Dolce and Gabbana Darling Passion Duo Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

 Dolce and Gabbana Darling Passion Duo Lipstick

Dolce and Gabbana Passion Duo Lipstick ($34) is a 2-in-1 hybrid of rich cream color and satin gloss. The outside lipstick layer provides most of the color, while the middle gloss layer provides shine. Darling is a glistening, warm peachy-pink with a cotton candy pink center. It's a lipstick that falls in the natural/nude category, and one that I find to be very sophisticated. It has light pigmentation (buildable) and leaves my lips glowing!

Although it's not the first time this type of design has been created, and with my personal experiences, 2-in-1 products tend to be failures (usually exceeding in one aspect and falling short in the other) - automatically I think of cream blushes that "can also be used on the lips", which usually ends up in dry, shriveled lips, but perfectly stained cheeks. Well, my good ol' friend D&G hit the nail on the head with the passion duo lipsticks, as the overall formula isn't anything short of fabulous.

The formula is silky smooth and feels great on the lips. The moisturizing ingredients in this lipstick seem to sink into my lips quite well without further drying them out.

The lipstick does have a noteworthy scent/taste of roses. Although it's not crazy strong, it's there. Imagine the scent of Guerlain Meteorites on your lips - that's exactly what it's like.

Darling is actually one of the sheerer passion duos, so the lasting power is very average. I've read that the more pigmented (darker) colors stick around much longer. If you're looking for a sexy, warm red, check out Incognito. (View Crystalis007 review & lip swatch - omg!)

D&G Darling Lipstick on my lips.

To be completely honest, I was hoping to of course like this lipstick, but I didn't expect to love it as much as I do. Lucky for me,  I'll be suffering many sleepless nights thinking about all of the other shades I'd like to snatch up, and how empty it would leave my poor wallet. At least I'll have gloriously glowing lips, though... Just kidding, But really, these are definitely worth checking out if you happen to ever run across a D&G counter.

The packaging is a classy, pale gold metal tube. It's slim and slightly weighty, and reflective of the hefty price tag. 

(Image Credit)

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Gorgeous Color! Despite it being a fairly light nude, it actually brings color to my face rather than making my face look dull  - which many nudes tend to do.
• Creamy formula that glides on the lips with ease.
• Is surprisingly moisturizing on it's own - I don't need an additional lip balm.
• Feels smooth and comfortable on the lips.
• Appealing packaging design.

Cons:

• Takes several coats to achieve full coverage.
• Isn't particularly long-wearing, though it doesn't claim to be. Wear time can differ with shades. Being Darling is light and somewhat sheer, it's lasting power is inferior to bolder, more opaque shades. 
• The center wears down quicker than the outer ring with continued use.
• Scented - although I stopped noticing it after the first couple of uses.

Price: $34, Saks.

Have you tried any D&G makeup? Do share!!

Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Luminous Cheek Colour

Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Luminous Cheek Colour ($44) is a mid-tone cool pink (bubblegum pink) powder blush with a matte finish. Although it has cool undertones, I don't find it to be overly cool, and would be suitable for warm and cool skin tones. Obviously I have very warm, medium skin, and it works well on me without leaning purple or appearing ashy.

I've also worn this blush after my faux tan has faded, and on light skin, it gives a natural flush to the cheeks. It's a bit reminiscent of the pink hue the cheeks would turn on fair skin after a light jog. While running errands yesterday, I had to stop a couple of times in the mirror and admire how pretty it is!

The texture is smooth and very finely milled, so there shouldn't be any problems with blending.

The pigmentation is good - just where you'd want a bright blush like this to be, so you won't end up over-doing it. It's always best to lightly tap the blush with your brush and apply it to your cheeks, and go back for more if necessary, rather than going full-force at once.

I'm always drawn to anything pink in makeup and coincidentally, anything gold. Although this shade isn't incredibly unique - there are SO many shades out there that are similar, but I couldn't resist a little D&G!

The blush is housed in a rounded-square pale gold metal compact (although it's only metal on the outside, plastic on the inside) complete with a large mirror and brush. It's completely functional - slim and not too heavy for travel. The only problem is that because it's so reflective, it holds fingerprints easily. It does come with a velvet sleeve if you're particular about keeping your compact clean. The brush included is very soft and works okay, but it's a little too small for my cheeks, and I'd probably won't make much use of it. It actually works well as a highlighter brush to apply a highlight precisely to the top of the cheekbones, as the brush is small and flat.

