The Beauty Fence - Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip and Cheek Balm

Givenchy is one of those brands that have always been on my radar but only a few products actually got my attention so my exposure to their collections has been extremely limited. The quality, luxe packaging, and formulations match those of similarly priced brands such as Chanel and Dior so even though I was intrigued from time to time nothing stroke my fancy enough to make an investment. The few products I do own were carefully selected and preform beautifully but the brand as a whole remained overlooked and since Givenchy does not have a cosmetics counter in my city it was even easier to forget about it.

Readers of my blog are aware that I have a serious weakness when it comes to luxurious, pampering lip balms so when I discovered the Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip and Cheek Balms ($34.00 for 0.17 oz) I knew it was only a matter of time before I took the plunge and splurged on these adorable blue pots.
Who doesn't need a bit of magic in their life? 

Official Description;

Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip & Cheek Balm's innovative formula moisturizes and provides a flushed tint to lips and cheeks. It contains pigments that react with the skin's humidity to create a personalized hint of color to the lips and a delicate glow to the cheeks. Hyaluronic acid spheres bring moisture and fill in the dehydration lines and, by capturing water, these water-soaked spheres swell to increase the volume—thus providing a plumping action on lips and cheeks. Lips and cheeks are lipid-replenished by Luffa Oil, which is rich in fatty acids, and the glossy cream contains a texture with a melting and softening sensation.

The Givenchy Magic Lip and Cheek Balm is part of the "Hydra-Sparkling" skincare/makeup collection and just like the name implies was created to target moisture balance, hydration and skin rejuvenation. One of the key ingredients in this line-up are the hyaluronic acid spheres that not only deliver moisture but also plump the skin and fill any dehydration (fine) lines. The Magic Lip and Cheek Balm is said to capture water via the hyaluronic acid which in turn increase in volume and the final results being fuller, well-moisturized lip tissue. The Givenchy formulation also includes the unique Luffa Oil, rich in fatty acids whose main purpose is to replenish any lipid loss in both lips and cheeks.
There are two shades available - baby pink (glow-like rose) and a soft coral with a prominent orange undertone.

The first thing I noticed when these beauties arrived was the extremely tiny size of the pots themselves. Even though I find small things adorable I feel that the balms are extremely overpriced for the amount of product you actually get. I would be lying if i said i didnt feel a twinge of disappointment when I realized just how miniature these really were. However I was willing to forgive that detail if in fact the product preformed as good as I had expected from such a prestigious brand.
Did it disappoint in that aspect too?

The answer to that question is somewhat complicated because there are aspects of this Magic Balm that I absolutely love but on the other hand other features are for the lack of better word - annoying! After using this for a few months I can honestly conclude that this is a great lip product and at the same time a very inferior blush.

As a lip treatment the Givenchy Magic Lip & Cheek Balm preforms beautifully in terms of hydration and plumping. The pigmentation is sheer but that is to be expected from a "lip balm" so I can't fault it on that measure. It feels light and nourishing on and has a significantly longer longevity that some other comparably priced lip treatments. I definitively love the "pink" shade more because the sheer wash of colour achieves that glowy "doll-like" sheen that every girly girl dreams of getting. Compliments galore every time! 

As a "blush" the Magic Balm has some significant issues it needs to work on. The main problem is the thick texture which makes it very hard to work with as it remains slightly sticky no matter what application method I use. The pigmentation is lacking so layering is needed but because of the tackiness of the balm that is impossible. My long hair made that attribute even more noticeable because it kept sticking to the cheeks even after an hour of the initial use. A ponytail solved that problem of course but at that point I was already irritated with it. I would say if the texture was thinner the cheek application would be much more successful. 

I think you can now understand why I have such mixed feelings about the Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip and Cheek Balm! I love it on my lips and hate it on the cheeks so my verdict is well...confused! 

I would recommend it in a heartbeat as a glowy lip treatment - especially the pink version. However be wary of using it on your cheeks - it's a little unpleasant! 

You can purchase the Givenchy Magic Lip & Cheek Balm at our trusty Sephora and from various vendors on Amazon!

Have you tried the Givenchy Magic Balm? What were your thoughts?

