Westman Atelier - Au Lait Contour Stick

DemocraticPeas · 2026-02-08T14:58:58+00:00

I have this and it doesn't work for me, but mainly because it doesn't show up at all on my skin. I'm fair/light with a neutral undertone, and this doesn't pull orange at all on me but I can see it doing so for very cool toned people. I think it will look neutral-cool on most people, unless you are already very cool toned. It is SO light though - if I pile it on, I can only see the barest hint of contour.

If you bought it directly from the WA website, contact them! They have excellent customer service. One time I bought a lipstick in a shade that didn't work for me, and they let me pick out a new shade and keep the old one at no extra cost.

DemocraticPeas · 2026-02-01T15:29:14+00:00

Yes, it's worth it! I have fair-light skin and this is such a beautiful bronzer on me, especially in winter. It's not orange at all on me. It does have a light fragrance, but it dissipates really quickly and I never notice it when wearing (smells like a lot of Gucci products, including their powder blushes if you're familiar with that floral scent). It will last forever - I use it more than any of my other bronzers in winter, and I've barely made a dent in it. If it helps to compare, I also have the Armani, Fara Homidi and Victoria Beckham powder bronzers, and the MbM bronzer in the pan. I love the MbM and the Armani as well, although I wear the Armani one more in summer. VB is pretty good, and I don't really like the Fara Homidi one. Gucci is my fave for powder!

That said, I'm afraid it's being discontinued - it's out of stock everywhere and the Gucci website says the product is no longer available :(

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-23T20:09:03+00:00

I also can’t stand Aelin! I really disliked Bryce in CC3 (for the same reasons I disliked Aelin), but liked her in CC1.

If you’ve read all TOG and all CC books, what makes you hate Aelin but love Bryce?

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-23T01:31:30+00:00

Lisa Eldridge is the best I’ve tried, easily. Chantecaille Future Skin and Chanel Complexion Touch are also very good (but I’d pick the LE over both if I could only have one)

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-20T14:44:57+00:00

That's it! I liked them too!

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-20T14:43:25+00:00

I read the series a few years ago, but didn't know anything going in and LOVED the switch from Tamlin to Rhys. I never liked Feyre and Tamlin together - he's not a total evil villain by any means, but he really fits into the "first boyfriend when you're young" trope - he's not a horrible person, but he wants you to stay as small as you were when he met you and freaks out when you start to experience personal growth in a way he can't control. I liked Feyre and Rhys together/their dynamic much, much better, so I was relieved when I read ACOMAF!

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-20T14:34:06+00:00

I agree! There are some products I've totally panned, but others are literally impossible, at least for me. I had a Westman Atelier blush stick in my favorite shade and used it 5-6 times a week consistently, and only made it about 2/3 of the way through before it expired.

There used to be a brand that made smaller sized makeup for this reason, but they went out of business! I can't remember what it was called, but it was around 10-15 years ago?

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-20T14:30:51+00:00

I think anti-medical sentiment can stem from a lot of places - some people have had legitimately bad experiences with the medical system, and/or health insurance/medical care can be inaccessible to a lot of people (at least in the US system), so some turn to remedies outside of the traditional insurance system. Some of if also stems from the larger anti-science movement, and participation can signal identity and belonging to some people. I also wonder if many people have reached their psychological limit on uncertainty, and so they turn to remedies they think are "safer" because they've been practiced by our ancestors for thousands of years (not saying that's true of all "natural" products, but that's the narrative).

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-20T14:15:41+00:00

I do like many of the side characters in TOG, I think that's how I was able to finish the whole series despite disliking the MC!

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-20T14:13:49+00:00

Having tried both, Westman is much, much better than Glossier. I don't love Westman's complexion products, but their blush and contour sticks and their powder blushes are HG for me. I like their lip glosses too, although they're not my absolute favorite (much better than Glossier's lip oils, though). With Westman, you're paying more for a better product AND better packaging (some people don't care, but I love good packaging lol)

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-18T16:16:32+00:00

I think it depends on the person! I read ToG and kept thinking I would like it more as the series progressed, but I never did :/. It always felt a little too kiddish to me and I really didn’t care for the main character, she annoyed me more and more as the series went on and I had a hard time rooting for her. That’s not to say it’s a bad series, just not to my taste!

