Loose Button Luxe Box Winter 2012: Swatches & Review

Loose Button Kabuki brush, Essie Nail Lacquer in Beyond Cozy, B. Kamins Day Lotion spf 15,
Clavin Klein Euphoria Fragrance, Blue Lagoon Skin Care Algae Mask + 30% off code, B. Kamins Day Lip Balm,
Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara, Kerastase Cristalliste Lumiere Liquide.

Continuing with the seasonal $26CAN Box. this is the Winter box I received. I got mine in the mail last night. The products this time came in bag with draw string

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm: Swatches & Review

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in 215 Watermelon Twist, 245 Ruby Twist, & 250 Scarlet Twist

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm is again CG anser to the trend of gloss/lipstick products coming out this year and bright color option.Now there is a number o atural shades from what i can tell of the product caps (which are thankfully color coded). I my case I wanted something bright to ry out a it's easier to see on my pigmented lips if there is colour payoff. I picked these up for 8.99CAN at Zehrs. 

Again no daylight photo's as well are experience English winter in Southern Ontario this year. Overcast for weeks with rain/hail. >_< So no daylight photo's. :(

Sleek Pout Paint: Swatches & Review

Pin Up, Lava, Peachy Keen, Milkshake, Pinkini, Rosette, & Port

Sleek Pout Paints were launched after the OCC Lip Tars Hit the Market a few years back. I'll be posting a review on the lips Tars Latter this month but will make reference to them in this post for comparison. These retail for $6.99US currently but I got these at $8.99US on the Sleek sales site a few months ago.

Concrete Minerals Loose Mineral Eyeshdows & Pro Matte Eyeshdows: Swatches & Review

Blood and Guts, Ember, Napalm, Rocked, Fame , Juvenile, The Vaccine, Bat-Breaker, Kinky, Bruise, Bulletproof, Domino, Gossip, Hustle, & Smut

I recently got these sample through a MUA swap of Concrete Minerals Mineral Eyeshdows & Pro Matte Eyeshdows. They retails for $7US for the mineral eyeshadows at 1.5 grams and $8US for Pro matte at 2.5 gram jar of products.

I've been out of the loop of mineral and indie makeup brands only because I was pretty overedold with over 50 brands I had tried out about 7 years ago over the course of 4 years. O_o I kept my favourite for eyeshadows The all Natural Face, Fyrinnae (will be posting my 50+ shades this coming year) and Aromaleigh. Concrete Minerals has been on my radar but I just wasn't taking the bait until this offer came up. ;)

Yaby Cosmetics Annual Sale 2012!

I don't list sales notices unless they are annual sales from brands I like. Yaby usuually has 1 annual sale either in the fall or winter. This year it's in December.

www.yabycosmetics.com for 35% off
Code: yabyluv201235


You will see review on this line in the new year from me.

Hard Candy Eye Def Metallic Eyeshadow: Swatches and Review

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Hard Candy Eye Def Metallic in Jagged Jade, Golden Earth, & Electric

Retail for $6US or $8.99CAN at Walmart. These are liquid/cream eyeshadows with a metallic finish.

Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal 24 Hour Eyeshadow for Winter 2012: Swatches & Review

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Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal 24 Hour Eyeshadow in 55 Inked Pink, 60 Silver Strike, 65 Gold Rush, 75 Electric Blue,

& 70 Barely Branded

The Winter  2012 collection has hit Canada first over the US. Apparently theses will become permanent to the Color Tattoo line. You can find the full collection in Drugstores now! These sell for around $11.99 CAN at Shoppers Drug Mart and $7.99 at Zehrs/Super Store which i pick these shades up.

Rimmel Kate Moss 12(905) Lipstick: Swatches & Review

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Rimmel Kate Moss 12(905) Lipstick

Retails for 7.99 at Zerhs/SuperStore. This collection came late to Canada and the fact I've ONLY seen in at Zerhs is strange as well.

Dare to Compare: Marcelle Essentials Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes V.S. Lancome Bi-Facil

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Marcelle Essentials Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eyes & Lancome Bi-Facil

Lancome Bi-Facil seems to be the standard for most bloggers for removing your makeup and been interested in trying it out but honestly the $35 price point seem extreme for a product that only meant to remove makeup. I got this half size with Lancome annually mascara and remover sets that comes out in the spring to do this compare with my HG remover Marcelle Essentials Gentle Make-Up Remover for Sensitive Eye. (Note that the name is humongous descriptor!)

Lets start with the ingredients in both

IMATS TORONTO 2012 Recap and Haul

Me and Van Derful

A little late on the recap but here it is! I didn't stay as long as previous years but I've been lucking in not needing to wake up at 5:30AM to get ready for the first Greyhound Bus to Toronto either. lol Also dress comfortable as I new it was going to be warm in the show space.

