their website by clicking here. You can also find them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

(FTC: These products were sent to me for free for review consideration. I am not being compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.) 

Talk About Cosmetics - Orglamix Enlighten Cream Luminizer

I had a couple of you Beauties ask me to talk more about the Orglamix Enlighten Cream Luminizer in Illume that I received in my MarchGoodbeing box, so I wanted to devote an entire post to this magical little pot of glow.

Before I start talking about the product, I just want to tell you how impressed I am with the company and their customer service. I told you I had an issue with the product falling out of the jar every time I tried to use it. I wrote to the company and they quickly sent out a new one so I’ve got the perfect product in the perfect little pot.

I would also like to take a second to say thank you to Goodbeing for introducing me to Orglamix. I wasn’t familiar with the brand or their products before receiving this Luminizer in my latest Goodbeing box, but after checking out their website there are so many products that I’m interested in. Too bad I’m on a no-buy!

Anyway, the Enlighten Cream Luminizer comes in 3 different shades with Illume being the pinker champagne toned highlighter. I tried so many times to get a good swatch of this beautiful product but it is so much prettier in person than I can get it to look in any photo I take.

This stunning product is made with Coconut Oil, Candellila Wax, Sweet Almond Oil, Avocado Oil, Rosemary Extract, Lavender Oil, Titanium Dioxide and Mica. It is vegan friendly and cruelty-free.

This creamy dream is easy to use and blends in to the skin seamlessly. It never looks glittery, greasy, overly shiny, or heavy. It somehow looks like really healthy, flawless glowing skin. I really like the formula and the finish.

I can’t even begin to tell you how much this stuff amazes me. It is everything I have ever wanted in a luminizer, and more! I have dry skin that tends to look a bit flat and this cream adds so much life and vibrancy to my face. It doesn’t settle into any of my fine lines nor does it emphasize my pores. It wears well throughout the day and doesn’t end up looking splotchy or patchy at all. It actually seems to look even prettier throughout the day. This particular shade is perfect for me, too. I would have though it was too pink upon first glance but it works so well with my light skin and pairs perfectly with any blush or bronzer I decide to wear with it.

I think I should quit now because I could talk about how beautiful this product is for hours. If you’re interested in learning more about this product or checking out the other shades you can click here. You can also check out the rest of Orglamix’ offerings by checking out their website. You can also get a free $10 gift card if you sign up with your e-mail. I don’t get anything for that, I just thought I should share!  

(FTC: I received this product in my March Goodbeing box. I am not being compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Talk About Cosmetics - Gressa MINIMALIST Glamour

If you're looking for a foundation that glides on like butter, blends seamlessly into your skin, feels weightless but hydrating, and makes your skin look like you just got a really expensive facial then you should look no further than Gressa and their MINIMALIST Corrective Serum Foundation. You might as well add the Contouring Serum Bronzer and Illuminating Serum to your cart as well because this trio is magical. These products never ever make you look like you're wearing a face full of makeup and instead make your complexion look beautifully flawless and healthy. The radiant and dewy finish is something that is absolutely stunning and jaw-dropping.

Okay, before we continue on I'm fully aware that these products are a little pricier than the average cosmetics, but trust me when I tell you they're totally worth it. A single drop of each of these magical elixirs goes a very long way so you won't be using too much too quickly. I fully believe in investing in skincare and these products are skin care with an added cosmetic bonus.

The MINIMALIST Corrective Serum Foundation currently comes in 8 colors and comes in a lovely .5 oz dark glass bottle with a dropper. I would say that this is a light to medium coverage foundation that can be built up. It does a wonderful job evening out skin tone and even conceals blemishes and dark spots. I'm using shade 03 and it's a great match for me. On days when I want more coverage I use 4 drops to cover my entire face but I can get by with 2 on lighter days. Gressa has their own Immaculate Buffing Brush they recommend but I'm currently using my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to apply this foundation. I actually drop the foundation directly onto my brush, although they recommend starting on your hand, and apply to the center of my face blending out.


You know that feeling when you put on foundation but you can't stand how heavy or tacky it feels and you can't wait to be able to wash it off? Well, that doesn't happen with this stuff. After I apply it I forget I'm even wearing it. I have dry skin and this serum to powder foundation glides on easily and doesn't cling to any dry patches. It adds a nice amount of hydration so I never look cakey or dehydrated. I do have to set this with a powder or I've noticed that it transfers fairly easily. I've been using the Pacifica Perfect Lotus Universal Powder in Light to set it (after applying the Contouring Serum and Illuminating Serum) and the combination is really nice.