Here are a few comparisons to other cool pink blushes-

From left to right: Dolce and Gabbana Provocative Blush, Bobbi Brown Pale Pink Blush, Nars Angelika Blush, Illamasqua Promise Cream Blush, Kevyn Aucoin Hot Pink Liquifuschia, MAC Subtle Breeze Mineralize Blush (LE) and MAC Dame Blush.

Close-ups in the same order as above-

Dolce and Gabbana Powder blush contains 5g/0.17 oz of product for $44. It's not the best value in terms of the amount of product you get for the price when compared to it's competitors; Chanel Blush contains 0.21 oz/$43, Christian Dior contains 0.26/$42, Nars contains 0.16 oz/$28 and Bobbi Brown contains 0.13 oz/$25. The list goes on, but the majority of the brands contain more bang for your buck. So ultimately, it all depends on your personal preferred brand.

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Beautiful compact that reflects the price, and brand-name. It's functional and slim for travel. 
• Very soft, finely milled texture that makes blending easy.
• Although the finish is matte, it doesn't look ashy or dull on my skin.
• Gorgeous shade for pink lovers - not overly cool, works on warm or cool skin.
• Good color pay-off - it's pigmented, but not overly pigmented (won't leave you looking like a clown)

Cons:

• The color isn't very unique - there really isn't any need to spend $44 on this blush as there are far many other choices for similar shades at a lower cost (although I don't own any exact duplicates)
• The packaging holds fingerprints and gets scratched easily - though can be avoided by storing it in the velvet pouch included.
• It's not the best value, though it doesn't particularly bother me because I'll most likely never finish this blush anyway (I have far too many blushes to finish any of them for that matter)

Price: $44, Saks.

Dolce and Gabbana Shimmer Illuminator Review, Photos and Swatches!

Dolce and Gabbana The Illuminator Powder in Shimmer

I picked up this powder recently through a blog sale as it was a great deal, and I was curious to step into the world of Dolce and Gabbana cosmetics. It's not a D&G product you hear much about, nevertheless I still wanted to write a review for it, because there isn't much info online about the product, and I figure it may help someone sooner or later.

Dolce and Gabbana Illuminator is described as a "lightweight powder highlighter offering effortless radiance. An enviable natural glow is created as every area of the face is brightened by the exquisite blend of pearlescent tones."

The Illuminator is available in two shades: Eva and Shimmer.

For a product that is labeled as a highlighter, Shimmer is not one to follow the crowd. In fact, Shimmer, isn't very shimmery at all. I'd say that Eva (light, golden-beige) is more of a traditional highlighter.

Shimmer is a soft, mauved-taupe with a sprinkle of ultra-fine shimmer. So sparse that it's barely there.

It actually doesn't work as a highlighter for me, and I can't really see this working as a highlighter for anyone - rather, a shade to add warmth and depth to the skin. For myself, it works great as a natural contour through the hollows of my cheekbones, or as a nude blush (ya know, the kind of blushes that are a cross between a bronzer).

In some ways, it reminds me a bit of MAC Taupe Blush (Pro shade) but more sheer with an added hint of rosy mauve, whereas Taupe is purely a pale, neutral brown that pulls slightly plummy on my cheeks.

The powder itself is very dreamy. It's so soft and finely milled that it blends like a dream. A product that you don't have to worry about overdoing, as the results are always very natural. It really makes me want to look more into the line! Maybe pick up a blush or two? (Champagne taste on a beer budget, I swear.)

The pigmentation is sheer, but very buildable. You can achieve a good amount of color if you want to, or keep it more au naturale with a light dusting.

And of course you can't ignore the chic gold metal compact. It's durable, functionable and oh so pretty.

Here it is swatched on my arm. Bear in mind, my arm is very fair (MAC NC15 coloring). The swatch on the left is the powder applied heavily with a sponge cosmetic wedge and the swatch on the right is the powder applied and blended with my MAC 168 Contour Brush. Can you spot a couple of sparkles?

I find the lasting power to be quite good as well. When I wear this as a contour, it's always still there by the end of the night.

Overall, I like this product, but it's not something I'd purchase again. Although I would really like to explore the brand a little further as I love the texture of this product and love the luxury of the compact - and the line itself. The price is expensive, but there is a whopping 15g/0.53 oz amount of product, which is over half the amount of MAC, Nars, Tarte, etc. So, you're paying more, but getting more in addition with great packaging.

Have any D&G favs you can recommend?

Price: $47, Saks.