As always thank you for reading :-)

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-) 

Summer Time Lips with YSL Beaute

The summer and spring season in Atlantic Canada has been unusual to say the least. Instead of sunny spring days we have been faced with rain, grey skies and just an overall gloomy atmosphere. I don't want to complain of course, seeing how so many have suffered recently due to dramatic weather events that don't even compare to the situation here BUT i will say that its been really hard for me to feel springy and colorful with all this rain.

In order to kick-start my "summer feeling" I was inspired to look through my lip treasures and find some forgotten colors to help me out. After a bit of digging I realized that a lot of the lippies I was pulling out were by the luxe YSL. Its one of those brands that are frequent visitors to my vanity but for one reason or another often overlooked when it comes to writing reviews. 

Today I want to change that!

The first two "lipsticks" come from the well known Volupte Sheer Candy Glossy Balm line up and my picks for summer are No.1 Lush Coconut and No.4 Succulent Pomegranate.

YSL desribes these glossy balms as;

This balm dresses your lips in a sheer veil of brilliant color boosted with vitamin- and antioxidant-rich fruit extract. Its ultra-light, sensual texture leaves lips feeling soft and hydrated for up to eight hours and is ideal for year-round use.

Ingredents;

- Hyaluronic Acid Spheres: Penetrate the upper layers of the epidermis (stratum corneum) where they absorb water from the environment, swelling and growing up to 30 times their initial volume.
- Rosemary Extract, Pomegranate Extract, and Gamma Oryzanol blend: Help protect the lips against free radicals that cause premature aging.
- Candellila Resin: Forms a thin protective layer on the lips that helps lock in the moisture and magnifies the color particles on the lips.

My initial impression of the Sheer Candy Balms was very good despite the high price tag. I understood before purchasing that these were suppose to be "sheer" so the light pigmentation didnt faze me. Don't get me wrong, color was definitively there but these are not lipsticks so i didn't expect them to be bright. The Lush Coconut was a nude like shimmer shade which looks amazing on tanned skin, hence it being a summer pick. The Succulent Pomegranate looked a bit intimidating in the tube but transformed my lips into a "wet berry shade" with a bit of a glow. They feel amazing on my lips, give me the feeling of hydration and I am impressed by the fact that the formula absorbs and doesnt just sit on top. I would prefer that there was no fragrance or artificial taste but its not a big enough issue to be a problem for me. However those with sensitivities may need to be prepared to deal with that. 

My other two YSL summer re-discoveries are from the Rouge Pur Couture Vernis a Levres Glossy Stains, the chosen colors being No.19 Beige Aquarelle and No.15 Rose Vinyl. 

YSL describes the glossy stains as;

A revolutionary new lip product that combines the texture and shine of a gloss with the long wear of a stain.
Coat your lips with this lip color that offers a lightweight texture, which immediately melts onto lips. Glossy Stain delivers intense glossy color for an extremely long-lasting shine.

There is a bit of controversy when it comes to these YSL glossy stains - people either love them or feel "betrayed by the description" so they hate them. Personally I like them, however I will admit that they fail to deliver to some degree when it comes to the glossy stain premise. 

The texture falls somewhere in between a gel and a creamy lip lacquer, almost like a hybrid between the two and the pigmentation depends on the shade you choose (the darker colors tend to be brighter). The trick to making these work on your lips is application technique and a bit of patience since you'll have to apply a couple layers on the lips and wait in between to make sure the color is properly absorbed. Don't be alarmed if after applying it the color shifts a little and looks uneven - just give it a few minutes to "set" and repeat as needed. The finish is not sticky once dry, doesn't accentuate every lip imperfection, can be layered for a stronger color effect but most importantly it lasts a lot longer than a regular lipstick. I appreciate the fact that as the color fades from the lips, it does so in a natural manner without the tacky "lip ring"  

The two shades I love are the Beige Aquarelle and Rose Vinyl and they couldn't be any more different. The Beige Aquarelle caught my eye because it looked like a nude shade and that seemed to be kind of unique in the field of lip stains. The finished look was that of a muted nude rose, perfectly suitable for understated day-wear.

My Rose Vinyl purchase was my attempt to branch out and try wearing some brighter lip shades and this was a good start. A bright berry pink shade was just enough out of my comfort zone that I felt bold but not self-concious - perfect for a date or a night out, since its just "special enough".

As I mentioned I have a lot of YSL cosmetics but they seem to be below the radar all the time. But with lip gems such as these, they deserve to be mentioned for sure 

What do you think about my picks? 

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-)