I met Van coming off of the greyhound bus, as she look like someone that would be going to IMATS wearing fake lashes that early in the morning. We took the TTC from Union to Kipling Station and took one more bus up to Dixon road. It was my first time taking the Kipling route and Van first time taking the subway.

We arrive at the Toronto Congress Centre at 10:20AM and managed to bump into upon entering...

OFRA 3D Loose Powder in Golden Sparkle: Swatches & Review

OFRA 3D Loose Powder in Golden Sparkle

Retails at $19.90 for 0.14oz fl  4gr of product this line of 4 duo chrome pigments have a discernible colour shift.

bareMinerals READY™ Eyeshadow 8.0 The Playlist & The Cocktail Hour

The Playlist

The Cocktail Hour

I wasn't going to review these are they where supose to be LE but the bareMinerals READY™ Eyeshadow 8.0 in The Playlist is still available at Sehropa (will restock) and Beauty.com. Yo can take advantage of their 20% off sales this weekend at Beauty.com for it. each palette contains 8 x 0.035 oz of eeyeshadow each that retail for $40US and $50CAN. Ther are also 3 new 8 palette launch this holiday season in the US.

This is also a review on their eyeshadows formula in general.

Depotting/Repotting MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadows

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Busted eyeshadow in A Natural Flirt

My Extra Dimension Eyeshadows came loose when shipped to me. So here how i set about fixing this lovely eyeshadow.

What you need:
Rubbing Alcohol
(prefer 99% or 91% as the high value mean your putting lease water into the pan.)
A new 26mm pan
(this one is magnetic natural bit if not you can ad a magnet or metal plate to it latter for a free style palette)
something to mix with (I use a makeup spatula)

MAC Holiday Divine Desire & Glamour Daze: Swatches & Review

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MAC Holiday Divine Desire Paramour Pink Kit, Quite Coral & Glamour Daze A Natural Flirt 

MAC Holiday items finally arrived for me. There was some delays due to weather. ;) I order in the Divine Desire Paramour Pink Kit, Quite Coral kit $70US / $85CAN each & Glamour Daze Extra Dimension Eyeshadow in A Natural Flirt $19.50US / $22.50CAN.

All the products are full sized in the Divine Desire Kits except the blush which is the size of a Pro Longwear Eyeshadow.

This is the most I've bought from a Holiday collection since Royal Assets 2007. 

I've review MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Whisper of Guilty and Superb when they where first release but is also being re-promoted again as part of the Glamour Daze collection.

I apologies for not getting daylight photo's but it' been raining/overcast for over a week now in my area.

Lime Crime Alchemy Collection: Swatches & Review

This is wish I had gotten sooner as I order on Oct. 13th but it didn't ship till the 19th, but just in time for Halloween review. My second palette from Lime Crime and my first time trying their lipsticks.

Lime Crime ALCHEMY duochrome pressed eyeshadow palette retails for $35.99US, POISONBERRY and SERPENTINA lipstick retail for $15.99.

Illamasqua 4-Colour Liquid Metal Palette: Swatches & Review

Enrapture (metallic copper), Surge (metallic steel), Phenomenon (metallic silver), and Solstice (metallic gold). 

Interesting product to have in your makeup kit. The have a similar texture to the Illamasqua Gleam highlighter but the pigmentation is much more intense.

Size: 4 x 0.07 oz at $45US / $54CAN / £34.00 for this.

From the site: "Liquid Metal is a rich and highly pigmented metallic cream that grabs full attention wherever it's applied. Smooth onto eyes, face and body with fingers or a brush and prepare to take the spotlight." That really does cover it!

Quo by ORLY Fall/Winter trend 18 Piece Mini Set at Shoppers Drug Mart 2012

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Quo by ORLY Fall/Winter trend 18 Piece Mini Set

This limited gift set retail for $40, I had to get this one look as all the duochrome shades! This set contains to duo tone/duochrome shades that had ,e stunned. There are also 6 piece sets for $20 with holiday shades and glitters.

I won't be swatching these again because my nail always get damaged with the work I do and They no ling enough. But I do have a list of dupes. 

Promise to get some nail wheels during IMATS. ;)

The Quo by ORLY line retails for $10 a bottle and is on pare with Nicole by OPI ($9.99) and Essie ($12).