The MINIMALIST Contouring Serum Bronzer is awesome. It's seriously so good I can't even put it into words. I love bronzer and I love to contour so it sort of seems like this product was created just for me, or at least for people like me. Be careful though because if you use a heavy hand you'll apply way too much, which I have done a couple of times. I've gotten the hang of it though and I now use one single drop on my Real Techniques Sculpting Brush. I dab it onto the back of my hand and then apply to my face and I get the perfect amount to shape and warm up my entire face. It's such a beautiful shade that's not at all orange or muddy. It makes me look makes me look believably bronzed and adds definition to my face. I haven't tried this yet but I bet you can even add it to lotion to make a wash off tan or apply it to foundation to make a darker, more summery shade.


The MINIMALIST Illuminating Serum is a seriously pretty luminous pearly serum that adds a subtle glow to make skin look even more radiant and alive. It's a pink pearlescent shade that adds a hint of something special to the tops of the cheekbones or anywhere else you desire a little highlight. It's not glittery or metallic, nor does it make you look like a disco ball or a little girl who got into her older sisters makeup stash. It's easy to use and I absolutely love the effect. I imagine you could also add this to lotion or foundation to get an all-over glow. My only problem with this is that my dropper seems to not work very well. The other two bottles have droppers that are in perfect working order but this particular one is very difficult to get anything out of.

I'm only wearing the Gressa MINIMALIST Corrective Serum Foundation, Contouring Serum Bronzer (on cheeks and eyes), and the Illuminating Serum in the following photo. I am also wearing mascara and lip balm, but no added concealer. I also did not retouch these at all.

All three of these products have the GRESSA Healing Complex which is a" proprietary powerhouse blend of carefully selected botanical extracts that care for your skin by providing it with overall balance, radiance, and clarity", so not only are these products absolutely beautiful they're also good for your skin. What's not to love? Nothing! I'm seriously in love with these 3 products. Thank you Gressa for making such gorgeous, luxurious, and healthy products that lend themselves to making my skin look as good as it possibly can!

Gressa has also mentioned adding eye tints and cheek colors to their collection and I am SO excited about those. I can't wait to read more about them! I also have my eye on their AUX ROUGE Lip Boost. So pretty!

If you're interested in learning more about Gressa or their products you can visit their website by clicking here. You can also find Gressa on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Talk About It - Vapour Organic Beauty - - Part 2

Welcome to part 2 of my Vapour Organic Beauty review! Today we're talking lips and cheeks! Let's jump right in, shall we?

The Siren Lipstick in Tempt 401, described as a classic medium mauve, is the perfect MLBB (my lips but better) shade for me. You all know how sensitive my lips are but this lipstick is great for me since it is non-irritating, longwearing, and super moisturizing. I absolutely love and adore everything about this lipstick!

If you're a gloss lover then you might be interested in checking out the Elixir Lip Gloss or Elixir Plumping Lip Gloss. I don't find the plumping version to be very plumping at all but I don't mind that since my lips are fairly full as is. The Elixir Lip Gloss comes in a squeeze tube while the Elixir Plumping Lip Gloss comes in a lovely glass tube with a brush applicator. Neither are sticky, goopy, or tacky. Both lip-glosses are very hydrating and wearable (meaning they don't look like little girl lip glosses, as some can). The shade of Elixir Plumping Lip Gloss I received is Pout 407, a sheer pinky nude, and the shade of Elixir Lip Gloss I've been testing is Enigma 305, a sparkling lilac mauve.



Vapour's Aura Multi-Use Blush Classic adds the perfect touch of color to lips, eyes or cheeks. This product comes in 5 pretty shades including a light peachy pink, sheer pinky peach, fuchsia, rose, and a sheer soft pink. I've been using the soft pink shade, called Crush 201, and love it as a blush color. It's soft a velvety product that adds a lovely glow to the cheeks. It blends so easily and wears well throughout the day. This shade is one I would have never chosen for myself but it's unbelievably flattering on me and I really love it.



The final product I want to talk about in this two-part review is the Trick Stick in the shade Dazzle 702, a shimmering golden highlight. Trick Stick is described as "the Makeup Artist's secret for a lit–from–within glow". I've tried many highlighters in my time and this one is possibly my favorite since it's not loaded with chunky or iridescent glitter. It's very sheer and wearable. I particularly like to use the product on my brow bones and inner corners of the eye as well as my cupid's bow.



Something I forgot to mention in part one of this review is that all of these products have a very light citrus-y scent to them and even though I typically don't like my products to have any fragrance, I really like this one. I also forgot to mention how lovely, albeit simple, Vapour's packaging is. I really love the quality and look of each and every product.

Despite the fact that Vapour products have a bit of a higher price tag than some of the other brands out there, I highly recommend you check out the line. The quality as well as the variety of products is truly impeccable and as I mentioned in part one, since these products are waterless they will last a lot longer than the typical natural cosmetic so it's totally worth the splurge in my opinion.

To purchase your own Vapour products you can visit their website by clicking here. If you missed part one of my review (which featured the face products) you can click here.