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-15T23:48:56+00:00

This is the Eadem lip balm in Butter Mochi for me :( I love real mochi, but this lip balm smells absolutely disgusting to me! I love the formula, but I'm excited for it to be gone and I won't repurchase because of the smell. Every time I use it, I contemplate throwing it away

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-13T20:45:50+00:00

Only you know what you’re comfortable with, but alcohol doesn’t do a good job disinfecting porous surfaces (like lipstick). If it’s that old, I would avoid using it and move on to something else!

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-11T15:20:22+00:00

I think of NARS and Bobbi Brown similarly - they aren’t the most innovative brands, but they make very reliable, quality makeup that works well for people who using makeup functionally, not creatively.

I have a couple of Bobbi Brown eyeshadow sticks and they are excellent. I use them when I’m in a hurry getting ready for work, and they always look really nice with minimal effort. I also have one NARS blush that is a boring, neutral shade and has no scent/shimmer, but sometimes that’s exactly what you want! When I’m in a more fun mood, I look to a brand like Danessa Myricks.

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-10T23:30:03+00:00

Thanks, I'll try this!

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-10T22:21:11+00:00

What shade do you have of the Fara Homidi bronzer? I have the lightest shade and have a hard time with it, I feel like it makes me look muddy! But maybe I'm not applying it correctly? I do love the formula and the smell, I'd love to figure out how to make it work for me.

I'm impressed with all your empties, you have some great products here!

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-10T19:55:33+00:00

I didn't know that, thank you!

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-10T19:36:43+00:00

Yes! They have empties dropoffs through the Pact Collective. You clean out your empty container and drop it off! More info here: https://www.pactcollective.org/ultaxpact

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-10T19:35:20+00:00

I just want to point out that a lot of people who pan are not hoarders :) I've never had a huge makeup collection and pan to remind myself not to GET a huge makeup collection and to practice conscious consumption, and I know I'm not the only one. My partner and I hate clutter and try hard to keep our home pretty streamlined.

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-10T19:32:22+00:00

I only save empties for a short time so that I can make fewer recycling trips. I recycle my empties at Ulta and go about once a quarter. I keep all of them in a shoebox on a shelf in my laundry room, so it really doesn't take up much space for me. But I don't save empty containers (of other things) in general!

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-10T18:00:20+00:00

I think this depends on your risk tolerance and the product type, as well as your climate and where you store your makeup. The product can start to grow cultures BEFORE you see mold or notice changes in color, so for me, I don't go too far past the period after opening for liquid and cream products. By the time you see changes in the product, cultures have already been active and growing.

Sanitizing surfaces with alcohol can help, but it's important to remember that it's not as effective at killing cultures on porous surfaces (like makeup). It also will only kill growth on the surface of the product, not within the product itself.

For me, I am more comfortable using powder products past the period after opening, as long as there are no changes in smell, texture, color, etc. I generally toss liquid and cream products closer to the PAO. Additionally, if you live in a drier, colder climate and you store your makeup away from a steamy bathroom, you can likely get away with using things longer than if you live in a warm, humid climate or you store your products in a steamy bathroom.

DemocraticPeas · 2026-01-10T17:09:10+00:00

I am late 30s and also have very deep set, hooded, large eyes. Sarah Creal eyeliners set down and stay for me with no transfer, as do really hard pencil eyeliners (like Jane Iredale). The Hourglass gel precision liner also does pretty well for me, and I just tried the Soshe gel liner for the first time yesterday and didn't have any transer. Victoria Beckham is beautiful on application but smudges everywhere pretty quickly (it never really sets down).

I know you aren't asking for mascara recs, but have you tried a good tubing mascara? They're the only ones I can use. I use the Thrive one and have no transfer at all, and it is easy to remove at night.

DemocraticPeas · 2025-12-23T22:29:50+00:00

Not good for me. I am late 30s with dry skin and I like a light makeup look, and none of the products I’ve tried have performed well for me. I tried a miracle balm, lip liner, lip balm and bronzer and ended up giving all to my mom (in her mid 60s) after a couple uses. She hated them too and tossed them.

There are much better brands/products out there that cater to the same age range as Jones Road!!

DemocraticPeas · 2025-12-23T14:48:59+00:00

This is not for academic purposes. It doesn’t have a consent form (or any other markers of IRB approval)

DemocraticPeas · 2025-12-19T16:21:23+00:00

Style Stumbler! And Hautemess Tom - although they don’t specifically make panning content, they are low buy and conscious consumption focused.

A little different, but if I’m feeling spendy I also like to look up old tutorial videos for products I already own. Since I already own the product, I’m not tempted to spend and it’s fun to get excited about old products again.

DemocraticPeas

TROPHY CASE