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream in No13: Swatches & Review

M Perfect Cover BB Cream in No13

Missha M Perfect Cover BB Cream is on of the more coverage in mind BB cream on the market. It's almost like foundation with added Benefit. I picked this one because it work on fair skin int he lightest shade. SPF 42 pa+++ coverage in a physical sunblock over a chemical one. I've used this over the summer and still a lovely product to work with during the winter.

Model Mirror: Review

COBRACABANA and THE HIPPY SKULL II top

I order two of these Model Mirrors from lestaitai.com the US page in COBRACABANA and THE HIPPY SKULL II. I'm directly reviewing the THE HIPPY SKULL II as the COBRACABANA was a gift for my friend but I did check oit out first to make sure it was working. They retail for $25US each and the replacement battery 23A 12V I found in Rexall large Duracell line. Sephora Also as something very similar they where selling for $20US but marked it down to $10US recently probably to put it on clearance. I've been using this since March and just replaces my first battery.

Measures at 10.8cm x 8cm x 1.1 cm and has a 2X magnification one the side with the natural LED light.

Tarina Tarantino Eye Dream Hyperliner in Spark of Envy: Swatches & Review

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Tarina Tarantino Eye Dream Hyperliner in Spark of Envy

Tarina Tarantino has put out a number of nice shades in their Eye Dream Hyperliner, in my case I was looking for something a little more unique with Spark of Envy. Retails normally for $15US and $18CAN for 0.04 oz I got this at $11CAN in store.

Tarina Tarantino Jewel Eyeshadow Palette in Delightful: Swatches & Review

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Jewel Eyeshadow Palette in Delightful

My friend snagged this Tarina Tarantino Jewel Eyeshadow Palette in Delightful for me before it sold out in store as it was gone online before even know of the sale. Retails for $32US and $38CAN for 0.32 oz in store it was $22CAN.

Tarina Tarantino Dollskin Cheek Palette: Swatches & Review

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Dollskin Cheek Palette

box and jacket

Tarina Tarantino is leaving Sephore (probably because their contract is up) to start an online shop and boutique retail location in stores. So currently Sephora is having a 40% off clearance sale one the items. This normally retails for $45US and $55CAN for 4 0.12 oz (the standard mac size blush) you get three permanent shades and one unique one from the Tarina Tarantino line.

I ended up getting this palettes because I wanted to get Feather and Parasol but Parasol was sold out. I got this for $33CAN.

Angelus Leather Paint & Acrylic Finisher: Recolour Shoe/Boots Tutorial

Finished shoes

For this project I order Angelus Leather Paint bottle of 4 oz. in 186 Hot Pink, 1 oz. in 198 Buttercup and 4 oz. in 5 - White.

For a small pair of flats like these you will only need one 1 oz. bottle of what every colour you want your shoes to be and 1 oz. of white if your shoe is not already white.

I got the larger 4oz size of these paints for another project I'm doing as well latter.

I ordered the Angelus Leather paints and matte acrylic finisher from Dharma Trading.

What you will Need:

cotton pads or cotton balls

Nail polish remover with acetone (you can also use angelus leather preparer and deglazer as well)

Foam wedges or a fabric rag

Large square tip paint brush (dollar store for cheap)

Masking tape.

Angelus leather paints 

Angelus Acrylic finisher (in whatever finish you want)

Gelatin "Jello" Blood Tutorial for the Zombie Walk Toronto

Undertaker from Black Butler having bad day

It's edible and removes by just pealing off your skin.



What you will need:

Glycerine (Got from Rexall in 100 ml bottle)
Gelatin unflavored (I got mine from the Bulk Barn in Ontario.)
Water
Something to mesure with (I used a 1/2 tablespoon)
Food colouring. (I got a generic red, blue, green, yellow)
A Microwave (you can do this one a stove top with LOW heat as well)
Microwave safe container for mixing (ceramic cup)
Something to mix with (buttler knife)
and a Microwave safe storage contanier (rummber maid)

Urban Decay The original Vice Palette: Swatches & Review

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Urban Decay Vice Palette

Urban Decay The Vice Palette

The Vice Palette retails for $59US or $68CAN for 20 x 0.03 oz of eyeshadows.

I wasn't going to pick this one up just when i say it in store I definitely was suckered in.

L'Oreal Magic Lumi Light Infused Primer: Swatches & Review

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L'Oreal Magic Lumi Light Infused Primer

L'Oreal Magic Lumi Light Infused Primer is an oddity of a product. Is it a primer or highlighter. Well yes, it's both but not everyone will love it as a primer as the shimmer dewiness is very much noticeable. It retails for $18.99CAN in most drug stores for only 0.66 oz of product, making it an expensive primer for everyday use.

Disney Cinderella Stroke of Midnight Compact Mirror at Sephora

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Disney Cinderella Stroke of Midnight Compact Mirror

A dream is a wish your heart makes. An in this case a higher end line of a Disney inspired cosmetics has been a dream of mine. In particle vanity style tools! So I knew I wanted to get this out of everything the collection offered as their is nor shelf life to a compact. Retailing at $20US and $24CAN I went to place my order last week and found it would out online, but when I went dress shopping this weekend for a wedding I was able to pick this up out of town in a half size Sephora. They had not even set up the Cinderella displays yet and was in the back storage of the store. lol These are going fast!

Lime Crime palette d'antoinette pressed eyeshadow: Swatches & Review

Lime Crime Loose Eyeshadoe in Siren & Palette D'Antoinette

Lime Crime Palette D'Antoinette pressed eyeshadow retails for $34.99 US for 5 x 1.6 g of eyeshadows. I order this when they where having their clearance sale on the loose eyeshadows for $6 each for a 2.5 gram jar and got the Siren (true red) shimmer shade.

Kurai Stain Glass Dragon Wings Tutorial

Cosplayer: genkimami  Photographer: Jack Liu (alucard_leashed)

I made this set of wings over 8 years ago for a friend that never ended up using them. They ended up sitting in storage unloved until genkimami mention in 2011 that she way doing Kurai for Anime North that year and I was happy to sell them to her as there is nothing sadder than a costume that never been worn.

Essence Quattro Eyeshadow quads & I Love (heart) Stage - eyeshadow base: Swatches & Reviews

Quattro Eyeshadow quads in 07 Over the Taupe & 05 To Die For, I Love (heart) Stage – eyeshadow base

Small purchase I did over the summer as I was looking for a drugstore priced primer to recommend, the shadows where just interesting. The Quattro Eyeshadow quads retails for 5.99CAN and the I Love (heart) Stage – eyeshadow base for $6.99CAN.

Too Faced Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner in Perfect Brown: Swatches and Revi

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Too Faced Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner in Perfect Brown

The newest contender ins the long wear gel eyeliner field is Too Faced Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner. I pike duo up the shade Perfect Brown and retails for $18US / $24CAN (I can't be the only on not loving the 33% markup!). You can purchase from either Sephora or Too Faced.

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hour Eyeshadow for Fall 2012: Swatches & Review

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Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hour Eyeshadow 100 Barely Beige

Finally the fall 2012 collection has finally hit Canada (after a 2 month wait in the US). You can find the full collection in Drugstores now! These sell for around $9.99 CAN at most drugstore ( $6.99 at Walmart once they were available).

Annabelle Single Eyeshadows: Swatches & Review

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Annabelle single eyeshadow pots in: 225 Ivory, Suedine, Pinky, 118 Gold Shine, Vert To Go, 121 Cloud, Aura, Gleam, Turquoise, Goddess, & Royalty

Recently Annabelle has done a overhaul of their display and lunched 5 new shade along with some of the old eyeshadows as part of the permanent line. These shadow retail for $5.50 to 6.99CAN but you can still fine them on clearance for half price at any old Annabelle display in Canada. I'm missing the brown, purple, white and black shades.

Making Faceted Gems from Plexiglas / Acrylic sheets Tutorial

Cheri-sama's Bling: Octagonal Rudy on foil setting

What You Need!

Gem
¼” thick Plexiglas or thicker (glass stores sale scraps really cheap)
Or coloured acrylic sheets.
Wax base glass marking pencil, Stabilo makes a good one call Satbilo All
Dremel/Rotary tool
A stationary scroll saw or a dremel cutting disk
Grinding stones
A flat metal file “Mill Bastard” with parallel groves/teeth
buffing wheel and polishing compound
Note: all of these tools beside the scroll saw and file comes with the Dremel Kit
Transparent glass paint. (Lefranc & Bourgeois Glass & Tile makes the most clean glass paint I‘ve ever used. I highly recommend it.)

Setting for Gem
Sand-able air dry or expoy clay (Paperclay or Apoxie® Clay)
A long thin metal sewing needle.
Sanding paper

Primer paint or metal foil system
Krylon Silver Leafing Pen or tin foil

TheBalm Shady Lady Palettes Vol. 1, 2 & 3: Swatches & Review

TheBalm Shady Lady Palettes Vol. 1, 2 & 3

They retail for $39.50 US and the Shady Lady Vol. 2 you can find at Rexall with a beauty boutique section for $39.50CAN as well. Probably the only Beauty brand without a mark up in Canada!

theBalm and the Beautiful Face Palette: Swatches, Reviews & Dupes

theBalm and the Beautiful Face

theBalm and the Beautiful Face Palette aka the Cast Your Shadow Face Palette came out last fall rhat retailed fro $44.50US online. There was 16 full size eyeshadows, two lip/cheek stains, and one lip gloss in this palette.

I got mine in January so I've had a number a months to use it. It's no longer on theBalm, but I suspect you can find it still find it at some T.J.Maxx's in the US. (to those in canada T.J.Maxx is equivalent to our Winners).

I did however find a number of dupes from the Shade Lady palettes by theBalm for the shades in this one.

Fall Nail trend: Duochromes from OPI, China Glaze & Maybelline

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O.P.I Just Spotted The Lizard, Maybelline 715 Boho Gold, China Glaze Unpredictable, Maybelline 700 Avante Green, China Glaze Swanky Silk, Maybelline 720 Pink Cosmo, & Maybelline 725 Downtown Brown.

You say "Duochrome" I say WHERE"!

Seriously I'm addicted to Duochrome in any form whether it's two tone taffeta, silk, or polyesters or shifting eyeshadow I'll be checking them out.

O.P.I Just Spotted The Lizard from The Amazing New Spider-Man Collection was the first one to come out and I snagged it as soon I was in Toronto over the Summer. (Yes I have to go to Toronto to get OPI LE collection in person. lol) Retail for $9.99CAN to 15.99 CAN depending on the store.

China Glaze New Bohemian collection came out for the fall  ($7.99US to $9.99 CAN) and fallowed by Maybelline Color Show Limited Edtion Fall 2012 Nail Lacquer Collection which just lunched in Canada last week (2.99US $4.50CAN).

it Cosmetics Bye Bye Pores & Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush: Review

Bye Bye Pores & Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush

An oldie but a goodie! The retail price on these is Bye Bye Pores $24US / $29CAN and Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush $48 US / 48CAN. But The Shopping Channel and QVC will sometimes have these in a set for $42US / $48CAN  making a supper buy if your interested in both.

Illamasqua Gleam in Aurora & Cream Pigment in Emerge: Swatches & Review

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Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in 1 White & 3 Yellow Undertone, Gleam in Aurora, and Cream Pigment in Emerge

I recently place my first order with Illamasqua ever and did the online version instead of Sephora for a cream pigment shade that they do not carry that shade.

This post will cover the Gleam in Aurora retails for £18.00 / $24US /$26CAN and the Cream Pigment in Emerge that retails for £17.00 /$30CAN.

Miss Sweets! Temptation: Holiday 2012 Trend

Sugar addict fairies from the recent series: Humanity Has Declined

No review this time but their is a definite theme pop up in a lot of brands this year in terms of packaging and literal eye candy.

Personally I've always been a sucker for packing and want to do more of in in my job as a graphic designer so I always take note of cosmetic branding for inspiration as usually they do unique printing and box techniques.

LORAC

Eye Candy Full Face Collection $77CAN

aka Life is like a box of eyeshadows...

Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette Free style palette conversion and depotting.

Depotting is nothing new but I find I helpful when other post how they depot complicated palettes. I also liked the compact and wanted to use it again for a smaller freestyle palette.

Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Saint: Swatches & Review

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Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Saint

The Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Saint retails for $35US and $43CAN for 0.4 oz of eyeshadows products (8 pans) and a 0.028 oz Mini Puro Amor Black Autograph Pencil Eyeliner. I've lost the liner so no review on it but remember it gliding well. I've had this palette for 6 months to work with.

Revlon Color Stay Whipped Creme Makeup Ivory & Buff:Swatches & Review

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Revlon Color Stay Whipped Creme Makeup 110 Ivory & 115 Buff

Revlon Color Stay Whipped Creme Makeup in Ivory & Buff. Retails for $13.99US or $19.99 CAN as most drugstores, I got these as Zerhs for $17.99CAN The cheapest I've found them in Ontario.

Lancome Midnight Roses Fall 2012 Colour Collection Blushing Highlighter in 001 Moonlight Rose: Swatches & Review

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Lancome Blushing Highlighter in 001 Moonlight Rose

Branching out  into high end brands again, Lancome was another label that a just felt was overpriced for the product line. The Lancome Midnight Roses Fall 2012 Colour Collection is up my ally, I find it hard to NOT spend too much during the fall on makeup in general every year so I only got 1 item. Blushing Highlighter Illuminating Powder in 001 Moonlight Rose 0.18 oz $48CAN on Lancome online and at select Shoppers Drug Marts (where I got mine). Yes the price is very much high end. But here's a kicker it seems to be a Europe and Canada exclusive product as it's not listed on the US site. It's Limited edition but I'm hoping they make it permanent in the range and add more shades and here is the why!